TNT's new series "Trust Me" has all the potential: two leading men with plenty of comedic experience, the advertising office setting that sent "Mad Men" rising and offers the chance to comment on our own times, and the promise of quick and witty dialogue. But it isn't there yet. "Trust Me" is a look into the lives of professionals in the advertising business working at the Rothman Greene & Mohr Advertising Agency. Starring Eric McCormack of "Will and Grace" as Mason and Thomas Cavanaugh of "Ed" as Connor, the show focuses on these two friends and their lives as ad-men. Their long time dynamic is upset by Mason's promotion in the first episode, making him Connor's boss. The two friends are a classic set-up of contrasts, with Mason being the more settled and methodical half of the pair, and Connor acting more childlike but providing the creativity and energy. Unlike most pairs of this sort, there are few physical differences between the characters, which is refreshing. Sarah Krajicek-Hunter helps fill out the cast as Monica Potter. The character is meant to unbalance the duo and provide the feisty female character every series needs, but the writers need to give Krajicek-Hunter more to work with. Her character's constant complaints about her lack of an office and other neuroses make the character a bit grating and she needs to be given more moments to shine and balance them out. Intriguingly, like most things on TV, the show itself is a kind of advertisement. Opening with a recreation of a 1979 Chanel No. 5 Chanel commercial, "Trust Me" then becomes an excellent example of the placement ad, as Starbucks and Apple fill the screen. "Trust Me" doesn't quite find its legs in the first episodes. The balance between comedy and drama was off, the characters were a little too one dimensional even for the first exposure, and all that witty banter fell a little flat. The second episode had more momentum than the first, and definitely had more laughs, wisely pulling the show in a more comedic direction. It also introduced more characters, such as Mason's wife Erin (Sarah Clarke), that should help add interest. The show has a lot of ground to cover before it nears great, but all that potential remains. "Trust Me" could be worth holding onto.
