Jamie Lee Curtis has always had a deep love for sitcoms, a passion that has now led her to develop and star in the new NBC comedy Newlyweds. In a recent panel discussion, Curtis reminisced about her early career, highlighting her experiences with multi-camera sitcoms and expressing her long-standing desire to return to the genre that first brought her joy. Despite achieving global fame with the 1988 film A Fish Called Wanda, Curtis felt bummed when ABC didn’t pick up a pilot she shot during that time. Yet, when they eventually did call her back, it led to the sitcom Anything But Love, which ran for four memorable seasons.
A Long-Awaited Return to Sitcoms
Reflecting on her career during the panel, attended by her fellow cast and crew, Curtis described her time on Anything But Love as “my favorite job I’ve ever had.” At 68, she continues to express to her agents, “I want to do a sitcom. All I want to do is a sitcom.” Curtis revels in the collaborative nature of live comedy, where actors can rehearse, refine jokes, and engage with a live audience. “I just never got to do it, and so I just decided to basically kind of create my own job,” she added, referring to the genesis of Newlyweds.
The Magic of Multi-Camera Comedy
While Curtis has appeared in successful single-camera comedies such as New Girl and The Bear, she candidly admitted her dislike for that style of filming. “I mean, great show, New Girl, very funny,” she remarked, but added, “It’s not fun. It’s awful, for me, awful. Single-camera comedy is not fun.” This lack of audience interaction left her longing for the traditional sitcom format she cherishes.
A Story Rooted in Real-Life Experiences
Newlyweds tells a story about a free-spirited woman (played by Téa Leoni) and a buttoned-up professor (Tim Daly) who marry impulsively after a brief courtship. Curtis portrays the professor’s ex-wife, a character she humorously describes as “a bitch.” The show itself draws inspiration from Curtis’s own life, including her whirlwind romance with her husband, filmmaker Christopher Guest. “We had never spent more than 72 hours together before we got married,” Curtis shared. “You wake up one day and go, like, ‘Wow. He really doesn’t talk.’”
A Vision Resilient Through Challenges
Writer and executive producer Gail Lerner shared how the idea for Newlyweds began during the pandemic. After a period of quiet, when many thought the project was stagnant, NBC eventually reached out in late 2025 to greenlight the show. Lerner expressed gratitude towards NBC for reviving multi-camera sitcoms, noting that the network’s support is a significant step toward bringing back the heartwarming and humorous storytelling audiences crave.
Bringing Back Classic Sitcoms
Theme-wise, Curtis emphasized that Newlyweds aims to create a sense of community and comfort through accessible, free television. She remarked, “A lot of people don’t have any money anymore,” stressing the importance of broadcast networks in providing entertainment without financial barriers. With NBC looking to solidify its Friday night comedy lineup, Curtis believes the return of multi-camera sitcoms could reshape the television landscape.
A Bright Future for Sitcoms
Tim Daly also shared his perspective, gently challenging the notion that sitcoms are outdated. He noted that many young viewers are discovering and enjoying classic series, such as his own show, Wings. “There is an audience; it’s just a matter of us finding them,” he said, underscoring the ongoing relevance of sitcoms in today’s media landscape.
As Curtis and her team embark on this exciting new venture, they express hope that Newlyweds will resonate with viewers and contribute to a revival of the multi-camera comedy genre, reaffirming the timeless allure of laughter and connection through shared experiences.
