Friends co-creator’s comedy is being fully financed by ad agency Publicis Media
Amazon MGM Studios has ordered an improvised multi-camera sitcom from the production company founded by Friends showrunner Marta Kauffman.
DINKS (aka Dual Income No Kids) is being produced by Kauffman’s Okay Goodnight and is using an unusual funding model that has engaged a streamer, a media agency and a studio to get the show off the ground.
The deal sees Amazon MGM Studios partnering with Lionsgate and Publicis Media Content Innovation (PMCI) - the entertainment division of ad agency Publicis Media - to produce the series, with the latter fully financing the show.
Specifics have not been revealed but the show has been in the works for more than three years, initially at CBS where it was known as A Lot. It was subsequently greenlit to pilot by Amazon MGM Studios in 2024.
DINKS has been co-created by Kauffman and Hannah K.S. Canter, with their Okay Goodnight banner producing alongside Lionsgate Television and Amazon MGM Studios.
The show will star real-life married couple June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer, with Jon Gabrus set as a series regular.
The comedy tracks the couple who, in the absence of a marriage or children, decide to build a life together by renovating their nightmare of a dream house. Besides iconic NBC sitcom Friends, Kauffman is behind hit Netflix sitcom Grace and Frankie, which ran for seven seasons, to make it one of the streamer’s longest-running shows
“I’ve always said I wouldn’t do another multi-cam unless someone was able to reinvent it. Okay Goodnight and I got tired of waiting, and decided we should do it ourselves,” said Kauffman.
“It’s what I hoped it would be: unique, hilarious and warm. Shooting this show is like being on a roller coaster in the dark. You have no idea where it’s going to go, but you know it’s going to be fun.”
Scott Herbst, exec vice president and head of scripted development at Lionsgate Television, and Brad Haugen, exec vice president of digital strategy and growth, described the model as “a throwback to the early days of television when studios, networks and advertisers all partnered in the storytelling process.”
“Premium storytelling increasingly requires creative partnerships that bring together expertise from across industries,” continued Eric Levin, chief creative officer at PMCI.
“This model combines strategic capital with development expertise to provide an alternative path to greenlight, enabling high-quality projects to move forward in an increasingly competitive marketplace. We believe the future of television financing will be driven by partnerships that are as innovative as the content they support, and we’re excited to be able to bring this exclusively to Publicis clients.”
“Marta Kauffman is one of the most iconic voices in comedy, and with DINKS, she’s doing what she does best - finding the humor and heart in everyday relationships - while pushing the form forward through improvisation,” said Peter Friedlander, head of global TV at Amazon MGM Studios.
“June and Paul are the perfect pair to bring this concept to life, and together with our partners at Lionsgate and PMCI, we’re excited to deliver a series that feels both fresh and timeless to Prime Video.”
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