NBC is looking to Sweden for a new family comedy.
The network is teaming up with Mandeville TV to adapt Swedish comedy Bonus Family (Bonusfamiljen), The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The single-camera entry is a contemporary dramedy about the challenges of divorce, remarriage and the joys and struggles of combining families.
David Walpert (House of Lies, New Girl, Will & Grace, Just Shoot Me!, Sports Night, Ellen) will pen the script and executive produce alongside Mandeville’s David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Laurie Zaks. The comedy hails from ABC Studios, marking a big off-network script sale for the studio.
Based on the Swedish format from FLX, Bonusfamiljen wrapped production on its first 10-episode season in March and already has been picked up for a second season by Swedish public television. The series is based on the life of FLX co-founder/actor/director Felix Herngren.
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For NBC, this marks the network’s latest collaboration with FLX after the Greg Poehler comedy Welcome to Sweden. That comedy ran for two seasons before being canceled in 2015.
For Mandeville, Bonus Family marks the company’s first comedy sale and its fourth network sale (its second at NBC). The network also handed out a put-pilot for an untitled Marcia Clark drama based on her book Blood Defense and personal experience. The company also has ABC’s The Exchange, a Castle-like cop drama, and ABC’s Grace, a family drama whose minister patriarch comes out as gay. All four projects hail from ABC Studios, where Mandeville is under an overall deal.
Walpert and Mandeville are repped by UTA.
Bonus Family marks the latest family comedy to be put in development this season. Family fare remains a hot genre, as broadcast networks look to shine a lens on parts of society that aren’t reflected on the small screen following the success of half-hours including Black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, The Goldbergs, Speechless and more.
