AOK - What We Know So Far

Along with grunge music and slap bracelets, the 1990s gifted us with some of the most cherished and critically celebrated sitcoms in television history like "Friends," "Seinfeld," and "Frasier." Now, the former star of another astronomically popular TV series is hoping to recapture the retro glory of the 20th century's last decade in his new project. Johnny Galecki, who played Leonard Hofstadter on "The Big Bang Theory," has teamed up with writer and producer John Quaintance to create the half-hour workplace comedy "AOK." The upcoming CBS production takes place in 1991 at a fledgling internet start-up.

While describing "AOK" to Deadline, Galecki stated that he and Quaintance "are excited to reimagine the '90s sitcom through a modern lens as John has created something truly special. We hope to surprise people in a familiar place with characters you will fall in love with." Here is everything we know so far about "AOK."

"AOK" is still in its nascent stages of development, so no release date — or even a tentative timeline — has been established for the technology-centered comedy. Its showrunners Johnny Galecki and John Quaintance are currently working with CBS to bring the '90s-set series to TV screens across the country, per Deadline. If and when CBS adds "AOK" to its official lineup, it will join the network's current crop of chuckle-inducing sitcoms, including "The Neighborhood," "B Positive," and "Young Sheldon," which is a prequel to Galecki's former show "The Big Bang Theory."

The production company for "AOK" is Warner Bros. Television. The well-regarded programming distributor is an appropriate choice for a CBS sitcom; it produced the Eye Network's "Mom," "Bob Hearts Abishola," and "God Friended Me," among other shows. Beyond comedies, Warner Bros. Television is also known for popular programs ranging from supernatural dramas to superhero shows.

No announcements about the casting of "AOK" have been made as of the date of this article. While it is currently unknown who will act in the workplace series, its creators have some well-known works on their resumes. Executive producer Johnny Galecki first captured the attention of television audiences as an up-and-coming teen performer on "Roseanne." He transitioned from supporting character to mega TV star when he went from playing Darlene Conner's boyfriend (and later husband), David Healy, to gaining massive success and wealth from his role on "The Big Bang Theory."

While primarily recognized for being in front of the camera, Galecki also has experience working behind it. According to IMDb, he executive produced 13 episodes of the 2018 show "Living Biblically," another CBS comedy like "AOK." 

The other executive producer for "AOK" is John Quaintance, who will also serve as its writer. His most noteworthy producing credit is for the groundbreaking "Will & Grace," which debuted on NBC in 1998. Quaintance also produced 20 episodes of Comedy Central's office-set sitcom "Workaholics."

"AOK" takes place many years before the existence of smartphones, social media, and the rest of the innovative technology most take for granted today. Deadline reported that the sitcom "is set at an underdog Internet company in pre-AOL 1991." The outlet adds that "AOK" will center on several young "entrepreneurs" as they deal with their day-to-day lives in and out of work, and even get into romantic relationships with each other in some cases.

Based on that description, "AOK" may appeal to fans of tech-heavy series like Mike Judge's "Silicon Valley." The HBO comedy centers on the entrepreneurial efforts of a computer programmer and his start-up, Pied Piper. "AOK" has also garnered comparisons to "Halt and Catch Fire," as pointed out by TV Line. While the binge-worthy AMC drama is far from overtly comical, it is also about a group of bright trailblazers who intend to make names for themselves in the early days of the World Wide Web.