Kirstie Alley Makes Return To Television With Some Familiar Faces

Kirstie Alley is bringing some star power to her new sitcom, and fans of 1980s and 1990s sitcoms will be right at home.

The new TV Land series Kirstie is adding some familiar sitcom faces to its lineup, with the Cheers alum joined by stars from some of the other favorite sitcoms of the past. The show follows Broadway diva Madison Banks (Alley), who is reunited with the son (Eric Peterson) she gave up for adoption 26 years ago.

The show brings on board a couple of other familiar faces, with fellow Cheers co-star Rhea Perlman playing Madison’s assistant and Seinfeld’s Kramer (Michael Richards) playing her eccentric chauffeur.

Executive producer Marco Pennette told TV Guide Magazine that other fan favorites will be stopping by..

“Our incredible cast, plus such guest stars as John Travolta, Jason Alexander, Kristin Chenoweth and Cloris Leachman,” he said, adding that he describes the show as, “Cheers plus Seinfeld divided by Smash minus Smash.”

Pennette added that he had a dream concept for another crossover with Veep, the show starring fellow Seinfeld alum Julia Lois-Dreyfus.

“Frank gets a job filling in for an ailing limo driver and must get Julia Louis-Dreyfus to a speaking engagement. But on the way they stop for a marble rye,” he imagines.

Kirstie is even broadcast in the familiar multi-camera format of sitcoms past. Kirstie Alley said television executives today are too quick to pull the trigger on shows, which has stifled promising shows that could have otherwise turned into hits.

“Both Seinfeld and Cheers were in the bottom three shows when they started,” Kirstie told Katie Couric in a recent interview. “You have to give them attention and you have to let people get to know the characters. You have to grow it.”

Kirstie Alley will be reunited with another former co-star in the first season of Kirstie. Her Look Who’s Talking co-star John Travolta is set to make a rare television appearance.