Present, future evoke past in promising 'Jack & Bobby'

HOLLYWOOD -- The WB introduced a promising and unusual series to TV critics yesterday called "Jack & Bobby." It's about two handsome young brothers, one of whom will become the president of the United States. Its storyline is layered with political nostalgia and a particularly American idealism. And one of its executive producers is Thomas Schlamme, the history-minded director who shaped "The West Wing" along with Aaron Sorkin.

But no, baby boomers, Bostonians, and "Biography" lovers: The hourlong drama is not about the long-lost sons of the first family of Massachusetts, nor is it a re-creation of that elusive moment known as Camelot. "It has nothing to do with the Kennedys," Schlamme says emphatically, clearly having made the statement at least 10 or 20 times since his morning coffee.

In fact, the entirely fictional show is about Jack and Bobby McCallister of Missouri, teens being raised by a single mother (Christine Lahti). Co-executive-produced by Greg Berlanti (the creator of the WB's "Everwood"), it is a glimpse at the early years of a man who will go on to become the American president in the year 2040, 80 years after JFK's election. In each episode, the straightforward, present-day tale of the McCallister boys is punctuated with "documentary" interviews about them with White House staffers in 2040. This creative twist on conventional series-TV narrative lets viewers watch Jack and Bobby go through their emotional, WB-styled coming of age with an awareness of their happy -- and occasionally tragic -- fates.

So why did Schlamme and Berlanti give the imaginative show a potentially misleading name?

Berlanti sees the title as a form of shorthand for a series with an elaborate premise: "It really evokes for me, personally, brotherhood and politics," he says -- though he also notes, "I think it's a catchy title."

"It sounds a lot better than `Jimmy & Billy,' " Schlamme jokes, "or `Roger & Bill.' " He says he believes he will stop being asked Kennedy questions once viewers finally see an episode (it premieres Sept. 12) and meet the McCallisters.

But if the series becomes popular in this election year, journalists and critics will inevitably link it to an earlier era. "Jack & Bobby" has a nostalgic tone that evokes some of the innocence of 1960s politics, particularly young Jack's heroic manner. While it's set in the present and the future, it isn't saturated in the flash or irony so often found in today's youth dramas.

In a way, "Jack & Bobby" represents the WB's gradual expansion out of youth-market-only territory, in the wake of an unsuccessful season. Schlamme's presence (now that he's no longer on "The West Wing"), alongside Berlanti's more expected teen-drama sensibility, signifies that. So does the show's title, which could draw in the parents of teenagers for whom the names Jack and Bobby are no more profound than, say, Josh and Jason.

And there are a few new entries on the network's fall roster that have the potential to reach beyond the WB's traditional 18-34 demographic -- for instance, the sketch and standup series "Blue Collar TV" (with Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy) and the improv-animation comedy "Drew Carey's Green Screen Show."

"We want to invite more people into the tent," says Garth Ancier, chairman of the WB network. "We were getting a little too derivative in making shows that were cloning each other." Ancier mentions newcomers to the network such as Lahti and Foxworthy as representative of the WB's commitment to bringing older age groups into the fold, along with teen idols such as Chad Michael Murray of "One Tree Hill."

"To the degree that we have presented ourselves as just a teenage network," he says, "that's a very large mistake on our part."

Not that the WB expects its approach to pay huge dividends in the near future. For now, the loosening of demographic strictures is purely good manners. "Just because you can't monetize that audience doesn't mean you shouldn't welcome them," Ancier says.