Many of us shed a tear when MADtv, Fox’s late-night rival to NBC’s Saturday Night Live, took its final bow back in 2009. But it seems the CW has just offered fans of the Mad Magazine-inspired comedy show a reason to dry their eyes, at least until we start laughing again.
After airing a 20th anniversary MADtv special that saw the return of the series’ original cast members earlier this year, the network has decided to revive the series altogether, Variety reports. While no premiere date has been set, the primetime revival will feature returning and new cast members, with an eight-episode season. Returning cast members will be featured in special appearances and as hosts of each hour-long episode.
David E. Salzman, who produced the original series, will serve as showrunner of the revival. Salzman had this to say about MADtv’s return:
The MADtv franchise is as vibrant as ever thanks largely to social and digital media appealing to a fan base numbering in the millions that relates to the show’s brand of authentic and irreverent cross-cultural comedy. We will continue to present the hard-hitting, laugh-out-loud wall-to-wall pop culture parody our fans expect, but in a fresh, new way.