Nellie Andreeva

NBC today added three more single-camera comedy pilots to its roster, including projects produced by Greg Daniels and the duo of Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. The Office boss Daniels and his Deedle Dee Prods have had a very active development season with a half-dozen projects landing at NBC and Fox. The one that got the nod at NBC today is an untitled half-hour written by The Office‘s Robert Padnick. The other two pilot slots went to Assistance, from writer Leslye Headland and Ferrell and McKay’s Gary Sanchez Prods, and Donor Party, from writer Alex Schemmer and producer Geyer Kosinski.

This marks Gary Sanchez’s first pilot order under the company’s deal with Universal TV where Deedle Dee is also based. All three pilots hail from NBC’s sister studio, with Lionsgate TV co-producing Donor Party. This is Lionsgate’s second consecutive comedy pilot at NBC, following last year’s Next Caller, which went to series but was ultimately shelved. The trio of pilots join recently picked up About A Boy, also single-camera, and multi-camera comedy Joe, Joe & Jane. Here are details about the newly picked up pilots:

UNTITLED GREG DANIELS/ROBERT PADNICK COMEDY

EP/W: Robert Padnick

EP: Greg Daniels, Tracy Katsky, Howard Klein

Deedle Dee Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment, Universal Television

Logline: Single camera. A look at the trials and tribulations of dating in your twenties as explored through a group of friends.  The pilot focuses on bright eyed and vulnerable Matthew being pushed by his three best friends to get back on the dating horse.

NBC landed the project in October in a competitive situation with penalty. Padnick is a relatively recent addition to The Office, having joined the comedy developed and executive produced by Daniels in Season 6. The very first episode of the show he wrote, February 2011′s PDA, which was directed by Daniels, earned Padnick a WGA Award nomination earlier this year. He is with UTA and Price Management. Daniels is with WME.

ASSISTANCE

EP/W: Leslye Headland

EP: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Chris Henchy, Jessica Elbaum, Owen Burke

Gary Sanchez Productions, Universal Television

Logline: Single camera. Fast-moving comedy centered on an idealistic “working girl” assistant who is pulled between her colleague (“work husband”) and her real life fiance while trying to manage a demanding (translation: crazy) boss.

Assistance is based on a play by Headland, who wrote and directed the feature Bachelorette, also produced by Gary Sanchez. The project was an early sell, being set up at NBC shortly after Labor Day. Headland is repped by CAA and Caliber Media

DONOR PARTY

EP/W: Alex Schemmer

EP: Geyer Kosinski

Lionsgate/Media Talent Group/Universal Television

Logline:  Single camera.  In “New Normal” fashion, this ensemble comedy is focused on an irresponsible man forced to grow up when he discovers he has children resulting from his days as a sperm donor.  A new family unit develops when a single mom contacts him and he begins to have a relationship with her and the son he never knew he had.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.