"The Neighbors" stars Jami Gertz as Debbie Weaver, Lenny Venito as Marty Weaver, Simon Templeman as Larry Bird, Toks Olagundoye as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Clara Mamet as Amber Weaver, Tim Jo as Reggie Jackson, Ian Patrick as Dick Butkis, Max Charles as Max Weaver, Isabella Cramp as Abby Weaver. (ABC/KAREN NEAL)

Well, we can say this about the new sitcom The Neighbors, which debuts Wednesday on ABC, and Saturday on CTV.

It's different. You will have no trouble differentiating it from the swath of new shows this fall.

And also, the plot could go in a thousand different directions, which makes it tough to predict. That's different, too.

The question is whether The Neighbors will wind up being a variation of the same joke told over and over and over. And what is that joke?

Aliens came to earth 10 years ago and bought up all the units in a new housing development. Their leader is played by Simon Templeman, who we must say is truly hilarious here.

When an alien couple in one of the units gets fed up and goes home, a human family -- with Jami Gertz and Lenny Venito as the mom and dad -- moves in for the first time.

Inter-planetary culture clash is what The Neighbors is all about. That's pretty thin, but it might be a hoot for younger audiences, be they human or alien.