30 Rock creator Tina Fey’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, a comedy set to star The Office‘s Ellie Kemper, is moving from NBC to Netflix, where it has been pre-emptively renewed for a second season.
NBC originally snagged the comedy, about a woman who escapes from a doomsday cult and starts life over in New York, following a bidding war involving multiple major networks. However, the show, which Fey co-exec produces with her former 30 Rock partner Robert Carlock, was left off the network’s fall slate and never received a time slot, despite having been ordered straight to series.
Said NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt:
“When the opportunity arose for Tina Fey and Robert Carlock to premiere their new show on Netflix with a two-season commitment, we decided this was the best possible scenario to launch this captivating new series. While it was originally developed for NBC, we have a very drama-heavy midseason schedule so we’re thrilled about this Netflix opportunity; it’s an instant win-win for everyone, including Tina, Robert and Universal Television. We’re already talking to these extraordinary creators about new development for NBC, but meanwhile, everyone here from Universal Television will do everything possible to see that Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt becomes a long-running hit on Netflix.”
Under the new deal, Fey and Carlock, who co-wrote the spec script, will write, exec-produce and co-run the series. Fey’s manager David Miner will also exec-produce alongside Jeff Richmond and Jack Burditt. On the other side of the camera, Kemper will be joined by Jane Krakowski, Tituss Burgess, Lauren Adams, Sara Chase, Sol Miranda and Carol Kane.
Fey and Carlock released a joint statement in response to Netflix’s involvement:
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to debut Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt exclusively on Netflix, which has proven to be such an outstanding place for distinctive, original programming. Happily, we will still collaborate with our longtime partners at Universal Television to fulfill Netflix’s two-season order. We grew up at NBC and will continue to develop broadcast projects with them as well. We found the inspiration for this series in Ellie Kemper’s shining all-American face, and we know that she and Kimmy Schmidt have found their best possible home at Netflix.”
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will premiere its 13-episode first season in March of next year, on Netflix.