Settling marital disagreements

Jerry Seinfeld, wry commentator on the travails of dating in his landmark sitcom, is preparing to blow the whistle on the flip side of single life -- marriage.

The comedian won’t actually be making the shrill noise, but as a producer he will be among the ones calling the shots with NBC’s “The Marriage Ref,” which premieres March 14. Don’t expect “In Treatment” or a heavy-duty exploration of relationships; the program is all about the funny side of how couples disagree.

The show, which Seinfeld describes as a “ comedy about situations in reality,” marks the comedian’s official return to prime time on a major network since “Seinfeld” ended in 1998. It will center on a dispute between a specific married couple, which will then be discussed by a rotating comedy panel of “experts.” (The main couple will be shown at home, while the panel and ref will be in the studio.)

The matter will then be turned over to The Marriage Ref, who will make the final decision on who is right -- husband or wife. When the ref makes his or her call, the action will switch back to the home, where the ruling will be delivered.

“Everything will be in the ‘Seinfeld’ tone,” said executive producer Ellen Rakieten.

“It will be very funny and unlike anything that has ever been in TV. Every couple have these spats that go on for years and years, like ‘Why does the kitchen sink have so much water when you’re only doing one dish?’ ” she added. “A husband might say he can’t stand the way the wife orders his coffee, how it has to be just so. This is bringing a simple solution to the never-ending complicated world of relationships.”

The show’s inspiration came to Seinfeld after he asked a friend to settle a marital tiff of his own. The friend listened to both sides and made a ruling -- Seinfeld’s wife was right. The couple hugged, and the issue was settled.

The dynamics of marriage has driven much of Seinfeld’s stand-up, and he puts his observational powers to good use in developing the series. For instance, said Rakieten, “He riffs on how he didn’t realize there were various tones in your voice that you use in a marriage.”

Rakieten is accustomed to pointing television’s lens on the home life. She was one of the first producers of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and was with Harpo Productions through 2009.

Although much of his participation will be behind the scenes, “Jerry will show up from time to time as one of the experts,” she said.

greg.braxton@latimes.com