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Buffy The Vampire Slayer alumna Sarah Michelle Gellar has been tapped as the female lead opposite Robin Williams in David E. Kelley’s CBS comedy pilot Crazy Ones. Written/exec produced by Kelley and directed/exec produced by Jason Winer, Crazy Ones is set in the world of advertising and stars Williams as Simon (Williams), the brilliant head of an ad agency working alongside his daughter Sydney (Gellar), the agency’s creative director. 20th Century TV is producing.
Gellar was recently attached to a 20th TV comedy spec, and I hear that the studio wanted to stay in business with her after that spec didn’t go. This marks the first live-action comedy series gig for Gellar, who starred in the CW drama Ringer last season. She is repped by ICM Partners and Brillstein Entertainment.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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Possible problem? Kelly’s not funny.
Kelley.
Finally she chooses a comedy! This is what she needs for her career. Ringer was a joke.
Between this and Mom, looks like this is the year of CBS comedy expansion.
If CBS doesn’t pick it up then NBC should.
I don’t know, shows built around aging sitcom stars returning to TV don’t have a great track record. The upside for this show seems like it’ll be somewhere around “Last Man Standing,” maybe less because single-camera shows mostly aren’t popular. It could turn out better than it sounds, but building a comedy expansion around Robin Williams would make even less sense than building it around Matthew Perry.
I agree. Not only does CBS have Mom, which is all but confirmed to be on next fall’s schedule and Crazy Ones, they also have Super Clyde starring Rupert Grint, The McCarthy’s with Jacki Weaver among others that have not started casting yet. They only have around 1-2 (maybe 3) slots available including midseason – and that is if they cancel Friend Me and Rules of Engagement. An expansion of their comedy block would be a great ideas – especially considering their wonderful batch of comedy pilots as compared to the weak group of drama pilots they have picked up.
Mork, Buffy and David E. Kelley — either this show is going to be a classic for the ages or it’s going to be a complete disaster. Oddly enough, despite DEK’s most recent shows being awful, I suspect that this one is going to work. #knockonformica
I think this may be why CBS will/must expand their comedy lineup this fall – they need room for Mom and this Robin Williams pilot. I can’t imagine CBS turning either pilot away. That would leave just one more spot at 8:30pm Monday for a third comedy pilot green-light, and *maybe* a fourth pilot as a spare via short-order 13 episode.
The possible Thursday night lineup -
8:00pm Big Bang Theory
8:30pm Mom
9:00pm Two and a Half Men
9:30pm Crazy Ones
10:00pm Person of Interest
That lineup a shot across the bow to the other networks on Thursday nights – the other networks have to step up their game.
And then CBS also has quality comedy pilots in The McCarthy’s, starring Jack McGee and Jacki Weaver, as well as Greg Garcia’s Super Clyde after Rupert Grint signed on to star. CBS has a diverse batch of comedy pilots this season – a lot of which I cannot see them passing up on. A expansion of their current comedy block is definitely imminent.
I already feel bad for that crew.
To be honest Nellie,when I first read your headline-I thought you were making this up. I mean,how else to explain such a combo of Sarah Michelle Gellar,Robin Williams,&,David E. Kelley. Those are three names I would never even imagine working on the same project together. You know what’s weird? As inconceivable a grouping as this is-for some reason-I think it will actually do well. If anyone can get the pilot to work-it’s David E. Kelley. His previous efforts have had their quirks such as Boston Legal,Harry’s Law, etc.,etc, so I’m guessing this pilot will be something to behold. We will see…
CBS has too many pilots,not enough slots!
Time to program originals on Saturday again,perhaps?
Exactly! They have 1-2 slots, 3 at most! And they have at least 4 comedy pilots that are picking up steam and will be surprise upsets if they are not picked up!
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Perfect casting choice – Now all I need is Kelley to cast Kathy Bates in a role.
I think this might be good. I hope it is, I love Robin Williams.
What an idiot decide that Sarah Michelle Gellar is funny? Fire him now. This is first single cam that will bomp big time. 70+ aging ator as lead is too old even for CBS. Good news is that POI best CBS drama will escape than that furture thursday mess and fall football games and will be able to take wednesdays as anchor show.
wednesday
8pm Person of interest
9pm CM
10pm CSI
@That lineup a shot across the bow to the other networks on Thursday nights – the other networks have to step up their game.
One more idiot. POI is CBS best and growing drama and is NOT 10 pm show. Is not dark etc. If any of cbs dramas is 10 pn is CM and aging but doubt that they will move CM at 10 either.
Fair enough – I’m fine with moving PoI to Wednesdays at 8pm – I agree, PoI is one of CBS’ best, and I was hoping to keep it on Thursday nights – hence, the 10pm move. But, if PoI could work on Wed/8pm, that’s good.
I think we have a general consensus developing here that PoI is moving somewhere new for fall’13. CBS is going to need to expand its comedy block ‘somewhere’ – either 9pm block on Thursday, or perhaps 8pm block on Wednesday, but some expansion appears likely.
