Showtime has picked up the half-hour comedy seriesI Love This For YoustarringSaturday Night LivealumsVanessa BayerandMolly Shannon.
Inspired by Bayer’s own story of overcoming childhood leukemia,I Love This For Youfinds her playing Joanna Gold, who dreams of becoming a host at a home-shopping channel. Working to shed her life-long label as “that cancer girl,” she moves away from her parents, starts a budding romance for the first time in her adult life, and forms a meaningful friendship with her idol Jackie, the charismatic star of the network – a highly competitive workplace where people play dirty to succeed.
The supporting cast includesPaul James(Soundtrack) as Jordan, a charming but dry stage manager;Ayden Mayeri(Homecoming) as Beth Ann, an ambitious but insecure host;Matthew Rogers(Haute Dog) as Darcy, the ingratiating right-hand man to the CEO; and Emmy nomineePunam Patel(Special) as Beena, an offbeat backstage producer. Meanwhile, Collider has learned that the role of Patricia, originally played by Hollywood legendCybill Shepherdin the pilot, is being recast.
RELATED:‘American Gigolo’ TV Reimagining Starring Jon Bernthal Picked Up at Showtime
“Vanessa Bayer channels her beloved personality into an underdog part that is both close to her heart and universally relatable,” Showtime’sJana Winogradesaid in a statement. “Vanessa’s comedic brilliance [has] yielded an offbeat, emotional and laugh-out-loud series that we can’t wait to bring to our Showtime audiences.”
”I’m so thrilled to be making this show with Showtime and that all of my hours of home shopping as a kid are finally paying off!” said Bayer, who called her latest TV experience “an absolute dream.”
Bayer co-createdI Love This For Youwith Emmy nomineeJeremy Beiler(I Think You Should Leave) and the two of them will executive produce alongside Emmy winnerJessi Klein(Inside Amy Schumer), who will serve as showrunner.Michael Showalter(The Big Sick) and his Semi-Formal Productions partnerJordana Mollickwill also executive produce alongsideMegan EllisonandSue Naegleof Annapurna, as well asAllyce Ozarski.
I Love This For Youjoins a promising roster of shows coming to Showtime, including theDexterrevival,The CursefromNathan Fielderand theSafdie brothers, and a newRipleyshow starringAndrew Scott. There’s also theJeff DanielsseriesAmerican Rust, a revamp ofAmerican GigolostarringJon Bernthal, andtheRay Donovanmovie, which is currently filming mere minutes away from me in Boston, not that I’ve been invited to the set (ahem).
KEEP READING:Showtime Announces New ‘UFO’ Docuseries From J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot
