It’s been announced that Matthew Perry is returning to television in another new comedy. He’ll star, co-write, and executive produce a new version of The Odd Couple.
Danny Jacobson, who created Two Guys and a Girl, will co-write and executive produce as well. The network has given a script commitment for the new series.
Created by Neil Simon, The Odd Couple began as a Broadway play and then went on to become a movie in 1968, famously starring Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon as a pair of mis-matched divorced roommates, Oscar Madison and Felix Unger. They reprised their roles in a 1998 sequel.
In 1970, the material was later made into a television series starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. Developed by Garry Marshall and Jerry Belson, the sitcom ran on ABC for five seasons. It ended in 1975 with fussy Felix remarrying his ex-wife and messy Oscar jumping for joy. A TV movie reunited the pair on CBS in 1993.
In the fall of 1975, ABC aired a cartoon called The Oddball Couple. This time the roles were played by a neat cat and a messy dog named Spiffy and Fleabag, voiced by Frank Nelson and Paul Winchell. It lasted one season.
Then, in 1982, Marshall launched The New Odd Couple. This sitcom featured some of the same scripts from the 1970s version but African-American actors Ron Glass and Demond Wilson filled the roles this time. It lasted just 13 episodes.
For this new incarnation, Perry plans to play the Oscar role.
In a statement, the actor said, “Ever since seeing the movie The Odd Couple when I was 10 years old, it has been a dream for me to play Oscar Madison. To be given the opportunity to develop a modern version of it for CBS has put a permanent smile across my face. I met up with a wonderful writing partner in Danny Jacobson. We both have such a passion for the source material that we have instantly become obsessed with making this great. Plus, I think it’s time for me to be in front of a live audience again. I miss that. The search for Felix Ungar is on!”
What do you think? Do you like The Odd Couple play, movies, or TV series? What do you think of Perry’s plans so far?
are you kidding me? first they can’t make another Odd Couple that would even be close
to funny compared to the original! the humor of the this show will not translate well
with the current braindead public who seem not to know what’s funny anymore! and
I’m sure the writing will not be good as most writing in Hollyweird today! Perry playing
Oscar has disaster all over it like the maiden voyage of Titanic! Hollyweird is so bad at
making anything original anymore and find it hard believe this will be worth watching!
I have to agree with some of the other people……he would be MUCH better as a felix………and sad to say but I feel it will be another canceled show………….however if he plays felix & cast a perfect Oscar it could hold up 🙂
One would think that networks could come up with fresh, new shows, rather than ride the success and nostalgia of classics. First, Matthew Perry would be far better as Felix, not Alex and the other character will need to be someone who can match his ego or the show won’t even last a half season.
Another flop
Matthew Perry stars in yet another new comedy that will be quickly cancelled.
Matthew has failed with three original shows, and now he thinks a remake will work. I enjoyed two of the three shows Matthew did after Friends, and it is too bad they failed. Maybe the remake will work, but this time I will wait until the first season is over before I watch. The networks just don’t seem to want to keep him on TV.
Get Michael Urie to play Felix. That’s a real ODD Couple. Bur seriuosly, He’d be freat
Although I see him more as Felix than Oscar, maybe it’ll give him a chance to play a different type of comedic role. Too often he ends up playing yet another (and weaker) version of Chandler Bing.
I can’t.wait I was depressed they took off Matts.show GO ON