Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici built Sunset P.I. on the DNA of two prestige comedies, mining the romantic tension playbook from 1980s Moonlighting while channeling the ensemble energy of Parks and Recreation (often called The Pitt by the creators and industry insiders).
The NBC comedy launches in February with a cast anchored by Jake Johnson, Keith David, Langston Kerman, and Mary Shalaby. During a press day at NBC's Backlot in Los Angeles, Goor and Del Tredici outlined their vision for a show that blends procedural detective work with character-driven comedy.
Moonlighting's influence runs deep here. That show, which starred Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd, made will-they-won't-they tension the engine of its narrative, pairing hard-boiled mystery plotting with snappy banter. Sunset P.I. applies that dynamic to a contemporary Los Angeles private investigation outfit, where the cases move fast but the character relationships build slowly.
The Parks and Rec parallels matter too. Goor co-created Parks and Recreation with Michael Schur, so his fingerprints are all over ensemble comedy DNA. That show proved audiences hungry for shows where supporting characters get full arcs and the humor stems from how people interact, not just the premise itself.
Sunset P.I. follows a similar ensemble logic. Johnson carries the lead role, but David, Kerman, and Shalaby function as integral voices, not sidekicks. The show treats its detective agency like an office, with all the interpersonal dynamics that entails.
NBC positions this as midseason counterprogramming against streamers and cable competitors. Network television needs procedurals that don't feel like reboots or sequels, and Sunset P.I. offers both the