NBC has announced that it will officially be reviving classic sitcom Will And Grace for 10 brand new episodes set to air during the 2017-2018 TV season. Talks of a revival were sparked when the entire cast made a surprise return last September in a viral video with an election day theme.
It's official folks. Will, Grace, Karen, Jack and yes, Karen's maid Rosario will all be gracing our small screens once again in ten newly produced episodes of iconic situation comedy Will And Grace. Talks of the revival began after the release of a new ten-minute-long scene that focused on the then upcoming election. The original main cast — Debra Messing, Eric McCormack, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally, along with Shelley Morrison who played Rosario — appeared in the skit, which also reunited many of the producers and writers from the long-running show.
YouTube Video Sparks Will And Grace Revival Talks
As the YouTube posted video went viral, Will And Grace fans were surprised at how little the cast members appearance had changed and noticed that the amazing chemistry between the performers didn't miss a beat despite a 10-year hiatus.
Soon, whispers of an official revival began swirling, boosted by comments from some of the show's former stars who expressed interest publicly. At the time, it was thought that the reunion episodes would be likely to air on a streaming service such as Netflix or Hulu, as those streamers have recently brought back various series from the dead including the Full House revival Fuller House, and the recent return of Gilmore Girls. It was also believed that revival on a streamer would allow for more creative freedom, especially due to the lack of censorship on those channels.
Will And Grace Sets NBC Return
Soon, however, rumors spread that the show was eying a return on its former broadcast network NBC, for a ten-episode limited run. Then, during the holiday season, another occasional supporting cast member, Leslie Jordan, made the premature announcement of the show's return, which star Debra Messing soon dismissed, saying that the revival was only in talks.
Now, however, the news is official, and fans can rejoice as they await the 10 new episodes, which will be helmed once again by series creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan.
"We started talking with Mutchnick and Kohan about producing new episodes right after they shot the secret reunion show back in September, and the fact that all four of the original stars were excited about getting back into production is a testament to the joyful experience they had doing nearly 200 episodes for eight seasons," said NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke. "Few things cut through the clutter these days, especially in comedy, and Will and Grace is one of the best."
