
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, September 25, 1993                   TAG: 9309250309
SECTION: SPECTATOR                    PAGE: S-12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ED BARK DALLAS MORNING NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`JOE'S LIFE' - NOT BAD, JUST BLAND AND PREDICTABLE

Unemployment hits hard, in both the fictional world of TV sitcoms and the real world of actor Peter Onorati. A veteran of two failed ABC series, "Civil Wars" and "Cop Rock," he's back in the game as an unemployed blue collar-ite in "Joe's Life." It's also on ABC, where the Peter principle lives. Bland and predictable, "Joe's Life" may not live to see midseason.

Onorati, who plays Joe Gennaro, is first seen loaded with groceries and delusions.

He actually believes that one of his three kids will help him put them away. You'd sooner find Iron Mike Ditka eating Lucky Charms.

Joe's wife, Sandy, is played by Mary Page Keller, who has piled up TV series credits at a rate even Robert Urich might envy.

Perhaps you missed her in "Duet," "Open House," "Baby Talk," "Life Goes On" and "Camp Wilder."

Sandy has taken an office job while Joe plays Mr. Mom by day and a chef by night in his brother's restaurant. The premiere episode finds Mr. Mom and mom disagreeing over whether middle son Scotty (Spencer Klein) should be allowed to have a rattail haircut. Joe's against it, and Scotty understands where he's coming from. "You stink. I hate you," he says. From the mouths of babes.

It is Joe, of course - not the kid - who ends up seeing the light. Until then he's in a fog. "I got no idea what I'm about anymore," he tells his brother. "I'm like lost."

"Joe's Life" is like ordinary. It doesn't deserve anything close to a "You-stink-I-hate-you" review. It's more like, "You're on the air. Who cares?"

"Joe's Life" debuts Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on WSET-Channel 13.

by CNB