ABC Orders 2 Comedy Pilots: ‘Single Parents’ & ‘Steps’

ABC has given pilot orders to a pair of single-camera comedies, Single Parents, from New Girl creator/executive producer Liz Meriwether and one of the departing Fox comedy’s longtime writers, J.J. Philbin, and Steps, from Kristin Newman (The Muppets) and Mandeville TV. They come from soon-to-be-merged studios 20th Century Fox TV (Single Parents), where Meriwether is under an overall deal, and ABC Studios (Steps), where Newman and Mandeville TV are based.

Single Parents, which had a put pilot commitment, was written by Philbin based on a story by her and Meriwether. It revolves around a group of dysfunctional single parents who lean on one another as they raise their kids, look for love and ultimately realize survival is only possible with the help of one another.

Meriwether and Philbin executive produce with Meriwether’s frequent collaborator, New Girl exec producer Katherine Pope.

This is 20th TV’s second pilot order at ABC as the studio is awaiting to be acquired as part of Disney’s mega deal for key Fox assets. It also marks the second pilot this season for Meriwhether, joining comedy Daddy Issues at Fox.

Written by Newman, Steps is based on the Swedish format Bonus Family. It revolves around four adults in three houses raising three kids after two divorces — together.

Newman executive produces with Mandeville TV’s David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Laurie Zaks.

Mandeville TV and ABC Studios first took a crack at adapting SVT/FLX’s Bonusfamiljen (Bonus Family) last development season with a different writer, David Walpert, at a different network, NBC.

The original series, created by Felix Herngren, has been a success and was renewed for a second-season, which will film in the spring. The Swedish comedy has been picked up by Netflix outside of Scandinavia (watch a trailer below)

This marks the third pilot order for Mandeville TV this season, joining ABC dramas The Fix and Safe Harbor. Newman previously served as co-executive producer on Dan Fogelman’s ABC/ABC Studios comedy series The Neighbors and Galavant.