Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn are staying positive about their "Free Agents" romantic black comedy, despite getting off to a rough start with the critical drubbing the new NBC show has taken in some quarters.

"I tend not to want to look at too many reviews, but it seems they either love it or hate it. The show has a polarizing effect. I think that's interesting," Azaria says. "It means we're pressing buttons."

"Pilots are always such a strange bird," adds Hahn. In case you didn't know, John Enborn of "Party Down" renown created the U.S. version of the series, which originated in Britain. Hahn says he feels the premiere segment that aired this week "has given us such a real and true place to start (that) we now have the freedom where we can take a deep breath and jump into the comedy of it. We can find the funny now that the truth is anchored."

The show, in which they play a pair of lovelorn work buddies at a PR firm who have an ill-considered secret tryst, "is risky," says Azaria. "It is real, raw emotion — not cute, fakey emotion." He goes on to remind us that Britain's Chris Niel wrote the original version from his own life experience.

They've now shot four episodes beyond the pilot, including an episode in which Azaria's Alex character recommends that Hahn's Helen gets into therapy "with unexpected consequences," says Azaria. In another, his character "realizes he's too nice" to fare well with women in the dating game.

Azaria can't help but recall getting a similar split response when his Showtime series "Huff" debuted. It went on to nab seven Emmy nominations its first season. He observes, "I must be attracted to these kinds of things."

MEANWHILE: Hahn and Hank had reservations about the long hours involved in launching a single-camera show — since they each have young children at home and want to preserve family time. "It was a big concern for both of us.

The main thing made us pause, because we loved the script and loved each other," says the former "Crossing Jordan" actress, who has a son who turns 5 years old next month and a daughter who is 2.

"But so far, it's been very livable," says Azaria, whose son is also 2 years old. "Because we split the work, we each have one day off in a week. And the set is very little-kid-friendly. We can have our kids come down and visit once or twice a week. It's still a bear. I hope everything settles into a routine and it becomes a little easier. Still, it's so much fun to go to work."

'PAN AM' MAKES THE GOING NOT-SO-GREAT: Aussie actress Margot Robbie of ABC's Sept. 25-premiering "Pan Am" lets us know the series team, including herself, didn't scrimp on verisimilitude.

"We did a lot of research before we began shooting," she says. "One of our APs (associate producers) was a Pan Am stewardess in the '60s, so we can go to her to make sure everything is correct — all the etiquette, the protocol, how it was done — is true to the era."

That includes the wearing of girdles under those smart blue uniforms. "You have to — every day, all day. I don't know how they did it. And rollers in their hair. How could they sleep? I don't know how women could stand it, strapped in with all these girdles and long-line bras. They're worth wearing, but they are painful." She also says that, like the old-fashioned corsets actresses sometimes find themselves having to wear, "At the end of the day, when you take it off, your body has morphed into that shape. It's weird."

THE 'BEAT IT' GOES ON: With plans proceeding for the big "Thriller Live" Michael Jackson musical show on London's West End, casting forces are looking for U.S. talent for the show — and holding auditions in New York and Los Angeles next week. Wanted are "excellent pop-rock singers with very high range and good movement skills." Also, male "rock hunk singers" to perform "Beat It" and "Dirty Diana."

Casting notices stress that all the songs are "in or near the original key. That's not negotiable."

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2011 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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