Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre is executive producing yet another series for his longtime network home of CBS. Per Deadline, the broadcaster has given a pilot commitment to The United States of Al, a new multi-camera sitcom written by Big Bang Theory EP’s David Goetsch and Maria Ferrari. The two writers will join Lorre as executive producers alongside Reza Aslan (The Leftovers) and Mahyad Tousi (Of Kings and Prophets). The show will be produced by Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions.
The United States of Al will follow an Afghan War Veteran named Riley and his roommate Awalmir, Al for short, who was allowed to relocate to the United States from Afghanistan after serving as a translator in the war. The show will focus on the pair’s friendship as they try to adapt to civilian life in Ohio.
Aslan took to twitter to set the stage for the show’s premise. In a thread, he highlighted a program that brought Afghan and Iraqi translators to the US, which was largely rolled back under the Trump Administration. He wrote, “Before the slowdown, more than 70,000 Afghans and Iraqis had received SIVs since the visa program was introduced in 2007 and, like the fictional character in The United States Of Al, had relocated to the US with their families.”
The new sitcom marks Lorre’s latest project for CBS in a working relationship that goes back almost three decades. Most recently, he developed Bob Hearts Abishola for the broadcast network, which began its run in September. In conjunction with that comedy, he has two other shows currently airing on the network: Young Sheldon and Mom.
The United States of Al is set to join several other comedies currently in development at CBS. Other series currently being produced at the network include Seth Rogen’s UNprofessionals, Michael Patrick King’s Fun, and Santina Muha and Lindsey Kraft’s Pretty.
There is currently no known timeline for The United States of Al’s development.