Actor Jake Johnson, known for his role in New Girl, has been cast as the lead in an untitled NBC comedy pilot about a private investigator. The project comes from writers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici, creators of Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The pilot was ordered by the network in January.
Jake Johnson will portray Mickey, a former LAPD cop whose life "imploded three years ago," according to the official character description. Mickey is depicted as "smart, cynical and heartbroken, but trying to pretend he's not," and serves as a private investigator with a talent for solving cases. The half-hour comedy pilot, written and executive produced by Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici, earned its order at NBC in January. Its logline states that the series "continues the proud tradition of Los Angeles private eyes that began with Philip Marlowe and will end with this show."
Johnson is best recognized for his seven-season run as Nick Miller on the Fox comedy New Girl, which concluded in 2018. His recent television credits include playing porn publisher Doug Renetti on Minx, which aired for two seasons on HBO Max and Starz, as well as appearances in Stumptown and Hoops.
This casting marks Johnson's return to a lead role in network comedy following his time on New Girl. The project aligns with NBC's interest in character-driven humor set in Los Angeles, drawing from the writers' experience on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which ran for eight seasons from 2013 to 2021.
