Showtime has picked up half-hour comedy “SMILF” from creator Frankie Shaw, based on her short film of the same name.
Rosie O’Donnell is set to co-star in the 10-episode series that will premiere this fall. “SMILF,” a co-production between ABC Signature Studios and Showtime, takes place in Boston and focuses on Bridgette (Shaw), a woman in her 20s coming to grips with being a single mom.
O’Donnell marks her first series TV regular role as Bridgette’s mom, Tutu. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky (“The Office”) are executive producing with Michael London and Janice Williams.
“It’s thrilling to find an artist with a strong, singular voice that is new to television,” said Showtime president of programming Gary Levine. “Frankie literally does it all on ‘SMILF’: writer, producer, director and star, and the results are funny, emotional, surprising and unapologetic.”
“SMILF” is adapted from Shaw’s short film, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival where it was awarded the Short Film Jury Award for U.S. Fiction. Her 2016 short film “Proof of Concept” was a finalist in TheWrap’s 2015 Shortlist Film Festival.
Showtime has been beefing up its comedy roster of late. The Jay Pharoah series “White Famous” was picked up in January, and the Jim Carrey dramedy “I’m Dying Up Here” launches next month.