The music of Huey Lewis and the News will be used as the inspiration for a TV show that celebrates classic ‘80s romantic comedies.

Deadline reported that Fox made a deal with Lewis, who’ll work on the untitled project with producer Aaron Kaplan and Hart of Dixie creator Leile Gerstein. No key dates were revealed in association with the project, although it was stated that a script-to-series commitment has been made, meaning the show will bypass the pilot stage as long as the studio is happy with the scripts.

“Each season of the Untitled Huey Lewis Project is a self-contained romantic comedy inspired by the music of a beloved pop star,” Deadline explained. “Huey Lewis sets the beat as the inspiration of Season 1, which interweaves a present day love story with a teen rom-com set in 1986. It is conceived as an homage to the great rom-coms of the ‘80s and ‘90s and a reminder that the power of love is, indeed, a curious thing.”

Kaplan – an industry veteran who founded the Kapital Entertainment production house – came up with the concept as a result of regarding Lewis as a “true idol” of his youth. The pair agreed a partnership at their first meeting and found a willing ally in writer Gerstein.

In 2019, Lewis discussed thoughts of working on a TV project after an illness made it unlikely he’d ever perform musically again. “In it, I’m me, Huey Lewis," he said of his sitcom idea. "My professional life is exactly the same as my real professional life. But my personal life is not. … I have a pushy manager named Morrie, and now I have hearing loss, so I can’t sing anymore. Morrie’s always trying to figure out ways that I can make some money. Reality shows, public appearances, ignominious endorsements, etc., and I’m trying to keep my dignity through all this."

 

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