The United States Government has spent years and millions of our tax dollars in an attempt to make the perfect man. He will be stronger, faster, and more graceful than other men. He will be trained to do those things which other men are loathe to do; take on dangerous undercover assignments, wage war, get up in the middle of the game and get his own beer, change the toilet paper roll when it's empty, put the seat down on the toilet when he's done...

You get the picture.

Great news! They've succeeded in making the perfect body. And yes, his face is handsome enough to make a teen-aged girl swoon and his form is buff enough to produce fantasies involving chocolate sauce and whipped cream in grown women.

Only there's a catch.

Isn't there always a catch?

It's the mind thing. They just couldn't get the mind thing to work.

And while for the base and debauched purposes of a few lusty wenches I know -- like me, for instance -- this wouldn't really constitute a major problem, the government, on the other hand, is run by a bunch of old, male fuddy duddies. (Damnit!) And so the search continues.

Enter Michael Wiseman. A married, middle-aged insurance executive and father of one, Wiseman (played by John Goodman) had the bad luck to be passed over for promotion and shoved in front of a subway train on the same day. His fortunes take a turn for the better when the government decides to insert his still-functioning brain inside the perfectly engineered body (played by Eric Close). The only stipulation is that he isn't allowed to contact his family and tell them that daddy is now a stone cold fox. If he does, the government will cancel their science fair project and anyone else he has told.

Okay, so on paper it reads like a cross between The Six Million Dollar Man and The Incredible Hulk. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

To begin with, the series has an interesting pedigree, even by science fiction standards. Although created by Glenn Gordon Caron, best known for the UST trailblazer Moonlighting, former Star Trek scribe Rene Echevarria is also onboard as both producer and staff writer. While initially that might seem to be a very odd combination, for Now and Again it works.

And in contrast to the highly touted (and quickly canceled) Harsh Realm, the series is garnering surprisingly decent ratings in its Friday night time slot. Yet the hard-core genre community seems to be ignoring this great show. This is unfortunate, as unlike another freshman genre effort that I won't mention -- ROSWELL -- the makers of Now and Again understand pacing, realistic characterization, what makes a great couple great, and the lure of the almighty quirk.

I could sit here and blather on and on about how Now and Again is funny, romantic, tragic, and everything in between, but my editor and the web designer would kill me so I'll give you the short order version instead. Well, sort of short.

Here are 11 reasons why you should be watching Now and Again.

1. Michael Wiseman (Eric Close): The Perfectly Engineered Man

Dr. Taylor: You are truly unbelievable.
Michael: Well, thank you. I've always found myself kind of remarkable. You know, I've known me all my life and I, for one, can barely tear myself away from me. Hell, I'm damn near inseparable.

Eric Close is irrefutable proof that God loves The 11th Hour. If not, then why did He give us a gorgeous man who not only can act, but appears on a show that is worthy of his talent? The fact that the series also finds a reason to have him walk around shirtless at least once every other episode is icing on the cake. And did I mention the shower scenes?

Fictionally speaking, Michael Wiseman is the perfect man both inside and out. Behind that gorgeous mug and body lies the mind and heart of a hopeless romantic. As the intro explains, he's desperately in love with his wife, his daughter and his former life. Loyalty, love, and devotion are damn sexy, people, and it's high time the network suits realized that.

If that were not enough, actor Eric Close lends the character a genuine boyish charm that is rarely seen on television today. Although Michael has been created to be some superhero, he lacks all the bad-ass tendencies that have become common on many action-oriented series. Instead he uses his wits to defuse a situation, relying on his superhuman abilities only as a last resort.

Looks, brains, charm, and a heart of gold? What more could you ask for?

2. Theodore Morris (Dennis Haysbert): The Singing Doctor Frankenstein

Theo: You made a deal just like I made a deal. Now my marker's being called in so that means your marker's being called in. So you will go and do this little job for king, country and Dr. Morris and you will do it swiftly and you will do it skillfully and in return, you will be allowed to live another day.

Dennis Haysbert is tall, dark, handsome, and has the voice of Issac Hayes' guardian angel (That Dr. Morris is one bad mutha... Shut yo' mouth!) He portrays a man of power, of intellect, and of immense self control. And he does so as if he were born to inhabit the role. Oh, and he looks damn good in a suit. That's always a plus in my book.

A study in contradictions, Doctor Morris is equally capable of singing joyfully when things are going his way or emitting a growl more dangerous (or sexy) than any Klingon could muster when someone crosses him. Both instances are highly attractive in so dashing a figure. To make him even more intriguing, he has been given a mysterious past that has only been hinted at in a few episodes. Yup, his relations with the government seem to reach further back than even the initial stages of the project that brought his creation to life. Hmmm...

3. The Chemistry, Part I: Theo and Michael

Theo: I know you kissed her that day down in the subway.
Michael: Yeah, so? She's my wife.
Dr. Morris: Not anymore, Mr. Wiseman. Not anymore.
Michael: What are you trying to say?
Theo: No turkey. No stuffing. No pie. No nooky. Happy Thanksgiving.

Scientist and science fair project. Guard and prisoner. Dr. Frankenstein and his monster.

They aren't friends. They aren't enemies. They have an understanding of sorts.

Dr. Morris may know exactly which strings to yank in order to get Michael to perform as ordered, but Michael is quickly learning the right buttons to push on the doctor in order to stretch the boundaries of his gilded cage. However, there is also a burgeoning affection -- the platonic kind -- between the men. Had they met before Michael's untimely almost demise, they might have even been friends.

Michael respects the doctor's intellect and senses that underneath that gruff exterior lies the heart of a truly caring and patriotic man. Theo, on the other hand, has failed miserably at maintaining an objective distance from his creation. Michael may not be his intellectual equal, but Theo can't help but admire the other man's quick and nimble mind that usually finds ways to solve problems with wit rather than muscle. The missions may not go exactly as Theo plans, but they are always successful.

The relationship between Michael and Theo is a difficult one to categorize, but that doesn't mean it isn't a hell of a lot of fun watching these two delicious male leads interact. Damn, life is good!

4. Lisa Wiseman (Margaret Colin), The Strong Chick Factor

Lisa: Sometimes, even though it makes no sense, I still feel like your dad is here with me.

The true test of a strong chick is the ability to endure while facing enormous adversity. And while she doesn't engage in takedowns or firefights, Margaret Colin's Lisa Wiseman is most certainly a prime example of a strong chick portraying a strong chick.

Discontent to wither in her leading man's shadow, she gives as good as she gets. Perhaps her role here is a little more vulnerable than we're used to seeing, but Colin imparts Lisa Wiseman with spine and heart and courage, even in the depths of her grief. She may not be a recipient of government funded upgrades, but she's a worthy partner for our intrepid hero. With her quiet strength and determination, it's easy to see why Michael fell in love. She has that old fashioned quality known as class, which is probably why she's had more than one suitor vie for her hand during her mourning period, although she has far from forgotten the love she once shared with her husband.

But while she has remained faithful to Michael Wiseman's memory, she seems to have a bit of a problem resisting the temptation that Michael Newman provides. You see, he's just so familiar that she can't seem to help being drawn to him.

We don't blame her one bit.