NBC Puts Meghan Trainor Comedy in Development; Apple TV+ Straight to Series Comedy with Maya Rudolph

Monday, March 22, 2021

NBC Puts Meghan Trainor Comedy in Development; Apple TV+ Straight to Series Comedy with Maya Rudolph

Meghan Trainor is coming to NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Entertainment with an NBC comedy series in development as the first project under a cross-platform overall deal between the global superstar and NBCU. The new alliance is a first-of-its-kind for the company, encompassing potential projects across scripted and unscripted content throughout NBCU's larger Television and Streaming Entertainment portfolio, which includes NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, Universal Kids, USA and Peacock. Within this ecosystem, Trainor will have the opportunity to leverage her talents across network, cable, streaming and syndication programming. Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Meghan Trainor emerged with her 2014 breakout single "All About That Bass" and disrupted contemporary music with nostalgic pop beats and powerhouse vocals that delivered a worldwide anthem for female empowerment. Trainor cemented her rising status as one of the most prominent artists in popular music by charting eight multi-platinum singles, selling millions of albums worldwide, selling out three headline tours, writing multi-platinum hits for top pop and country artists, and receiving countless industry awards and nominations. She is one of only five female artists to receive a diamond certification for her hit single "All About That Bass," which shares the RIAA Gold & Platinum Awards top honor with only 15 other singles in history.

Maya Rudolph

Apple TV+ announced a straight-to-series order for a new half-hour comedy series that will star Emmy Award winner Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live, Forever), and is created by Peabody and Emmy Award winner Alan Yang (Little America, Master of None) and Emmy Award winner Matt Hubbard (30 Rock, Forever). Rudolph will star as Molly, a woman whose seemingly perfect life is upended after her husband leaves her with nothing but 87 billion dollars. The new series will be created, written and executive produced by Yang and Hubbard. In addition to starring, Rudolph will executive produce through her production company, Animal Pictures, with Natasha Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens also executive producing. Dave Becky of 3 Arts will also executive produce. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will serve as the studio. The project marks the second collaboration between Apple TV+ and Yang following the premiere of the three-time Independent Spirit Award and NAACP Image Award-nominated anthology series Little America; it will join Apple TV+'s acclaimed and award-winning roster of Apple Original comedy series, including the Golden Globe and multiple Critics Choice Award-winning Ted Lasso.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 30

Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)

Wednesday, October 30

Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.