Tom Arnold Ready for Prime Time Again

Tom Arnold will return to prime time in a new show on the WB Network, the service announced Sunday.

The untitled comedy represents the third series vehicle built around Arnold, who previously starred in ABC’s “The Jackie Thomas Show,” which he produced with his ex-wife, Roseanne, after sporadically appearing on her series.

After “Jackie Thomas” was canceled in 1993, Arnold shifted to CBS in another short-lived comedy, “Tom,” before moving on to film roles in “True Lies,” “Nine Weeks” and “The Stupids.” Details remain vague on the new sitcom, which will be produced by Universal Television and probably won’t premiere until next season.

WB also announced plans for a family comedy starring “Laverne & Shirley” alumna Cindy Williams that will be produced by Miller-Boyett-Warren Productions, the outfit responsible for such shows as “Full House” and “Family Matters.” Williams previously co-starred with Telma Hopkins in another show produced by that team, “Getting By.”

As a fledgling network, WB has pursued a marketing strategy of offering family-oriented shows, seeking to counter-program the other networks by scheduling programs that appeal to children and teenagers from 8-9 p.m.

Arnold’s show is expected to be slightly more adult, airing after 9 o’clock, where WB schedules such shows as the Aaron Spelling soap opera “Savannah” as well as sitcoms “The Wayans Bros.” and “Unhappily Ever After.”