Alyssa Milano (front) stars in ABC's 'Romantically Challenged' along with Kyle Bornheimer, Josh Lawson and Kelly Stables. (ABC MediaNet)

UPDATE: In checking into the story a second time, I find that saying the “pilot episode” was traded out was actually inaccurate. ABC is actually showing the pilot, rather than a different episode, which was the one made available to critics. It’s still a little strange.

OK, this is different.

Apparently, the critical reaction to the first episode of Romantically Challenged – which stars Alyssa Milano — was so nasty that ABC has traded it out for the pilot a later episode of the show. (And there’s no plans for this particular episode to ever be seen, reports TV By The Numbers.)

Coming at 9:30 tonight! Something else! Not this particular episode!

Now, switching the order of episodes is nothing new — much to the consternation of those who value continuity in their programming (I’m looking at you, Fox!).

But to switch out the premiere episode? A little strange.

Will it help? Well, the show will have a great lead-in — Dancing With The Stars.

But critical reaction — to the initial first episode pilot at least — ranged from lukewarm to nasty. The kindest review I’ve seen, from The Los Angeles Times‘ Robert Lloyd, read: “(It) is not a total disaster. (Broadcast-network sitcoms attached to James Burrows rarely are.) But it is not what I would call good.”

Two reviews, from Variety and the New York Times, used variations on the title — Variety’s was “comedically challenged”, while the Times went with “comically challenged”, which I guess is the same thing.

And Tom Jicha, the estimable TV critic at the Sun-Sentinel (who says he’s never seen anything like this in 30 years of covering TV), says that if you follow the Dancing lead-in to this show, “Don’t say you weren’t warned.”

Wow.

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