About a year and a half ago, Dustin mentioned a Jim Gaffigan pilot for CBS a couple of times, but after that it was pretty much radio silence. Obviously, CBS chose not to run with the pilot and as much as anyone knew, it was dead in the water. But now, strangely enough, the network known best for Hot in Cleveland and Golden Girls reruns has stepped up to the plate and ordered ten episodes of what is being now being called The Gaffigan Show, described as targeting “Gen Xers who are raising families.”
Even more strangely, Comedy Central — another network that falls under the Viacom umbrella — is going to be re-airing the episodes within one week of when they premiere on TV Land. The idea here is of course to leverage Gaffigan’s popularity on Comedy Central, but if Dustin’s former predictions about the series — which he said “sounds kind of dumb, but also perfect for CBS” — are true, then I don’t know how great that’s going to work out for them.
Here’s the plot summary, from Deadline:
Inspired by Gaffigan’s real life, The Gaffigan Show explores one man’s (Gaffigan) struggle in New York City to find a balance between fatherhood, stand-up comedy and an insatiable appetite. In addition to Gaffigan, returning are original cast members Ashley Williams who plays Jim’s wife, as well Adam Goldberg and Michael Ian Black as Jim’s best friend and his wife’s meddling confidante, respectively. The 2014 CBS pilot, directed by Seth Gordon, will air as the first episode.
Mira Sorvino was originally supposed to be playing Gaffigan’s wife in the pilot, so I don’t know if that means if the original CBS pilot is going to disjointedly star her, or if Ashley Williams (How I Met Your Mother) stepped in before shooting. Not that it makes much difference to me, although I will probably check it out at least once for Michael Ian Black playing a “wife’s meddling confidante” because that only sounds like the most Michael Ian Black thing ever.
(Deadline via Splitsider)
