ABC gives up on troubled "Single" life

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It's a no-go for ABC's new Alyssa Milano sitcom "Single With Parents."

ABC and ABC Studios on Wednesday pulled the plug on the comedy over creative differences with the show's producing team, led by creator/executive producer Kristin Newman.

The project, in which Milano plays a woman juggling her dysfunctional family, friends and boss, was one of five pilots ABC ordered in August to series for midseason. However, production was postponed several times over disagreements about the show's creative direction.

The disagreements could not be resolved, and ABC on Wednesday opted not to proceed with "Single" beyond the pilot. Besides Milano, the cast included Annie Potts and Beau Bridges.

ABC has three other half-hours on tap for midseason -- Internet transplant "In the Motherhood"; the workplace comedy "Better Off Ted," starring Jay Harrington; and Mike Judge's cartoon "The Goode Family." They could be joined by the Courteney Cox comedy "Cougar Town," which was fast-tracked last week with a pilot order targeted for midseason.

Meanwhile, ABC also is talking to producer 20th Century Fox TV about ordering eight scripts for Judge's recently canceled Fox comedy "King of the Hill" for a possible fall bow.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter