EMMYS: ‘Big Bang Theory’s Science 
Has Summit Pulled A Rabbit Out Of The Hat With Dean Parisot … 
Scoot McNairy Shores Up ‘Black Sea’ Role 
‘Client List’ Season 3 Pickup In Limbo Over … 
New Myth, Toonz Ent. Help Launch Epiphany, A $200 Million … 
Amazon Orders Cop Drama Pilot Based On Michael … 
Third Point Raises Stake In Sony And Presses To Join Its … 
Lionsgate Acquires Pulitzer Prize Winner ‘Devil In … 
ABC Executive Quinn Taylor Moves To NBC To Head Longform … 
Future Of ‘Anger Management’ Co-Star Selma … 
Returning Showrunner Dan Harmon Slams … 
EMMYS: Will “Arch Rival” Matt Damon Be Jimmy … 
Neil Patrick Harris Takes ‘Hedwig And The Angry … 
‘True Blood’ Season 6 Premiere Draws 4.5 … 
Cary Woods And His Long Road Back Into Film; Makes … 
Sony Doing Two More ‘Spider-Man’ Movies, Sets … 
Dave Chappelle To Headline Funny Or Die’s Oddball … 
CBS Sets Fall 2013 Premiere Dates 
‘Man Of Steel’ Soars To $200.3M Worldwide In … 
WME Signs Stage Vets Michael Mayer And Stephen Karam As CAA … 
Bruce Rosenblum Joins Legendary As President Of Television … 
NBC has closed deals for a comedy project starring Will & Grace alum Sean Hayes and written by Better Off Ted creator Victor Fresco. The untitled multi-camera comedy, from Universal TV and Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills, centers on Sean (Hayes), who must figure out how to parent his 14-year-old daughter, who just moved in, while navigating a temperamental new boss at work. Fresco, Hayes and Milliner executive produce.
Launching a comedy series toplined by Emmy winner Hayes has been a priority for NBC. “Sean is a friend, and I think it’s time for him to star in a comedy again,” NBC topper Bob Greenblatt said at last year’s summer TCA, when he announced a deal to develop a half-hour starring vehicle for the actor-producer. It resulted in a Peter Tolan-written project about a gay couple raising a 12-year-old, which didn’t make the cut to pilot last season. Developing a comedy for Hayes to star has also been a top goal for Universal TV-based Hazy Mills. “We’ve got to get Sean Hayes back on television and out of the office,” Milliner quipped when Hazy Mills signed a new deal with the studio in April. “It’s great having him in the office but he is a sitcom star.” On screen, WME-repped Hayes next recurs on the upcoming second season of NBC’s Smash, reuniting with former Will & Grace co-star and Smash leading lady Debra Messing. On the producing side, Hazy Mills has four series on the air: NBC drama Grimm, TV Land comedies Hot In Cleveland and recently renewed Soul Man, as well as the newly picked up NBC reality series Hollywood Game Night.
For ICM Partners-repped Fresco, the project stems from the overall deal the creator of cult favorites Andy Richer Controls The Universe and Better Off Ted signed with Universal TV this year.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
Loading ...
Multi-cam or single-cam? This is the kind of story that would be better as a multi-cam and Sean Hayes is better in front of an audience… so I’m pretty sure this will be single-camera, according to the NBC/Fox/ABC rule that you only use multi-cam for projects you don’t really like.
Well most single-cams are better. And Victor Fresco is one of the best when it comes to single-cams (Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Better Off Ted).
Most single-cams are better now, but most of them can’t compare in quality or risk-taking to the best multi-cams of the past. Certainly “Better off Ted” couldn’t.
I’m okay with this.
And god, Sean must be rolling in money. Good for him.
Good. Wanted to make sure you were okay with it before moving forward.
Do we not see why TV seems to never get better when you keep using the same writer voices over and over? I liked some of Fresco’s work but I find it hard to believe there are NO new voices in this town that haven’t had 3 to 4 holding deals or 6 failed pilots to pen a new show. Just saying
I think one has to look at the difference between cable and network shows. Cable’s on a huge roll right now, fueled mostly by shows from creators who hadn’t done a ton beforehand but had unique new ideas. Broadcast is on a huge anti-roll right now, fueled mostly by rehashed shows from people who have been doing the development recycle for 10-15 years now.
