Friend Me
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| caption =
| alt_name =
| genre = Sitcom
| creator = {{plainlist|
- Alan Kirschenbaum
- Ajay Sahgal
}}
| developer =
| writer =
| director = Pamela Fryman
| creative_director =
| presenter =
| starring = {{Plainlist|
}}
| judges =
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|
- Ajay Sahgal
- Alan Kirschenbaum
- Eric Tannenbaum
- Kim Tannenbaum
}}
| producer =
| editor =
| location =
| cinematography =
| camera = Multi-camera
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = {{plainlist|
- Ordinary Films
- Cherry Tree Entertainment
- The Tannenbaum Company
- CBS Productions
}}
| channel = CBS
| first_aired =
| last_aired =
| related =
}}
Friend Me is an unaired American television comedy series about the real-life deal-of-the-day website coupon service company Groupon. The series, created by writers Alan Kirschenbaum and Ajay Sahgal, was to have been produced by CBS Television Studios but subsequently never aired after Kirschenbaum's suicide.{{cite web|title=CBS at TCA: We Want an 11th Season of "Two and a Half Men"|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2013/01/12/cbs-at-tca-we-want-an-11th-season-of-two-and-a-half-men-535214/10158/|publisher=The Futon Critic|accessdate=January 12, 2013}} It was confirmed as canceled on July 29, 2013, and remains unaired {{as of|2023|lc=y}}.{{cite web|title=Shows A-Z - friend me on cbs|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch/friend-me/|publisher=The Futon Critic|accessdate=July 30, 2013}}{{cite web|title=CBS at TCA: Old Broadcast Model Still Works But Open to New Ones|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2013/07/29/cbs-at-tca-old-broadcast-model-still-works-but-open-to-new-ones-253211/10476/|first=Brian |last=Sullivan |publisher=The Futon Critic|date=July 29, 2013|accessdate=July 30, 2013}} The pilot was uploaded to YouTube in 2023.
Plot
The series follows two men in their 20s who move to Los Angeles to start their new lives working at Groupon. While one is determined to recreate himself in the new city, the other clings to their old group of friends in Bloomington, Indiana.
Cast
- Christopher Mintz-Plasse{{cite web|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|title=Chris Mintz-Plasse To Star In CBS Comedy Pilot 'Friend Me'|url=https://deadline.com/2012/04/chris-mintz-plasse-to-star-in-cbs-comedy-pilot-friend-me-252693/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=June 22, 2013|date=April 3, 2012}} as Evan
- Nicholas Braun{{cite web|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|title=Fox's 'In Living Color', CBS' 'Friend Me' & Martin Lawrence Project Add To Casts|url=https://deadline.com/2012/04/foxs-in-living-color-cbs-friend-me-martin-lawrence-project-add-to-casts-252246/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=June 22, 2013|date=April 2, 2012}} as Rob
- Amanda Lund{{cite web|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|title=Amanda Lund To Co-Star In Midseason CBS Comedy 'Friend Me'|url=https://deadline.com/2012/09/amanda-lund-to-co-star-in-midseason-cbs-comedy-friend-me-338614/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=June 22, 2013|date=September 18, 2012}} as Amanda
- Tim Robinson{{cite web|last=Weisman|first=Jon|title=Network pilots land Edwards, Barrowman|url=https://variety.com/2012/tv/news/network-pilots-land-edwards-barrowman-1118051243/|work=Variety|accessdate=June 22, 2013|date=March 8, 2012}} as Sully
- Haysha Deitsch{{cite web|title=Haysha Deitsch - Trakt.tv|url=https://trakt.tv/people/haysha-deitsch|website=Trakt.tv|accessdate=15 February 2017}} as Steve
- Dan Ahdoot as Farhad
- Parvesh Cheena{{cite web|last=Tsering|first=Lisa|title=Parvesh Cheena in 'Friend Me' Comedy Pilot|url=http://www.indiawest.com/news/3376-parvesh-cheena|work=India West|accessdate=June 22, 2013|date=March 6, 2012}} as Mike
Production
CBS placed a series order in May 2012.{{Cite news |first=Nellie |last=Andreeva |website=Deadline Hollywood |title=CBS Picks Up Four New Drama Series & Two Comedies: Is A 'CSI' Spinoff Going Away? |url=https://deadline.com/2012/05/cbs-picks-up-four-new-drama-series-two-comedies-is-a-csi-spinoff-going-away-271317/ |date=May 13, 2012 |access-date=May 13, 2012}} The series was expected to premiere as a midseason entry during the 2012–13 television season.{{cite web |last=Owen |first=Rob |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |title='Two and a Half Men' on the move in CBS fall schedule |url=http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/arts-entertainment-living/tuned-in-journal/32989-two-and-a-half-men-on-the-move-in-cbs-fall-schedule |accessdate=May 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520061054/http://communityvoices.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/arts-entertainment-living/tuned-in-journal/32989-two-and-a-half-men-on-the-move-in-cbs-fall-schedule |archive-date=May 20, 2012 |url-status=dead }} However, on December 6, 2012, CBS revealed that its midseason schedule did not include the series.{{cite news |last=O'Connell |first=Michael |date=December 6, 2012 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cbs-midseason-schedule-samples-golden-398778 |title=CBS Midseason Schedule Samples 'Golden Boy' in 'Vegas' Spot Before Friday Move |work=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=December 6, 2012}} The series would be the last project for co-creator Alan Kirschenbaum, who died of suicide on October 26, 2012.{{cite news |url=https://www.tvguide.com/News/Alan-Kirschenbaum-Dead-1055180.aspx |title=Alan Kirschenbaum, Co-Creator of Yes, Dear and Friend Me, Dead at 51 |work=TV Guide |date=October 28, 2012}}