VH1 is getting into the sitcom business with Free Radio, starting on Friday, February 8 at 9:30 PM. The home of trashy reality shows got together with Lance Krall, one of the hottest young comics around. At a Los Angeles area radio station, a legendary morning drive shock jock bolts for satellite, leaving an intern (Krall) and a weatherwoman (Anna Vocino) as fill-ins until the station manager (played in deadpan excellence by Brian Huskey) can find a permanent replacement.

Lance’s character (also named Lance) is, as his station manager refers to him, a train wreck. His inability to control his inner voice and utter lack of knowledge regarding some of the guests (which include Luis Guzman, Jack Coleman from Heroes, and Tony Shalhoub) lead to some uncomfortable exchanges with his co-workers. The twist of the show is that while Lance literally destroys everything he touches, the show is a big hit. Dubbed “Moron in the Morning”, Lance is fast becoming the biggest radio personality in Los Angeles.

It's appropriate that Angela Kinsey from The Office is one of the first on-air guests. Lance Krall, a former Tae Kwon Do champion, was the karate teacher in the NBC show’s episode where Dwight and Michael have a lunchtime brawl. But Radio also comes from the same single camera, uncomfortable comedy genre as well. In addition to The Office, Radio also has elements of Arrested Development -- deadpan insanity aplenty.

The real innovation is in letting Krall be not only an immature, clueless man-boy, but an egotistical, annoying one at that. There’s little to empathize with in him. He is full of himself, but it’s not sudden fame intoxication, that’s just who he is. One particularly cringe-inducing scene has Krall incessantly peppering Kiefer Sutherland about wearing headphones while in the studio. Sutherland does a great job of lobbing some easy jabs at Lance. A skit with a trio of Christopher Walken impersonators hits it out of the park.

Free Radio works; and here’s hoping VH1 gives the show the support it deserves.