“New Girl” creator Liz Meriwether lands new comedy pilot at Fox

PanARMENIAN.Net - Fox is looking to keep “New Girl” creator Liz Meriwether in the family for TV seasons to come, Variety reports.

The network has made a pilot production commitment to “Thin Ice,” a single-camera set in Antarctica, created by Meriwether, marking her first comedy development since “New Girl,” which is currently in its sixth season.

“Thin Ice” centers on a woman who reclaims her dreams when she finds herself at the end of the earth — in Antarctica — surrounded by a group of brilliant misfits.

“Fox has been and continues to be such a great home for me with ‘New Girl.’ And now I’m looking forward to making a pilot about the sexiest place on earth — Antarctica,” quipped Meriwether. “And, yes, we will be shooting on location, so I think we’re going to find a cast very soon,” she joked.

Meriwether co-wrote the “Thin Ice” pilot script with Ed Macdonald and Mark Grimmer. She will serve as executive producer with “New Girl’s” Katherine Pope, while Macdonald and Grimmer serve as co-executive producers. 20th Century Fox Television is producing.

“Liz is a great friend of ours, and her take on the important genre of South Pole comedy is as brilliant, specific and hilarious as ‘New Girl,’” said David Madden, president of entertainment at Fox Broadcasting Company. “‘Thin Ice’ takes place in a world that half-hour television has never touched, and does it with original characters, an inimitable voice, and Liz-style surprising romance. It’s as fresh and distinctive as anything we’ve read this year, and we’re excited to move forward with Liz and her fantastic team of Ed, Mark and Katherine.”

“Thin Ice” is being put on the fast-track and is set to be produced in early 2017, though a cast has yet to be put in place.

The new project has no connection to “New Girl’s” future, and a decision for a seventh season won’t come until next spring. The numbers this season have not been strong with the three most recent episodes each bringing in just under 2 million viewers, but the sitcom is an important property to Fox, as its owned by 20th Century Fox TV and is the network’s longest-running live-action comedy on the air. It hit 100 episodes in its fifth season.