ABC Family Picks Up Hart/Lawrence Comedy
ABC Family has chosen to pick up the series comedy, Melissa & Joey, by ordering ten episodes of the pilot.
According to an article on HollywoodReporter.com, “The multicamera ‘Melissa & Joey,’ starring and executive produced by Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, centers on a political dynasty wild child-turned-politician (Hart) who takes in her teenage niece and pre-adolescent nephew when her sister goes to prison and her brother-in-law flees. She turns for help to a guy (Lawrence), who, desperate for a job, moves in and becomes the family's ‘manny.’”
This project reunites Hart and Lawrence who shared the small screen as the stars of the hit 2009 ABC Family original movie, My Fake Fiancé. Meanwhile, Melissa & Joey is scheduled to premiere in 2010.
Both David Kendall and Bob Young penned the project and are its showrunners, along with Melissa’s mother, Paula.
The pickup of Melissa & Joey follows the ten-episode pickups of two new dramas for the cable channel: Pretty Little Liars and Huge. Meanwhile, Melissa & Joey was one of two comedy pilots that the cable channel ordered last fall. The other, from writer Michael Jacobs, was not picked up. Jacobs was the creator/producer of past hit shows like the ABC teen dramedy, Boy Meets World, the Jim Henson-created ABC sitcom, Dinosaurs, the CBS Scott Baio-starring sitcom, Charles in Charge and the NBC Paul Reiser/Staci Keanan/Greg Evigan situation comedy, My Two Dads.
In other channel news, ABC Family announced that their original drama, Lincoln Heights, will not be returning for a fifth season.
As for Hart, she is best known for playing the title roles on the Nickelodeon situation comedy, Clarissa Explains It All, and the WB’s Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
Lawrence is best known for his role on the NBC Nell Carter-starring sitcom, Gimme a Break! as well as for his portrayal of Joey on the NBC Mayim Bialik-starring dramedy, Blossom.
