Deadline reports that Steve Carell is writing the pilot for a single-camera comedy that takes place at a post office. Here’s the full description:

It is described as a sweet and nostalgic take on the period of Carell’s early life as a mail carrier and centers on a small-town post office frequented by a quirky but tight-knit group of local twentysomethings.

Definitely an interesting and unusual setting for a comedy series, but I’m kind of confused. Why would a tight-knit group of local twentysomethings frequent a post office? I hate going to the post office. I’m always stuck behind three old ladies getting money orders while I’m just trying to buy a book of stamps. I would rather go to the dentist than go to the post office.

What’s fun about this idea is that it allows for interaction with weird locals who either visit the post office or are visited by mail carriers. See, the biggest problem with The Office since, you know, mid-season four, is that they ran out of good ideas in the office, but it often gets awkward when they leave the office. (Cece’s christening, anyone?)

While it doesn’t look like Carell will be acting in the project, people sometimes don’t remember that he wrote maybe the second-best episode of The Office ever, “Casino Night.” (The best is “The Dundies,” OBVIOUSLY.) So his continued involvement in anything on television–and honestly, on something more fresh than his current series–is good for America.

The real question I have is whether or not she has the gravitas and the acting wherewithal to carry an entire series by herself. Charlotte was probably my favorite of the girls on Sex and the City, but she’s pretty one-note for most of the series. If this goes to series, I’d hope to see a cohort of supporting characters. (That said, it could also just be that the SATC writers neglected to give Davis material that she could really run with–that’s almost definitely true of the movies.)

What this pilot will REALLY need is something that sets it apart from Eat Pray Love. Because that’s kind of what it sounds like from here. And that was just way too annoying and riddled with #whitegirlproblems to last any longer than two hours.

they're totes freaked out. // nbc promotional photo

Let me preface this by saying … the Event pilot wasn’t bad. It was pretty compelling, an interesting premise, and some of the characters are fun. It’s not so much this show that I have a problem with, it’s an attitude that producers and networks currently have with series.

They think we like to be completely in the dark about things. The people developing TV shows right now seem to be under the impression that audiences love that “WTF” feeling. They’ve gotten this impression based on the success of shows like Lost, but the WTFery of Lost is very, very different from the WTFery of shows like The Event.

Think about the Lost pilot. Plane crash, struggling to survive the initial hours, making immediate decisions for the group. Ultimately trekking to the cockpit, establishing relationships, discovering the pilot. Smoke monster.

Most of what happens in that pilot is just basic human interaction in an extraordinary situation. And even when the crazy crap starts happening, there aren’t ANY characters at that point who are like, “Oh, that. Yeah, I know what that tikka-tikka noise is, but I sure as hell won’t tell you.” They’re feeling the WTF right along with us.

But on The Event–everyone has information otherwise unknown to both (A) the rest of the ensemble and (B) the audience. And that’s a result of being a conspiracy story where everyone has secrets AND of the super-jumpy method of storytelling they’re employing. With so many “72 hours ago,” “11 days ago,” and “3 days before that, but 2 days after this,” title cards, I was lost. It’s confusing and it’s frustrating.

Furthermore, conspiracy tales like this, in my opinion, don’t justify season-long storylines. I feel like all it would take is Laura Innes, Zeljko Ivanek, and whomever took Scott Patterson’s women to sit down for five minutes and be, like, “FYI, it’s aliens,” or whatever. And the event would no longer be an event. I had no sense after that episode–even after the plane got zapped into that blue hole–that this was some epic story upon which rests the fate of humankind. You get the sense that the answers are easy to give–the show just isn’t giving them.

Withholding information like that isn’t good storytelling. In order to compel viewers to keep tuning in, you have to give us strong characters and solid writing, not just super-big WTF questions. And I just didn’t see that on The Event.

There’s proof!  The first promo for the March premiere of Parenthood featuring Lauren Graham aired last week.  It’s short but great, a nice hint at what the show will be.  If you recall, Graham stepped in for Maura Tierney when her breast cancer treatments made it impossible for her to continue with the show.

I have high hopes for this show, because it contains such a stellar cast (Peter Krause, Monica Potter, Craig T. Nelson, Erika Christensen…) and because it’s from Jason Katims, the Friday Night Lights showrunner.  And now my optimism for its success is running very high.  I’ve said before that it might have gotten lost in the fall shuffle amidst the Modern Family buzz.  Now that that show’s succeeded, I think viewers are looking for more quality family-based entertainment, and Parenthood will be a nice counterpart (a grittier, more dramatic, obviously hourlong family series).

Here’s the long-form promo that gives you a better idea of the tone of the series:

The series is set in a small town and revolves around an ensemble who makes episodes of their favorite show after it goes off the air.  (It is tentatively titled Allie After Lost and will star me and my dog, Freckles.)

