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NBC has tapped Christina Ricci and Parker Posey for starring roles in two of its comedy pilots as the network is looking to shake off the recent rough patch with a string of disappointing launches and focus on landing top talent for its next batch of potential series.
Ricci is finalizing a deal to play the lead in Girlfriend In A Coma, which centers on Karen (Ricci), a woman who was in a coma for many years and unexpectedly comes out of the coma to find she has a 17-year-old daughter. Posey is set as the female lead in the untitled DJ Nash comedy, about a son who idolizes his blind father and is bemused by his mother’s (Posey) newfound adolescence who watches his family come closer together post-divorce.
Girlfriend In A Coma is from Universal TV, Nurse Jackie co-creator Liz Brixius Dick Wolf; the DJ Nash project from Nash and exec producer Jason Bateman. Both are single-camera.
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I don’t remember the Douglas Coupland novel being a comedy… then again, I haven’t read it in a while.
Wow. Gilrfriend in a COMA? Combined with anything written by DJ Nash?
NBC’s gonna shit the bed AGAIN.
While he sucks at multi cam stuff, DJ Nash is a great single cam writer. Combined with Posey’s talent, and Jason Bateman as an EP, this one could be a winner.
I know you love single camera comedy, but did you read his pilot last season? retread social contract nuances that went nowhere all leading up to the big moment: a four-year-old seeing the lead character’s penis? that’s your great single cam writer? DJ’s a super nice guy. and having a family comedy where the dad is blind is interesting, except it won’t be and i feel like you can do better.
Neither of these shows are going to last very long. Anyone who thinks Ricci has comedic chops should watch her appearance in an episode of ‘The Good Wife’ late last year, in which she gave a wincing, witless performance as a supposedly acid-tongued comedian. Her comic timing was appalling (although admittedly she didn’t have too much to work with). Posey is fine in supporting roles, but has proven that she can’t carry a show. I don’t dislike either of these actors – both have had long and often impressive careers – but I think NBC is asking for trouble with these two shows.
I disagree about Posey. I think she’s a great actor, and just was a part of a show that should not have been a multi camera series. It was a dark time for Fox. In a single cam, she should be great.
I agree that Ricci’s performance on The Good Wife was terrible, but that show’s writers are always so terrible at writing comedy and I think they wanted her to be a combo of Chelsea Handler and Sarah Silverman and it just didn’t work. Ricci can be very skilled with darker comedy, like in “The Opposite of Sex”.
I think Posey is wonderful, and I don’t think Jezebel James proves she can’t be a lead. But she should be doing something weird on F/X or IFC, not an NBC show.
It really seems like NBC is sabotaging itself with this whole “broad comedy” thing. They used to have all of the best shows, they were witty and always were single cam work coms. And good ones. Then everything just went wrong. I think that this year they can salvage themselves. But it’s now or never. But Posey is a real talent. They would be idiots to waste her.
girlfriend in a coma, i know i know, it’s serious…
Ricci will be ruining yet another show as she did with her bad acting on Pan Am on ABC. You’d think these blockheads who are running these networks would have a clue on how to produce a good show with good quality actors instead of hiring these ham and eggers to star in these kind of shows. CXLed sooner rather than later on these new offerings at Nothing But Crap.
Parker Posey? digging to the bottom of the barrel.
I think your barrel’s upside down and you’re digging up.
Is it too late for NBC to revive Prime Suspect?
Girlfiend in a Coma is from Nurse Jackie creator Liz Brixius. I’m sure it will be amazing. It will be right on the border between comedy and drama, just like Nurse Jackie.
Parker Posey is sensational and DJ Nash is a great writer.
How the shows will do ratings wise is a separate discussion. For my money they’ll be must watch.
Will The Smiths get any credit for the program’s title?
…because when you think about ways to get yourself out of a comedy hole, your thoughts *do* first go to Christina Ricci and Parker Posey …
thanks kevin. all we want is a chance to tell a story that people might like. so much hate right out of the gate…it’s not like we don’t read this stuff. xox
What’s the proof DJ’s a great writer — Til Death or Up All Night?
The penis script from last year was one of the season’s worst pilots. He’s great at getting cozy with the suits, which is an amazing talent.
for the peeps comparing Christina Ricci and Parker Posey…..there IS NO Ricci…………….pfft