Bill Cosby heading back to NBC for new family sitcom

Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Despite a slew of critically acclaims comedies and cult hits like 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, NBC has yet to recover from the departure of signature "Must See TV" 90s sitcoms like Friends and Seinfeld.

But network brass has high hopes for Bill Cosby's impending return to the network and prime-time comedy. The 76-year-old actor, comedian and education activist is developing a new family sitcom with Tom Werner, who co-produced The Cosby Show.

Cosby's upcoming project will continue in that vein, with the actor playing "the patriarch of a multi-generational family," according to Deadline.

Cosby said last November that he wanted to bring his family friendly brand of comedy back to television.

"There is a viewership out there that wants to see comedy, and warmth, and love, and surprise, and cleverness, without going into the party attitude," he told Yahoo TV. "They would like to see a married couple that acts like they love each other, warts and all, children who respect the parenting, and the comedy of people who make mistakes."

An executive told the New York Times that the show was still in the "very, very preliminary stages" of development and that they have yet to see a script.

[Deadline, New York Times]