The Drew Carey Show: The Complete First Season

In a great example of "worst to first" (or nearly), Drew Carey went from starring in one of the lowest-rated shows in TV history (The Good Life) to one of the highest rated with his self-titled sitcom. While it didn't quite reach Friends or Seinfeld greatness, The Drew Carey Show did a lot of things right. Its core philosophy was that a lot of people in America aren't the boss and have less-than-glamorous jobs. However, with good friends and colorful co-workers life can still be rewarding -- and, in this case, amusing. The show's other strength was throwing in oddball bits (like singing and dancing numbers) that worked well even within the parameters of the show's blue-collar sensibility. Carey's appeal as an everyman also helped shoulder the load. Season One establishes the formula early, introducing us to Drew and his friends as well as his co-workers including the outrageously make-up-challenged Mimi (Katherine Kinney). Some tinkering was yet to be done, but the show quickly established itself as a solid sitcom. (P.F. Wilson) Grade: B+