I don’t think networks are dumb (well not too dumb) – they know they’re putting out bad product. But what they’re most concerned about at the moment is cost certainty, and they’re afraid new writers/producers who haven’t run a show before aren’t going to be able produce a show on time, within a budget, there will be a learning curve, etc. As such they’re willing to broadcast crap, because creative difficulties can be explained by the nature of the business and therefore will take several years to fire you, whereas if you physically don’t have anything to put on the air or go over budget you’ll be fired tomorrow. It’s moral hazard – what’s good for the network (development, be open to new ideas, take a few risks and try to hit on a few big ones) and what’s good for the execs (don’t stick your neck out, stay conservative so it’s never your fault) aren’t always the same thing.
you might be right about cable taking a chance on unknowns for drama, but for comedy the names are all the same. look at TV Land, USA, TBS, ABC Fam, Nick, Disney or most anyone doing comedies. they’re developing with the same people as the networks. marco pennette just shot a pilot for TV Land starring the same women from the ABC pilot he shot last season. the reason the broadcast networks are missing the mark is because they’re going for niche audiences like the cable channels and those numbers can’t sustain a network comedy. bottom line is the broadcast comedy development execs for the most part don’t know what they’re doing and have no comedy instincts or if they have them don’t act on them because they’re driven by the fear of losing their jobs. which they do anyway, but just take the job of someone who got fired somewhere else. how you doing, Tal? really enjoyed Animal Practice.
you said “in this town” — which makes me think you work in this business. so i’m going to have to assume it was a rhetorical question. because you can’t work in this business and not know the answer to that question. anyway, victor’s sh*t is usually funny. maybe he’ll hit a broader audience this time around.
You must be a real moron if you think Andy Richter Controls the Universe wasn’t funny. I’d rather see a brilliant show with a niche audience, than a moronic one with a broad audience.
Sorry about that, thought you said “victor’s sh*t usually ISN’T funny”. Nice to see another person who is a fan of his work.
Not picking on Victor Fresco (loved BOT) but when new voices are given an arena I think things can be discovered.
Very true. My favorite show on TV right now (The League) was created by two rookie creators, one of which had two failed pilots previously. But Mitchell Hurwitz struck out twice before Arrested Development, and I consider that to be the greatest show ever made.
Just remember Seinfeld was created and ran by a person who had absolutely no sit-com experience. The reason why it slipped through is because Rick Ludwin developed it through NBC’s late night specials division…so you didn’t have 10 D-Girls & Boys dumbing down.
WORD!
Amen
Tired actor, tired writer, tired concept. Can’t wait!
Don’t worry Bud! I’m sure your original, innovative, ahead of it’s time comedy will sell next development season! Keep at it Bud!
Yes. Same old tired crap.
Don’t care who airs, writes, produces, etc it, as long as Sean Hayes stars in it!
i couldn’t agree more!
Am I the only one wondering why his characters 14 year old daughter “just moved in” with him? Is he some deadbeat dad and the girl’s mother choked on her own vomit while overdosing or did he adopt a 14 year old? Sorry, but a dad dealing with work and a wild daughter isn’t exactly fresh. What’s so different about this?
I am SO glad they passed that law that requires every gay character on television or film to portray a breeder-wannabe whose life would just NOT be complete unless they’ve procreated.
Because, as you know, every single gay person out there secretly wants to be a parent and is OBSESSED with acquiring children, through adoption, surrogacy, co-parenting, deceiving a member of the opposite sex until after the birth and then getting a quicky divorce and an even quicker child-custody hearing, or simply stealing a child and sneaking away quick before anyone notices.
Really.
We ALL do.
Honest!
Sean Hayes? That gay actor who lacked the courage to come out of the closet when everyone most needed him to – and before it was fashionable? ‘Meh’ However modern our times; audiences still demand at least a smidgen of integrity. Courage is a bonus, too.
I truly have been waiting to see Sean on either TV or new movie. I just finished watching Bucket List, & his performance was truly amazing. He is becoming a true actor in his own right. I wish him more success.
I hope they bring in a smart character to play the kid. She’ll have to be, in order to play opposite Hayes.