Scott D. Pierce: John Stamos, 52, has been ‘Grandfathered’

It wasn't that John Stamos objected to playing a grandfather in his new Fox sitcom. But he admits he wasn't exactly crazy about the title of the show — "Grandfathered."

"I pitched every other title," he said. "I remember the first call I got was, 'What do you think of "Grandpa?" ' And I said, 'What do you think of "F--- you"?' "

The premise of this comedy, which is scheduled to premiere Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m. on Fox/Ch. 13, is that Jimmy Martino (Stamos) is a 50-year-old playboy who has never settled down. And then the son he never knew he had, Gerald (Josh Peck of "Drake & Josh"), walks in and introduces himself to Jimmy — and brings along his infant daughter.

"Grandfathered" may well be the most surprising new show of the fall because … well, it's good. The pilot is really good. Smart. Funny. Adult. Engaging.

Which is not necessarily what you might expect from Stamos, who's still best-known for his role on "Full House" (1987-95).

"Grandfathered" is "the show I've been waiting for for 10 years," said Stamos, who's not afraid to play off his own image as a ladies' man. And, yes, he's old enough to play the part. "Full House's" Uncle Jesse is 52. He doesn't look it, but he is.

Stamos was looking for a new show, but he envisioned something "a little edgier" in which he could play "a bad guy."

"And my agent was, like, 'Why don't you just do what you do well and play in your wheelhouse?' " Stamos said. "I was, like, 'That makes sense.' "

The next morning, "Grandfathered" executive producer Dan Fogelman pitched him the idea of "sort of an unconventional family show where you play kind of swinging dude. A George Clooney before he turned against everything he believed in and got married."

When the producers hesitantly told him his character would be not just a father but a grandfather, Stamos signed on enthusiastically. And with his eyes wide open.

"I guess there's some irony in it," he said. "I remember thinking about watching television when I was a kid, and a 50-year-old guy was, like, Abe Vigoda."

Vigoda was 53 when "Barney Miller" premiered in 1974 and he was playing an older man. Stamos is not. His character is handsome, charming and extremely vain. But Stamos makes Jimmy lovable.

And, as was the case in "Full House," he is once again working with twin infants. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen played his niece on "Full House"; a new set of twins will play his granddaughter on "Grandfathered."

"I feel like I'm a baby whisperer now," he said. "If the kids start to cry, I do whisper in their ears — 'I made a couple of twins a lot of money. If you stop crying, you can have a clothing line.' "

Funny stuff. But Stamos won't be edged aside by infants on "Grandfathered." And that's a good thing.

Scott D. Pierce covers television for The Salt Lake Tribune . Email him at spierce@sltrib.com; follow him on Twitter @ScottDPierce.