Ben Rappaport and Rizwan Manji star in "Outsourced"

A good comedy is hard to find these days. Although TV used to be swarming with sitcoms, those looking for a few laughs may have to search a little harder than in days gone by.

As the fall season shakes down, there remain only four real contenders in the rookie-comedy category: CBS's "Mike & Molly," Fox's "Raising Hope," ABC's "Better With You" and NBC's "Outsourced." Response has been so good that the peacock network recently gave a full-season order to "Outsourced," which airs Thursday, Nov. 18.

Just about everyone can relate to the call-center experience, from one end of the phone or another. Whether it's a complaint or a sale, consumers want to be able to talk to someone on the double. In "Outsourced," one young man faces culture shock as he moves to India to work in a call center.

Bolstered by the numbers, and hoping to capitalize on a few favorable comparisons to its existing hit sitcom "The Office," NBC has promoted the comedy extensively, notably online. The series has also attracted attention for its innovative virtual-call-center technology developed with Jetset Studios and Telefon Projekt. Launched in early September, the application allowed web savvy viewers to visit www.midamericanovelties.com, enter their phone numbers and receive a telephone call from Mid America Novelties, the company featured in "Outsourced."

It's a new and unique spin on TV show promotion, and it appears to be paying off.

"We are always looking for innovative ways to engage and interact with viewers, and the virtual call center creates an opportunity to do that," said NBC Entertainment marketing executive Adam Stotsky.

Of course, there's more to the show's success than online promos. The strength of the story and characters shine through in "Outsourced." The series is based on the 2006 movie of the same name from director John Jeffcoat about an American call center employee who learns his center has been outsourced to India. Executive producer Ken Kwapis adapted the story for television.

In the NBC version, Ben Rappaport stars as Todd Dempsy, an eager, hard-working American from the Midwest who undergoes management training at the Mid America Novelties call center. Ready to get back to work selling novelty goods such as bacon wallets and whoopee cushions, Todd discovers that the call center has been outsourced and he must move to India if he wants to keep his job.

Series star Rappaport is a bit of a rookie himself. "Outsourced" marks the screen debut for the Juilliard-trained actor, who was waiting tables not long ago. The Texas native nonetheless earned his alma mater's prestigious Michel and Suria Saint-Denis Prize, and has a fair bit of previous experience on stage.

He shows off his acting chops as the displaced American who must cope with culture shock as he adjusts to his new job in Mumbai. Todd struggles to find his way in his adopted home, and he must also educate his employees about American culture.

Second in command is assistant manager Rajiv Gidwani (Rizwan Manji), a mischievous employee who's gunning for Todd's job. In contrast, Manmeet (Sacha Dhawan), a fan of all things American, quickly hits it off with his new boss. Smart and striking, Asha (Rebecca Hazlewood) finds herself drawn to Todd. The sales team also includes socially awkward Gupta (Parvesh Cheena) and painfully shy Madhuri (Anisha Nagarajan).

Todd soon learns he isn't the only fish out of water when he befriends fellow expatriate Charlie Davies (Diedrich Bader), who's in charge of the All American Hunter call center. Australian beauty and Koala Air employee Tonya (Pippa Black) also catches his eye.

The culture clash is, of course, a prominent part of the plot, but there's more to "Outsourced." The series is in essence a workplace comedy, with different personalities and rivalries, perhaps even romantic entanglements, as there would be in any office situation.

Both audience and critical response has been promising, especially considering today's cutthroat prime-time landscape. With more than six million average viewers and high ratings in key demographics, "Outsourced" is among the top new series on any of the four major U.S. networks.

While some critics have claimed the show stereotypes its Indian characters, others have given the show the thumbs up. TV Squad's Joe Keller commented that "Outsourced" has the potential to become another Thursday night hit, which would put it on par with the likes of "30 Rock," "Community" and "The Office." Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times has called it "charming."

The novelty may wear off for audiences eventually, but a strong cast with good chemistry gives "Outsourced" a fighting chance. Things heat up in the episode airing Nov. 18 as Todd feels pressured to succeed. Determined to prove himself, he attempts to win the Black Friday sales competition, but mother nature stands in his way. Elsewhere, sore loser Charlie challenges Manmeet and Gupta to a game of laser tag.