Tara McCauley October 16th, 2020 - 9:02 PM
Akilah Green (A Black Lady Sketch Show, Perfect Harmony), a Washington D.C. lawyer turned television comedy writer, is developing a multi-camera sitcom at ABC entitled Nate’s. According to Variety, the announcement of this upcoming political comedy is apropos “as the presidential election heats up.”
Nate’s, the fictional bar from which the series draws its name, will serve as the backdrop for political hijinks as the movers-and-shakers of Washington D.C. stop in for drinks. Variety describes the show’s titular location as “a black-owned, Washington, D.C. dive bar that has been serving drinks for the last 10 presidential administrations” and explains its function as “a sanctuary for the congressional staffers, Metro workers, Beltway socialites, and other regulars who frequent it.” On Twitter, Green revealed the bar’s name honors her father Nate.
Fun Fact: Nate is my dad’s name. ☺️ https://t.co/kqm8rcYK7A
— Akilah Green (@akilahgreen) October 16, 2020
As head-writer and showrunner, Green is uniquely qualified to bring the world of Nate’s to life at ABC. After studying law at the University of Michigan, Green “lived and breathed politics for seven years as a lawyer-lobbyist at a swanky firm on Washington, DC’s infamous “K Street” where she represented companies like Starbucks and Delta Airlines” (akilahgreen.com). Writers and producers Katie Newman and Luke Maxwell will join Green in the production of her newest ABC project, via Variety.
Season one of HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch show featured a sketch called “Courtroom Kiki” that might have drawn comedic inspiration from Green’s experience as a lawyer. In a behind-the-scenes interview, Green spoke on the collaborative nature of blending story and jokes together in the Emmy-nominated A Black Lady Sketch Show writer’s room, via Instagram. Undoubtedly, Green will bring these strengths to Nate’s, where she can add showrunner to her list of comedy credits.
View this post on Instagram
It’s @ashnb1 and me talking about writing on #ABlackLadySketchShow! 🤗 #ablss
Green’s colleagues at A Black Lady Sketch Show showered her with congratulations after the announcement of her upcoming ABC project on Friday. “The talent and the life experience coming together, we love to see it” wrote Ashley Nicole Black (A Black Lady Sketch Show, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) in her tweet about Nate’s. Quinta Brunson (A Black Lady Sketch Show, Broke) responded to Deadline’s Twitter announcement announcement: “Akilah!!! Yes yes yes” (Twitter).
🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾YASSSSSSSSSS!!!! @akilahgreen!!!!!! The talent and the life experience coming together, we love to see it! https://t.co/GY5A21S6Gc
— Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) October 16, 2020
Green’s upcoming comedy Nate’s made its way onto ABC’s line-up during “an unusually slow development period” as a result of COVID, via Variety. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nate’s “is one of more than a half-dozen comedies on ABC’s development slate.” Nate’s joins the recently announced Wonder Years reboot, Black-ish spinoff Old-ish and new Sabrina Jalees’ (Carol’s Second Act, Powerless) sitcom Happy for You at ABC.
