First look: NBC’s new sitcoms in primetime, Fall 2014 (Bad Judge, Marry Me, A To Z)

NBC revealed its new primetime schedule for Fall 2014 in advance of today’s Upfront presentation to advertisers.

Parks and Recreation will return in midseason for its seventh and final season. Community will not return for a sixth season (on NBC), and the other rookie sitcoms from the Peacock Network all lost their feathers and cooked their geese and a third metaphor for not coming back. Four other new sitcoms ordered have no place yet on the programming schedule: Mission Control (starring Krysten Ritter as a NASA engineer in the 1960s, and from Will Ferrell and Adam McKay); Mr. Robinson (starring Craig Robinson as a rock band singer with a day job as a substitute teacher, and redeveloped from the 2013 pilot season); One Big Happy (starring Elisha Cuthbert, Nick Zano and Kelly Brook, where one of them is a lesbian, but it’s Three’s Company turned Four for realsies’; from Ellen DeGeneres), and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (starring Ellie Kemper as a young woman who breaks free from a cult and lands in NYC, from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock).

But let’s get real.

Here is a first look at the three new sitcoms you’ll actually be seeing and hearing a lot more of at the end of the summer.

Marry Me - Season Pilot

MARRY ME (9 p.m. Tuesdays, Eastern/Pacific)

Official network show description: “Six years ago, Annie and Jake bonded over their mutual love of nachos, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Now, after returning from a romantic two-week island vacation, Jake’s all set to pop the question. But before he can ask, Annie lets loose on Jake for his inability to commit. She was expecting him to “put a ring on it” in paradise, dammit! Needless to say, Jake’s perfect proposal is ruined. Not wanting to spend the next 60 years talking about that mess of a proposal, Jake and Annie decide to hold off on the engagement until they can do it right. But if history tells us anything, it’s when we really want things to go right that they all tend to go wrong. The only thing we know for sure is these two are destined to be together whether they can get it together or not.”

Starring Ken Marino and Casey Wilson

Co-stars: Sarah Wright, John Gemberling, Tymberlee Hill, Tim Meadows

Credits: From Sony Pictures Television, FanFare Productions
Executive Producer/Writer: David Caspe (Happy Endings)
Executive Producer/Director: Seth Gordon (The Goldbergs, Identity Thief, Horrible Bosses)
Executive Producer: Jamie Tarses

Bad Judge - Season Pilot

BAD JUDGE (9 p.m. Thursdays, Eastern/Pacific)

Official network show description: “No excuses, no apologies, no compromises. Wild child Rebecca Wright (Kate Walsh, “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice”) knows how to have a good time, but she also happens to be one of LA’s toughest and most respected criminal court judges. She has a reputation for unorthodox behavior in the courtroom, including creative sentencing and saying exactly what’s on her mind. Her private life, on the other hand, is anything but innocent. She parties too much and rocks out on the drums in a band with her best friend, Jenny. While there’s no shortage of male admirers who would love to spend time with her, she’s not ready to settle down… except when an eight-year-old boy – whose parents were put in jail by Rebecca – needs her help. He may in fact be the one thing that starts to tame this “bad” judge.”

Starring Kate Walsh

Co-stars: John Ducey, Tone Bell, Theodore Barnes.

Also: Horatio Sanz and Chris Parnell appear in the pilot. Sanz, as teacher of the eight-year-old boy (played by Barnes), likely recurring.

Credits: From Universarl Television, Gary Sanchez Productions
Executive Producer/Writer: Chad Kultgen
Executive Producers: Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers, Talladega Nights), Will Ferrell (Anchorman, Step Brothers, Talladega Nights), Anne Heche (Save Me), Jill Sobel Messick (Baby Mama, Mean Girls), Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy)

A to Z - Season Pilot

A TO Z (9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Eastern/Pacific)

Official network show description: “This is the A-to-Z story of Andrew (Ben Feldman, “Mad Men”) and Zelda (Cristin Milioti, “How I Met Your Mother”) – a pair that almost wasn’t – and all that happened from the day they met. Andrew has always been a secret romantic… not above crooning to Celine Dion while driving to work, with dreams of finding “the one.” He imagines her to be just like that shimmering beauty he spotted that night in that silver dress at that concert two years ago. Zelda, having grown up with a hippie mom who believed the universe would provide for everything, rebelled into a no-nonsense practical lawyer who prefers the control of online dating. But when a computer glitch sends her a total mismatch, she’s asked to come in for an interview at the Internet dating service where Andrew works, and this is where it all begins. Andrew and Zelda meet for the first time and despite their differences, sparks fly. She thinks it’s chance. He thinks it’s fate. After all, he’s convinced she’s the shimmering girl in the silver dress.”

Starring Ben Feldman and Cristin Milioti.

Co-stars: Henry Zebrowski, Lenora Crichlow, Christina Kirk and Katey Sagal as the narrator

Credits: From Warner Bros. Television, Le Train Train
Executive Producers/Writer: Ben Queen (Drive)
Executive Producers: Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation) and Will McCormack (Celeste & Jesse Forever)

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

View all posts by Sean L. McCarthy →