Tina Fey, a signature star of NBC, and her “30 Rock” collaborator Robert Carlock will not be bringing their new series to that network, and will instead be moving it to Netflix, it was announced Friday.
Netflix said that it had given a two-season commitment to the comedy series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” which was originally being developed for NBC, and that it would introduce its first 13-episode season in March.
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” stars Ellie Kemper (of “The Office” and “Bridesmaids”) as a woman who moves to New York to rebuild her life after having escaped from a doomsday cult. It was created by Mr. Carlock and Ms. Fey, the Emmy Award-winning star of “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock.”
Cindy Holland, Netflix’s vice president of original content, said in a statement that the “offbeat premise, hilarious and rich characters and serialized storytelling” made it “a perfect Netflix comedy series.” She added that Ms. Fey and Mr. Carlock’s “unique comic voice and sensibility come through in this series.”
Bob Greenblatt, the entertainment chairman of NBC, said in a statement that his network “decided this was the best possible scenario to launch this captivating new series.” He added that NBC had “a very drama-heavy midseason schedule so we’re thrilled about this Netflix opportunity.” The Universal Television studio, the production arm of the NBCUniversal television group, will continue to produce the series.
NBC has recently struggled with new comedies in its primetime lineup, having already canceled “Bad Judge” and “A to Z.” Netflix is one of several online services that have offered refuge to canceled or revived network comedies, and has gained significant traction with original shows like “Orange Is the New Black.”