May 1, 2009, 4:49PM
So, three Jonas Brothers walk into a prep school.
Only they’re not the Jonas Brothers — they’re the Lucas Brothers! Who perform in the brother band JONAS! And the brothers crack corny jokes and break into song right there on campus! Hilarity ensues!
That’s more or less the premise of JONAS, a scripted Disney Channel series in which teen idols Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas play teen idols Nick, Joe and Kevin Lucas, who inexplicably call their band JONAS.
But at the school, whose mascot seems to be plaid clothing and accessories, the brothers just want to blend in — and, OK, also go to Kevin’s locker, where (what wackiness!) he’s stashed a blender that makes delicious fruit smoothies.
In the premiere episode, which airs at 7 tonight, Nick, the sensitive, serious and talented one, becomes smitten with Penny, a classmate who happens to be an aspiring singer. Much to the chagrin of his meddling brothers, Nick writes a plaintive puppy-love song for Penny. Only there’s a misunderstanding about what “for her” actually means. And stuff happens, including a series of sight gags during the centerpiece performance of the strummy song Give Love a Try.
If this sounds like your idea of must-see TV, then congratulations and happy belated 11th birthday, young lady.
It’s as if the JoBros are launching a TV series simply for the sake of launching a TV series.
Originally, JONAS was supposed to have been called J.O.N.A.S., an acronym for “Junior Operatives Networking As Spies.”
But somebody, somewhere along the way, decided otherwise. Did they find the idea too ambitious, given the handsome, wholesome siblings’ jampacked touring and recording schedules and, also, their limited acting abilities? Or did the Disney overlords just decide it would make more sense to do a show that stays true to the Jonas brand by being about the brothers Jonas, only not really?
Could be, then, that JONAS is just art imitating the half-life of fame.