• June 26, 2003

Raising Waylon, a new television movie starring Thomas Gibson ("Dharma & Greg"), Poppy Montgomery ("Without a Trace") and Emmy Award-winner Doris Roberts ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), has begun production in New Zealand. It will air on CBS. In the romantic comedy, two people discover many surprising things about themselves and each other when they unexpectedly become the parents of a pint-sized godchild. Since his parents passed away, 9-year-old Waylon (Jeremy Bergman) has been in the care of his Aunt Marie (Roberts), a dedicated environmentalist and nature lover who adores her nephew, but feels that to really thrive, Waylon should move out of her retirement village and live with his godparents - who are single and live separately.

Though terrified at the sudden prospect of taking responsibility for raising a child, godparents Julia (Montgomery) and Reg (Gibson) decide that as hip, intelligent adults, they'll be able to figure out how to make it work. However, Julia and Reg, who once had a disastrous date 10 years ago, are each accustomed to their self-centered lifestyles: Julia dates a drummer in a band and travels the country as a photographer; Reg owns a restaurant/bar and has a revolving bevy of girlfriends. Since they aren't a couple and barely even get along, Julia and Reg soon discover that, for the first time in their lives, they need to put someone else first and, if they want Waylon to grow up right, they are going to have to grow up first.