So Tell Me About $#*! My Dad Says: A Movieline Premiere Week FAQ

The day that you have not been looking forward to for months now has arrived. $#*! My Dad Says, the sitcom that CBS foolishly adapted from a string of grumpy 140-character Tweets premieres tonight after one recasting, one executive admission of a disappointing pilot and one last-minute DVR scare. Is $#*! My Dad Says as bad as these events would lead you to believe? That answer and more ahead in the latest edition of Movieline's Premiere Week FAQ.

I know what the Twitter feed is, but how can CBS possibly stretch a few Tweets into a half hour program?

By using Justin Halpern's (the guy who runs the Twitter feed) life as inspiration for a crudely adapted half hour show. In tonight's pilot, Jonathan Sadowski plays Henry, a young adult male who is forced to move back in with his eccentric father (played by William Shatner) in San Diego after running out of money. Each episode revolves around some incident that brings the two incompatible characters together.

Who is Jonathan Sadowski?

A Chicago-born actor who has appeared in The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, Spring Breakdown and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

Why is the show so bad?

Take your pick from the following:

1.) William Shatner, whose persona is humorous because of his dramatic elocution would probably be better off not playing a profane (well, profane for primetime on a network) Vietnam vet who wears a fly fishing vest and spews out unfunny punchlines ("The city smells of motor oil and hummus!").

2.) The writers go to great length to make each episode pull on your heartstrings by humanizing Shatner's character and making the audience know that Dad does love his son. What these heavy-handed plot lines end up pulling on are your gag reflexes.

Why didn't CBS hire veteran sitcom writers who knew what they were doing then?

They did: Will & Grace creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick.

How should I pronounce the title when I am telling my friends how much this show sucks tomorrow?

Bleep My Dad Says.

Is there anyone else recognizable in the cast?

Nicole Sullivan (MADtv, Scrubs) has been cast as a love interest for Henry.

What is an example of one of tonight's jokes?

After the doorbell rings, Shatner's character says "I didn't hear that." After the bell sounds again, Shatner adds "I didn't hear that either."

Does the show incorporate actual tweets from Justin Halpern's Twitter feed?

No.

What did Justin Halpern's father think of the show?

"He had some notes for me," Halpern revealed to Movieline in June. "In general, he really liked the show, but there were a few things he did not like.

How does Justin Halpern's father feel about William Shatner portraying him onscreen?

"He wanted James Earl Jones to play him," Halpern told Movieline in the same interview.

Get the picture?