EXCLUSIVE: Twenty-two years after the end of SpawnKelsey Grammer is set to star in another potential NBC series, this time a drama. Grammer is headlining and executive producing Pops, which has entered into development within the network. It’s been written for a long time Chicago Med writer-producer Danny Weiss.
In PopsGrammer plays the title character, an older man with a successful career who, in desperate need of a fresh start, plunges into the chaotic world of emergency medicine alongside first responders half his age.
The project is based on the true story of Ed Levien, a Maryland resident who became an EMT volunteer in his 60s after a successful career in advertising. Nicknamed “Pops” by his younger colleagues, he spent 12 years as an EMT until his retirement last fall at the age of 76.
Pops draws parallels with the ABC The rookieabout the LAPD’s oldest recruit, which was also based on a real person changing careers mid-life. It also shares some similarities with the CBS sitcom Carol’s second actwith Kelsey Return to your co-directs Patricia Heaton as a divorced mother with grown children who goes to medical school and becomes a medical intern in her 50s. (Grammer guest starred alongside Heaton.)
Weiss and Levien are executive producers Pops alongside Grammer and Jordan McMahon via Grammnet NH Productions and Grammer’s 3 Arts Entertainment. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.
Grammer has straddled comedy and drama throughout his career. His one-hour series credits include Starz’s Chief and that of Amazon The last tycoon. At NBC, he found his Spawn co-star David Hyde Pierce, who stars in a multi-camera comedy in development.
Grammer was on NBC for more than two decades as psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane in three series, Cheersspin-off Spawn And Wings. The role, which he recently revisited for Paramount+ Spawn revival, won him four of his five Emmy Awards.
Grammer will be seen in the upcoming film Avengers: Apocalypsereleased in December, reprising his MCU role as Dr. Henry “Hank” McCoy. His company Grammnet produced series such as AVERAGE And The game. Grammer is repped by UTA and Vault Entertainment.
Weiss, a former U.S. Marine, spent 10 seasons on NBC/Universal TV Chicago Medmoving up the ranks from editor to co-executive producer. His experience in the medical field also includes writing a standalone episode of the Fox/Universal TV series. Home, MD., where he spent four seasons as an in-house medical researcher. Weiss is repped by Echo Lake Entertainment and Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.
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