Comedy legend Carol Burnett is returning to television – and not just for wonderful guest appearances on talk shows like this one. Deadline reports that Netflix has ordered a 12-episode reality series starring the 84-year-old comedienne. The show, entitled A Little Help With Carol Burnett, will feature Carol interacting with a panel of 4 to 8-year-old kids in front of a studio audience “as they demonstrate how different generations solve life’s biggest dilemmas.” The steaming service released a teaser trailer for the series on Tuesday.
A Little Help is part of Netflix’s plan to bring more unscripted series to air, including an upcoming revival of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. (Why did I not know about this before?) Let’s hope the network doesn’t crumble under its enormous debt before then.
The multiple Emmy winner was supposed to be coming back to television via an ABC sitcom, called Household Name, but the pilot wasn’t picked up. That series was produced by Amy Poehler and had a promising premise, “a family who gets the deal-of-a-lifetime on a house, but it comes with an unusual caveat: the original owner of the home, aging former movie star Vivian Valmont (Burnett), has to live in it with them until she dies.” Galavant’s Timothy Omundson played the actresses’ gay best friend and confidante. I like the sound of this project way better.
Carol is excited about the new series, releasing a statement that said, in part, “Someone once asked me how old I am inside. I thought about it, and came up with, ‘I’m about eight.’ So it’s going to be a lot of fun playing with kids my age.” Netflix is also happy to be working with Carol. Bela Bajaria, the network’s vice president of content acquisition, said “Carol is truly a legend in the entertainment industry with unprecedented success and fandom across TV, film and the stage, and we are both honored and excited to work with her.” The new series will begin streaming sometime in 2018.
I love, love, LOVE Carol Burnett. I grew up watching The Carol Burnett Show and will catch a rerun whenever I see one. She interacted with her audiences like no one else, so she’s kind of perfect for this kind of show. That being said, I can’t with the reality shows featuring precociously cute children. I’ve been pretty much a one-woman lobby for a separate, all-kids version of America’s Got Talent (that I won’t have to watch) for years. I’m hoping this will remind ABC that Carol is a national freaking treasure and hopefully they’ll pick up Household Name. And, in looking for photos for this post, I found pictures of Carol with Linsday Wagner (The Bionic Woman) AND Lynda Carter (the best Wonder Woman who ever wore the tiara) from The Paley Center’s salute to women in TV back in May. 10-year-old Corey is so happy right now.
Photos: WENN.com, Getty Images
Carol Burnett, Mary Tyler Moore, Lucille Ball and all of the Golden Girls ladies are my all-time favorites. Unfortunately I’m just not into the “cute kids on tv” thing. I’d much rather have seen Carol in a sitcom.
+1
me too! sorry that didnt happen. maybe it will get another chance
I wonder if this will be like that old show “Kids Say the Darnedest Things”? It’s a charming concept that can only be delivered by someone extremely funny, smart and warm because kids are so hilariously unpredictable but will shut down if they don’t feel safe. Carol Burnett seems like the perfect choice and I can’t wait to see it!
“Someone once asked me how old I am inside. I thought about it, and came up with, ‘I’m about eight.”
Me too, Carol. Me too,
Some of my best memories of my mom (from whom I also got my love of Godzilla movies) are watching this show with her after school and laughing my ass off. I loved watching the cast playing off each other and frequently losing the battle not to crack up.
If Timothy Omundson’s stroke had anything to do with back-burnering the NBC show, maybe if/when he can get back to work they can shop it somewhere else.
If you don’t follow his Twitter you should. He is funny and intelligent and pulls no punches on pretty much anything but especially his recovery. I just adore him.
I cosign that last paragraph. I’ll be watching her new show.
Love Carol Burnett! So happy to see her back on the screen.
That sitcom sounds like it would have been pretty good. I didn’t know who Timothy Omundson was until I saw a photo, he plays God on Lucifer.
Not sure about the kid one, I’m just not into watching kids. They’re usually too cute and it starts to annoy me. LOL
I love Carol Burnett. As a kid I didn’t always get the joke but they still made me laugh. I swear being raised on those types of shows (Dean Martin, Sonny & Cher, etc) is why I have a warped sense of humor.
“That being said, I can’t with the reality shows featuring precociously cute children. I’ve been pretty much a one-woman lobby for a separate, all-kids version of America’s Got Talent (that I won’t have to watch) for years.”
You’re my soulmate in this regard, Corey. I completely agree.
Love Carol Burnett but I can’t deal with kids. I don’t find them cute or funny. Too bad the pilot for the other show wasn’t picked up, it sounded like it had potential!