Pepper Dennis

As a whole, the show is as cute and easy to like as its star, and that's saying something.

The romantic comedy comes off as a rather charming, likable hour, thanks in large measure to a cast that gives it more than a bit of zip.

Romijn is quite fetching here, both in looks and performance.

The cast is pleasant enough, and Romijn certainly tackles her character with the abandon and conviction necessary to anchor a comedy-drama series. Were the show better written, these actors probably could deliver the goods with no problem.

Ms. Romijn's hourlong show tries to combine the arch satire of "Desperate Housewives" with the chick-lit romance of "Grey's Anatomy," and falls short of both.

"Pepper Dennis" is so poorly written that the hokey dialogue not only besmirches journalism, but television journalism, which really takes some serious hackery to accomplish.

The WB is lying when it boasts that Pepper Dennis signifies a new television life form, the one-hour comedy. Boring, yes; witless, definitely; trashy, oh my God yes. Comedy? Dream on, guys.