MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 (Rated PG-13)

Fourteen years ago, writer and star Nia Vardalos delivered a sleeper hit with the romantic comedy “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” one that navigated the culture clash of her marriage to the Anglo Ian Miller (John Corbett), unprepared for the unruly energy of a large Greek family.

Now all these years later, in a timeline that goes even a few years beyond the lapse of time from the first, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” remains, with its easy charm and likable tone, a pleasant though predictable story that returns all of the original characters.

In that sense, “Greek Wedding 2” is not constructed, per se, for anyone stepping into this time machine of Greek culture that happens to be unfamiliar with Vardalos’ central character of Toula Portokalos, still held captive by the bonds of her immigrant Chicago-based family.

The patriarch of the Portokalos clan is Gus (Michael Constantine), so consumed with the old ways that he questions why his 17-year-old granddaughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) is letting herself age without any prospects of matrimony of her own.

Well, the wedding in this sequel turns out to be Gus’ own, as he discovers to his chagrin that the marriage certificate to Maria (Lainie Kazan) from the old country was never signed by the local priest.

So technically speaking, Gus and Maria, in the eyes of God (but not common law), are not married.

At his advanced age, he just wants a quickie ceremony. The brash, rowdy Maria has other thoughts, namely a full-blown wedding that would not only be romantic but fit with the Greek heritage.

The film is populated with a lot of Greek relatives, most of them hard to distinguish from each other.

Standing out in the animated family is Andrea Martin’s Aunt Voula, who wants to organize the event in such a grand, over-the-top manner that the wedding planner quits the job.

A subplot to the wedding business is the fact that Toula and Ian’s daughter Paris is considering attending an East Coast college, if only to be free of the constraints of her suffocating family, when her mother desperately tries to persuade her of the virtues of nearby Northwestern.

Though Ian has little to do as he appears crowded out of most scenes with the drama of Greek relatives constantly meddling, there is also a predicable story about Ian and Toula trying fitfully to rekindle romance that has been slowly depleted from their own lives.

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” though not particularly original or even necessary to have been revived at this late date, has its genial moments of levity and humorous situations.

The goodwill of the original will have to carry this sequel the best way it possibly can.

SHOWTIME’S “DICE” COMEDY SERIES

Showtime also appears to be relying on public memory to launch the six-episode comedy series “Dice,” an apparent semi-autobiographical account of the once top-billed standup comedian Andrew Dice Clay’s attempt at a comeback after two decades in the entertainment wilderness.

In his heyday (well, even now to be sure), the comedian known as the Diceman built his career on being so edgy in his routines that his divisive comedy managed to offend every ethnic, racial and sexual identity group that felt abused and vilified by his barbed rants.

His comedy routines appeared patterned upon Don Rickles, but without any of the charm and occasional restraint.

Now, the Diceman is in Las Vegas, hoping to gear up his faltering career, all the while struggling with his finances and employment prospects.

Meanwhile, his live-in girlfriend Carmen (Natasha Leggero), constantly fretting over his irresponsible behavior and seeming inability to focus, tries to bring a semblance of order to his life. Good luck with that.

Dice can’t help but mess up everything, including not following through on his simple promise to be ready for the wedding of Carmen’s brother at a Vegas chapel, because he’s too busy arguing with the casino manager about the $5 fee for use of the hotel’s ATM machine.

Actually, it’s worse than that. Rather than pony up a Lincoln for a simple cash transaction, Dice obtains a marker for $100,000 to play many bad hands of poker, and he ends up fighting with an Elvis impersonator that he accuses of being bad luck.

Showtime’s “Dice” is set to explore the highs and lows of the stressed comedian’s frenzied life. Be warned that Andrew Dice Clay, having made his career with an extremely liberal use of profanity in his acts, is uncensored in his frequent rants.

It’s not just the vulgarity of unvarying swearing that may offend so many, but Dice also has very graphic ways of talking about sexual activities.

“Dice” may run on cable, where it’s no-holds-barred, but this short series is likely to be limited in its appeal. But it’s only six half-hour episodes, so you won’t have to invest much time.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.