Network Upfronts: Powerful Woman Plus Slacker Dude Equals Comedy Gold (VIDEO)
Judging from the fall schedules released thus far by NBC, ABC, and Fox, a decent number of the networks' comedy offerings will aim to encroach on the formula used in Judd Apatow's recent films: they focus on beautiful and/or powerful women, and the slightly emasculated, slacker guys who love them.
NBC, with its Thursday night block of critically acclaimed, laugh-track-free, single-camera comedies, will try the multi-camera approach with "Whitney," which follows a couple (played by comedian Whitney Cummings and a shaggy, bearded Chris D'Elia, fitting the bill quite nicely) who watches most of their friends marry off, while they choose not to tie the knot.
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Also slated for the fall is the Lorne Michaels-produced "Up All Night," featuring Christina Applegate and Will Arnett as parents of a newborn daughter. Applegate is the high-powered working mom and Arnett is the stay-at-home dad who plays Xbox and frequents the food court at Target.
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NBC will hold off on other comedies -- including the Laura Prepon vehicle "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea," based on Chelsea Handler's memoir of the same name, and "Bent," starring Amanda Peet as a fast-talking lawyer and David Walton as her Mark Ruffalo-esque slacker contractor -- until midseason.
Following Tim Allen's new sitcom "Last Man Standing" over at ABC will be "Man Up," which gives the network not one, but two comedies with "Man" in the title on Tuesday nights. Ironically, "Man Up" was the original title of Allen's show, which was later renamed "The Last Day of Man," and has since been renamed "Last Man Standing."
Confused? Understandable.
"Man Up" follows three guys who are on a journey to figure out, according to press notes, "What it means to be a man in today's society." In the clip below, the character portrayed by Dan Fogler plays basketball with a much taller and stronger gentleman as his attractive, blonde ex-girlfriend (played by Amanda Detmer) looks on.
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ABC will hold off on its other emasculated-dude-series, "Work It," about two men who dress up as female pharmaceutical reps, until midseason. But "Apartment 23," about two mismatched female roommates, will premiere in the fall. The show features James Van Der Beek, who sheds all traces of Dawson with his snarky lady killer character who lifts weights and has a lot of sex.
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Over on Fox, indie favorite Zooey Deschanel will star in "New Girl," about a quirky Zooey-Deschanel-type who suffers a disastrous breakup and moves in with a hipster, a bro, and Damon Wayans, Jr. There Will Be Quips.
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Fox is also slated to premiere two animated series – "Napoleon Dynamite," based on the quirky, 2004 sleeper-hit film, and "Allen Gregory," written by and starring Jonah Hill, which follows a young genius who heads to elementary school.
CBS will announce its fall schedule later Wednesday, though we've already gotten word that Ashton Kutcher will be filling Charlie Sheen's vacated slot on "Two and a Half Men," leaving many to wonder how that show will be revamped. Perhaps Natalie Portman will come aboard as well, and she and Kutcher can simply revisit the slacker dude meets high-powered doctor formula from this year's "No Strings Attached."
What do you think? Do any of these new shows have what it takes to last in the murky, comedy waters of network TV? Let us know, below.
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First Posted: 05/18/11 10:28 AM ET Updated: 07/18/11 06:12 AM ET