`Bob And Margaret': Humdrum Is Ho-Hum

Let's make one thing clear: Comedy Central's "Bob and Margaret," premiering tonight at 10:30 on the cable network, won't be the heir apparent to "South Park." Comedy Central would like it to be; heaven knows it could use another audience magnet. Problem is, "Bob and Margaret" squanders the fact that it's a cartoon by patterning itself after a very sedate version of real life.

"South Park" continues to pull in viewers by finding new sacred cows to slaughter, but "Bob and Margaret" takes the opposite tack by being so normal it's soporific. Bob Fish is a dentist; his wife Margaret is a foot masseuse. The potato-like couple live in a nice London flat with their spoiled spud dogs, William and Elizabeth, and viewers join them as they live through being burgled, getting in shape, and, in the premiere, dealing with some stiff dentistry competition.

The show is based on the same stuff average middle-class, middle-aged couples would worry about, except Bob and Margaret are cartoons. And the first episodes should benefit tremendously from the series' similarly soothing lead-in, "Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist."

Pairing the 'toons is a wise decision on the network's part, although assuming "Bob and Margaret" will be able to hold "Dr. Katz's" audience may prove to be wishful thinking. The squiggly therapist wisely lets his famous clients provide the comedic content, while "Bob and Margaret's" creators leave the laughs up to their characters' tedious lives. That's not enough to hold a steady audience for 13 episodes.

The animated series, created by husband-and-wife duo David Fine and Alison Snowden, began as a 12-minute animated short called "Bob's Birthday." It graced the festival circuit a few years ago and won the pair an Academy Award in 1995.

"Bob's Birthday" was neither mechanically nor visually astounding, but it won over hearts with its unthreatening view into British middle age. Bob comes home on his birthday, rips into his friends and their spouses, and drops his pants - all while his pals are hiding in the living room for the surprise party Margaret has planned. No obvious jokes; only conversational observances dropped into a funny situation.

The series isn't even that daring.

In the final frame of "Bob and Margaret's" premiere, in which Bob experiences high anxiety when a young and fun dentist sets up shop across the street, Margaret realizes she may have been molested while under anesthetic and passes out - a moment more tasteless than humorous. Later episodes show them accidentally confusing their dogs' food and their breakfast cereal, and having Bob pant pathetically while braving a stair-climbing machine.

In other words, none of the humor is extraordinary.

"Bob and Margaret's" creators would argue its ruthlessly mundane aspects are intentional. The show is meant to appeal to more mature viewers, not the type who would revel in "South Park's" toilet humor. And who knows? It might be heading up a new trend, as UPN introduces the humorously average "Dilbert" and an animated version of "Baby Blues" hits the airwaves. But as Comedy Central enjoys the upswing that pushing the envelope with the likes of "South Park" has created, it can ill afford to bank on blandness.