We critics are a sensitive bunch. We try to think like the audiences who will watch the shows we review, and try to pick out what we think people may like or dislike. But often we're wrong, mainly because we forget that, through it all, it's our opinion that we're writing here.

I mention this because 'Outsourced' came to the TCA press tour in the same situation as CBS's 'Mike & Molly' did two days ago. Critics threw questions at the producers about 'Mike & Molly' being one long fat joke. Today, producers Ken Kwapis and Robert Borden basically got the same questions, only about the fact that many thought the 'Outsourced' pilot was one long Indian joke.

They insisted it wasn't, even though there's three different jokes about the name "Manmeet." It's a workplace comedy at its core, they say, one that will point out the cultural differences between the U.S. and India. And they swear the cultural humor will cut both ways.

"We don't approach it from a mean place," Borden said. "A third of the writing staff is Indian. We have characters that behave like characters in an office setting" As an example, he referred to Gupta, played by Parvesh Cheena. He's the guy around the office you always try to avoid talking to because he just starts in on a lame conversation and won't leave. Yes, you've had people like that around your office (if you don't remember having one, then you were that guy).

Kwapis said that "we're trying to put a face to the voice on the other end of the line" when someone in this country calls a call center in India. "There's a way to deal with cultural confusion that's not offensive to either party. It's a two-way street; the Indians have confusion about American culture and vice-versa."

For instance, in one episode Asha, played by Rebecca Hazlewood, will be in an arranged marriage, and when call center manager Todd (Ben Rappaport) questions that, she'll point out that half of all American marriages end in divorce. His response? "Well, we crushed you at the Olympics."

The hope here is that they ease off on the easy Indian jokes going forward. I saw enough humor in the cultural difference and workplace angles, where easy jokes about snicker-inducing names or spicy, diarrhea-inducing food won't need to continue.

Most of the Indian actors are second-generation: three Americans, two Brits. They said that their families saw the pilot and enjoyed it. Rizwan Manji, who plays call center co-manager Rajiv, said his family found the pilot "hilarious." Anisha Nagarajan, who plays the quiet and shy Madhuri, said that "my family was just happy to see such a large Indian contingent on TV."

Borden told me in the scrum that, even though most of the Indian cast aren't from India, they saw tapes from all over the world. "We made the best choice of actor no matter where they were, then we dealt with the visa issues. We (in show biz) have a license to do a show who's one-third Italian and fifth generation so if we have someone playing an Indian who's second generation, it shouldn't be much of a problem."

A couple more tidbits:

-- A second unit will shoot external street life shots in Mumbai that will be seen outside the office window, and during the rickshaw rides Todd and Rajiv take to work. But the actors will be shooting in California. "I'm hoping this is a big hit in India so if we go there it'll be a big thing, and i can do a Bollywood movie," said Diedrich Bader, who plays Charlie, a jingoistic American call center manager.

-- Working in a call center is considered prestigious in India, so according to Kwapis, the tone for the show will be a bit different than other workplace comedies. "By and large in most workplace comedies the characters don't like the job they're in. This is the opposite. They're strivers and want to learn about American culture. They wanted to get this job."