Molly Shannon just might be HBO’s newest muse. As Deadline reports, the Emmy-nominated actress is set to star in an as-yet-untitled new comedy series for the cable network, which will be written by her former Saturday Night Live colleague Steve Koren. The duo will co-executive produce the new series.
As far as the plot goes, Deadline writes that Shannon will play a woman who is “deeply addicted to celebrity news and gossip. After friends and family finally confront her, she agrees to get help. Where? The same place where the stars get help—a fancy celebrity rehab in Malibu.”
Think of it as immersion therapy, Hollywood-style. Once there, Shannon’s character actually gets the chance to meet the celebrities she’s only read about—and manages to befriend a famous young actress who encourages her to ditch her family and follow her back to L.A.
It sounds like a perfect premise for Shannon’s singular talents, which she recently showcased in her scene-stealing turn in Season 1 of The White Lotus and as the head of another celebrity-obsessed family in three seasons of The Other Two, which was created by Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, who shared head writer duties on SNL’s 42nd season.
Shannon and Koren first met in 1995 when they were both on SNL and worked together on a slew of sketches, including creating the character of Mary Katherine Gallagher, who became Shannon’s first breakout star. In 1999, the character got her own movie, Superstar, written by Koren and starring Shannon and Will Ferrell.
No further details regarding production or a premiere date have been released.
