'Steve Harvey' Embraces Relationship Guru Role

With Tuesday's premiere of his eponymous syndicated daytime show, Steve Harvey officially completes the journey from stand-up comic to advice/relationship guru.

Harvey's book, "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man," already became a successful if not particularly enjoyable movie, and now he's expanding on that with a daytime series. “I’m here to help. We’ll get through this thing together,” Harvey said at the outset, adding that there's "nothing I like better than giving out common-sense advice."

Of course, offering "common-sense advice" requires guests who lack it, which explains why two of the segments in the busy, slightly overproduced premiere hinged on just that: A 24-year-old guy who claims to be the "worst dater in America;" and a mom who tends to over-share online by posting intrusive photos of her young kids, much to the chagrin of her husband.

Harvey is quick, funny, and approaches the advice business in a light-hearted way. Even so, the series would probably benefit from settling down, finding somewhat weightier topics -- without getting too heavy -- and exploring them at greater length, instead of breaking the show into a handful of segments of questionable interest. (By the last third of the first hour, I know my attention was drifting.)

Produced by Endemol and distributed by NBC Universal, "Steve Harvey" passes the first and perhaps most fundamental test of the job: He's good company. What remains to be seen is whether he can translate that into a good show.