James Burrows to Executive Produce/Direct CBS's PARTNERS

As first reported on Deadline.com, 'Cheers' executive producer James Burrows is set to take on the role of EP and director for the upcoming CBS comedy series PARTNERS. Burrows directed the pilot episode for the CBS/Warner Bros. project.

For the past two years, Burrows has been executive producer and primary director for the CBS comedy 'Mike & Molly. He will join former collegues David Kohan and Max Mutchnick on the new CBS comedy.

Burrows has directed the pilots for five upcoming series that are set to air next season. In his 40 year career he has helmed such hits as Cheers, Will & Grace, Two And A Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Mike & Molly and 2 Broke Girls.

PARTNERS is a comedy based on the lives of creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, about two life-long best friends and business partners whose "bromance" is tested when one of them is engaged to be married. Joe (David Krumholtz) is an accomplished architect who leads with his head and not his heart, especially in his love life. That's in stark contrast to his gay co-worker, Louis (Michael Urie), who is spontaneous, emotional and prone to exaggeration.

Both have found joy in their love lives: Joe is newly engaged to Ali (Sophia Bush), a beautiful and sophisticated jewelry designer, while Louis is dating Wyatt (Brandon Routh), a vegan nurse who Louis insists is just a promotion away from becoming a doctor. As news of Joe's engagement settles, time will tell if their business and personal bond can adapt to the addition of two other important relationships.