Grandfathered- Starring: John Stamos, Josh Peck, Paget Brewster, Christina Milian, Kelly Jenrette
The Grinder- Starring: Rob Lowe, Fred Savage, William Devane, Mary Elizabeth Ellis

FOX has two new sitcoms, each anchored by a TV Star, and sub-anchored by another TV star. You have Grandfathered, starring John Stamos (and also Josh Peck), and The Grinder, starring Rob Lowe (and also Fred Savage). One of these is better than the other.

Grandfathered is the lesser of the two sitcoms, but only because The Grinder is actually really funny, whereas Grandfathered is just kinda “made you smirk” type of funny. Stamos isn’t nearly as funny as Rob Lowe, nor is Josh Peck as funny as Fred Savage.

Grandfathered is predictable. Each moment is annoyingly plotted. There’s a scene where they watch Kramer Vs Kramer and Stamos mocks the scene where Hoffman is running his child through the streets. In that moment, I realized… shit. They’re gonna do this scene later. And I was right.

The Grinder is somehow less predictable, and feels less like a giant set up for a joke that doesn’t pay off. Instead, it plays perfectly on Rob Lowe’s charm, and his obliviousness to life after TV.

I’ve never reviewed two shows simultaneously, but they’re so similar, and paired back-to-back. It was hard not to discuss the other show. Grandfathered is the weaker of the two shows. Definitely check out The Grinder.

GRANDFATHERED: C+
THE GRINDER: B+