Emeril (TV series)

Emeril
Genre Sitcom
Created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason
Starring Emeril Lagasse
Lisa Ann Walter
Sherri Shepherd
Carrie Preston
Robert Urich
Composer(s) Bruce Miller
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 10 (3 unaired)
Production
Executive producer(s) Linda Bloodworth-Thomason
Harry Thomason
Producer(s) Adrienne Crow
Barbara Stoll
Editor(s) Leo Papin
Camera setup Multi-camera
Running time 22 minutes
Production company(s) Mozark Productions
NBC Studios
Release
Original network NBC
Original release September 25 (2001-09-25) – November 11, 2001 (2001-11-11)

Emeril is an American sitcom starring Emeril Lagasse as himself. It aired on Tuesday nights on NBC from September 25, 2001 to November 11, 2001 from 8:00-8:30 EST. A total of 10 half-hour episodes were produced over one season, but only 7 aired.

Cast

Development

Having lost her development deal at CBS, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason sought to build a show around TV chef Emeril Lagasse. ABC passed on the show, even though Lagasse was appearing at that time on Good Morning America as a food correspondent.

NBC had high hopes for the show, as it was created by Bloodworth-Thomason, however the show was savaged by many critics, one calling it a train wreck. Lagasse was said to be hesitant to participate in the project.[1] The show was in the middle of filming when the September 11 terrorist attacks occurred;[2] the show was scheduled to premiere on September 18, a week after the attacks, but was delayed by a week. Despite this, the opening sequence still featured the World Trade Center towers standing. The show was never able to find much of an audience as a result and the sitcom quietly went off the air by November 2001.

Bloodworth-Thomason had planned for the show to be "a very sophisticated, grown up comedy, "and would "do for men what the women did for Designing Women."[3] However, a regime change at NBC left the show without any defenders at executive levels.[4]

After the poorly received first pilot,[5] the show was revamped turning the focus from Emeril's fictionalized home life to life on the set of a fictional version of Lagasse's Food Network show. A food stylist was added to the cast, as well as the additional casting of Robert Urich as Emeril's agent.[1] The show was produced by Mozark Studios in association with NBC Studios.[6]

The kitchen on the show was fully functional, and Lagasse would cook for the cast and staff.[7]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
1"Fat"Harry ThomasonDan Cohen & F.J. PrattSeptember 25, 2001 (2001-09-25)TBA
2"Fifteen Minutes"Harry ThomasonPamela NorrisOctober 2, 2001 (2001-10-02)TBA
3"Blind Dates"Harry ThomasonDavid NicholsOctober 9, 2001 (2001-10-09)TBA
4"Whose Life Is It Anyway?"Harry ThomasonLinda Bloodworth-ThomasonOctober 16, 2001 (2001-10-16)TBA
5"The Sopranos Come to Dinner"Harry ThomasonLinda Bloodworth-ThomasonOctober 23, 2001 (2001-10-23)TBA
6"Halloween"Harry ThomasonLinda Bloodworth-ThomasonOctober 30, 2001 (2001-10-30)TBA
7"The Sidekick"Harry ThomasonDan Cohen & F.J. PrattNovember 11, 2001 (2001-11-11)TBA
8"Snow Day"Harry ThomasonPamela NorrisUnairedTBA
9"The Retreat"TBATBAUnairedTBA
10"One Man's Cornbread"TBATBAUnairedTBA

Reception

The E! show 101 Biggest Celebrity Oops ranked the sitcom at #51.[8] The LA Times called the show "pretty dreadful."[5] USA Today was kinder to the show, giving it 2 1/2 out of 4 stars. The review cited the show's improvement, stating that it may yet be a great sitcom and "but it's moving in the right direction, notch by notch. Like many series of late, this sitcom for star cable chef Emeril Lagasse has gone through a near-total overhaul since its barely-a-work-in-progress pilot was previewed to general dismay".[9]. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present noted that show was at its best when Emeril was cooking. [10]

Awards

The show received an Emmy nomination for Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series. [11]

The retooling of the show was parodied on the October 13, 2001 episode of Saturday Night Live.[12]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 From Scratch:Inside the Food Network (2013) Allen Salkin
  2. ↑ https://tvline.com/2017/08/17/carrie-preston-emeril-nbc-lagasse-chef-sitcom/
  3. ↑ "Tuned In: NBC still stirring 'Emeril' sitcom". Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  4. ↑ https://tvline.com/2017/08/17/carrie-preston-emeril-nbc-lagasse-chef-sitcom/
  5. 1 2 ROSENBERG, HOWARD (25 September 2001). "NBC Sitcom 'Emeril' Missing Some Essential Ingredients". Retrieved 29 September 2016 – via LA Times.
  6. ↑ https://variety.com/2002/more/news/2002-emmy-nominees-part-iii-1117869883/
  7. ↑ https://tvline.com/2017/08/17/carrie-preston-emeril-nbc-lagasse-chef-sitcom/
  8. ↑ "101 Biggest Celebrity Oops". 2 March 2004. Retrieved 29 September 2016 – via IMDb.
  9. ↑ "'Emeril' has right recipe". Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  10. ↑ Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable Shows 1946-Present, (2007) Brooks, M and Marsh, E. Ballentine
  11. ↑ https://variety.com/2002/more/news/2002-emmy-nominees-part-iii-1117869883/
  12. ↑ "Watch TV Funhouse: Fun with Real Audio - NBC Retools Emeril from Saturday Night Live on NBC.com". Retrieved 29 September 2016.
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