I can't hate on "Twenty Good Years"

I've only seen half of "Twenty Good Years," and while I have the tape set aside to watch the rest, I'd better write about it before the whole thing leaves my feeble mind.

Yeah, it's a traditional sitcom. But setup of the premise was done well: John Lithgow is a surgeon, and Geoffrey Tambor a judge, both friends since childhood who are hitting a critical point in their 60 years of life. For Lithgow, it's the forced semi-retirement of his egocentric MD, and with Tambor, it's pressure to marry longtime girlfriend Judith "Who's the Boss?" Light.

When the hospital's suprise birthday/retirement party pushes Lithgow away from the operating table, all heck breaks loose, and after a bender, he ambles into the party at home in his honor, pledging to now live his last "twenty good years" to their fullest, with Tambor along for the ride.

Why does "Twenty Good Years" work?

Two words: John and Lithgow.

Just letting him loose on a sitcom stage to do his thing is more than enough. There is plenty of fodder for what amounts to a second midlife crisis, and I have to say, I've got a good feeling about where the show is going.