• Variety, Sunday, October 18, 2009 10:01 PM

The forecast for comedy is finally perking up. CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" has been morphing from hit to mega-hit. The new ABC comedy "Modern Family" is earning critical raves and good ratings, This uptick in upbeat shows helped fuel a buying frenzy this summer, as networks nabbed more comedy projects than normal. More recently, the success of "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" has led to a last-minute surge in single-camera comedy purchases.

Family and relationships show up in much of this year's comedy development. Several focus on newlyweds, or couples with new babies. A handful of projects about siblings are also in the works.

"There's definitely an enthusiasm (for comedy) this year," says one network exec. "Everyone sees an opportunity, and has been emboldened by the early success of some shows." There is another factor. Possibly fueling the comedy explosion is the sheer number of out-of-work comedy writers with time on their hands to craft new, well-thought-out concepts.

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