By CARRIE PITZER
News Staff Writer
"The rough cuts are hysterical, and there are poignant moments in it, too, now and then," Scott told the Daily News just days before the premier. "It's your modern version of a sitcom, which changes from year to year. People tend to watch a show that's a little broader in perspective than just a great sitcom."
Also starring Bob Saget (Steve Patterson), Cynthia Stevenson (Anne Patterson) and Jere Burns (Dr. Jim), the plot surrounds the Patterson family who enjoy easy living in the suburbs - until their new next-door neighbors cause problems.
One of those neighbors happens to be Scott, who plays the character of Monica.
"(Steve) has problems with everyone, but the neighbors are just the closest ones," Scott said. "I don't take anything from him, and he doesn't take anything from me - no guff. We have a love-hate relationship ."
Although "Surviving Suburbia" scored with one of the best time slots in television - following "Dancing With The Stars" - the show had an up-hill battle from the start.
The CW had original claim to the series, but when the production company dissolved its association with the network, "Surviving Suburbia" was axed.
Scott called that news "the best thing that could have happened to us" because it opened the doors for another network to swoop the show up, which is exactly what ABC did. Remarkably, the network changed barely delayed the premier, pushing it back by just one month.
More than 11 million viewers tuned in for the premier Monday night, making it the most watched debut on television that week.
"We knew they would (pick us up) because it was too good of a show," she said. "When the thing with the CW broke off, we were still going. We finished our order of 13 (episodes). There were never any questions of us getting on air in my mind because it was too good."
But that didn't mean Scott hasn't been nervous. Just days before the premier, the West Virginian was still a bit shaky - with good reason. A veteran actress, Scott has seen big promises broken just days before a show was to aired.
"You go from being the toast of the studio to back out there reading for two lines. It's really, really hard," she said. "That's another reason I'm nervous because I've been through this so many times, and I really love this show and the people. I want to work on this show for 10 years."
Despite the heartbreak, Scott has always picked herself back up and found another script. Her resume proves it, she's had appearances on nearly every major television series over the years, including "The Closer," "NCIS," "Judging Amy," "Roseanne" and "ER."
As for movies, she'll hit theaters in two weeks with Zac Efron in "17 Again." She's also had roles in "Bedtime Stories," "Just Like Heaven," "Freaky Friday," "Something's Gotta Give" and "The Heartbreak Kid," just to name a few.
But there are never any guarantees in acting, which is why Scott was preparing for another audition even while "Surviving Suburbia" was days from airing.
"You have to be working on something else, too," Scott said. "But this show is really going to be really terrific, and I hope people like it. I've done a lot of different shows, and we just have the most terrific writers on the show and the best cast and crew. It's a joy to go to work."