NBC is developing a ‘Coach’ reboot with a ‘Modern Family’ favorite
NBC is developing a new version of ‘Coach,’ starring Ty Burrell, who played Phil Dunphy on ‘Modern Family’. The actor will executive produce the single-camera version of the 1989 ABC sitcom that was shot with multiple cameras, Deadline reports. Meanwhile, Variety reveals the logline: “A legendary coach returns to his hometown of Minnesota to revive his old high school’s basketball program and reconnect with the community.” Notably, this is a different setting than the college football team at the center of the original series. Matthew Libman and Daniel Libman are writing and executive producing with Burrell, while John Fox and John Davis are non-writing executive producers. Universal Television is producing the project, and Burrell will star if the series picks up as a series, which is not yet known. NBC has not announced a series regular, cast, number of episodes, or premiere date.
The original ‘Coach’ aired on ABC from 1989 to 1997 and was created by Barry Kemp. Craig T. Nelson starred as Hayden Fox, the head coach of the fictional Minnesota State University Screaming Eagles. Bill Fagerbakke played special teams coach Michael “Dauber” Dybinski, Jerry Van Dyke was defensive coordinator Luther Van Dam, and Shelley Fabares played anchorwoman Christine Armstrong, who later became Fox’s wife. Fox later took a job with a fictional NFL franchise in Orlando.
Now, NBC is giving the series a second chance. In 2015, the network ordered 13 episodes of a sequel series set 18 years later. Kemp wrote, and Nelson and Fagerbakke reprised their roles. Fox was to leave retirement to help his son, Tim (Andrew Ridings), take over at an Ivy League school in Pennsylvania. Only the pilot was made before NBC decided against continuing, and Universal Television produced the version that got picked up, making it Universal once again.
On the other hand, Burrell played Phil Dunphy on ‘Modern Family’ for 11 seasons and 250 episodes, from 2009 to 2020. The role earned him eight Emmy nominations, two wins, and a SAG Award. Notably, ‘Modern Family’ aired on ABC. Before ‘Modern Family,’ Burrell starred in the sitcoms ‘Out of Practice’ on CBS from 2005 to 2006 and ‘Back to You’ on Fox from 2007 to 2008. Afterward, he appeared in other voice-over roles, including the Fox animated series ‘Duncanville’ and a guest spot on ‘Rick and Morty.’ The Libman brothers’ credits include ‘Happy Endings,’ ‘The Mick,’ and ‘Black Monday.’ Interestingly, they also created ‘Mr. Throwback’ with David Caspe, a Peacock series about a memorabilia dealer who reconnects with his sixth-grade teammate, NBA star Steph Curry. The mockumentary series premiered August 8, 2024. David Wain directed all six episodes.
