The Good Guys (Fox)

Detective Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks) has ticked off his supervisors one time too many, so now he’s stuck investigating the most insignificant incidents. Worse, he has to babysit his new partner Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford), a veteran cop who follows his gut no matter how many rules he has to break in the process. Stark was lauded as a hero for saving the governor’s son -- three decades ago. Now he’s a washed-up cop, who drinks on duty and cruises on his fading glory because the department can’t get rid of him. Together, they set out to solve the city’s inconsequential burglaries, which seem to regularly lead them to major crimes.

There’s nothing especially original about THE GOOD GUYS. Rogue cop with a straightlaced partner? Seen it before. Detective that refuses to follow the rules, yet still manages to make the big bust and infuriate his superiors in the process? Yep, been there too. But a lack of originality doesn’t mean the show is no good. The witty scripts make it clear the series doesn’t take itself too seriously, and Hanks and Whitford breathe new life into this standard formula.

Hanks is fun (OK, maybe a bit stiff, but that’s the point here) as the frustrated, by-the-book cop, but Whitford is the best part of the show. Stark still thinks he’s a hero who can do no wrong; it doesn’t help that women still swoon when he tries to take their statements, and his ridiculous decisions still lead him straight to the bad guys. The two bickering partners have enough chemistry to elevate this predictable series.