Matthew McConaughey, Elizabeth Hurley

I couldn't quite shake that nagging feeling that I was watching The Truman Show, Part 2, during the screening of EDtv. After all, the two films had a whole lot more in common than they had differences. Although Ed was aware that his life was being played before the viewing public and Truman was not, the disparities between the two films, in premise anyway, ended about right there. Could it be sheer coincidence that they were released within months of each other. Who knows. Let's leave that one to Perry Mason.

Hey, but what the hell, Shakespeare borrowed from the ancient Greeks so why shouldn't Hollywood feel free to purloin a plot or two every now and then?

For the most part, EDtv was an undeniably entertaining vehicle. I mean, the cast is mammoth. Matthew McConaughey stars as protagonist Ed Pekurny, Woody Harrelson as his brother Ray, and Jenna Elfman as his love interest Shari. Program director Cynthia Topping is played by Ellen DeGeneres. Her loathsome boss Whitaker is portrayed mercilessly by Rob Reiner. And the big names don't stop there. In fact, the mix includes a sizzling Elizabeth Hurley, a restrained but always brilliant Dennis Hopper, and a masterful Martin Landau. Geez, with a crew like this, you could have them reading the ingredients off a cereal box and you'd probably have a smash on your hands.

Woody Harrelson

Fortunately, EDtv was a lot more amusing than any cereal box I've come across lately. Chockfull of expertly penned and adroitly delivered one-liners, the movie kept the audience giggling for the duration. On the downside, I can't remember a thing about the film since it said relatively little that can be deemed as new and covered no ground that cousin Truman didn't already tread before. Once again the cereal analogy comes to mind. EDtv is not a high fiber, nutritious offering, like say Total or Shredded Wheat. The movie definitely lands more in the Fruit Loops or Sugar Smacks arena. Sweet, highly digestible but clearly lacking in substance.

If you're not already aware of what to expect from EDtv, the story goes something like this: Ed, who initially agrees to have his every waking moment broadcast on network television, soon grows tired of the process. (The first thing Ed does in the morning upon waking, by the way, is to grab his balls, which should prove to my wife, once and for all, that I'm not the only male with this basic tendency.) As could be expected, when Ed decides he wants out, he meets heavy resistance. The network, North West Broadcasting, balks at the idea of releasing him from the agreement. (Where have I heard this before?) What happens from here? I'll give you three guesses – I'll bet you'll be right on all accounts.

So here in a nutshell is the failing of EDtv. Let's call it the Fruit Loops syndrome. They may have changed the package slightly but there's absolutely nothing new here. On the upside, however, this may not matter to a lot of people. Hell, I must have eaten Frosted Flakes a hundred times and, to be honest, I could probably dig into another bowl right now. We're Americans, right. We're not looking for substance, we're looking for laughs. And right now, other than the hysterical Analyze This, EDtv’s probably one of the most promising tickets in this area. It's no Gone with the Wind, it's not even Shakespeare in Love, but it's good for a giggle – and you don't even need a quart of cold milk handy to join in the fun.