Sandy Kenyon previews 'Manhattan Love Story'

NEW YORK -- When you think romantic comedy, you probably think of the movies. But this fall, the genre is making an appearance on the small screen too.

And in this version, you don't just see the characters, you take a look inside their heads as well.

"Manhattan Love Story" premieres Tuesday night on ABC, starring Analeigh Tipton and Jake McDorman as Dana and Peter.

And in Peter's mind, he's quite the player. The native New Yorker meets a young woman newly arrived in the city, and viewers watch their Manhattan love story unfold.

That situation leads to plenty of comedy, made funnier and more poignant because we also hear what they're thinking.

In the pilot episode, they're set up on a blind date the same day she begins her new job as a junior editor at a book publisher.

The set for Dana's office is in Brooklyn, where entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon caught up with the cast. The sitcom also shoots on location.

"The show is a great excuse for us to do all the touristy things in New York that you wouldn't want to tell your friends you're excited about doing," McDorman said.

"It's magic," Tipton said. "Mostly, New York is filmed in Los Angeles, but there are sounds and lights that you just can't mimic anywhere else."

"Manhattan Love Story" is shot more like a film than a sitcom, but the man in charge is a comedy veteran, Jeff Lowell, who spent time in "Spin City," among other shows.

Lowell says he must have read a thousand scripts to select the folks who get to put words into the mouths of his characters, and it helps that both Tipton and McDorman are both new to the area.

"It's wonderful to be actors in the scene and also the two of us be like, 'This is really, really cool,'" Tipton said. "And the city kind of comes alive with what we're doing."

The pair has spent years working in LA. Analeigh has been seen in four movies this year, including the big summer blockbuster "Lucy," while Jake just finished working for director Clint Eastwood.

You can watch "Manhattan Love Story" on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m.