Matthew Perry Not So Friendly in ‘The End of Steve’

Friends alum Matthew Perry has been pretty busy since the end of his signature NBC sitcom, working on high-profile series like Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and even earning an Emmy nomination for his touching role in the basic-cable original movie The Ron Clark Story.

When Perry next returns to television in a regular role, however, he’ll be playing a character far different from Chandler Bing on a series far different from Friends. Next up on the actor’s plate is a new dark comedy with the foreboding title The End of Steve.

Perry’s title character is a talk show host on local TV, a job guaranteed to make all but the most well-balanced souls bitter, especially when they crave fame in a larger, more prominent market. Easier said than done, I’m sure.

Showtime has reportedly made a commitment for the pilot, which will be co-written and co-executive produced by Perry and Rescue Me‘s Peter Tolan. The show’s premise sounds fairly interesting, and the fact that Showtime is interested ups the enthusiasm factor significantly. I hope the project works out for Perry.