Lifetime Television Launches New Comedy Series, 'Rita Rocks,' With Aggressive Scheduling Strategy Featuring Five Original Episodes in One Week, October 20-24 at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT)

Nicole Sullivan ("MADtv"), Richard Ruccolo ("Two Guys and a Girl") and Tisha Campbell-Martin ("My Wife and Kids") Star in New Series from Media Right Capital

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 22 -- In an aggressive scheduling strategy, Lifetime Television will launch "Rita Rocks," the network's first original prime-time comedy series in a decade, with five new episodes airing in a one week strip, beginning Monday, October 20, through Friday, October 24, at 8:30PM (ET/PT).

The popular off-net comedy "Reba," Lifetime's highest-rated weekday series, kicks off the special one-hour programming block at 8PM (ET/PT).

Starting October 28, "Rita Rocks" will air regularly Tuesdays at 8:30PM (ET/PT).

In making the announcement, JoAnn Alfano, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, Lifetime Networks, said, "We are very excited about 'Rita Rocks' and believe that by launching it behind 'Reba' for five consecutive nights we will ensure the widest possible sampling. We hope to build a strong one-hour comedy block by pairing these two very compatible shows."

"Rita Rocks" stars Nicole Sullivan ("The King of Queens," "MADtv"), Richard Ruccolo ("Joey," "Two Guys and a Girl") and Tisha Campbell-Martin ("My Wife and Kids," "Martin"), Natalie Dreyfuss ("He's Just Not That Into You"), Kelly Gould ("Lucky Louie"), and Raviv Ullman ("Phil of the Future"). Also joining the cast is Auggie, an 11-month old Golden Retriever, as Yoda, the family dog.

In "Rita Rocks," Sullivan stars as Rita Clements, an overworked wife and mother in the middle of a full blown identity crisis -- which includes trying to maintain romance with her husband Jay (Ruccolo), juggling the demands of her nine-year-old daughter Shannon (Gould) and disciplining her defiant, teenage daughter Hallie (Dreyfuss) and her ever-present boyfriend Kip (Ullman). After being passed over for a promotion at work, Rita is at her wit's end. In search of "youthful" Rita, she dusts off her old guitar and forms a garage band with her nosey postal carrier Patty (Campbell-Martin) and unemployed neighbor Owen (guest-star Ian Gomez), in the hopes of putting that spark back in her life.

"Rita Rocks" is produced by Media Rights Capital for Lifetime Television. Stan Zimmerman and James Berg ("Gilmore Girls," "Roseanne"), Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai ("Hope & Faith, "According to Jim") are executive producers. Alan Padula ("8 Simple Rules," "Home Improvement") is producer. Zimmerman and Berg are also the creators.

Lifetime is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, Lifetime is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (including myLifetime.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.