"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" to become CBS series

[lobeck]

SEASON PREMIERE!
Monday, February 24, 9:30PM ET/PT

Regular Airdate: Sunday, March 2, 8PM ET/PT

MY BIG FAT GREEK LIFE is a new comedy series about a woman's over-the-top Greek family. The cast includes Nia Vardalos ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding"), Lainie Kazan ("St. Elsewhere"), Steven Eckholdt ("L.A. Law"), Louis Mandylor ("Martial Law"), Gia Carides ("Strictly Ballroom"), Andrea Martin ("SCTV Network 90") and Michael Constantine ("Room 222"). Everyone but Eckholdt starred in the hit movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."

Nia Portokalos is a newly-married modern woman caught in an old-fashioned world. From an early age, Nia was mortified by her family's patriotic, exaggerated ways. But when she falls in love and marries a non-Greek teacher, Thomas Miller, her family eventually learns to accept him and Nia learns to accept her family's meddlesome ways.

Nia and Thomas return from their honeymoon to begin their new life together and find that it will include her overzealous extended family. The family includes Nia's father Gus, an opinionated man who owns a Greek restaurant called Dancing Zorba's; her mother Maria, the consummate worrier; her overly-protective brother Nick, a typically macho Greek man who works alongside his family as a cook at their restaurant; her Aunt Voula, a vivacious woman always full of advice, and her big-haired, big-mouthed cousin Nikki.

Brad Grey ("The Sopranos"), Marsh McCall ("Just Shoot Me") and Rita Wilson ("From the Earth to the Moon") are the executive producers for Brad Grey Television, The Playtone Company and Marsh McCall Productions, in association with Sony Pictures Television.

[John]

I didn't see the movie, but this show holds absolutely no appeal to me.

[lobeck]

I haven't seen the movie yet (we've pre-ordered the DVD), but I agree with you, John. It sounds like this may be stretching the whole thing a bit too thin.

[fluff]

I loved the movie, not sure if they can stretch it to a series though.
I'll give it a look though.

[holly71]

I loved this movie, but a series based on it? The interfering family is already being done on "Everybody Loves Raymond".

[sher]

i'll give it a go, too, but worry that the dynamic will be lost without john corbett.

i still think it has potential to be quite funny, though, as i believe nia vardalos is hysterical and very talented.

[phat32]

I don't predict a long life for this thing based on the simple fact that history has not been kind to successful movie-to-small screen adaptations. "Gung Ho" and "Baby Boom," anyone?

I'm sure there have been more--many, many more--but the landscape is filled with so many of these half-baked show ideas (and they all tend to have the shelf life of a bag of potato chips in Rosie O'Donnell's cupboard) that I'm drawing a blank.

Didn't even Eddie Murphy try a "Nutty Professor" TV show based on "The Klumps"? But who cares since Murphy has gone from box-office gold to box-office pariah in the last ten years. He has what I call the Reverse Midas Touch--anything he touches turns to crap.