David Hyde Pierce, who played Frasier Crane’s equally stuffy brother Niles across all seasons of the beloved Cheers spinoff, is set to headline a new comedy show for NBC, Deadline reports. Caroline In the City creator and sitcom veteran Marco Pennette created the as-yet-untitled show.
Deadline adds that Pierce and Pennette will also executive produce the upcoming series, which the outlet describes as Pierce in the role of “a man who discovers that the unexamined life can bite you in the ass.”
David Hyde Pierce in the comedy role of an aging man reflecting on his life sounds like something that could be very special. Plus, it sounds like this will be a traditional sitcom in the mold of Frasier, something NBC has had some luck with recently. Pierce’s upcoming show echoes the success of another current NBC show headlined by sitcom vet: Reba McEntire’s Happy’s Place.
Of course, Pierce racked up accolades during his 11-season run on Frasier. He scored 4 Emmy wins and 11 nominations for his portrayal of Dr. Niles Crane. He was also sorely missed in the recent Frasier reboot on Paramount+. On TV, he most recently starred as Julia Child’s husband, Paul, in HBO Max’s Julia alongside Sarah Lancashire in the title role.
Meanwhile, the series creator Marco Pennette has some serious TV comedy chops. In addition to creating Caroline In the City, he’s worked on a slew of shows, including Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty.
The project is currently in development, but it seems likely to drop sometime in 2027.