Grade: B- | Genre: Comedy Summary: Unfortunately, My Name Is Earl isn't as quirky as it tries to be. The show's dry eccentricities lack a certain "pop" that make favorites like Scrubs, The Office, and Arrested Development so addicting. There's not much good about this old boy, but Earl is a charmer who can use his ignorant and unambitious sensibilities to warm the coldest of all over-achievers. He's a hick by every sense of the word and lives up to every generalization society has stamped on his red neck. So what else is there to do but put give Earl his own primetime show? Chasing Amy's and Almost Famous' Jason Lee is perfectly cast as the title character and plays the role so genuinely well that you'd think he's been living in a trailer all his life. My Name Is Earl is one the most hyped shows to come out this fall and looks to take television out of Reality TV hell and into the trailer park.

It may not seem like it, but Earl isn't someone you'd want to bring home to mom. He's "that guy you see going into the convenience store when you stop off in that little town on the way to Grandma's house...sorta shifty looking fellow who buys a pack of smokes, a couple lotto scratchers and a tallboy at 10 in the morning."

Then there's his wife, Joy (Jaime Pressly), and his two kids, Dodge and Earl Jr., neither of which are his own. Unbeknownst to Earl, Joy was six months pregnant with Dodge when they met/married and by the time Earl Jr. came along, we learn't that his real father is Darnell, an employee at Earl's favorite dive, Ernie's Crab Shack, whom Earl affectionately calls "Crab Man." There's also Randy, Earl's slacker brother who has a curious fascination with Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock's "It Takes Two." Put it on, and he's a dancing machine.

On one fine day, Earl walks out of a convenience as he scratches off a lotto ticket. Of all the dumb luck, he actually is the winner of the $100,000 prize, but his fortunes are quickly scrapped as Earl is run over by a truck only to lie motionless as his ticket flies away in the breeze.

In the hospital, a recovering Earl flips through the channels and stumbles upon Last Call with Carson Daly, who in a way, becomes Earl's Oracle of good faith. According to Earl, it is Daly who originated the idea of Karma, and provides a very valuable lesson to be learned as he describes how and why he is able to enjoy such a great life. "Do good things and good things happen to you. Do bad things and it will come back to haunt you." An epiphany! Eager to rid himself of the misfortunes that have plagued his life thus far, Earl builds a list of over 200 grievances he has ever inflicted onto others and sets out to correct them all. For example, there's item 136 - Being a litterbug. "Son of Bitch," he exclaims as that $100,000 winning lotto ticket he lost in the accident comes flying by the moment he begins to pick up trash. Carson Daly was right...karma will get you!

My Name Is Earl: Series Premiere Starring:Jason Lee, Jaime Pressly, Ethan Suplee, Nadine Velazquez and Eddie Steeples Official Web Site Email this article to a friend

My Name Is Earl is an honest-hearted show that tries to make good out of the bad. Earl's a complex individual within a simple exterior. A heart of gold, you have to look really hard to see it.

The best thing going for Earl is Jason Lee. He has a natural quality of being that guy you feel like you've known all along. He's able to use his everyman pleasantries to make you feel comfortable with not only himself but also with the show. Unfortunately, My Name Is Earl isn't as quirky as it tries to be. The show's dry eccentricities lack a certain "pop" that make favorites like Scrubs, The Office, and Arrested Development so addicting. Even the show's premiere took an easy way out allowing Earl to cross Kenny off his list just by getting him inside that gay bar. This simple act and nothing else magically gives Kenny the confidence he's lacked for so many years and prepares him to live a happy and fulfillingly gay life. Right.

For what it's worth, Jason Lee is the reason to continue watching Earl with the hopes that it gets better and better as time goes. Afterall, there must be a reason why the entertainment media has been gushing over this "best new show" for some time now. Be sure to check it out Tuesdays on NBC (check your local listings).