Quintuplets (Fox)

QUINTUPLETS plays on a scary situation for any parent: suddenly being responsible for five mouths to feed and five sets of egos to contend with. The audience is spared the early years of the family's life, joining the story when the quintuplets are at the tender age of 15. Hormones are bubbling, and the kids are ganging up on their parents, but Mom (Rebecca Creskoff) and Dad (Andy Richter) are good-naturedly coping without losing their marbles.

What Quintuplets ultimately does right can't be said for all family comedies -- it doesn't take itself too seriously. The pace is quick and the characters are at times caricatures of stereotypes. There are laughs enough to justify some of the lame jokes. And, there's a kind of checks and balances scheme. For every sexist remark Patton (Ryan Pinkston) makes, his sister Penny (April Matson) cuts him down a notch. Every time Pearce (Johnny Lewis) gets the short end of the stick, he secretly triumphs in the end. Plus, the parents respect each other as equals, and they treat their kids with the light sarcasm that only parents with five teenagers under one roof can earn.

Some aspects of this goofy comedy are reminiscent of a self-aware The Brady Bunch. But unlike the innocent conundrums faced by the Brady kids, this contemporary take is riddled with strong sexual innuendo, drug references, and power struggles. So while Quintuplets can be amusing, it's not suitable for all audiences.