By: Jason Smith ~Staff Writer~

In the ‘90s, singer/songwriter/ actor Harry Connick, Jr. was blown up in the film Independence Day. That film launched Will Smith’s career, but Harry had to play the long game.

Harry has always been a likeable guy. He helped rebuild New Orleans after Katrina, he loves his family and his family has a longstoried musical history. Now, he’s the daytime talk show host of Harry.

Daytime television, after the four hours of morning news is over, has to have a certain tone: light and cheerful, informative and fun. If TV was just like the Internet, every daytime show would just be cat videos. Harry is trying to shake the formula up with a new brand of happy.

What sets Harry apart from the rest is his business casual style. He’s unshaven, or maybe that’s the best beard he can grow, and he wears a suit without a tie. Though usually a fashion faux pas, it is deemed acceptable when one is competing against Dr. Phil and Ellen. In Harry’s case, however, his competition is probably closer to The Price is Right.

Harry seems entertaining and informative with his new brand of fun. There are lots of segments with kids doing cute things like karate or inventing gadgets. Then come the celebrity talk and some sort of cooking segment. Mix and match and repeat.

The PR spin pitches that Harry is different than the other shows, but really he’s just like every other show, albeit with a new host.

This is the feel-good TV they put on televisions in waiting rooms. This is the show that your mom will watch and tell you to watch. This is the show that is so easily forgettable I struggled to remember what was good about it.

A recent episode featured a lady who baked scary-looking cakes. For a laugh, Harry bit off the nose of a cake resembling him. He then took a runway strut when the guest chef mentioned she used “modeling cake.”

The audience loves him, and the stage is bright. It’s gags and Harry performing. Here is television that is basically like a pair of mom jeans.

I can’t recommend or not recommend it. It’s just television for television’s sake. It isn’t going to change the world. Watch at your own discretion.