FOX greenlights glee-club comedy from Ryan Murphy

"Nip/Tuck" creator Ryan Murphy will lighten up a bit with his next project, an hour-long comedy on its way to FOX.

The network has given a pilot commitment to "Glee," an ensemble show about the worst high-school glee club in America. FOX has put the show on a fast track, according to the showbiz trade papers, hoping to have a pilot ready to view by the end of the year.

Murphy, who has a development deal with FOX sibling 20th Century Fox TV, says he was brainstorming ideas for shows that could pair with "American Idol." "It seemed to be a natural evolution to do something in that vein," he says.

The show will center on a Spanish teacher who's called on to take over his school's glee club, which is, to put it mildly, bad. Both the students involved and others at the school, however, are game to turn things around. The show will likely feature several musical numbers per episode as the club practices and performs.

Murphy is writing the pilot with fellow "Nip/Tuck" scribe Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, who pitched Murphy the idea. Murphy is also set to direct the pilot and executive produce with Falchuk; Brennan will be a co-exec producer.