Half of Buffy episodes were comical. Your argument is void.
Cool news! That’s what she needed. A co-leading role. Now I hope it gets picked up but because it’s CBS and this is single camera show I don’t see it. It would be great though.
I guess good for Sarah. I’m not sure that I will watch. Because I can’t stand Robin Williams as actor. Hi is one note actor. That Good Will Hunting was a rare exception. And it was basically just depressed Robin Williams.
I remember those time when he had A-list career and was in our faces all the time with new comedies. And he is not funny. I was never laughing on his comedies. I don’t think anything will change in his acting.
It won’t work. Sarah Michelle Gellar comes across on screen as cold and brittle. That won’t work as the female lead of a comedy. Her chilly screen persona also helped sink Ringer.
I’m pretty sure it wasn’t her personality that sank Ringer as much as this boat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSXOe_DG2sg
FYI, the midseason series would not only provide a safety net in case the new fall shows flop, but they would also allow CBS to have some midseason programming in January and February (why waste new episodes of your hits against the Olympics?) that would cut down on repeats in March and April.
If I were programming CBS next season, I would try something like this:
Monday
HIMYM
2BG
Crazy Ones (NEW)
Super Clyde (NEW)
Beverly Hills Cop (NEW)
Yes, I know three new shows is risky, but Crazy Ones has Robin Williams, Super Clyde has Rupert Grint, and Beverly Hills Cop is a well know commodity. Plus, CBS has the Emmys this season, and they can have Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy co-host the show to pimp their new series premieres the following night.
Tuesday
NCIS
NCIS: Red
NCIS: LA
You can’t go wrong with this night.
Wednesday
PoI
CM
CSI
PoI should get the same demos as Survivor and deliver 2-3 million more viewers to CM, which would then help CSI.
Thursday
TAAHM
M&M
TBBT
Mom (NEW)
Intelligence (NEW)
Chuck Lorre night topped off with a dash of Josh Holloway.
Friday
H50
Elementary
Blue Bloods
H50 could be Friday’s version of NCIS, which would help the rest of the night.
Sunday
60 Minutes
TAR
Survivor
Undercover Boss – Fall / Hostages (NEW) – Spring
Survivor should dramatically improve CBS’s demos over TGW, and Undercover Boss would be time period filler for the football overruns. Then in the spring, CBS can try a new 10:00 show.
Mid-season: TGW (13 episodes); CSI: NY (10-episode final season); One new drama; Two new comedies – all of which can be used as either back ups for any fall flops or as new programming in January and February (why waste new episodes of your hits against the Olympics?) to cut down on repeats in March and April
Better lineup
Monday
HIMYM
Crazy Ones (NEW)
TBBT
Super Clyde (NEW)
Beverly Hills Cop (NEW)
TBBT could capture the “nerd” audience, which would lead into the actual nerd audience. HIMYM has a single cam sensibility that could pair well with Crazy Ones. People waiting for TBBT would just stick around for another 30 mins.
Thursday
TAAHM
2BG
M&M
Mom (NEW)
Intelligence (NEW)
2.5 Men and 2BG are both sleazy, and 2BG M&M and MOM will all capture the female audience.
Throw in Gaffigan and either The McCarthys, Bad Teacher, Ex Men, untitled Tad Quill, or Jacked Up at midseason, and I’m happy as a clam!
Interestingly enough, this is the second time SMG has played a character named Sydney. She also played Sydney on the teen soap, Swans Crossing.
Glad she’s doing a comedy, that girl is very funny. Try to find her SNL episode, one of the best. However, I’ve read this one, and it’s not funny. Hopefully rewritten.
They already did this series it was called “Just Shoot Me”. There is nothing orignal or funny about this idea. Bring in some new creative talent from outside the bubble.
Why isn’t his real life daughter Zelda starring with him? She is brilliant, fast and funny just like her dad. It’s a no-brainer. The network can’t say she isn’t a name….she’s a Williams!
Father and daughter in an ad agency…. when did CBS buy the rights to Just Shoot Me from NBC?
Just shoot wasnt an ad agency. It was a womens magazine. This idea is genius.
Are you kidding. Ringer was awesome. Pfft. What d’you know.
Just shoot me. I bet Kelley is binging on episodes of that show, preparing for this one.
Not a big fan of single camera comedies and definitely NOT a fan of Kelley, but I would certainly give a chance to anything that Williams or Gellar do.
I Love Robin Williams, Gellar has always been a favorite of mine, and Kelley has a great track record………Having said that, I think the combined Star Power of the three + A Premise that’s been done before is going to put a lot (A LOT!) of intense pressure and scrutiny on whether this show will be a big hit. The metaphorical weight of the talent involved could be enough for it to crash on impact (Even with CBS’s strong comedy background). Hopefully, it’ll be worth watching beyond the initial novelty of Williams returning to Sitcoms.