In all seriousness, I love the idea of shows about fanboys and girls–it’s one of the reasons why I think a lot of us love The Big Bang Theory so much. A series like this promises in theory to explore what I think is a particularly hilarious subculture.  Semi-scripted means they’re going to be improv-ing a little, which means they need to find funny funny people for this job.  Good luck, folks.

If you’re not familiar with Larry Charles–I knew his name but wasn’t up on his creds–he was big at NBC in the mid-90′s, serving as showrunner for Mad About You during its heyday.  I flailed a little bit when I realized he wrote probably the best episode of that show ever–”The Finale.”

In a way, it’s like NBC is putting together its 2010 Dream Team. It could either be totally awesome (like when Torchwood and the Tyler Family and Sarah Jane Smith and Harriet Jones and The Doctor all fight the Daleks in “The Stolen Earth”/”Journey’s End” or when every Bristow ever, even an in-utero Isabelle, takes down the Mueller Device in Alias‘s “Before The Flood”) or a hot mess (like when the entire cast of Bones showed up for that dumb-ass coma dream).

P.S. You know who the ideal leader of this Dream Team ’10 sitch would be? Aaron Sorkin, who was rumored a few months ago to be developing a series set backstage at a Keith Olbermann-type cable news show.  Just putting that out there.

The show is a legal dramedy called “Rex Is Not Your Lawyer” and focuses on Rex Alexander, a top Chicago litigator who begins suffering panic attacks and takes up coaching clients to represent themselves in court.

First of all, I love the title.

Second of all, I love the idea of these awesomeface people showing up at the Peacock. They’re not running the network by any means, but it’s good news for serious.  Lots of talent showing up over there … I’m liking the way the 2010-2011 season is looking so far.

And third of all–DAVID TENNANT. HOLY GOD, THANK YOU, GREAT BRITAIN.

In the newest Funny or Die sketch, Anthony Edwards prepares for his NBC return–the NYC Marathon, starring himself.

The telecast will be hosted by none other than Ricky Gervais, the man behind The Office, one of my new favorite movies The Invention of Lying, and that one really good episode of Alias.  Says Paul Telegdy, an executive vice president at NBC Universal:

Ricky is certainly one of the funniest people on the planet and has provided some of the most hilarious and memorable awards show moments in recent memory.  His unique comedic style will enhance the only awards show that brings together television and film stars to celebrate entertainment’s biggest night of the year.

AGREED.

Here’s a video of him behind the scenes on Alias. My favorite part is when the cast members dish about what a failure the then-forthcoming US version of The Office was going to be.  Guess again, Vartan.

what gives? // fox promotional photo

According to rumor, NBC nixed the idea of the cast of Glee performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  TMZ (I know) reports that NBC banned the performance because Glee airs on a rival network.  Apparently, Macy’s, who organizes the event, had invited the cast, but NBC, who produces and airs the parade, shut it down. This just seems petty coming from NBC, who can’t seem to dig themselves out of their pit of misery. UGH.

oh please oh please oh please! // the wb promotional photo

Updated 10/9: It’s official! Lauren Graham’s joining the cast of Parenthood!

When the news broke yesterday afternoon that Lauren Graham might take the Parenthood role vacated by an ailing Maura Tierney, a great deal of people (including myself) leapt for joy.  As a longtime fan of both Maura and of the film version of Parenthood, I was really bummed when breast cancer treatments prevented her participation.  By all accounts, it seems Maura will make a full recovery, but it still sucks that she’s not going to be able to do this role.  (I’m sure there’s still room for her over at Untitled Noah Wyle TNT Alien Pilot.)

Anyway, if we have to replace Maura, I’ve got my fingers painfully crossed for Lauren Graham, who, in my opinion, can basically do no wrong.  The woman lights up every scene she’s in, transitions seamlessly from comedy to drama, and spits that rapid-fire dialogue like it’s her job (oh, wait…).

Don’t forget that Parenthood, which was supposed to start in the fall on NBC but was pushed to midseason in the hopes of Maura’s quick recovery, is run by Jason Katims, the man behind Friday Night Lights.  Is that a dream team OR WHAT?  The rest of the cast aren’t no-names, either.  Craig T. Nelson plays the patriarch, Peter Krause is the oldest brother, Erika Christensen is the youngest sister, and Monica Potter is Krause’s wife.  Yeah, crazy extended family isn’t necessarily the freshest concept, but it’s also a concept with the power to deliver if coupled with the right writing.

And honestly, it might be a good thing that this show hasn’t premiered yet.  With Modern Family making such a huge splash, this show may have come out looking like the Studio 60 to MF‘s 30 Rock.  Now, they have more time to prep it, perfect it, and blend whoever takes Maura’s part into the family (please oh please, let it be Lauren, please oh please!).