TV Land is finally taking measures to refill its woman-led comedy coffers, ordering up a nostalgic new series from John Wells and John Riggi. Instead of being Hot In Cleveland, the network will show off Wells and Riggi’s American Woman comedy, which stars Alicia Silverstone as a mother who’s surfing the feminism wave of the ’70s. She leaves her husband, but she won’t flounder in looking after her two daughters—not with the help of her best friend played by Mena Suvari, who’s well equipped to raise children after being super-popular in the ’90s and appearing in a project with “American” in the title.
American Woman was inspired by the real-life upbringing of Kyle Richards (Richards-Umansky, according to Wikipedia), she of the Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills. Wells and Riggi have produced several critically-praised shows between them—ER, The West Wing; 30 Rock and The Comeback, respectively—which bodes well for this new dramedy. If they can just find a guest spot for Paul Rudd or Jason Biggs, we’ll be all set.