Long series and 'US gloss' for new sitcoms

Britain’s Comedy Central is planning to make new sitcoms on the American model, with dozens of episodes.

Although it has commissioned the traditional eight episodes of its latest show, Mummy’s Boys, the broadcaster hopes to have made 100 within two years.

Channel boss Jill Offman makes no secret of her ambition to emulate the success of the creator of Two And A Half Men and Big Bang Theory. ‘Are we going to aspire to be Chuck Lorre?’ she asked trade magazine Broadcast. ‘Why wouldn’t we?’

Mummy’s Boys certainly has a flavour of Two And A Half Men. It is about two twentysomethings, one of whom is irresponsible, who bring up their ‘morose’ teenage brother after the death of their mother.

Offman added that Comedy Central has another two multi-camera comedy pilots in development, which are expected to be commissioned soon.

Mummy’s Boys is made by Big Talk TV – whose credits include Rev and The Job Lot – with relatively unknown talent. It stars Johnny Flynn and Gemma Chan, who played seductive drama student Ruth in Fresh Meat, and was written by newcomers Patrick Carr and Paul McKenna, .

A hundred episodes is a magic number for sitcoms, opening up the possibility of international syndication to cable and satellite stations.

Comedy Central has further underlined its ambition to follow the American model by appointing a commissioning chief who will be based mostly in Los Angeles, not the UK.

Offman said of former NBC exec Lourdes Diaz: ‘I need American expertise, and if she lived here that would slip away. Her role is to make sure that we’re keeping those American beats, that glossiness and pacing.’

Published: 20 Jun 2013