NBC at TCA: “Will & Grace” Had Everyone Talking

Overallamp160NBC gave theamp160TCA a very satisfying day filled with a roster of stars and shows that kept critics and reporters interested even on the 14th and final day of what had been a very full tour that included approximately 125 press conferences plus other activities NBC39s talent included Jennifer Lopez Tina Fey John Lithgow Vanessa Hudgens the cast of super hit This Is Us and NBC legend Dick Wolf the executive producer of the networkamp8217s many Law ampamp Order series over the last 27 years as well as the four shows in its current Chicago franchiseNBC also brought in the casts of the upcoming The Blacklist spinoff The Blacklist Redemption and the comedy Powerless about ordinary people trying to live normal lives in a city full of superheroesamp160 The latter looks to be the most original take on the whole superhero thing since the whole superhero thing took off on televisionSalke took the stage at the start of the day to make an announcement everyone knew was coming but was nevertheless happy to hear The entire cast and crew of the nowclassic sitcom Will ampamp Grace was reuniting for a new 10episode season of the show amp160not on a streamer or a cable network but back on NBC where it ran from 19982006amp160amp160That means Eric McCormack Debra Messing Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally will be in the 201718 broadcast season and once again be among the Peacock39s biggest stars Messing McCormack Hayes and Mullally are pictured at topRumors of a Will ampamp Grace resurrection possibly for streaming services Hulu or Netflix amp8211 have been swirling ever since the cast got together for a lively preelection short late last year one brimming with topical and biting Donald Trump commentary You can watch it belowamp160amp160amp160amp160Along with the cast original series creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan are on board as showrunners and executive producers Veteran sitcom director James Burrows often considered the fifth member of the ensemble will be back behind the lens and will serve as an executive producer on the projectAll of this enthusiasm is a far cry from 2013 when our own Steve Gidlow quizzed both McCormack and Messing who were together at a Paley Center event celebrating Burrowsamp8217 career on the possibility of some kind of reunion amp160Letamp8217s just say that at that time they were happy to let sleeping dogs snoozeamp8220It still feels so aliveamp8221 admitted Messing acknowledging the showamp8217s popularity in syndicationamp8220It really doesamp8221 McCormack agreed amp8220The way we finished it and the way the finale went was so great It went into the future showing us as older people so Iamp8217d hate to mess with that too muchamp8221 he addedWhat form the new series will take remains to be seen but back in 2013 McCormack did entertain the idea of a Will ampamp Grace The Early Yearstype show if they were ever to revisit it amp8220Weamp8217ll do the prequelamp8221 he laughedIn addition to the original leads retuning thereamp8217s one other cast member whoamp8217s happily on board should an invitation be extended Michael Angarano who played Jackamp8217s son Elliotamp8220I havenamp8217t heard anything yet but I would be more than open to itamp8221 he enthused when Steveamp160recently asked him about it during a TCA event for Showtimeamp8217s upcoming scripted series about standup comics Iamp8217m Dying Up Here in which he will costaramp160 amp8220It was such a formative experience in my life and getting that group together again is a fantastic thingamp8221Once the excitement about Will ampamp Grace died down Dick Wolf and cast members from Chicago Justice the upcoming fourth series in his Windy City franchise took the stage to talk about their show amp160It will be launched during a special threehour block of Chicago shows on March 1 comprised of Chicago Fire Chicago PD and Chicago Justice with characters from Chicago Med appearing in all three hoursamp8220Crossovers are a pain in the assamp8221 the always candid Wolf declared amp8220Everybody hates doing them amp160But the results have been manifest now for the last four seasons amp160I donamp8217t have exact numbers but usuallyamp160the highs for many of the shows have been during crossoversamp160 Unfortunately itamp8217s like ratings crack and itamp8217s a bad addiction because you donamp8217t want to overuse it amp160But the premiere event on March 1st has never been done beforeamp8220Itamp8217s really amazingamp8221 he continued amp8220Itamp8217s incredibly hard to pull off but to be able to do something after whatever it is 75 years of commercial television that has literally never been done before is exciting and it gives the actors as they stumble out in 13 degree weather at 630 in the morning a reason to get out thereamp8221Following the special premiere event Chicago Justice will debut in its regular time slot on Sunday March 5 at 9 pmThere was more big news during NBCamp8217s day at TCA amp8211 Salke opened the session for the networkamp8217s breakout hit This Is Us by announcing that it has been renewed for two 18episode seasonsamp8220The show means everything to usamp8221 Salke said amp8220Weamp8217re so appreciative of the artistry and talent both in front of and behind the camera Theyamp8217ve made us all extremely proudamp8221Steve Gidlow contributed to this reportBe sure to read about the cultural influence of quotWill ampamp Gracequot in Jack Myers39 book The Future of MenClick on the social media tiles above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggers

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NBC at TCA: “Will & Grace” Had Everyone Talking

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NBC at TCA: “Will & Grace” Had Everyone Talking

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