It was only a matter of time before some creative folks made a show or movie inspired by the current COVID-19 pandemic. But I can’t say I expected this.
Deadline is reporting that Ben Silverman and Paul Lieberstein are putting together a work place comedy series that revolves around working remotely. Write what you know, they say. And these days everyone knows about working from home.
Here’s Silverman:
“So many of us are jumping on daily Zoom meetings — for work and beyond. We are in a new normal and are personally navigating ways to remain connected and productive at work and in our home lives. With the brilliant Paul Lieberstein at the helm, we think we have a series that not only brings humor and comfort during this troubling time but will also be an inventive and enduring workplace comedy for years to come.”
Deadline goes on to report that the show will revolve around a “wunderkind boss who, in an effort to ensure his staff’s connectedness and productivity, asks them all to virtually interact and work face-to-face all day.”
Maybe I am dumb but I don’t see what is so novel about this concept. It feels like a single episode of The Office stretched into an entire show. That would make sense because both Silverman and Lieberstein worked on that hit NBC show. But it feels like they’re going back to the well with this idea.
I understand that this is all-too-timely and topical, it addresses issues that millions of folks are dealing with right now. But I don’t understand how this fairly basic premise creates an entire show. Like I said, the plot is fairly flimsy.
But Lieberstein and Silverman obviously have time to really beef this thing up because they don’t have a home for their proposed series yet. Or a cast. Or a crew.
Or the ability to even leave their houses right now.