NBC, Sean Hayes are Developing a Sitcom That Will Air Live Weekly
NBC's latest bright idea to combat modern technology is to go old school. The network is teaming up with frequent collaborator Sean Hayes and actor/writer Chris Moynihan for a new sitcom that would air live each week, Deadlinereports.
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The series, dubbed Hospitality, is a multi-camera comedy set in a Manhattan hotel and focuses on the staff that works there. (It sounds a bit like Fox's atrocious 2008 sitcom Do Not Disturb.) In addition to the show airing live, the commercial breaks would all be live as well.
Live "event broadcasts" are seen as ways to combat time-shifted viewing from DVRs and online streaming, which damage revenue opportunities from advertisers. NBC has had some success with live programming, with SaturdayNight Live still going strong and 30 Rock airing a pair of live episodes. But the decision to give Hospitality a shot most likely stems from the late-2013 special The Sound of Music Live, which drew a whopping 18.62 million viewers in its initial airing. The network also has a live production of Peter Pan in the works.
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Hayes has a great relationship with NBC despite flopping with last year's supposedly Thursday-night-saving Sean Saves the World. The former Will & Grace star is the creator of Hollywood Game Night, executive-produces the network's fantasy drama Grimm, and is the executive producer of TV Land's Hot in Cleveland and Soul Man. Moynihan created and starred in ABC's Man Up!.
Would you watch a live multi-camera sitcom?
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