Nick at Nite Debuts Instant Mom, Original Family Comedy Starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict
l to r: Gabby (Sydney Park), Charlie (Michael Boatman), Stephanie (Tia Mowry-Hardrict), Aaron (Damarr Calhoun), Maggie (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and James (Tylen Williams)
Nick at Nite will premiere Instant Mom, the brand-new, live-action family sitcom starring and produced by Tia Mowry-Hardrict (star of STYLE Network’s hit series Tia & Tamera), on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 8:30 p.m. (all times ET/PT). The multi-camera, scripted half-hour series features Mowry-Hardrict as Stephanie, a party girl who trades in Cosmos for carpools when she marries Charlie (Michael Boatman, Spin City), who already has three kids. Airing regularly on Nick at Nite Sundays at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT), the series also will air on the adult-targeted NickMom comedy block on the Nick Jr. channel at 10p.m.
“In Instant Mom, Tia vividly captures what it’s like to jump into motherhood with nearly zero experience, and her stepchildren take a front row in her labors,” said Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon’s President of Content Development and Production. “Their comedic and authentic approach to their disparities as a new family will make audiences fall in love with the growing and heartfelt appreciation for each other and for the all-embracing blended family they are now a part of.”
Instant Mom follows Stephanie as she struggles to maintain some sense of her fun-loving, slightly irresponsible life while managing being a full-time stepmom. Sheryl Lee Ralph (Moesha) stars as Stephanie’s mother Maggie, and rounding out the cast are Charlie’s three kids played by Sydney Park (CSI: NY), Tylen Williams and Damarr Calhoun. The season will find Stephanie learning what being a mom is all about and doing things her way: from attempting to get more involved by being on the parents’ dance committee to starting an anonymous blog to planning a family “staycation” – often with far from perfect results.
In support of the Sept. 29 premiere, NickMom.com has launched its Instant Mom show site, which includes trailers, character information and bonus video features. Full episodes will be made available after each premiere. Editorial support on NickatNite.com will also drive to Nickmom.com. Episodes will be available for purchase the day following each premiere on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Samsung Media Hub, Xbox Video and Vudu. Viewers can keep up with the show on Twitter by following the Instant Mom page at @InstantMomTV and the Nick@Nite page at @nickatnitetv and by liking the Instant Mom and Nick@Nite Facebook pages.
Sophisticated, savvy and an all-around sweetheart, actress Tia Mowry-Hardrict has been in the public eye for over 17 years, gaining initial fame starring opposite her twin sister Tamera Mowry–Housley in the hit comedy Sister Sister from Paramount Television. On Sister Sister’s successful six-year run, Tia won two NAACP Image Awards and three Kids’ Choice Awards for Favorite Television Actress. After graduating from Pepperdine University, she made appearances in various projects, including starring with her sister once again in The Disney Channel’s original movie Twitches in 2005 and again in Twitches Too, two years later. In 2006, Tia landed the role of “Melanie Barnett,” medical student turned wife of pro-football player on The Game, which landed her two more NAACP Image Award nominations.
Currently, Mowry-Hardrict is starring in with her sister Tamera and executive producing the hit STYLE network series Tia & Tamera, which set a record as the most watched series launch in the network’s history. She recently released her debut book Oh Baby!: Pregnancy Tales and Advice from One Hot Mama to Another, and filmed and released a fitness DVD. With her sister, she developed and launched their first product line entitled need and their first product called MILKY! hit Destination Maternity stores nationwide this spring. Mowry-Hardrict is also set to appear in the upcoming Fox Searchlight Pictures film Baggage Claim, to be released on September 27.
Instant Mom is executive-produced by Howard Michael Gould and Aaron Kaplan. Gould had served as executive producer and head writer of Cybill when it won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series. He also wrote and directed the feature film The Six Wives of Henry Lefay, starring Tim Allen, Elisha Cuthbert, Andie MacDowell and Jenna Elfman. Gould’s other credits include FM, Home Improvement, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Mr. 3000 and Shrek the Third.
Aaron Kaplan is the Founder and CEO of Kapital Entertainment, a self-funded, truly independent production company. Since its formation in 2009, Kapital Entertainment has become a prominent leader in the media industry, known for its vast array of television, digital, and film content. In just over four years, Kaplan has executive produced over 150 episodes of television and has had ten television projects ordered to series including The Neighbors on ABC, Wendell & Vinnie on Nickelodeon, Chasing Life on ABC Family, Back in the Game on ABC and Friends with Better Lives on CBS. He also executive produced Fox’s Terra Nova with Steven Spielberg and Peter Chernin. Since its formation, Kapital has had 21 pilots ordered.
Nick at Nite is Nickelodeon’s nighttime programming block that features popular hit family comedies including the Emmy Award-winning series Friends, My Wife & Kids, George Lopez, The Nanny, Yes, Dear. and most recently, See Dad Run.
NickMom is a new primetime ad-supported TV block for moms that airs on the Nick Jr. channel. The block features a mix of original long and short-form programming including talk shows, stand-up and sketch comedy, docu-series and more. Current series on NickMom include: NickMom Night Out; Take Me To Your Mother; MFF: Mom Friends Forever; Parental Discretion With Stefanie Wilder-Taylor and The New Adventures of Old Christine. NickMom recently picked up second seasons of the stand-up comedy series, NickMom Night Out, hosted by Sherri Shepherd (The View), docu-series Take Me To Your Mother and talk show hybrid Parental Discretion with Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. NickMom is also a comedy and entertainment site with extensive content including short-form video, photos, editorial pieces and games.