Mayim Bialik’s Call Me Kat gets top ratings according to the latest audience figures. The show’s premiere – which aired on Fox was watched by 5.4 million viewers, topping all of Sunday’s non-NFL broadcasts except the CBS documentary 60 Minutes.
Call Me Kat, is written by Darlene Hunt, and centres around Kat, a 39-year old Cat Café owner who struggles every day against society and her mother to prove that one can’t have everything, and still be happy. While the series takes inspiration from Hart’s successful BBC sitcom in its format, premise and personalities; Bialik said that the series, which she executive produces alongside Big Bang co-star Jim Parsons, adds brand new layers to the original four-season series. No doubt comparisons will be drawn between not only Miranda but also Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s award winning Fleabag and Sara Pascoe’s Out of Her Mind.
“What we’ve created is a woman who includes everyone in her world because that’s what makes her world interesting and colourful,” Bialik said of her character breaking the fourth wall, a trademark of both Hart and Waller-Bridge’s series as well as Sarah Pascoe’s Out of Her Mind. “Sometimes they’re people who exist, sometimes they’re people who don’t exist. We’re including the audience, they’re in on her jokes, they’re in on her experiences because that’s how she views the world – everyone is part of it.”
At a press gathering, Darlene Hunt explained that the creative process involved long stretches without relying on Hart’s show and finding a lead actress who would help form the character. As a result of finding her own original spin and casting Bialik.
Jim Parsons, Bialik’s co-star in Big Bang Theory and executive producer alongside Bialik, expressed confidence in the show’s success saying “I’m watching the rehearsals, I’m watching the tapings and I’m watching the shows and I’m like ‘this works,’” he said. “I don’t know if thousands of other people will like it, but it’s good.” Call Me Kat, also stars Julian Gant and Swoosie Kurtz.
Hunt executive produces with Bialik, Parsons and Todd Spiewak for That’s Wonderful Productions, Angie Stephenson for BBC Studios and Hart. Eric Norsoph produces for That’s Wonderful along with Mackenzie Gabriel-Vaught for Sad Clown Productions. That’s Wonderful, Sad Clown and BBC Studios co-produce in association with Warner Bros. TV and Fox Entertainment.