NBC Orders Maya Rudolph Variety Pilot To Air as Primetime Special Post-Olympics
by NELLIE ANDREEVA
November 13, 2013


"Saturday Night Live" alumna Maya Rudolph is returning to NBC with a new variety series project produced by SNL honcho Lorne Michaels, this time in primetime. The network has ordered a pilot for a variety series headlined by Rudolph.

I hear the plan is to air the pilot as a special after the Winter Olympics.



The project has been in the works for several months. When NBC comedy series "Up All Night", in which Rudolph co-starred with Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, did not go forward with the planned multi-camera revamp in February, Rudolph, along with her co-stars, began fielding pilot offers.

Rudolph didn’t entertain them, indicating to studios and networks that she was interested in doing a variety show instead. NBC was among several suitors who began pursuing the project, leading to the pilot order.



This marks the latest collaboration between Rudolph and Michaels, who also produced "Up All Night".

Rudolph is executive producing with Michaels, Erin David and Dave Becky.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/11/maya-rudolph-nbc-variety-series-lorne-michaels-saturday-night-live/

Maya Rudolph's Variety Show: Guest List and Air Date Revealed -- EXCLUSIVE
by Dan Snierson
Apr 15, 2014


Maya Rudolph will make her return to NBC next month with some song and sketch — not to mention, a little help from her famous friends. The network has slated her variety show special, titled "The Maya Rudolph Show", to air on May 19 at 10pm.

She will be joined by Kristen Bell, Andy Samberg, Fred Armisen, Craig Robinson, Sean Hayes, and Chris Parnell. Janelle Monáe will pop up as the musical guest, while Raphael Saaddiq will serve as bandleader.

The one-hour special, which also could double as the pilot for an ongoing series, is being executive produced by SNL overlord Lorne Michaels.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/04/15/maya-rudolph-variety-show-andy-samberg-kristen-bell/

Maya Rudolph Variety Show Gets Solid Ratings
by James Hibberd
May 20, 2014


Maya Rudolph’s take on reviving the prime-time variety show had a solid performance in the ratings Monday night backed by a powerful Voice finale lead-in.

The debut of NBC’s "The Maya Rudolph Show" delivered 7.2 million viewers and a 2.2 rating among adults 18-49. That won the 10 p.m. hour, including topping the second half of ABC’s premiere of "The Bachelorette".

The downside: The "Saturday Night Live" alum lost a large amount of her big lead-in, then shed an additional 21 percent after her first half-hour.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/20/maya-rudolph-variety-show-gets-solid-ratings/

i watched it - it was a fun show, basically like a mini-episode of SNL with just the good bits; no fake news and no long, slow boring sketches. A lot of singing and dancing, but they were fairly quick and funny.

hopefully this brings back the variety format (and they don't go massive therm-nuclear overkill like the networks do with anything that is mildly successful)

http://flavorwire.com/458295/the-maya-rudolph-show-fails-to-revive-the-variety-show-genre

"There was nothing spectacularly terrible about 'The Maya Rudolph Show,’” says Pilot Viruet. "Some songs went too long and some sketches fell flat, but nothing too egregious happened. As a whole, though, it was boring, full of shoddy writing, and not worth talking about the next morning. It’s hard not to compare the show to 'Saturday Night Live.' Rudolph even mentioned her seven-year tenure on that show in her first song.” PLUS: It relied more on familiar names (http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/maya-rudolph-show-204859?) than good writing, it was an extended “SNL” spoof of a variety show (http://blog.sfgate.com/dwiegand/2014/05/20/tv-hold-the-maya-please/), it was dated yet joyous (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/20/can-maya-rudolph-save-the-variety-show.html?), watch highlights (http://www.salon.com/2014/05/20/watch_maya_rudolph_crush_andy_samberg_in_a_dance_off/), and there’s no reason to make a variety show (http://www.salon.com/2014/05/20/the_maya_rudolph_show_proves_the_pitfalls_of_the_variety_show/) these days (http://www.glamour.com/entertainment/blogs/obsessed/2014/05/maya-rudolph-show-recap.html).
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#jdDPvihmSEFmMEep.99