Kirstie Alley’s return to television is still in the works. After ABC passed on her pilot co-starring former Cheers colleague Rhea Perlman, TV Land is now developing a new project that would feature Alley. The move comes after they considered picking up the original ABC project but ultimately decided to go in a different direction with the actress.
The new project has a cast-contingent presentation order and a downright awful title, Giant Baby, according to Deadline. It focuses on a Broadway star by the name of Madison “Maddie” Banks - Alley’s role - whose life is thrown into disarray when the son she gave up for adoption returns to find her after 26 years. The son, Owen, would seem to be the source of the terrible title, which I can only hope they’ll rethink before taking this project any further.
Giant Baby will be written by Marco Pennette, the same writer who penned Kirstie Alley’s pilot with ABC, The Manzanis. The ABC project featured Alley as the matriarch of a family moving into a country-club town where they don’t quite fit in. It had been shopped around quite a bit before going to pilot with ABC, where it didn’t make it to series. Since Alley is now moving on to this new project, it’s likely The Manzanis will remain dead in the water.
Kirstie Alley has a proven track record for leading a comedy and has been through any number of television incarnations from reality shows like Dancing With the Stars to her last network starring role in Veronica’s Closet. TV Land might be just the place for her, since they already have Hot in Cleveland, which is likely the same demographic that would enjoy a new Kirstie Alley show.
