Network TV just can’t quit Wendi McLendon-Covey! NBC announced a series order for the new comedy series “St. Denis Medical” Friday, which will bring the actress back to primetime shortly after wrapping a 10-season run on ABC’s “The Goldbergs.”
The mockumentary-style show from “Superstore” writers Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin follows “an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity,” per the show’s official logline. McClendon-Covey stars as Joyce, the hospital’s administrator. The show also stars David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Mekki Leeper and Kahyun Kim.
“Hospitals are funny. They don’t mean to be, and they may not be funny if it’s happening to you, but a lot of funny things happen in hospitals,” McLendon-Covey told TheWrap of the role in a recent interview. “This would be kind of like, ‘The Office’ but in a hospital setting.”
Ruben Fleischer directed the pilot episode for “St. Denis Medical.” Spitzer will executive produce the show through his Universal TV-based Spitzer Holding Company alongside Ledgin and Simon Heuer, head of TV development at Spitzer Holding Company. Universal Television is the studio.
“The Goldbergs” ended its 10-year run on May 3. McLendon-Covey played the beloved Beverly Golberg, a role that earned her two Critics Choice TV nominations, and she also served as executive producer through tumultuous behind-the-scenes moments, when the show said goodbye to two major characters after the 2021 death of George Segal, who played Albert “Pops” Solomon, and the 2022 exit of Jeff Garlin, who played Beverly’s husband, Murray.
“You really have to be grateful for what you have and don’t squander an amazing opportunity and every day just be in the moment and take it all in,” McLendon-Covey told TheWrap ahead of the series finale. “And I really, I feel like I did that for most of it. Because things like this don’t come around all the time.
NBC also announced the cancellation of two comedy series Friday — “Grand Crew,” starring Nicole Byer, and “Young Rock,” based on the life of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson — while the fate of “American Auto,” starring Ana Gasteyer, remains undetermined.
