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PILOT PICKUPS: People Are Talking, Crowded, Superstore

With upfronts getting very close, we are getting some more series pickup news. NBC has picked up three comedies: multi-camera sitcoms People are Talking and Crowded, a single camera sitcom Superstore.

People are Talking comes from DJ Nash and centers on two very different couples who are neighbors and best friends. The show stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Meaghan Rath, Tone Bell, and Bresha Webb. This is a type of show that doesn't have much of a plot so it's all going to depend on the writing and chemistry.

Crowded is another domestic sitcom centered on an empty nest couple ready to enjoy their freedom until both their grown daughters and the husband's parents move in with them. The pilot is directed by the veteran James Burrows. Crowded stars Patrick Warburton, Carrie Preston, Stacy Keach, Carlease Burke, Mia Serafino, and Miranda Cosgrove.

Superstore is a single camera sitcom about the employees of a big box store - newbies and veterans. The workplace sitcom stars America Ferrara, Ben Feldman, Mark McKinney, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nichole Bloom, and Nico Santos. While People are Talking and Crowded sound like a new direction for NBC sitcoms - with a more domestic, multi-camera approach, Superstore sounds more like NBC's recent lineup of niche workplace sitcoms. We'll see!

These three comedies join Telenovela and Coach on the comedy side where NBC is really struggling. Also picked up are dramas Blindspot, Chicago Med, Emerald City, Heartbreaker, Heroes: Reborn, and Shades of Blue as well as the variety show Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris. NBC will still likely pick up a few more shows, but they're already at 12 so they've got to be getting close to being done.


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