NBC is piling up on comedies, adding an additional three new pilots from the likes of A-list comedic writers/actors Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, and Bill Lawrence.
Variety reports that NBC has picked up three new single-camera comedies in addition to the three comedies they have picked up so far.
Tina Fey will be executive producing The Sackett Sisters, created by 30 Rock and Brooklyn Nine-Nine writer Luke Del Tredici. The story centers around two estranged sisters who reunite The Sackett family by performing an act of heroism and must navigate the consequences of a selfless act.
Tina Fey is no stranger to NBC; she worked on SNL from 1998-2006, then solidified her status as comedic legend in the critically-acclaimed series 30 Rock, loosely based on her own experience working at Saturday Night Live. She is the creator of the Netflix series The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which follows a well-meaning but hopelessly misguided cult member who starts her life above ground in New York City in her early 30s. She is also known for her infamous and nearly indistinguishable Sarah Palin impression, one of the many gifts 2008 bestowed upon us.
Mindy Kaling and Charlie Grandy, who has written with Kaling on The Office and The Mindy Project, are working together again and co-created their new project. The currently untitled pilot will revolve around Vince, a charismatic loser without ambition who owns a gym. He lives with his gorgeous but hopelessly stupid younger brother Mike, and they revel in their simple and uncomplicated lives dating a myriad of beautiful women. Unfortunately, their plans are put on hold when Pirya, Vince’s ex-high school girlfriend, drops off his previously unknown teenage son.
Kaling was recently announced to be cast as Pirya, making her a member of the cast as well as co-creator and producer. This will also mark a return for Kaling to NBC. While The Office had a successful run on the network, The Mindy Project aired on FOX and currently streams on Hulu.
Bill Lawrence, comedy veteran and creator of Scrubs along with the tragically short-lived cult classic Clone High, will be producing and writing Spaced Out. Lawrence will co-write the comedy with Jeff Ingold and Adam Sztykiel. The story follows a working class man who happens to be a genius having a serious issue getting along with his cliquey coworkers. This wouldn’t be noteworthy in and of itself, except for the fact that they happen to be scientists tasked with building a rocket to Mars. Water-cooler jokes aren’t rocket science unless you’re talking to rocket scientists.
Lawrence, who recently collaborated with Ingold and Sztykiel on Undateable, is known for creating Scrubs and co-created shows like Cougar Town and Spin City. He has written for a number of a number of classic 90s sitcoms like The Nanny, Boy Meets World, and Friends.