Lifetime ‘Rocks’ New Original Comedy

Trying to get a toehold with an original comedy, Lifetime Television has ordered 13 episodes of the half-hour show Rita Rocks from Media Rights Capital, officials said Wednesday.

Premiering this fall, the series will be part of a one-hour comedy block with the top-rated Reba.

The show stars Nicole Sullivan, a veteran of The King of Queens, Richard Ruccola of Two Guys and a Girl, and Tisha Campbell-Martin of Martin. Sullivan plays Rita Clements who, unfulfilled by her harried life as a married working mom, regains her identity by recreating her glory days as a musician in a garage band. 

 “For our first original primetime comedy series in a decade, we’ve assembled a fantastic team, in front of and behind the camera,” Susanne Daniels, Lifetime Networks president of entertainment, said in a prepared statement.

Rita Rocks joins an array of original programming airing on Lifetime this fall, including movies, scripted series and reality shows.