• New York Times, Thursday, April 27, 2006 12 PM

Mick Jagger, the larger-than-life lead singer of the Rolling Stones, has agreed to star in an ABC sitcom currently titled “Let's Rob Mick Jagger.” The pilot has already been shot.  Bill Carter, the Times' lead TV-beat reporter, describes in colorful detail how the pilot came to be. Originally, the co-writers had actor Jeff Goldblum in mind for the role, but he declined because of other commitments.  Jagger's name was then tossed out as a sort of most-ridiculous-long-shot candidate, but he liked the script and said he'd do the show if a network agreed to take it. Every network, in fact, was interested, with Fox and ABC committing to a pilot.  In the end, ABC prevailed.  There's no assurance that the show (whatever it will eventually be called) will get a pick-up, but it's already receiving tons of free publicity due to Jagger's participation. As described in The Times, the sitcom, if it airs, will be serialized, in the style of Fox's successful “24.” At best, therefore, it must be regarded as an experiment in weekly television. Serialization of a high-concept comedy will be difficult to maintain over more than a season.

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