Comedy Central Commits to Jon Heder

Comedy Central has made an interesting sort of deal for a new sitcom starring Jon Heder of Napoleon Dynamite fame. The untitled show, produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's Gary Sanchez Productions, is about an unemployed IT worker who moves back in with his family in his small hometown. That hackneyed premise isn't what's eye-catching; rather, it's that the network has ordered 10 episodes for 2010 with an option to pick up a whopping 90 more if the show does well. That's the same deal TBS made with Tyler Perry for his shows House of Payne and Meet the Browns, which churn out episodes at a remarkable pace. In an era when the typical original scripted cable show produces 10-13 episodes per season, could this bulk-order model be the next big thing? And is it good for creativity (McKay says the deal allows for greater creative freedom)? Or does it make these shows into assembly-line products? In this case, we'll find out next year.

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