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Leigh, left, Gilchrist and Rapaport
Michael Rapaport will co-star in the eight-episode series about a family with an autistic son.
Netflix is adding a new family comedy series to its roster.
Following prolonged negotiations, the streaming giant has handed out an eight-episode straight-to-series order for family comedy Atypical, starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Keir Gilchrist and Michael Rapaport.
From Robia Rashid (The Goldbergs, How I Met Your Mother, Will & Grace), the series is described as a coming-of-age story that follows Sam (Gilchrist, United States of Tara), an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum and his search for love and independence. His funny yet painful journey of self-discovery upends his entire family and forces them all to grapple with change in their own lives as they struggle with what it means to be normal. Leigh (Hateful Eight, Margot at the Wedding) will play Sam's mother, Elsa, who is on her own journey of self-discovery. Rapaport (Justified) is set as Sam's father, Doug; Brigette Lundy-Paine (The Glass Castle) will play Sam’s sister Casey and Amy Okuda (How to Get Away With Murder) is Sam's therapist Julia.
Rashid created the series and will serve as the show's writer. She will reteam with Seth Gordon (with whom she worked on ABC's The Goldbergs) on the project, with Gordon set to exec produce and direct the pilot. Mary Rohlich will also exec produce, with Leigh also credited as a producer on the series.
The dark comedy hails from Sony Pictures Television, where Gordon is under an overall deal. Production will begin later this year in Los Angeles.
Atypical marks the latest collaboration for SPT with Netflix following Bloodline, which will end with its third season next year; as well as The Get Down.
For Netflix, Atypical marks the streaming giant's latest comedy pickup as the company continues its $5 billion spending spree on originals. It joins a roster that includes Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It, Friends From College, Chuck Lorre's Kathy Bates entry Disjointed; Maniac, starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill; Santa Clarita Diet, starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant; Easy, a comedic anthology from mumblecore guru Joe Swanberg; Aziz Ansari's Master of None; Judd Apatow's Love; Sophia Amoruso's #Girlboss; and sketch comedy The Characters, in addition to more broad-skewing fare like Fuller House and The Ranch.
Leigh, whose TV credits include ABC's Revenge and Showtime's Weeds, is repped by CAA, Untitled and Sloane Offer. Gilchrist (It's Kind of a Funny Story) is with ICM Partners, Thruline and Lichter Grossman. Rapaport (Public Morals, Prison Break) is with Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
Atypical arrives as family comedies continue to be in high demand across broadcast, cable and streaming networks as outlets look for new dynamics to reach underserved audiences with fare like ABC's Speechless, Black-ish and Netflix's One Day at a Time reboot.
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