Crane's third-grade 'class' to reunite

HOLLYWOOD, June 16 (UPI) -- David Crane, former producer of "Friends," has a new idea for an American sitcom about old friends -- going all the way back to the third grade.

"The Class," a show that premiers on CBS this fall, will focus on a group of 20-somethings who meet again at a surprise party, reconnecting the classmates for future episodes, Entertainment Tonight reported.

"The idea of a class reunion is universal," said Sean Maguire, a cast member.

One aspect that differentiates "The Class" from "Friends," however, is that the characters will not be together at just one location. There will be two or three separate storylines that intersect, said Jason Ritter, who plays one of the classmates.

Executive Producer Jeffrey Klarik said the friends' lives will come together over time.

The concept for the show came from a personal experience. Crane and Klarik were cleaning out Crane's basement when they found his third-grade class photo.

"Don't you wonder who these kids are?" asked Klarik who admits to googling to find what became of his old pals.