Meg Ryan will exec produce and star in a new halfhour, single-cam comedy from Universal TV that is in development at NBC.
Ryan would play a sunny, non-confrontational single mom (with teenage kids, an almost-ex-husband and a meddlesome mother-in-law) who returns to her New York publishing house where she was once a brilliant editor to find that she now works for Brenda, a neurotic 30-year-old who was once her former intern. Trying to keep everyone happy, Ryan’s character ends up overcomplicating every situation.
Marc Lawrence, who will script, and Jane Berliner (Ryan’s manager) will also exec produce. Lawrence (“Miss Congeniality”) began his career on NBC comedy “Family Ties.”
Ryan becomes the latest in an increasingly long line of film stars segueing into television. Most recently, Halle Berry committed to CBS drama series “Extant” and signed a two-year, first look production deal with CBS Television Studios.
Ryan has guested in recent years on such programs as “Web Therapy” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” but if greenlit, this untitled comedy would be her first onscreen series regular role since 1985’s “Wildside,” which lasted six episodes on ABC.
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Previously, she spent longer on CBS soap “As the World Turns.” Breakthrough roles then followed for Ryan with “Top Gun” (1986), “Innerspace” (1987) and of course, “When Harry Met Sally” (1989).
