In the landscape of modern television, where prestige dramas often lean into cynicism, high-stakes procedurals, or dystopian grit, It’s Not Like That arrives like a quiet rebellion. Premiering January 25, 2026, on Wonder Project via Prime Video, this eight-episode family dramedy from creators, showrunners, and executive producers Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk Robinson refuses the easy spectacle. Instead, it dives headfirst into the messy, tender terrain of grief, faith, parenthood, and the slow burn of unexpected connection.
At its core, the series follows Malcolm Jeffries (Scott Foley), a recently widowed pastor and father of three, and Lori Soto (Erinn Hayes), a freshly divorced mother of two teens. Their families were once intertwined—close friends navigating life together—until loss and rupture redrew the map. Now, as they lean on each other through shared history and heartache, the question lingers: Is this the start of something romantic? The title winks at the rom-com roots of its creators while insisting otherwise. Or does it?
In a recent conversation, Deitchman and Robinson opened up about the personal origins of the project. The story sprang from real-life pain: a mutual college friend lost to cancer, leaving behind a young family, and a close friend’s sudden divorce that unfolded in raw, everyday moments. One vivid scene from the pilot—Lori handing over an iPad with a plea to “just pick somebody”—mirrors a literal exchange Robinson experienced. “She handed me her iPad,” Robinson recalled. “I was like, this is hell. Just find someone.” From that vulnerability came a spark: a romantic throughline wrapped in the complexities of real singledom and blended-family chaos.
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The duo, whose credits include the feature Life As We Know It (starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, directed by Greg Berlanti for Warner Bros.), got their start in television on NBC’s Parenthood. That experience shaped their love for character-driven storytelling. “We grew up watching … thirtysomething and Friday Night Lights,” they noted in their creator statement. “We always wanted to create a family dramedy of our own.” After Parenthood, they built an impressive resume: supervising producers on Rise; consulting producers on The Bold Type; co-executive producers on Almost Family (FOX), Ordinary Joe (NBC), and As We See It (Amazon); producers on Carnival Row; and co-producers on Z: The Beginning of Everything (Amazon). Currently, they serve as co-executive producers on Amazon and Temple Hill’s Off Campus.
When Wonder Project and Amazon MGM Studios championed their spec pilot for It’s Not Like That, the vision crystallized: a series about good people handling immense loss with humor, kindness, and faith—without resorting to murder mysteries or supernatural sinkholes. Deitchman and Robinson’s writing motto—“always be writing”—underscores their process. It’s a muscle, they insist, honed by persistence and authenticity. “Don’t write to trends, write what you know,” one advised. The other added: “Write the kind of show you’d like to see on TV.” That ethos landed them on Parenthood years ago, when Jason Katims noted their early script felt like a love letter to the series. Now, they’ve come full circle, expanding a decade-old idea into a full season.
The show’s faith element—centered on Malcolm as a modern pastor—adds depth without preachiness. It explores grace in the face of assumptions and misunderstanding. “Everyone you meet is battling something you don’t know about,” the creators explain. “It’s not like that. There is always a deeper, more complex story, one that requires an extension of grace.” Malcolm embodies that: flawed, funny, grounded in truth.
Foley brings humanity to the role, walking the line between comedy and drama, while Hayes matches him as Lori—confident yet vulnerable, loving yet discombobulated. Supporting players like J.R. Ramirez (as Lori’s ex-husband David) add layers, and the young cast forms a believable family unit. As first-time showrunners, Deitchman and Robinson felt blessed by the cast and crew’s investment. “The incredibly positive energy we all felt every day on set” could translate to viewers, they hope.
In an era of solitary streaming, the creators aim for shared viewing: something families can watch together, laugh and cry over, and discuss. “We hoped to create something that people could actually sit down and watch together,” Deitchman said, “that there’s something for everyone.”
It’s Not Like That isn’t revolutionary in form—it’s quietly radical in content. It reminds us that television can still center hope, second chances, and the beauty of ordinary resilience. In a world quick to assume the worst, it gently counters: It’s not like that. And maybe, just maybe, that’s exactly what we need right now.
