Odd Couple Reboot w/ Matthew Perry at CBS

[mr awesome]

Matthew Perry To Star In, Write & Produce New ‘Odd Couple’ Comedy In Works At CBS

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday December 13, 2013 @ 12:58pm PST
Tags: CBS, Danny Jacobson, Matthew Perry, The Odd Couple
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COMMENTS (4)
Nellie Andreeva
Odd Couple TV Reboot Matthew PerryEXCLUSIVE: Neil Simon’s classic The Odd Couple is eying a return to television, with Matthew Perry as the star, co-writer and executive producer of a multi-camera comedy project for CBS, which has received a script commitment plus penalty. The new take on two mismatched roommates — the messy Oscar Madison (Perry) and the neat freak Felix Ungar — will be co-written by Perry and comedy veteran Danny Jacobson, who previously co-wrote another multi-camera couple comedy with the series’ co-lead: NBC’s Paul Reiser vehicle Mad About You. Perry, Matthew The Odd Couple hails from CBS TV Studios and two of its top pods, Timberman-Beverly and The Tannenbaum Co. It marks Friends alum Perry’s return to multi-camera comedy filmed in front of a live audience after two single-camera shows — ABC’s Mr. Sunshine, which he also co-created, and NBC’s Go On. Simon’s play The Odd Couple premiered on Broadway in 1965 with Walter Matthau as Oscar and Art Carney as Felix and spawned a successful 1968 movie, in which Matthau reprises his role alongside Jack Lemmon as Felix, and the 1970 ABC/Paramount TV series, in which Oscar was played by Jack Klugman and Felix by Tony Randall. It ran for five seasons.

For Perry, doing The Odd Couple has been a dream 34 years in the making. “Ever since seeing the movie The Odd Couple when I was 10 years old, it has been a dream for me to play Oscar Madison,” he said. “To be given the opportunity to develop a modern version of it for CBS has put a permanent smile across my face. I met up with a wonderful writing partner in Danny Jacobson. We both have such a passion for the source material that we have instantly become obsessed with making this great. Plus, I think it’s time for me to be in front of a live audience again. I miss that. The search for Felix Ungar is on!”

Perry and Jacobson are executive producing the project with Carl Beverly & Sarah Timberman and Eric Tannenbaum & Kim Tannenbaum.

In addition to the hit 1968 movie and the 1970 series, there was an Odd Couple movie sequel starring Matthau and Lemmon; a CBS Odd Couple reunion TV movie; a short-lived The New Odd Couple follow-up ABC series with black leads produced by Garry Marshall; an ABC cartoon; and The Female Odd Couple, a female version of the play by Simon. Perry, who also recently recurred on CBS’ The Good Wife, is repped by CAA, Doug Chapin Management, and Paul Mayersohn; Jacobson is with CAA, Brillstein Entertainment and Mark Temple. Timberman is with CAA and Jeff Finkelstein & Ernie Del; Beverly is with CAA and Bruce Gellman;. The Tannenbaum Co. is with CAA and Jeff Finkelstein & Ernie Del.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/odd-...hew-perry-cbs/

[comedyfreak]

Why???Didn't they learn from The New Odd Couple from the 80's? Perry is no Oscar Madison type, if anything he's more like Felix.

[treky]

I don't know; sounds like it'll be good.

[Marvo301]

I see Matthew Perry more as Felix than Oscar! That being said we don't need a remake of a classic sitcom!! Leave the classics Alone!!!!

[William Hogan Jr]

When they run out of TV shows to reboot, old time radio will be next! What would a Fibber McGee & Molly reboot be like? or The Aldrich Family, or The Great Gildersleeve?

[MacLeaper]

When they run out of TV shows to reboot, old time radio will be next! What would a Fibber McGee & Molly reboot be like? or The Aldrich Family, or The Great Gildersleeve?

At least if these radio shows became television programs, that may well be the first TV adaptation for those shows (or any visual adaptation at all.)
That could be neat.

And since I like Matthew Perry pretty well as an actor anyway, I wouldn't mind seeing him in a remake of "The Odd Couple" if the networks insist on making this. (I also agree that it'd probably be best to leave well enough alone and just let people enjoy the '70s classic show.)
But certainly that formula has been used a number of times without the show actually being "The Odd Couple". For one example, I would say "Perfect Strangers" essentially used that formula very well. "Laverne & Shirley" is much a female version of this formula. "Sam & Cat" currently follows in its footsteps.
Even Bert and Ernie on "Sesame Street" essentially use this formula at its core.

[mets82]

I'll give it a shot because I like Matthew Perry. I think he's naturally funny.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Marvo301

I see Matthew Perry more as Felix than Oscar! That being said we don't need a remake of a classic sitcom!! Leave the classics Alone!!!!

http://www.janetcharltonshollywood.c...he-wrong-part/

He'd be perfect as the persnickety Felix Unger, not Oscar.
Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/tv-tattle#BctEuBIsC9tzFEeR.99