Fox Buys 'Manny' Comedy From 'Couples Retreat' Scribe

Fox is bulking up its comedy stable with a "manny" comedy.

The top rated network has ordered a script with a significant penalty for a single camera comedy from feature writer Dana Fox. The project, from 20th Century Fox TV, takes a look at what happens when a single mom's aimless brother moves in to help her raise her baby. 

Fox (Couples Retreat, What Happens in Vegas) will write and executive the project, with Chernin Co.'s Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope attached as non-writing executive producers. 

The news comes as Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly has been public about his desire to expand the network’s live-action comedies, a high priority this development season.

"Since I came back to Fox, the network has kind of lost its pulse on the comedy side," he told THR last month. "It's debatable how much brand association you have with a network, but historically, there has been higher brand association with Fox: "Oh, that's a Fox unscripted show," or, "that's a Fox drama." Fox comedy had been clear at one point, from Married … With Children to The Bernie Mac Show to Malcolm in the Middle. It really kind of lost its way, and now I finally feel like we've got the makings of getting that built again."

He added, "We're going to try four comedies in March [likely to include Christian Slater's Breaking In], and it's something we want to see more of on the schedule next year."

Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose