TV Land announced today that it has given cast-contingent greenlights to two new pilots, “Happily Divorced” written by Fran Drescher (“The Nanny”) and Peter Marc Jacobsen (“The Nanny, “What I Like About You”), and “Rip City” written by Terri Minsky (“Less Than Perfect,” “Lizzy McGuire”) and executive produced by Michael Hanel (“Rita Rocks,” “Retired at 35”) and Mindy Schultheis (“Reba,” “Retired at 35”). These join the previously announced “Ex Men” on the network’s list of pilots.
These pilot orders represent TV Land’s push to continue to expand its role in the original sitcom landscape. The network’s first original sitcom, the critically acclaimed “Hot in Cleveland,” is cable’s #1 sitcom and during its first season, out-delivered big cable hits like “Mad Men,” “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” “Army Wives,” “Project Runway” and more. It returns for its second season on Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and will be followed by the premiere of TV Land’s second original sitcom, “Retired at 35,” starring George Segal and Jessica Walter at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.
Based on Fran Drescher’s real life, “Happily Divorced” centers around how Drescher deals with dating after finding out her husband is gay. The show focuses on how she juggles her relationship with her current boyfriend and ex-husband post-divorce.
“Rip City” is a multi-camera office comedy which takes place at Rip City Cola, a regional beverage manufacturer and distributor. When a young, Ivy League-educated female takes over as the boss, the entire office, particularly a confident man in his 50s, is shaken and unsure of what happens next.
“TV Land had such a huge success with ‘Hot in Cleveland’ and we have really found that sitcoms are what our audience loves and responds to,” states Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land. “We want to focus on programming that speaks to relatable life stage issues for our viewers in their 40s.”
The network previously announced the comedy pilot “Ex Men” by former “Frasier” executive producer Mark Reisman. The pilot revolves around 3 divorced men who live in an apartment building together where the landlord is a smart and sexy divorce attorney.
(Source: TV Land)
