First Time Out

 ((Sun. (10), 9-9:30 p.m., WB Network))

By CAROLE HORST

Jackie is a Yale grad with a degree in philosophy and theusual sitcom complement of friends: Susan (Mia Cottet), the ditsy blonde, a therapist in training; Dominique (Leah Remini), the tough chick, who works for a record company; and Nathan (Craig Anton), the girl-crazy platonic friend (read Ayre Gross on "Ellen").
 

Produced by Columbia Pictures Television. Exec producer, Marc Sotkin; producers Gail Parent, Jon Spector; co-creators, Diane Wilk, Shawn Schepps; director, Shelley Jensen; writers,Schepps, Wilk; camera, Mikal Neiers; editor, Larry Harris; production designer, Larry Wiemer; sound, Christopher Banninger; theme, Jellybean Benitez, Ed Terry; music, Matt Ender. TX:Cast: Jackie Guerra, Mia Cottet, Leah Remini, Craig Anton, Tracy Vilar, Roxanne Beckford. The first Latina to topline a sitcom , Jackie Guerra brings fine comic timing to "First Time Out," a promising offering on the Warner Bros. Network that's a cross between "Ellen" and "Living Single." In its Sunday night timeslot, it should draw female viewers from the dug-in deep "Married ... With Children" on Fox. For all her education, Jackie works as a receptionist in a trendy hair salon.

Jackie is also very heavy, but Guerra plays it with high self-esteem -- a kind of post-feminism chubby lib -- and the fat jokes are actually funny.

Jackie's Hispanic heritage is subtly played; her ethnicity is assimilated into her character -- a refreshing difference in the age of over-the-top characterizations found on such series as "Martin."

First installment mines the well-worn territory of the single woman searching for a man, but handles the battle-scarred plot with good humor and above-average writing.

Those elements should bring back viewers for a second time; there's potential here for more, as the cast's chemistry is first rate.

Guerra should be able to -- and allowed to -- carve a strong voice for herself on the series.