Tina FeyandTed Dansonare teaming up for a new NBC comedy that, in a clear vote of confidence, has already received a 13-episode order from the network, it was announced Thursday. The series is a high-profile, high-priority project for NBC, as the duo have nearly a dozen Emmys between them.
Danson will star as a wealthy businessman who runs for mayor of Los Angeles for all the wrong reasons. Once Danson’s character wins, he has to figure out what he stands for, gain the respect of his staff, and connect with his teenage daughter, all while controlling the coyote population. It sounds like pretty standard network sitcom fare to me, with the exception of those coyotes, which could be just the kind of wild card that a series like this may need to distinguish itself these days.
Fey will write and produce the series alongsideRobert Carlock, with whom she previously worked on NBC’s30 Rockand Netflix’sUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The untitled series hails from Universal Television, which explains the network’s decision to order 13 episodes before a pilot has even been filmed. Fey’s Little Stranger banner is also producing along with Bevel Gears and 3 Arts Entertainment.
“We are thrilled to be back home at NBC and writing for one of the network’s greatest stars of all time, Mary Steenburgen’s husband, Ted,” Fey and Carlock said in a joint statement. The duo will serve as executive producers alongsideJeff RichmondandDavid Miner, while Little Stranger’sEric Gurianwill oversee the project for the company.
“We are so excited that this is the first NBC show we get to greenlight straight-to-series,” added NBC co-chairmenGeorge CheeksandPaul Telegdy. “It’s with talent that we know and love and who have worked on some of the most beloved shows in our network’s history. We can’t wait.”
Danson recently earned another Emmy nomination for his turn on NBC’sThe Good Place, which is entering its fourth and final season. Of course, Danson made a name for himself decades earlier on the NBC seriesCheers. As a longtime Danson fan, I just hope to see him on the upcoming season of HBO’sCurb Your Enthusiasm, in which he plays a heightened version of himself. As for Fey, she recently appeared in palAmy Poehler’s directorial debutWine Country,which is currently streaming on Netflix.
