If you know sitcoms you know big name shows in the genre like The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, and classics like Dharma & Greg. The man behind these shows, Chuck Lorre, has proven he has a knack for giving audiences what they want from genre. Lorre is now moving from broadcast to streaming services. According to Variety, Netflix has Ordered a new comedy series Disjointed from Lorre that stars Oscar nominee Kathy Bates.
The series will follow Bates as she plays a lifelong advocate for marijuana legalization who realizes her dream of owning a dispensary in L.A.. Bates, her son, her budtenders, and her security guard will figure out the ins and outs of running a pot shop in the very pro-green city of Los Angeles while trying to maintain their own personal lives, all while usually under the influence of a hit or three.
Bates has already proven that she can dominate on the small screen, her recent stint in the last two seasons of American Horror Story (whose upcoming sixth season is set for September) earned her an Emmy in 2015. Bates Also received an Emmy in 2012 for best guest-actress on Lorre’s Two and a Half Men.David Javerbaum, former head writer for the daily show and writer for the Late Show with David Letterman, will also serve as a writer and executive producer for Disjointed, adding more television prestige to the new series.
Disjointed will feature a studio and will be multi-camera style, meaning it will have that classic sitcom feel akin to That 70’s Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Netflix has found recent success with this throwback style, with shows like Fuller House recapturing the feel of its 1987 predecessor, and original ventures like The Ranch which takes Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson from That 70’s Show and brings them back to that Kelso and Hyde dynamic that charmed audiences.
While the legalization of marijuana is still a hot and debated topic, it is understandable why a show centered around the topic might not thrive on big TV networks like Chuck Lorre’s longtime home in CBS. Recent events like the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska have definitely widened the potential audience for shows like Disjointed. The prominence of medical marijuana dispensaries in L.A. (just walk down Whittier Blvd in East L.A.) leaves the location a perfect setting for a show that deals with a state like California that is on the cusp of legalization but still finds itself in the fight. Whatever your position, Disjointed will be sure to provide sitcom lovers woth that style of comedy that satisfies their TV cravings, even if some of the jokes may fly high over some heads.