NBC Deals Tina Fey Series ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ to Netflix
Strike one more victory for streaming.
Netflix has picked up two seasons of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” a half-hour comedy from co-creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock. Starring Ellie Kemper (“The Office”), “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” was originally planned for broadcast on NBC in 2015, but its production company, Universal Television—which is a subsidiary company of NBC Universal—obviously saw Netflix as a more opportune home.
“When the opportunity arose for Tina Fey and Robert Carlock to premiere their new show on Netflix with a two-season commitment, we decided this was the best possible scenario to launch this captivating new series,” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt in a statement. “While it was originally developed for NBC, we have a very drama-heavy mid-season schedule so we’re thrilled about this Netflix opportunity; it’s an instant win-win for everyone, including Tina, Robert, and Universal Television. We’re already talking to these extraordinary creators about new development for NBC, but meanwhile, everyone here from Universal Television will do everything possible to see that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt becomes a long-running hit on Netflix.”
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to debut Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt exclusively on Netflix, which has proven to be such an outstanding place for distinctive, original programming,” said Fey and Carlock in the same release. “Happily, we will still collaborate with our longtime partners at Universal Television to fulfill Netflix’s two-season order. We grew up at NBC and will continue to develop broadcast projects with them as well. We found the inspiration for this series in Ellie Kemper’s shining all-American face, and we know that she and Kimmy Schmidt have found their best possible home at Netflix.”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” focuses on the titular character played by Kemper after she leaves a cult and heads for New York City to fulfill her dreams. The first season will be made up of 13 episodes and will be released across all Netflix territories in March 2015. In addition to Fey and Carlock, many other members of the “30 Rock” team serve behind-the-scenes on the show, including Jeff Richmond, Jack Burditt, and David Miner.
“The very construct of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt—its offbeat premise, hilarious and rich characters and serialized storytelling—make it a perfect Netflix comedy series,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix. “Tina and Robert’s unique comic voice and sensibility come through in this series and we could not be more excited to present Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt exclusively to Netflix members around the world.”
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