I very much wanted to like Welcome to the Captain -- the notion of a show exploring the odd and lovely personalties that collide among L.A. renters is so darn appealing. I would imagine that most people who ever lived in a great old apartment building in Los Angeles (or New York or Chicago) have, after five or six beers, looked around at the fascinating characters moving in and out of the charming but slightly dilapidated lobby/courtyard and thought, "This would really make a great TV show."

And so it has, with names as various as Melrose Place, Hot L Baltimore and Friends.

On TV Welcome to the Captain airs at 8:30 tonight on WJZ, Channel 13.