EXCLUSIVE: Punky Brewster duo Eugene Garcia-Cross and Robin Shorr have teamed up with Modern Family star Ty Burrell on a new multi-camera comedy for ABC.
Deadline understands that the trio are developing Forgive and Forget for the Disney-owned network, a family comedy about Alzheimer’s.
The show, which comes from 20th Television, follows Ben Flemings, who, when his life-of-the-party father is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, is forced to take in the one man he’s worked his whole life not to become.
Garcia-Cross will write with Shorr as showrunner. They will exec produce alongside Burrell via his Desert Whale Productions banner.
Garcia-Cross is a co-producer on Disney+’s reboot of The Santa Clause and previously worked on Punky Brewster for Peacock and Indebted for NBC. He was a member of the 2018 NBC Writers On The Verge Program.
Forgive and Forget is inspired by his experiences of caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s and the show hopes to destigmatize a disease afflicting millions.
Shorr was most recently a co-exec producer on Punky Brewster and was showrunner and exec producer of Disney+’s Diary of a Future President. Shorr also previously worked on Galavant, The Middle and The Carmichael Show.
Burrell launched Desert Whale Productions in 2020 with an overall deal at 20th Television. The company is focusing on developing and producing half-hour comedies from emerging and underrepresented voices and previously developed Yours, Mine & Paul with Julia Meltzer at ABC.
Garcia-Cross is repped by APA, 3 Arts and lawyer Joe Weiner, Shorr is repped by Verve, 3 Arts and Bruce Gellman and Burrell is repped by CAA and Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher.