NBC Orders New Michael J. Fox Family Comedy Straight to Series

Michael J. Fox is headed back to his first TV network home for his new comedy.

The five-time Emmy winner's new family comedy project has been ordered straight to series by NBC, the same network which aired Family Ties three decades ago.

"To bring Michael J. Fox back to NBC is a supreme honor and we are thrilled that one of the great comedic television stars is coming home again," NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt said in a statement. "From the moment we met with Michael to hear his unique point of view about this new show, we were completely captivated and on board. He is utterly relatable, optimistic, and in a class by himself, and I have no doubt that the character he will create — and the vivid family characters surrounding him — will be both instantly recognizable and hilarious. Being in business with him is a supreme pleasure."

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Added Fox: "I'm extremely pleased to be back at NBC with a great creative team and a great show. Bob Greenblatt and all the folks at the network have given me a warm welcome home, and I'm excited to get to work."

The project is one of few garnering a straight to series order without a pilot and also marks Fox's first TV starring role since he left Spin City in 2000. At the time, Fox left due to his battle with Parkinson's Disease, which he was diagnosed with in 1991. However, in his new as-yet-untitled series inspired by his own life, Fox will play a husband and father of three living in New York City who deals with many challenges — including Parkinson's. In real life, Fox has four children with wife Tracey Pollan.

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The single-camera comedy will shoot this year and premiere in Fall 2013. The show will be executive-produced by Cougar Town writer Sam Laybourne and co-creators Easy A director Will Gluck, who will also direct the pilot.

In recent years, Fox has enjoyed recurring arcs on Scrubs, Boston Legal, Rescue Me (for which he won an Emmy in 2009), The Good Wife and Curb Your Enthusiasm,   the latter two of which wrote in character traits that would allow Fox to use some of the side effects caused by Parkinson's in his performance.. On The Good Wife, Fox has recurred as a lawyer who manipulates his rare movement disorder to win cases and on Curb Your Enthusiasm, he played himself. Fox is nominated for two Emmys this year, for both Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series and in a Comedy Series for these roles.

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Fox first rose to household fame on the family sitcom Family Ties, for which he won three Emmys for his performance as Alex P. Keaton. Fox then returned to television in 1996, and won another Emmy for his portrayal of Mike Flaherty on Spin City. After four seasons, Fox left the show and was replaced by Charlie Sheen.

Are you excited to see Fox back full time on the small screen?