YOU HAVE to give it to Fox.

Some networks might have hidden a series as crass, loutish and lewd as "The War at Home," which airs Sunday nights at 8:30.

But Fox, which seems to feel the need to constantly redefine the term "gutter television," is nothing if not stupidly bold.

To that end, they've trotted out their best example of a smarmy sitcom at the start of the season, when everyone will surely notice.

The thing that makes this such a shame is that there's almost something here.

Michael Rapaport and Anita Barone are interesting actors, who show a flair for comedy that would have worked with even a touch of decent material in this tale of a truly dysfunctional family.

The show's creators, the same folks who brought us "Will and Grace," know what they're going for. This is supposed to be "Married With Children" and then some, the same sort of irreverent comedy, but with an even more politically incorrect approach to laughs, if that's possible.

You know something's up when a show starts with one of its stars (Rapaport) talking to the camera before we've even seen the first minute or two of action.

In short order, he asks what the audience thinks of his wife's "rack," challenges the reputation of his 16-year-old daughter and questions the sexual orientation of his older son.

Then he wonders what his father would have done--and grabs a stiff drink.

And that's all just in the opening minute or two.

As movies like "Wedding Crashers" and "40-Year-Old Virgin" have shown, there's certainly an audience out there for comedy that's juvenile, silly and pushing the boundaries of decency.

But that doesn't mean it will work on television, especially on a broadcast channel in a show about a family with children. Even for those who like their comedy a little dark and edgy, this comes off as too much coarse comedy with too little decency underneath.

Yes, there are some funny moments in this show about Dave, Vicky and the three children they desperately want to finish raising.