TV

Meloni stands out in new sitcom ‘Surviving Jack’

I’ve been a big Chris Meloni fan since “Oz” —and the admiration carried over into his long-running role as Detective Elliot Stabler on “Law & Order: SVU.”

That being said, I didn’t have high hopes for “Surviving Jack,” Meloni’s mid-season Fox sitcom premiering March 27, if only because the “midseason” label carries a stigma (not good enough for the fall — a benchwarmer that will pinch-hit when other shows are cancelled).

But I was wrong. “Surviving Jack” is very enjoyable, with Meloni delivering in a comedic role and ably supported by some clever writing and a solid cast featuring veteran actress Rachael Harris as his wife and Connor Buckley and Claudie Lee in the roles of his teenage kids.

The show is from Justin Halpern, the same guy whose blog postings morphed into “$#*! My Dad Says,” which petered out after one season (2010-11) on CBS with William Shatner in the lead role.

This time, it’s Halpern’s memoir, “I Suck At Girls,” which serves as the template for “Surviving Jack.” The show opens in 1991 suburban LA, with Meloni as ex-military man Jack Dunlevy, a straight-shooting oncologist married to Joanne (Harris). They’ve got two teenage kids — lanky, hormonally charged son Frankie (Buckley) and daughter Rachel (Lee). The premiere finds Joanne starting her first day of law school — after years of raising the kids — meaning that no-nonsense Jack will be spending lots of time Frankie and Rachel. (He’s cut back his hours at the hospital to be more of a Mr. Mom — or Dr. Mom, in this case).

The setup sounds familiar, but the show moves along at a brisk pace, with Meloni’s Jack — a more lovable version of Robert Duvall in “The Great Santini” — firing off some good one-liners (“I’m a doctor — the only thing I take seriously after six weeks is diarhhea”) while teaching both of his kids some life lessons. And it’s nice to see a married couple who actually love each other and aren’t engaged in constant sniping (and a guy like Jack who looks forward to spending more time with his kids — shocker!).

I’m not saying “Surviving Jack” has re-invented the sitcom, but give this one a chance.

It’s got a big heart.