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NBC has given the green light to another comedy pilot, single-camera Welcome To The Family (formerly Chuey & Me). The project, written and executive produced by Rules Of Engagement executive producer Mike Sikowitz, chronicles how cultures collide when a white family and a Latino family are bonded together by their children who fall in love followed quickly by an unplanned pregnancy. Sony TV, where Sikowitz is under an overall deal, is producing. For those keeping score, this is NBC’s 11th comedy pilot this season. The network also has a presentation starring Jessica Simpson and Michael J. Fox’s straight-to-series half-hour, also from Sony TV. All but two projects are single-camera. For a full list of the broadcast networks’ pilots, click here.
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Congrats Sikowitz!
Wonder whether NBC could have had some hits if they’d stop focusing on multi-camera. Certainly “Go On” and “The New Normal,” which are now flopping, could have made some impact if they were multi-camera (if only because there are so few multi-camera shows that try to be smart). Most of NBC’s current round of single-camera pilots have no good artistic reason to be single-cam, and their single-camera comedies aren’t popular, so why not try to make some multi-cams that can stand artistically with “Community” and “30 Rock” and what all else? Still don’t get the thinking, unless NBC executives really believe that being single-cam is what makes a show good.
There’s some view that younger, upscale viewers want single cams. it’s ridiculous. The Big Bang Theory gets 19 million viewers. 30 Rock and The office get 3.5-4 million. I would assume in the 16 million difference, there are at least a few of these upscale viewers. You’re right. Matthew Perry would benefit from a studio audience. I would have hoped that Michael j Fox would have done a multi-cam, you might assume that although he’s is doing well enough to work, it might be too much of a risk to have an audience present in case he’s having a bad day.
There’s some view that younger, upscale viewers want single cams. it’s ridiculous. The Big Bang Theory gets 19 million viewers. 30 Rock and The office get 3.5-4 million. I would assume in the 16 million difference, there are at least a few of these upscale viewers. You’re right. Matthew Perry would benefit from a studio audience. I would have hoped that Michael j Fox would have done a multi-cam, you might assume that although he’s is doing well enough to work, it might be too much of a risk to have an audience present in case he’s having a bad day.
Go On should be a show that could go the distance. It’s in a ratings-rough patch, but the writing remains good and it will almost definitely be renewed. The New Normal is a waste of some really talented actors (although Georgia King makes Nicolas Cage look like Paul Newman).
If someone was up for a multi cam in the vein of shows like Get a Life or On the Spot (if you haven’t heard of it, check it out. all 5 episodes are on YouTube, very creative show), I’d be in. But right now, the only creative multi cam is HIMYM. I do watch TBBT and Men at Work (reminds me of Just Shoot Me!, even though everyone hates it). But those are not very creative shows.
Still, I think single cams are generally better, and I don’t think another multi cam would help NBC.
Hopefully the show’s as good as the amazing title WELCOME TO THE FAMILY. Powerful and provocative.
But if “Family” is not in the title, how will we know it’s about a family? Plus, “Chuey and Me” sounds way too ethnic. America is NOT ready for that! Good job, executives who forced this writer to change the title! You saved the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats!
Isnt this the exact same plot to that Matthew Perry movie, Fools Rush in??
NBC continues to be a joke. What a stain of a network.
NBC’s comedies are far too conventional and derivative for their own good. Wasn’t this the Rob Schneider CBS premise as well?
Greenblatt has never been a “comedy guy” in a broadcast network sense. His comedy taste is far too rarified for broad based hits. He needs to look at the regular people in the country and program more like CBS – the only network with a deep bench of real hit comedies, not the fabricated hits like New Girl or Community.
Not really. Rob was just one set of in-laws. If Fred Willard was a regular as Rob Schneider’s dad, that would have been awesome. And Rob wasn’t a bad show per se, it’s just that most of the cast didn’t seem to be trying. Also, I think CBS interfered with the show, as the original script is hilarious.
Wait… wasn’t this a Rob Schneider/Cheech Marin show? Didn’t it last eight episodes? Do we really need a comedy where someone speaking Spanish is the punchline?
No, it was a McLean Stevenson/Luis Avalos show.
And it lasted thirteen.
And it killed every single last shred of McLean’s career left that “Hello, Larry” hadn’t.
As a Latino, I’m glad to see that this world is being explored. But I hope they get some Latinos on that staff so that it doesn’t become a stereotype. That ROB show on CBS was unwatchable and I was excited to see it. Culture clash is real and should be explored but I hope this guy does it in a respectful way that’s real. But still funny.
I have high hopes. And good for NBC for nurturing that need. Fingers crossed.
I bet the pilot Mike wrote with Mickey Hatcher gets picked up as well..
Just what the world needs – more tokenism and more stereotypes.
Don’t assume it’ll be all stereotypes, I’m sure it won’t be as bad as that show a few seasons back starring Otis Taylor and Ed Podalak.
I believe that show was ‘The Steel Curtain’, also starring Ernie Holmes and L.C. Greenwood.
No, you’re thinking of ‘The Fun Bunch’ with Virgil Seay and Alvin Garrett
Don’t forget Abdul Salaam, Joe Klecko, and Marty Lyons. Anyway, congrats Mike.
I just hope this isn’t a stereotyped show. I’m in a “multi-cultural” relationship and there is a lot of good stuff to mine there. Certainly something that should be explored as the population of Latinos grows. Here’s hoping that this brother is either in a multi-cultural relationship or gets people who are on his staff to provide some truth. I’m hopeful.
I’ve been saying it for years… Mike Sikowitz is the voice of Brown America.
I can hear Jeff Astrof gnashing his teeth in the distance…
Congrats, Michael. And would it kill you to visit us more?
Congrats to both you and Bonnie–( this, of course, an unsolicited testimonial as to your enormous talent by two of your biggest fans–the dreaded in-laws!!, Steve and Rhoda).