In the House Getting to Know You

 ((Mon. (10), 8:30-9 p.m., NBC))

By TONY SCOTT

Taped at Sunset-Gower Studios by Winifred Hervey Prods. and Quincy Jones/David Salzman Entertainment. Executive producers, Winifred Hervey, Quincy Jones, David Salzman; supervising producers, Bryan Winter, Jeff Duteil; producers, Werner Walian, Danny Smith; director, James Widdoes; writer, Hervey.
 
Cast: Debbie Allen, LL Cool J, Lisa Arrindell Anderson, Maia Campbell, Jeffery Wood, Arva Holt.
 

New Debbie Allen sitcom features the choreographer/dancer as Jackie, divorced mother of two living in a house owned by a football great who's lodged in the apartment over the garage. Allen's stiff, unsympathetic interp of Jackie is off-putting; rapper LL Cool J, on the other hand, makes the ballplayer, Marion, an agreeable character. Series, though, has "same" written all over it.

Ditched by her husband, who seems to have had a better lawyer than she did, Jackie goes back to work as a secretary for high-powered, no-nonsense lawyer Heather (Lisa Arrindell Anderson).

Jackie's first day at work is a mistake, both hers and writer Winifred Hervey's; Jackie is a goof at the office.

Hervey's script starts off cleverly as Jackie and Marion are seen in monologues applying for work.

But after the bright beginning, Jackie's disagreeable personality pretty much sours the series' first chapter.

At home, there's nobody to look after daughter Tiffany (Maia Campbell) and young son Austin (Jeffery Wood).

Marion's asked to take the job, since he's sidelined with an injury and can't play football.

The byplay among Marion, Austin and Tiffany is faintly amusing; Jackie needs breaking down. Badly.

As Marion tells her, "You're not very nice!"

Campbell and Wood are both OK, and LL Cool J's poised and effective as the health-minded gridder.

Anderson's Heather shows incredible patience with klutzy Jackie, who's late the first day and, using that ol' shtick, carries in a pen that doesn't work.

James Widdoes directs the lightheaded effort satisfactorily, but the audible laughs aren't warranted.

Music credits had not been decided at press time.

Lighting, Donald Morgan; editor, Jesse Hoke; production designer, Dahl Delu; sound, Gordon Klemuck; music, uncredited.