NBC Krysten Ritter ‘Mission Control’ Canceled: ‘Anchorman’ Astronaut Comedy Aborted at Launch

We were happy to see 'Breaking Bad' and 'Don't Trust the B' star Krysten Ritter given proper due with NBC's 'Mission Control,' a Will Ferrell-Adam McKay '60s astronaut comedy in the vein of 'Anchorman,' but wouldn't you know it, the launch has already been canceled. NBC has opted to scrap 'Mission Control' ahead of its midseason debut altogether.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the female-driven workplace comedy experienced casting issues after the loss of 'Smallville' star Michael Rosenbaum, with additional vacated roles leaving NBC to scrap the project all at once. Set amid the backdrop of the 1962 space race, ‘Mission Control’ was to see Ferrell and creative partner Adam McKay executive producing a script written by ‘Always Sunny‘ vet David Hornsby and described as “A workplace ensemble in the tone of Anchorman that examines what happens when a strong woman butts heads with a macho astronaut in the race to land on the moon.”

Here lies NBC’s official logline:

Dr. Mary Kendricks (Krysten Ritter, “Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23″) is a tough but brilliant aerospace engineer, leading a team of NASA scientists at the cutting edge of space exploration. The only problem is, this is the 1960s and she’s a woman. Navigating the ridiculous boys’ club of astronauts and engineering nerds is no easy task, but she’s up to the challenge … until her boss brings on Tom (Tommy Dewey, “The Mindy Project”) – a former hotshot test pilot and overall man’s man – to co-manage her team. It doesn’t help that he initially mistakes her for a secretary.

Between him, her astronaut boyfriend Cash and her offbeat all-guy team, Mary certainly has her hands full… but at the end of the day, they all want the same thing: to get a man on the moon. It might just take a woman to get him there. The cast also includes Malcolm Barrett, Jonathan Slavin and Julie Meyer.

'Mission Control' also marks NBC's second early cancellation, following aborted plans for 'Wizard of Oz' riff 'Emerald City.' For her part, NBC's previous Will Ferrell-Krysten Ritter collaboration 'Assistance' also ended up dead on the operating table. That Jane just can't catch a break, these days.

Well, what say you? Would you have wanted to see Krysten Ritter in NBC's 'Mission Control?' Where should the one-time 'Breaking Bad' actress head next?