Just keeping busy before its big schedule announcement on Sunday, NBC picked up a trio of comedies on Friday afternoon, including two from executive producer Will Ferrell.
The “Anchorman” star and “Anchorman” director Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez Productions is behind “Bad Judge” and “Mission Control,” which will be joined by “One Big Happy” on NBC's slate for next season. Sadly, Ferrell has nothing to do with “One Big Happy,” but with Ellen DeGeneres executive producing, it doesn't lack for behind-the-scenes starpower.
Let's look at the three new NBC comedies and let's try not to resent that they were ordered while “Community” was cancelled…
In addition to DeGeneres, “One Big Happy” is executive produced by creator Liz Feldman and pilot director Scott Ellis. The comedy focuses on best friends Lizzy (Elisha Cuthbert) and Luke (Nick Zano). She's a Type-A lesbian! He's a laid-back straight guy! They've decided that they want to have a family together, but complications ensue when Lizzy becomes pregnant just as Luke marries a woman (Kelly Brook) who Lizzy isn't immediately crazy about. Brandon Smith, Rebecca Corry and Chris Williams co-star.
On to the Will Ferrell part of our program:
“Mission Control” was created by David Hornsby and focuses on Dr. Mary Kendricks (Krysten Ritter), a brilliant aerospace engineer heading a team of NASA scientists in the middle of the Space Race of the 1960s. If that's not intriguing enough, “Better Off Ted” fans should be psyched that the supporting cast includes both Phil (Jonathan Slavin) and Lem (Malcolm Barrett). Julie Meyer also co-stars.
“Bad Judge,” meanwhile, was created by Chad Kultgen and focuses on Rebecca Wright (Kate Walsh), a criminal judge by day and a wild child by night. The NBC blurb boasts about her unorthodox attitude in the courtroom and a private life that includes drumming in a band. Everything changes, though, when she sends the parents of an eight-year-old boy to jail and he turns to her for help. Does this sound like a potential companion for “About a Boy”? It sounds perhaps too companionable. In addition to Walsh, the comedy also stars Mather Zickel, John Ducey, Tone Bell and Theodore Barnes.
NBC previously picked up the dramas “Odyssey,” “State of Affairs,” Allegiance,” “Mysteries of Laura” and “Constantine,” as well as the comedies “A to Z” and “Marry Me.”
Anything interest you?