NBC TO PREMIERE 'FIRST YEARS'

After only three weeks NBC has pulled the plug and stopped 'First Years'
(4 April 2001)

NBC TO PREMIERE 'FIRST YEARS'
- A NEW COMEDY-DRAMA SERIES OFFERING INTRIGUING LOOK AT FIRST-YEAR LAW GRADS -- ON MARCH 19
Published: February 22, 2001

NBC will premiere its new comedy-drama series "First Years" - a one-hour series which offers a humorous, intimate look at the lives of five first-year law graduates in San Francisco - on Monday, March 19 (9-10 p.m. ET), it was announced today by Jeffrey Zucker, President, NBC Entertainment.

Created and executive-produced by Jill Gordon ("My So-Called Life," "The Wonder Years"), "First Years" is loosely based on the hit British series "This Life" and portrays the personal struggles of the young lawyers as they attempt to get their careers off the ground in one of America's most colorful and vibrant cities. To help pay off their student loans, four of them share a fixer-upper house together in the Haight-Ashbury district.

"We believe 'First Years' is a most promising series with a fresh, personable cast and a proven executive producer in Jill Gordon," said Zucker. "It has real potential to become a critical and commercial success with crossover appeal on Mondays."

The ensemble cast includes Samantha Mathis ("American Psycho," "Broken Arrow,") as Anna Weller, a fearless, straightforward divorcee who lives on her own; Mackenzie Astin ("The Last Days of Disco") as Warren Harrison, the most stable of the group, but a bit of an outsider; Sydney Tamiia Poitier ("Noah's Ark") as Riley Kessler, who loves her longtime boyfriend, Edgar "Egg" Ross, (James Roday, "Ryan Caulfield: Year One"), who has disgraced his Peace Corps family by becoming a lawyer; and Ken Marino ("Men Behaving Badly") as Egg's best friend, Miles Lawton, a charming smart guy who rejects his wealthy family background.

Eric Schaeffer ("If Lucy Fell") plays the associates' colorful mentor, Sam O'Donnell.

"First Years" is an NBC Studios production in association with Studios USA Television. Jill Gordon is executive producer/creator and Ken Topolsky ("Party of Five," "The Wonder Years") and Mark B. Perry ("Time of Your Life," "Party of Five") are executive producers. Tom H. Moore ("Ally McBeal," "Felicity") directs the pilot episode.

Members of the media can get more information about NBC and its programming on the NBC Media Village Web site at www.nbcmv.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Deborah Thomas, NBC Entertainment Publicity, 818/840-3663 New York 2/22/01

'FIRST YEARS' PROGRAM INFORMATION
Published: March 01, 2001

'FIRST YEARS'

(Mondays, 9-10 P.M. ET On NBC)

Editors Note: Following is press information for "First Years," a midseason series premiering Monday, March 19 (9-10 p.m. ET) on NBC.

This comedy-drama, created and executive produced by Jill Gordon ("My So-Called Life," "The Wonder Years"), is a one-hour series loosely based
on the hit British series "This Life," which takes a humorous, intimate look at the lives of five first-year law graduates as they struggle to get their careers off the ground in San Francisco.

"They are first-year associates in a law firm. In other words, they're bottom-feeders," says Gordon. "They get shoved all the grunt work and receive none of the glory, which is why you'll never see them in a courtroom. To help pay off their student loans, four of them save money by sharing a fixer-upper house together in the Haight-Ashbury district. Despite the long hours and the grind, these people don't take themselves too seriously.

"They are fun and appropriately screwed up, but nobody is neurotic," Gordon adds. "If any of these characters do become neurotic, or whiny, we will kill them off."

"First Years" stars Samantha Mathis ("American Psycho," "Broken Arrow,") as Anna Weller, a fearless, straight-forward career woman who lives on her own; Mackenzie Astin ("The Last Days of Disco") as Warren Harrison, the most stable of the group, but a bit of an outsider; Sydney Tamiia Poitier ("Noah's Ark") as Riley Kessler, someone who is simply normal and loves her longtime boyfriend, Edgar "Egg" Ross, played by James Roday ("Ryan Caulfield: Year One"), who has disgraced his Peace Corps family by becoming a lawyer; and Ken Marino ("Men Behaving Badly") as Egg's best friend, Miles Lawton, a charming smart guy who rejects his wealthy family background. Eric Schaeffer ("If Lucy Fell") plays the associates' colorful mentor, Sam O'Donnell.

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