NBC is breaking new ground with "Abby’s", a sitcom centered around a neighborhood bar.
There are a few similarities to Cheers, where everybody knows your name. Sam Malone isn’t serving up drinks, but Abby is, and she’s turning the tables on what we’ve come to expect from bar comedies.
Natalie Morales stars and it’s not the Natalie Morales you know as the Today Show’s west coast anchor. This Morales cut her teeth on a number of television shows, include "Parks and Recreation", "White Collar" and "Wall Street:" She was on "Money Never Sleeps" before landing her very first lead role on "Abby’s."
WKYC's Betsy Kling sat down with Morales recently for a chat.
Betsy Kling: The concept of "Abby’s" is so my backyard.
Natalie Morales: Really?
Betsy: That’s the backyard that everybody wants to have. Where everyone wants to come hang out. We call it driveway drinks in Cleveland. How do you keep this really cool concept of relationships and keep it fresh with a little group that you have become so familiar with and keep it fresh and keep building those relationships?
Natalie: I think it's all about, honestly it's great writing. The show is executive produced by Mike Schur who created "Parks and Rec", "The Good Place", and he has worked on just so many amazing other things, and he just has a great way of doing that, taking familiar concepts, like a group of friends, and making it so they feel like your friends. Giving them these individual and very specific characteristics that you remember therefore if you are watching the show, you know how all the characters are going to react to it. And I think that's what makes for that great sitcom TV, is when you feel like they are your friends.
Betsy: So you are the first Cuban-American lead?
Natalie: Female Cuban-American. The last was Desi Arnaz.
Betsy: That’s crazy. And what does that mean to you?
Natalie: It’s a huge deal. It’s crazy. I grew up watching NBC comedies, especially Thursday night comedies. Must-see TV. I cannot believe that it’s real. I literally pinch myself every day at work.
To capture the feel of a backyard bar, NBC built an outdoor set, complete with bleacher seating for a live studio audience. Filming outdoors has some challenges, but also gives the show an authentic feeling.
Abby’s airs on Thursday at 9:30 p.m., immediately following Will and Grace.