Not content to sit back and watch a couple of fake cops muscle in on its territory, CBS is launching a mob comedy of its own. Less than a week after Fox announced the mob-themed comedy series 100 Grand, CBS has bought Wife Of Crime, which, for the wordplay-challenged, is about a regular guy who marries into an Italian crime family, presumably with a lot of attendant back-slapping, exaggerated hand gestures, and offers of homemade cannoli. “It’s not just family, it’s The Family!,” the ads at the bus shelter will say.
Wife Of Crime was written by The Big Bang Theory’s Kevin Sussman, who will also co-executive produce the series. That’s because CBS takes care of its own, and it never forgets when someone does it a favor. Of course, CBS also expects to be paid back when it does someone a favor—especially one like taking some schmuck who doesn’t even have any Emmys out of the shadow of Jim Parsons, then giving him his own TV show. That’s a big favor, and it’ll be paid back… with interest. CBS will see to that.