Calling it now: Friends is in the mix for this one. Jimmy Kimmel and Justin Theroux are joining forces to stage a live comedy special on ABC. As-yet-untitled or scheduled for an air date, the show will feature the comedic stars of today recreating full episodes of two classic sitcoms from the ’70s, ’80s, and/or ’90s.
In a press release touting the show, Kimmel said, “This is a way for a new generation of viewers to discover these classics and a new generation of actors to play characters they love.”
While which classic shows are getting the live-reboot treatment is not known yet, it has been revealed that the special will film in front of a studio audience, just like the sitcoms of yore. For his part, Kimmel says the project comes from an inspired place: “I spent most of my childhood in front of a TV set, obsessively watching comedies from great producers like Norman Lear, Jim Burrows, James L. Brooks, and Garry Marshall.”
Kimmel’s choice of collaborator on the special, actor and writer Justin Theroux, could be a clue that the pair are looking to recreate a certain ’90s staple about six pals in New York City who love to hang out at Central Perk. (In 2015, Kimmel served as officiant at Theroux’s marriage to Jennifer Aniston.) But the late-night host has already pulled off a Friends reunion of sorts on his own:
So will it be The Brady Bunch and Sex and the City? Or perhaps The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Night Court? Home Improvement and WKRP in Cincinnati? What about ALF? No hints are forthcoming yet, but here’s my vote for two shows I’d like to see get the Kimmel-Theroux treatment: Saved by the Bell and The Golden Girls.
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