Talk about no ordinary competition.

 The heavily-promoted new ABC series “No Ordinary Family” is facing TV’s most-watched series in “NCIS” on CBS and one of TV’s most-talked about series in Fox’s “Glee.”

 And to make matters even worse, it premieres at 8 tonight opposite the Britney Spears episode of “Glee.”

 With that competition, a family show better have super powers just to survive.

 Or star power.

 Even with super powers and star power, “No Ordinary Family” just seems rather ordinary.

 Michael Chiklis (“The Commish,” “The Shield”) is the big name in the “Ordinary” cast that also includes Julie Benz (“Dexter,” see above), who had a guest role last season on “Desperate Housewives,” and Stephen Collins (“7^th Heaven”).

 A powerful-looking guy, Chiklis plays against type this time. He plays a police sketch artist who has a beautiful wife who is a much more accomplished and overworked career woman.

 “It’s the dream of every wife to work 80 hours a week to support her family,” she tells her husband, bruising his ego even more.

 They also have two teenage kids, who don’t seem to be as keen about the idea of taking a family vacation as dad. Why? Did I mention they are teenagers?

 “When was the last time we did something as a family?” he asks. “That’s how memories are made whether you want them or not.”

 So the family goes on a trip, survives a plane crash and eventually each member develops super powers.

 “We survived a plane crash, that’s a memory that can last a lifetime,” says the enthusiastic father.

 Then the superpowers kick in, surprising co-workers, friends and themselves and possibly making them think about what is important in family life. Or not.

 Dad can catch a bullet, mom can shatter mirrors with her speed, the smart-mouthed daughter can hear people’s thoughts and the son with a learning disability becomes … well you don’t have to be a genius to guess that one.

 The self-involved daughter gets most of the good lines.

 “It is not fair, I can’t be a virgin and a freak,” says the daughter after discovering her powers. “I think I liked it better when we were just dysfunctional.”

 One doesn’t need to have superpowers to see most of this coming or to predict its future.

 This isn’t the kind of series that can last a lifetime. It would have worked much better as a sweet Disney movie, which it is at its heart.

 So enjoy the easy-to-watch, predictable pilot. Just don’t expect super things to come.

 Rating: 2 and half stars out of 4

pergament@msn.com

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