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Bonnie is earning surprisingly strong ratings against NBC's longtime hit "Frasier." But Hunt might be better off trusting her improv instincts more. The painfully unfunny scripted portions are practically a catalog of everything wrong with old-fashioned sitcoms: precocious kids, an indulgent hubby, a wisecracking maid the only thing distinguishing it from a hack '60s sitcom is the absence of a genie or lovable Martian. But the talk-show segments crackle with jazzy humor and authenticity. When Bonnie accidentally gets looped on prescription cough syrup and starts riffing uncontrollably, the decoupage artist she is interviewing seems genuinely peeved. "One thing that drives me crazy about sitcoms," says Hunt, "is when someone says something funny and no [other character] laughs." Not a problem here.
Bonnie can seem chaotic and, like a lot of TV about TV, self-indulgent. But the chaos and feeling of risk on the actors' part create an excitement the audience can sense. "Improv adds a spark you cannot capture when you only have scripted dialogue," says Bonnie co-executive producer Don Lake. "It's contagious." With Bonnie and Curb on a roll, don't be surprised to see the contagion spreading. Sorry, Will. Have you ever considered the theater?