TBS makes rich deal for ‘Two Broke Girls’

“Two Broke Girls” may have to be renamed “Two Rich Girls.”

The cable channel TBS has agreed to acquire reruns of the CBS comedy “Two Broke Girls” at a price tag industry insiders said is between $1.5 million and $1.7 million per episode -- believed to be the most paid ever for reruns of a comedy by a cable network.

“Two Broke Girls,” about two Brooklyn diner waitresses struggling to save money to open a cupcake shop, is known for its raunchy humor and sexual innuendo. It was a hit for CBS in its first season.

Despite the early success of “Two Broke Girls,” it is unusual for reruns of a show to be sold after only one season on the air. If the comedy starring Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs endures a sophomore slump, TBS could end up with buyer’s regret.

Warner Bros., which produces the show for CBS, was able to sell “Two Broke Girls” so early in its run because there is currently a shortage of strong sitcoms available for reruns. Also, “Two Broke Girls” is a multicamera sitcom, meaning that it is shot before a studio audience. Those comedies tend to perform better in reruns than single-camera comedies such as “The Office” or “30 Rock.”

Also being shopped by Warner Bros. to cable networks are reruns of “Mike & Molly.” The company expects to have a deal closed next week.

Reruns of “Two Broke Girls” will appear on TBS starting in 2015. Reruns of “Two Broke Girls” and “Mike & Molly” have already been sold to TV stations owned by CBS.

Both Warner Bros. and TBS are units of Time Warner Inc.

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