Abbey Caldwell Jenny Crapser Logo text CBS has ordered its first pilot of the 2026-27 development cycle, a comedy about a would-be stage actress — that comes with a bit of a twist.
The network has picked up Hilda! (In Lights!) to pilot after initially ordering three scripts to develop. It was one of a few projects CBS put into development in the spring, along with Flint, a cop show starring Matt LeBlanc, and a forensic drama called I Know Who You Are.
Created by Abbey Caldwell (Laid, Fresh Off the Boat), the single-camera Hilda! (In Lights!) is described as “one of those classic shows about a plucky small-town optimist who moves to the big city to pursue her life-long dream of starring on Broadway. There’s just one teeny, tiny, totally inconsequential difference — our hero Hilda is a 70-year-old woman from Nebraska with absolutely no experience.”
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Should the pilot make it to series, it would become part of a growing crop of TV and streaming series centered on older characters. CBS’ Matlock, NBC’s upcoming Newlyweds (about a “later in life” marriage), and Netflix’s A Man on the Inside and one-and-done series The Boroughs all feature lead characters who are 60 or older, once a rarity on TV.
CBS is also going into the 2026-27 season with fewer comedies than it has had for most of the past two decades. The network currently has just three, with Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage and newcomer Eternally Yours set for the fall and Ghosts returning in early 2027. The latter will also air Halloween and Christmas specials before its full season begins.
CBS Studios is producing Hilda! (In Lights!). Caldwell is the writer and executive produces with Will Graham, Max Linsky and Tonia Davis for Invitation Media.
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