Reveille picks up 'Iceland's biggest comedy'

An Icelandic workplace comedy show, "The Nightshift," will be reworked in an English-language version for U.S. audiences.

Reveille Productions has acquired rights to develop The series,which premiered in 2007. The TV show follows three eccentricgas-station employees working the graveyard shift who try to staymotivated between run-ins with wacky customers.

"Nightshift," which uses the parade of gas station customers totouch on social issues, is considered the most successful local comedyseries in Iceland's television history. (Note: Population of Iceland = 304,367).

Shine Group-owned Reveille is behind two successful scripted TV-showtransplants, NBC's "The Office" and ABC's "Ugly Betty," and hopes theproject can find a home on a U.S. network.

"'The Nightshift' is that rare international format that hasAmerican sensibility, and we're eager to tackle another workplacecomedy after the success of 'The Office,'" said Howard Owens, managingdirector of Reveille. "The show has a smart, ironic point of view,which we know will translate well in the U.S."