Marta Kauffman, one of the creative minds behind the legendary sitcom Friends, is making her return to the multi-camera comedy genre after more than a decade. Amazon MGM Studios has officially ordered a full series of DINKS (Dual Income No Kids), an improvised multi-camera sitcom that marks Kauffman’s first new comedy series since Grace and Frankie premiered on Netflix in 2015.
The project has been in development for some time. Amazon first commissioned a pilot for DINKS in April 2024, and the series order comes more than two years after that initial pilot commitment. Before landing at Amazon, an earlier version of the comedy, then titled A Lot, was developed at CBS in 2023 with the same core creative team.
What ‘DINKS’ Is About
The title DINKS stands for “Dual Income No Kids,” a term that describes couples where both partners work and they do not have children. The series follows Josh, played by Paul Scheer, and Charlie, played by June Diane Raphael—a couple who choose to build a life together without getting married or having children.
Their plan takes an unexpected turn when they decide to renovate what is described as their “nightmare of a dream house”. The renovation project quickly becomes far more complicated than they anticipated, creating the comedic foundation for the series.
What makes this setup particularly interesting is that Scheer and Raphael are a real-life married couple. They also serve as executive producers on the series alongside their starring roles. Jon Gabrus joins the cast as a series regular.
A New Kind of Multi-Camera Comedy
DINKS is being described as a first-of-its-kind improvised multi-camera sitcom. This marks the first time Prime Video has ordered a multi-camera sitcom, and it is also the streamer’s first improvised comedy in this format.
The show combines the familiar structure of a traditional studio comedy with the spontaneity of improvisation. Unlike a conventional multi-camera sitcom that relies entirely on scripted dialogue, DINKS allows the actors to improvise within the framework of each scene.
Kauffman explained her decision to embrace improvisation for this project. She said:
“I’ve always said I wouldn’t do another multi-cam unless someone was able to reinvent it. Okay Goodnight and I got tired of waiting, and decided we should do it ourselves. It’s what I hoped it would be: unique, hilarious and warm. Shooting this show is like being on a roller coaster in the dark. You have no idea where it’s going to go, but you know it’s going to be fun.”
The Creative Team Behind the Series
Kauffman co-created DINKS with Hannah K.S. Canter. The series is produced under Kauffman’s production banner, Okay Goodnight, alongside Lionsgate Television and Amazon MGM Studios.
The project also involves an unusual financing partnership. Publicis Media Content Innovation (PMCI) , the specialty entertainment division of Publicis Media, is involved in funding the series. This arrangement brings together a streaming service, a traditional television studio, and a media agency, creating an alternative approach to financing and greenlighting scripted television.
Robbie Rowe Tollin and Jesse Schiller round out the executive producing team.
Peter Friedlander, head of global television at Amazon MGM Studios, praised Kauffman’s work on the project. He said that DINKS blends the humor and heart that have defined her career with a new improvisational approach, and highlighted Raphael and Scheer as the ideal pairing to bring the concept to life.
Scott Herbst, EVP & Head of Scripted Development at Lionsgate Television, and Brad Haugen, EVP of Digital Strategy & Growth at Lionsgate, described the series as both distinctive and universally relatable.
Kauffman’s Career and Return to Comedy
Marta Kauffman first became a household name after co-creating Friends with David Crane. The show ran for ten seasons between 1994 and 2004 and remains one of the most popular sitcoms in television history. During its run, Friends received 62 Primetime Emmy nominations and won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2002.
Following Friends, Kauffman continued working in television through projects such as Jesse and Related. She also co-created Grace and Frankie with Howard J. Morris, which premiered on Netflix in 2015 and ran for seven seasons.
DINKS represents Kauffman’s return to the sitcom format after 11 years. She has remained active in television during that time, but this new series brings her back to the multi-camera comedy style she helped define with Friends.
The cast brings significant improv experience to the project. Paul Scheer is known for his work on The League, Black Monday, and Veep. He also co-created the sketch series Human Giant and the Adult Swim comedy NTSF:SD:SUV::, and co-hosts the podcast How Did This Get Made?. June Diane Raphael is best known for her role as Brianna Hanson across all seven seasons of Grace and Frankie. She also appeared in the Legally Blonde prequel series Elle and the horror film Weapons. Jon Gabrus has appeared in What We Do In The Shadows, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Happy Endings, and Workaholics, and starred in HBO Max’s 101 Places To Party Before You Die.
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Production and Release Information
Amazon MGM Studios officially announced the series order on August 3, 2026. The announcement came more than two years after the initial pilot order in April 2024.
Currently, there is no confirmed release date or production timeline for DINKS. The series is still in the development phase, and production has not yet begun. As the project moves forward, more details about the premiere date and additional casting are expected to emerge.
The series will stream exclusively on Prime Video. It adds to Prime Video’s growing slate of original comedy programming as the streaming platform continues to expand its television offerings.
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