Thursday nights at 9 p.m. was once a prestigious timeslot on NBC. It’s when Cheers premiered and stayed until it went off the air, at which point Seinfeld took over, followed by Frasier. So, the network clearly had a lot of faith in Will & Grace, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan’s New York-set comedy about a gay lawyer and his female best friend, by scheduling the series there starting in season three. That faith paid off with big ratings, 83 Primetime Emmy nominations, and Vice President Joe Biden saying the show “did more to educate the American public than almost anything anybody has ever done. People fear that which is different. Now they’re beginning to understand.”
And after an 11-year break, Will & Grace is returning for a 10-episode season that will reunite stars Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes, and Megan Mullally.
“We’re thrilled that one of the smartest, funniest, and most defining comedies in NBC history is coming back,” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt. “This groundbreaking series for everything from gay rights to social and political commentary — all disguised as a high-speed train of witty pop culture — is coming back where it belongs.”
Said Mutchnick: “Dave and I are absolutely thrilled about the opportunity to write what Will, Grace, Jack and Karen are thinking about in 2017.” (Via)
Now, how about that spinoff and/or movie for Mullally’s other NBC show?
(Via Entertainment Weekly)
