How Demi Lovato’s NBC sitcom Hungry could become a hit

Demi Lovato is returning to star on the small screen, and her new project has the potential to become a hit series.

The “I Love Me” singer is linked to starring and executive producing a TV series on NBC titled Hungry. This will be the first time the two-time Grammy Awards nominee has starred in a sitcom since her days on Disney playing the titular character on Sonny with a Chance for two seasons.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Hungry is billed to be centered on “friends in a food issues group who help each other as they look for love, success and the perfect thing in the fridge that’s going to make it all better.”

Tagging along with the “Anyone” songstress on this journey will be Will & Grace writer Suzanne Martin, who is credited as a writer and executive producer on this upcoming project. Lovato reunites with Martin after she appeared on a four episode guest-starring role on the aforementioned NBC series in 2020.

What this series needs to be a hit

Lovato playing this TV show’s lead means the series understands her special talent when it comes to her sense of humor, comedic timing, and acting abilities. This gives the show the potential to have a range, one where it could go from laughter to a heartfelt moment when addressing serious topics on an episode-to-episode basis. This series should absolutely use that to its advantage.

Furthermore, when evaluating what this series could look like, two shows come to mind: Eve, which aired on UPN from 2003 to 2006, and ABC’s classic Three’s Company (1977-1984).

Eve was a show led by Grammy Award-winning rapper Eve. She was surrounded with a talented and very underrated cast who were also accompanied by big name guest stars week in and week out (including the likes of Morris Day, Mario Lopez, DMX and a long list of others). That show had an elegant sense of style, was hip, and had plots that always kept the cast and their relationships in the forefront. With that strong cast, there was an instant relationship built between the characters and the audience which stood out the most in that cult classic series.

For Hungry to work, this series will need to have a special relationship between the group of friends this show follows. Assuming the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer is one, there needs to be at least two other friends in the main character’s tightest circle. And like Eve, a diverse casting could create a special dynamic. Having versatile talents, whether it’s one actor who’s good with farce or another with comedic delivery, that core group is going to need the kind of chemistry where they can improv and bounce comedy off each other. This could take some pressure off that writing team and allow a smooth creative process for original work as the series progresses.

The Three’s Company factor

Three’s Company is a classic on all levels. It’s a show that could never be duplicated. But one thing Hungry can takeaway from that show was how they were not afraid to touch taboo topics.

Hungry can be the perfect show to address real world problems. The general plot gives the impression it will touch on eating disorders. However, if this show incorporates other societal issues and finds ways to build out episodes that end with strong morals, it could be special. For this series to do that effectively, they absolutely need humor, characters the audience can connect with, and plots that are simple but tackle big societal issues.

So far, the network has caught the big fish with Lovato cast as the show’s lead. NBC just needs to make sure they are giving their fish an ocean of opportunities to not only stay afloat on primetime television, but also give this show the opportunity to become something extraordinary.

Are you excited to see Demi Lovato return to the small screen? What do you hope to see from her new series? Sound off in the comments below.