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Coronavirus Comedy TV Show In Development From Office Producers
There’s already a coronavirus virus comedy being developed. The pandemic has disrupted Hollywood entirely, with big blockbusters facing indefinite delays or frequently shifting release dates. On the television side of things, a number of high-profile shows have been hampered by the prospect of shorter seasons. In the case of Empire, once a cultural juggernaut, the musical drama has opted to move forward without airing its series finale. Celebrities, such as Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and Idris Elba, have even contracted COVID-19. Others, like Adam Schlesinger and Andrew Jack, have sadly passed away due to complications from the virus.
Still, the entertainment industry is no stranger to fictionalizations of timely events. Recently, as Harvey Weinstein went to trial for sexual abuses, The Assistant examined a day in the life of an aspiring producer who has to manage a figure that is very reminiscent of Weinstein. The Morning Show, the flagship series for AppleTV+, similarly tackled issues related to the MeToo movement. The presidential victory of Donald Trump helped to spawn an entire season of American Horror Story, which used the 2016 election as a starting point to tell a larger story about division and isolation. Given that the coronavirus is currently the biggest news story across the globe, changing the daily lives of virtually everyone, it’s not surprising that the current situation would inspire potential projects.
It might have happened quicker than most would have guessed though, as TV Line reports that a coronavirus comedy is in the works. Ben Silverman and Paul Lieberstein, who’ve worked as executive producers on The Office, are developing a sitcom about a genius boss who, attempting to ensure his staff’s connectedness and productivity, asks that they virtually interact all day. It is expected that the sitcom will soon be searching for a potential home.
In a statement, Silverman noted that many people working from home are going through daily Zoom meetings and adjusting to a new normal. Part of that new normal, he explained, was figuring out ways to stay connected and productive. Silver also expressed confidence in Lieberstein, who wrote 16 episodes of The Office between 2005 and 2013. His writing credits for the show include “Goodbye, Toby”, “Sex Ed”, and “The Farm.”
Wisely, considering the seriousness of the pandemic, nothing in the show’s summary directly mentions the coronavirus. Instead, the series appears to focus on one aspect of normal life that has been changed by the heath crisis. While it’s likely that the comedy will have to mention why the protagonists are all working from home, the subject will probably be handled with a light touch. It will be interesting to see if this series is picked up.
