Full Breakdown
Jamie Lee Curtis Leads NBC’s New Multi-Camera Sitcom “Newlyweds”
8/11/2026, 4:00:03 AM
Background and Curtis’s Sitcom Journey
During the 1988 pilot season, ABC offered Curtis a half-hour multi-camera pilot. After the network passed on it in May, she returned to film a movie. The July 1988 release of *A Fish Called Wanda* turned her into an overnight global star, prompting ABC to revive the pilot, which became the sitcom Anything But Love and ran for four seasons. “It was my favorite job I’ve ever had,” — Jamie Lee Curtis
Premise and Production of “Newlyweds”
“Newlyweds” follows a free-spirited woman (Téa Leoni) and a buttoned-up professor (Tim Daly) who marry impulsively after a whirlwind courtship. Curtis recurs as the professor’s ex-wife, whom she calls “a bitch.” The concept originated during the pandemic; creator Gail Lerner says the project “was hibernating” until NBC revived it in November 2025, greenlighting the pilot alongside another multi-camera comedy.
NBC positioned the series as “must-see free TV,” emphasizing accessibility on broadcast television. “The reason we are here is because Happy’s Place became such a happy place and people wanted to go there that they needed to, like, pair it with a show about love and friendship,” — Jamie Lee Curtis
Official Statements & Responses
She added that the series could help revive multi-camera sitcoms beyond NBC’s Friday lineup. Tim Daly noted that younger viewers are discovering classic sitcoms like *Wings*, suggesting a broader audience for the format.
NBC celebrated the series at its “Backlot Pass Day” on August 10, 2026, where Curtis, Lerner, Daly, Leoni, and other cast members posed on the Universal Studios lot.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It was my favorite job I’ve ever had,” — Jamie Lee Curtis
