If ABC’s Cougar Town makes a case for older women banging younger guys, then its Eastwick makes a valid argument for older horny devils. Adapting The Witches of Eastwick, with its memorable performances from stars Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Cher and, especially, Jack Nicholson, was a risky enterprise. But Eastwick turns out to be a surprisingly fun and sexy entry in the new fall season: Desperate Housewives without the heavy-handed satire and mom angst.

After simultaneously making a wish in the town fountain, three ordinary women suddenly find themselves leading not-so-ordinary lives. Sculptor Roxie (Rebecca Romijn, freed of Ugly Betty) has great sex with her younger boy toy, but she wishes for someone who gets her, who’ll pay her 50 grand for her art and then have his way with her on Egyptian cotton sheets. Local journalist Joanna (Lindsay Price, effectively dowdy at first) wants people to take her seriously, and then maybe get a little from the photographer with whom she’s hopelessly infatuated. And mom Kat (Jaime Ray Newman), overwhelmed by the demands of supporting her family while her verbally abusive husband naps all day in a hammock, wants someone to take care of her, for a change. And surprise! All their wishes come true after the mysterious arrival of Darryl van Horne (Due South’s Paul Gross) unleashes their unknown magical powers.

A combination of Charmed and Sex and the City, Eastwick manages the neat trick of being sexy, spooky and funny. Of course, the show has been blessed with a surprisingly stellar cast. Price shines as the adorably gawky Joanna, a woman who can’t encounter her crush without bringing up vibrators or vomit. And Romijn, free from the pressure of having to be sexy, manages to still be hot as an earthy mom who enthuses over her daughter’s first hickey. But it’s Gross as the devil in disguise who keeps the show entertaining. Cocky and arrogant, he doffs his clothes in an effort to seduce Roxie, convinces Joanna that all she has to do is look people in the eye to get what she wants, and lends Kat his high-powered attorney to handle her divorce. And he looks good enough doing it (Gross could be Julian McMahon’s brother) that Roxie seems plain mean to not accept his invitation to join him in his bathtub. Eastwick is definitely worth a trip, especially given its bare bones Wednesday night time slot. How can Jay Leno compete with sex with the devil?

Photo courtesy of Kevin Foley/ABC. Pictured, left to right: Rebecca Romijn, Paul Gross, Jaime Ray Newman, and Lindsay Price.