TV Article Joe's Apartment By Erin Richter Published on December 20, 1996 05:00AM EST In the same way Babe made many people think twice about their next BLT, the clever comedy Joe’s Apartment, hatched by writer-director John Payson from his 1992 MTV short, may make viewers pause next time they’re about to flatten one of the planet’s most resilient residents. Mugged three times within moments of his arrival in Manhattan, an Iowa native full of naive enthusiasm (Jerry O’Connell, from TV’s Sliders) stumbles into a rent-stabilized apartment where he’s welcomed by 40,000 cocky roaches (looking much less icky on a TV screen) who sing and dance their way into his life, rallying to help him win back the girl (Megan Ward) they frightened off and defeat the thugs who want him to move out. If only the roaches in my apartment were as entertaining. B+