NBC Picks Up Series From Amy Poehler's Brother, Greg

Credit: Lionel Cironneau/AP/Press Association Images

NBC has acquired the U.S. broadcast rights to Amy and Greg Poehler’s executive produced comedy series Welcome to Sweden.

The half-hour comedy is currently one of the most buzzed about shows being shopped around at annual TV content market Mipcom, which ends on Thursday in Cannes.

Welcome to Sweden is based on Greg Poehler's life story, focusing on a New York accountant named Bruce (Greg Poehler) who falls in love with a Swedish girl, Emma (Josephine Bornebusch), and follows her to the Nordic country.

The show will feature cameo appearances by Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Aubrey Plaza and KISS rocker Gene Simmons. In its regular cast, the show offers an international collection of talent, with Lena Olin (Chocolat), Illeana Douglas (Grace of my Heart) and Patrick Duffy (Dallas).

The fish-out-of-water comedy was first commissioned by Sweden’s TV4 as the network’s first-ever English-language series.

“This show is a ‘first’’ on so many levels,” said Carrie Stein, executive VP of global production for eOne Television. “It’s the first English-language comedy for TV4; the first television show Greg Poehler has ever created and starred in and executive produced with his sister Amy; and it’s the first time NBC has been involved with a comedy shot in Stockholm with a large Swedish cast! The reason this comedy has attracted all these people is because its theme is universal — love conquers all…even if it means moving to Sweden.”

Via: Variety