NBC has announced a straight-to-series order for COVID-19-inspired comedy Connecting.
From Martin Gero and Brendan Gall (Blindspot), Connecting follows a group of friends as they try to stay close — and sane — through video chats while sharing the highs and lows of these extraordinary times.
The series joins Netflix anthology Social Distance and Freeform comedy Love in the Time of Corona as recent series orders meant to explore life in our new normal. Production on Connecting will be done entirely remotely in order to ensure the safety of all involved, with cameras being sent to actors so they can film themselves.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, production on the series is set to be fast-tracked, so casting announcements likely will come sooner rather than later. Connecting could very well end up premiering in September and serve as a way for NBC to delay its lineup while still putting forth original content. It speaks to the network’s caution in this uncertain time and the very real possibility that production on scripted originals might not be feasible in time for a September/October premiere.
Rather than release a FOX/CW-type fall schedule which already accounts for production delays, NBC opted to put forth a normal-looking fall schedule that only had minor COVID-19 influence. The network plans to bring Manifest back into the fall as a result of their inability to finish their drama pilots, while Law & Order: SVU spinoff Law & Order: Organized Crime is scheduled to air Thursdays at 10:00.
You can check out the most recent update on how NBC plans to handle its 2020-21 pilot slate here.
