Breaking: NBC To Let Funny People Do Things

In a startling and abrupt change of course, NBC has decided to let people widely considered to be funny and talented make television shows for them. Deadline has more on this risky, daring maneuver:

The Office and Parks & Recreation executive producer Greg Daniels is teaming with a writer from each of his two NBC series to develop new animated comedy projects for the network. One of the projects will be written/executive by The Office co-executive producer/co-star Mindy Kaling, who will also voice a character, the other – by Parks & Recreation producer Alan Yang. Daniels and his manager/producing partner Howard Klein will executive produce both comedies. The Mindy Kaling project revolves around a girls high-school volleyball team. Alan Yang’s toon is about a group of 20something guys sharing a house in Los Angeles’ upscale community of Hancock Park.

I know this is where I’m supposed to say something about how “The Office” fell off or whatever, but I’m not going to do that. Maybe it’s gotten a little stale lately, but when it debuted, it was really good, smart television. And “Parks and Recreation” is one of the best comedies on TV. Putting the people responsible for those shows in charge of new, fresh offerings seems so smart and obvious that I am literally in shock that NBC actually thought of it. Greg Daniels has an excellent pedigree, based on his work with “The Simpsons” and “King of the Hill,” in addition to the two shows mentioned above. Mindy Kaling is really funny, and a refreshing alternative to the “acerbic, raunchy lady” styles of Whitney Cummings and Chelsea Handler. And Alan Yang gets forever love because of his involvement with Fire Joe Morgan.

I fully expected these shows to be hilarious, critically acclaimed, and unceremoniously yoinked off the air somewhere between the first and second commercial breaks of their premieres.