Tina Fey’s New Series Axed by Fox, But That’s Not All She’s Got Coming…
Tina Fey is one of the first names that come to mind when top-tier female comics are being tossed around. Along with friends like Amy Poehler and Rachel Dratch, Fey broke out of Saturday Night Live to write and star in the cult hit 30 Rock on NBC for six full seasons before the ratings-challenged show finally sunk in 2013. But fans excited for Tina’s new show Cabot College might never even get the chance to nervously watch its ratings sputter, according to Deadline.
Fox has officially passed after viewing the show’s pilot episode, a confusing move considering the fact that it won a competitive bidding war to host the series last year, also reported by Deadline. Fey’s Cabot College was dreamed up alongside 30 Rock co-executive producer Matt Hubbard, promising a return to the over-the-top characters Tina created for the much-missed program.
Fey’s new show was set to tell to the story of women’s college that begins accepting men for the first time in its history. The multi-cultural cast included Asif Ali, Margaret Cho, Jack Cutmore-Scott, and Bonnie Dennison, reported Variety. Since the pilot has already been made by Universal TV, it is yet to be seen if Tina’s name recognition might make it sellable to other networks.
But hardcore Fey fans need not fret too much — this fall, NBC will be running another series created by the comic called Unbreakable Kenny Schmidt starring The Office‘s Ellie Kemper. Tina’s other new show will follow Kemper after she leaves an underground cult after 15 years to try to make it in New York City. At the very least, it will bring back the city that Liz Lemon loved in 30 Rock, as well as throwing in another off-beat female lead to the network TV lineup. Kemper told People a bit about her character on the show.
She was able to survive these 15 years because there is a resilience and fierceness that allows her to. And while she is naive and wide-eyed, and sort of delighted to be back in the world again, she also won’t be pushed around or told no.
For those of us who can’t wait any longer for new Tina Fey material, the comic will be appearing at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia for a fundraiser where she will screen her high school comedy classic Mean Girls and host a Q&A. One can only hope that the nearly immediately sold-out event is an indicator that Fey’s pull will be able to bring Cabot College back to life at another network.
[Photos via NBC]
