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Fran Drescher, Rita Moreno dress up TV Land, new series announced

By April MacIntyre Mar 23, 2011, 2:13 GMT

02/14/2011 - Fran Drescher - New Music Seminar Los Angeles Opening Night "After Grammy Jammy" - Arrivals - The Music Box - Hollywood, CA, USA © richard shotwell / PR Photos

TV Land announced three sitcoms – two new series and a renewal for “Retired at 35.” 

These series join “Hot in Cleveland” which is now up to a 24 episode order for season three. 

These pick-ups take TV Land from zero to four scripted sitcoms within less than a year’s time, along with several additional sitcoms in development.

New are “Happily Divorced” marking Fran Drescher’s return to television joined by John Michael Higgins, Tichina Arnold and Rita Moreno as well as “The Exes” (working title) starring Donald Faison, Wayne Knight, David Alan Basche and Kristen Johnston.

Additionally, TV Land has renewed its hit sitcom “Retired at 35” starring George Segal, Jessica Walter and Johnathan McClain for a second season.  “Happily Divorced,” “The Exes” and “Retired at 35” are all picked up for 10 episodes each.  “Happily Divorced” is slated to premiere June 15th along with new episodes of “Hot in Cleveland.”  “The Exes” and “Retired at 35” will premiere next winter.

“We are so thrilled to be working with top comedic talent, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera,” states Keith Cox, executive vice president, development and original programming, TV Land. “The talented writers on our sitcoms are giving us material that is fresh and fun and it is clearly connecting with our audience.  We’re so excited to continue down this path.”

 “TV Land is committed to building a new home for situation comedies and we are ecstatic to build and expand on the success of our original scripted programming,” said Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land.  “‘Hot in Cleveland’ and ‘Retired at 35’ have proven to us that our audience is hungry for new sitcoms with relatable, experienced characters and smart, contemporary writing.  We’re looking forward to an amazing year working with all of this wonderful talent.”

Written by Fran Drescher and Peter Marc Jacobson, “Happily Divorced” is based on Fran Drescher’s real life and centers around Los Angeles florist Fran (Drescher) as she deals with dating after finding out her realtor husband of 18 years (John Michael Higgins) is gay. 

The show focuses on how she juggles her new relationships and her ex-husband post-divorce while still living under the same roof.  The cast is rounded out by Fran’s best friend Judi (Tichina Arnold), her parents Dori and Glen (Rita Moreno and Robert Walden) and her flower delivery employee Cesar (Valente Rodriguez).  Additionally, in the pilot, Fran’s love interest, Elliot, is played by D.W. Moffett.

Executive produced and written by Mark Reisman (“Frasier”), “The Exes” revolves around three divorced men, ladies man Phil (Donald Faison), homebody Haskell (Wayne Knight) and newly-single and needy Stuart (David Alan Basche).  The men live together in an apartment across the hall from their divorce attorney, Holly (Kristen Johnston), who also happens to be their landlord.  Holly avoids her own relationship and commitment issues by becoming immersed in the men’s affairs as they put their lives back together and return to the dating scene.  In addition to Reisman, the series will also be executive produced by Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis. 

Wednesday, March 23rd, at 10 and 10:30pm ET/PT, respectively, marks the finales of this winter’s new episodes of "Hot in Cleveland" and "Retired at 35."