HBO has announced a straight-to-series order for a single-camera comedy series featuring Steve Carell, created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, according to Variety.
HBO’s New Comedy Series Starring Steve Carell
The untitled half-hour series has received an order for 10 episodes. According to the official logline, the show is “set on a college campus and centers on an author’s complicated relationship with his daughter.”
“HBO has long been a standard bearer of quality TV,” Lawrence said. “Getting to do a show there with Steve Carell is an immediate career highlight for Matt and me. Nothing can go wrong now.”
Lawrence and Tarses wrote the first episode of the series and both are serving as executive producers, with Carell also executive producing in addition to starring. Lawrence executive produces through Doozer Productions, alongside Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer. The studio behind the series is Warner Bros. Television, where both Lawrence and Tarses have overall deals.
“We’re so excited to be collaborating with the dream team of Steve Carell, Bill Lawrence, and Matt Tarses on what is sure to be a brilliant new series,” said Channing Dungey, Warner Bros. Television Group chairman and CEO. “Collectively, they have been at the center of some of the most iconic and successful shows in television history. With thanks to our partners at HBO, we look forward to bringing them together to deliver the next great comedy.”
This marks the second TV role Steve Carell has secured in recent weeks. He was recently announced to star opposite Tina Fey in the upcoming Netflix comedy series “The Four Seasons.” Carell is best known for his role on the hit NBC comedy “The Office,” for which he received six consecutive Emmy nominations for best actor in a comedy series and won a Golden Globe in 2006.
He is also an Oscar nominee, having been nominated for best actor for his role in the 2014 film “Foxcatcher.” Carell has starred in films such as “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” “The Big Short,” and the “Despicable Me” franchise. His recent TV credits include the FX limited series “The Patient” and “The Morning Show” on Apple TV+. He is represented by WME, Media Four Management, and JSSK.
Carell maintains a busy schedule, balancing roles in both film and television. His recent television credits include starring roles in the high-profile Apple TV+ series “The Morning Show” (2019), the Netflix sitcom “Space Force” (2020), and the limited series thriller “The Patient” (2022). In the realm of film, he has appeared in Jon Stewart’s comedy “Irresistible” (2020) and Wes Anderson’s hit “Asteroid City” (2023).
Steve Carell and Bill Lawrence Bring Laughs to HBO
“The combination of Steve Carell and Bill Lawrence promises to be full of great laughs, warmth, and charm. We’re thrilled to be the home for this long overdue collaboration,” said Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO & Max comedy programming.
Lawrence currently serves as the showrunner for the Apple TV+ series “Shrinking,” which he co-created with Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel. He was also the co-creator and showrunner of the popular Apple series “Ted Lasso,” which concluded its three-season run on the streaming platform in 2023. Additionally, he is preparing the series “Bad Monkey,” starring Vince Vaughn, for Apple, scheduled to premiere on August 14. Lawrence is widely recognized for creating the beloved sitcom “Scrubs,” which aired for seven seasons on NBC and two more on ABC. His other notable credits include “Clone High,” “Cougar Town,” and “Spin City.” He is represented by CAA and Yorn Levine Barnes.
Tarses most recently served as an executive producer on “Bad Monkey” and previously collaborated with Lawrence on “Scrubs” during the show’s first four seasons. His extensive experience includes work on other shows such as “Atypical,” “The Goldbergs,” and “Men at Work.” He is represented by WME.
Steve Carell Joins Forces with Tina Fey for Netflix’s ‘The Four Seasons’
Variety has learned that Steve Carell is set to star alongside Tina Fey in the upcoming Netflix comedy series “The Four Seasons.”
The series is an adaptation of the 1981 film of the same title, directed by and starring Alan Alda, with Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Sandy Dennis, and Len Cariou also featured in the cast. Initially announced in January, the series received an eight-episode order and is scheduled to commence production later this year.
This collaboration isn’t the first time Carell and Fey have shared the screen. They previously portrayed a married couple in the successful 2010 comedy film “Date Night.” Moreover, Carell has prior experience with Netflix, having headlined the comedy series “Space Force” on the platform.
In the storyline, three married couples traditionally vacation together each season. However, complications arise when one husband decides to leave his wife, introducing a younger companion into the group dynamic. This narrative was previously adapted into a 1984 television series for CBS.
