NBC Taps Roaseanne Barr for New 10/90 Sitcom from ‘Nurse Jackie’ Creator
We knew that the "10/90" model of sitcom development had gained some serious popularity after Charlie Sheen's 'Anger Management,' and FX's recent acquisitions of similar sitcom deals for George Lopez, Kelsey Grammer and Martin Lawrence, but will NBC prove the first broadcast network to adopt the model? It's starting to look that way, thanks to Roseanne Barr and 'Nurse Jackie' creator Linda Wallem.
According to Deadline, NBC is near plans to finalize its purchase of the order, which would see Barr at the center of the multi-camera family comedy sitcom. For those unfamiliar with the 10/90 model, NBC would order an initial ten episodes of the new sitcom, after which crossing a certain ratings threshold would trigger an order of 90 additional episodes, making the entire package ripe for syndication.
The model had already been in use with Tyler Perry's various TBS sitcoms, but became increasingly popular following Charlie Sheen's notable success with 'Anger Management,' which itself has been in the news lately for its various re-tools. Wallem and Barr have supposedly begun writing their series from Hawaii, as part of their respective development deals with NBC.
Barr's own deal included her recent guest spot on 'The Office,' as well as a pilot order for her NBC sitcom 'Downwardly Mobile,' though NBC ultimately opted to pass on the comedy. For those unfamiliar with Barr's 221-episode run on ABC's 'Roseanne,' the comedienne also recurred in the recent season of 'Portlandia.'
Well, what say you? Would NBC becoming the first broadcast network to develop a 10/90 sitcom change the TV landscape? Are there better roles to place Roseanne Barr back on TV?