TVSquad

In the behind-the-scenes interviews the network sent along with the pilot, the entire cast and the creator described Do Not Disturb, premiering tonight at 9:30/8:30 Central, as an "upstairs-downstairs" workplace comedy. Creator Abraham Higginbotham (Arrested Development) based the show on his time at the Paramount Hotel in the '90s. "It's Freaks and Geeks in a hotel," he said. "You've got your upstairs crowd where you have to basically turn in a photo to be approved to work where you come into face contact with guests. And then downstairs, anybody can work there because they're the people doing all the real work."

Unfortunately, if this is going to be the major thrust of the series going forward, they picked a pretty poor episode to establish that for the pilot. "Work Sex" tackled sex and promiscuity, which are such powerful subjects in this country they tend to overwhelm everything. And since the show is trying to introduce its premise, characters, relationships and the dynamics of its ensemble at the same time, it may have been better to launch with a subject a little less dominating. In fact, I didn't really get the struggle between the two groups at all.

It certainly won't be the only factor, but the choices made for just who makes up the celebrity panel will go a long way in deciding the fate of this latest incarnation of the classic show. With that in mind, here is the celebrity panel from the recently taped pilot: Sarah Silverman, Norm MacDonald, Bob Einstein (Super Dave!), Scott Thompson (Kids In The Hall), Rashida Jones (The Office), and Niecy Nash (Reno 911). Andrew Daly (Crossballs) is the host.

How does that lineup grab ya? To me, it's not bad. The Reuters article asks if Sarah Silverman is the new Brett Somers or Norm MacDonald is the new Richard Dawson. In a word, no. You just can't fight that kind of nostalgia. So many of us have seen the classic episodes so many times, and have such fond memories of them, that I don't think there is anything they could possibly do to begin to live up to the original.

Fox has made the call, and it's a big "see ya later" for Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton. But their loss is someone else's gain. The pilot for the Jason Bateman directed comedy series The Inn has been picked up for a 13-week commitment, while Back to You has been axed. The Brad Garrett-Joely Fisher sitcom, Til Death, meanwhile, has been given another year.

Bateman, who starred in Arrested Development -- the Emmy-award winning comedy that the network dumped unceremoniously because of low ratings -- was behind the camera for The Inn pilot. The show, which is about the haves and have-nots in a fancy, five-star New York City hotel, has a promising cast of funny folks including Niecy Nash (Reno 911!), Jerry O'Connell (who looks like Jason's twin), and the really hilarious Jesse Tyler Ferguson (remember him on The Class -- he was so funny!).

Those of you who saw Borat last weekend probably also saw the incredibly hilarious trailer for the Reno 911! movie, called Reno 911: Miami. In the film, the team goes to Miami for a law enforcement convention and then ends up taking over for the Miami PD. From Dangle's short shorts to Wiegel's trash-talking on the beach... you're gonna love it. Plus, the whole cast of MTV's The State makes an appearance. The trailer is now up exclusively on Australian Yahoo! and it plays kinda crappy on a Mac (where's the love, y'all?).

I'm getting conflicting reports about when it will be released: Wikipedia says it's February 23rd, but Whitney at USA Today says it's not until May 10. Unfortunately, the Reno 911! fan site hasn't been updated in a year so it was no help. If you know a release date, put it in the comments!

*Update: Thanks, Whitney! The movie comes out in the states on February 23rd.

Move over Super Troopers, Comedy Central's Reno 911! will be coming to a theater near you. Paramount and 20th Century FOX are co-producing the flick, which is going to be called Reno 911!: Miami. Oh, that's a good title! Series co-creators Robert Garant, Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney, who also star in the series, are penning the script, which is described as being largely improvisational. Kinda like the show. In the movie, the entire Reno sheriff's department goes to a police convention in Miami during Spring Break (who's manning the station back at home? who cares!), where a bio-attack is launched on their hotel. I wonder if they'll still bleep out the profanity and blur the nudity, since it's shot in the style of a cops show. It starts shooting January 23rd in LA and Miami.

I love Reno 911! and I think I'll probably buy a ticket to the movie when it comes out. What do you guys think? Can Reno 911! translate to the big screen?

[Via The Hollywood Reporter]