Standing up well to inner city pressure

We were going to write how we were disappointed in the second episode.

Then we watched it again. And we liked it.

Maybe some of the humor was so subtle that we didn't appreciate it the first time. Maybe it was because the premiere was so good that we were bracing for a letdown.

Sure there were some flaws. Rhys Darby, who plays band manager Murray, stole the show and the gag with the cassette tape was a little overdone. But overall, we think the songs and writing were solid.

The opening homage/paraody of the Pet Shop Boys was a lot funnier the second time we heard it, which probably put us in a better frame of mind for the rest of the show.

Now, what did the rest of America think?

Theater critic Robert Cashill, who blogs on Between Productions, gave it his stamp of approval, if for nothing else than the New York flavor . . . Minijonb still can't decide whether he loves or hates the show . . . Liz Pardue raved about the second episode on Inside the Box, saying the show was every bit as good as the premiere . . . Humble Howard's Space said the FOTC reeks of network genius . . . Like a lot of others, John's Blog calls FOTC his favorite new show . . . and finally this big thumbs up from TV Guide.