NCIS star Wilmer Valderrama is producing a new comedy for CBS. Known for his breakout role as Fez in That ’70s Show, Valderrama joined the long-running procedural as Special Agent Nicholas “Nick” Torres in the NCIS season 14 premiere. He’s been a mainstay of the franchise since then, helping to bridge the gap between Mark Harmon’s exit and Gary Cole’s arrival.
Valderrama has ventured beyond the screen, working as a director and a recording artist. He also published a memoir, An: American Story: Everyone’s Invited, which was released in September 2024. The veteran performer is moving forward with another venture that’s slowly taking shape.
Deadline reports that Valderrama is part of the producing team behind Blanks, which centers on a serial dater who has his life upended when he learns that his biological clock is running out. This is made even worse by the fact that he’s met the woman of his dreams, though she’s not ready to settle down just yet.
The project, which is described as being in its early stages, hails from comedian Aaron Karo. He’ll also write the script and executive produce alongside WV Entertainment, Valderrama’s production banner, and CBS Studios.
What This Means For CBS
Comedy Is Making A Comeback
CBS and broadcast television are generally robust with procedurals of all stripes, including the returning NCIS. But there are far fewer comedies. With the ending of The Conners earlier this year, ABC has only Abbott Elementary in its comedy ranks. NBC has Happy’s Place and St. Denis Medical. CBS also has two, with Ghosts and the Young Sheldon spinoff, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
DMV is based on the short story by Katherine Heiny.
The three major networks are making moves to strengthen their comedy offerings. CBS has a number of comedy pilots in the pipeline. The most fully realized, so far, is DMV. It’s a single-camera comedy about the place that everyone dreads having to go to, the DMV, with a cast that includes Harriet Dyer, Tim Meadows, Molly Kearney, Alex Tarrant, Tony Cavalero, and Gigi Zumbado. It has been picked up to series.
Our Take On Blanks
A Fresh Focus
Dating comedies have typically been the domain of streaming television in recent years, with shows like Adults on Hulu and Nobody Wants This on Netflix. The announcement of Blanks, if it moves forward, will bring romance and questions of courtship back to broadcast in a way that hasn’t been seen as much. Although romance is a part of any network series, it isn’t always forefronted.
