Nick at Nite recruits "Chris"

Actor Tyler James Williams accepts the Image Award for outstanding actor in a television comedy series for his role in ''Everybody Hates Chris,'' at the 38th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles March 2, 2007.

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Nick at Nite loves "Everybody Hates Chris."

The network has snapped up cable rerun rights to the comedy series, which is now in its third season on the CW. It will begin airing the reruns in fall 2009, the same time the show launches in broadcast syndication.

"Chris" is based on the childhood experiences of comedian Chris Rock, who co-created the series and serves as narrator. Tyler James Williams plays Rock's young alter ego.

It is one of the few off-network comedies coming down the pike for cable networks looking to flesh out their schedules, and the network is believed to have paid between $300,000-$350,000 per episode, a respectable sum given its modest ratings. Some cable channels have even begun to develop their own sitcoms to address the dearth of comedies on the broadcast networks.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter