REVIEW: "The Class" aims low, grades low

After three episodes of “The Class,” you would think I’d have something funnier to report to you than the scene where a young woman was whacked by an airborne stop sign.

Well, it was kind of funny, at least the first time. But the smackdown was played for laughs a second time and then a third. Indeed, that bit of cruel, repetitious slapstick proved to be the centerpiece of the Oct. 2 episode of “The Class,” which debuts at 7 tonight on CBS (KCTV-5).

On tonight’s episode, someone will be run over by a car for grins. There’s suicide humor, too. Hey, I get HBO; I’m game for dicey comedy writing. The problem is that these few-and-far-between physical gags are all there is to “The Class.”

The premise: Eight 20somethings re-intersect two decades after they attended Mrs. Klinger’s third-grade elementary class together. Things happen at the reunion held by Ethan (Jason Ritter). Holly (Lucy Punch) is confronted by Kyle (Sean Maguire), who dumped her at the high school prom for another … boy.

Lina (Heather Goldenhersh) and Mr. Suicide (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) hit it off. And Nicole (Andrea Anders) finds she still holds a torch for Duncan (Jon Bernthal), which could be a problem for her husband, the NFL star.

These sharply defined personalities — diverse in everything but their race — would seem to hold great promise for “The Class.” It has a fine pedigree (“Friends” executive producer David Crane co-created it). And it’s airing on CBS’ unstoppable Monday-night lineup.

But the punchlines fell flat more often than not. There was way too much time spent making fun of Holly’s broken “gaydar.” And as gratifying as it was to see spoiled kids half my age getting clobbered, it got old fast. After three episodes, I’m tired of waiting for “The Class” to improve its grades.

If you’d like to try “The Class” anyway, but aren’t available when it airs, CBS is making episodes available at any time to TiVo subscribers and at CBS.com/innertube.