Nearly three decades after Wings ended its eight-season run, Steven Weber still has a soft spot for the beloved NBC sitcom — and he would be more than willing to return if the series ever makes a comeback.

Weber, who played charming but often reckless pilot Brian Hackett throughout the show’s 172 episodes, discussed the possibility of a revival while attending Flashback Weekend Chicago. When asked whether there had been any conversations about bringing Wings back, the actor simply answered, “No.”

But his response was very different when asked whether he would actually want to return.

“Of course, of course, yeah, it’s work, and it’d be fun,” Weber said. He acknowledged that getting a reboot made would require the right people behind the scenes, particularly someone with the industry connections and financial interest to make it happen. Still, he made it clear that he would be interested if the opportunity ever came his way.

For Weber, returning to Wings would also mean revisiting what he considers one of the best jobs of his career. The sitcom premiered on NBC in 1990 and centered on brothers Brian and Joe Hackett, played by Weber and Tim Daly, as they ran a small airline on Nantucket.

Looking back at his time on the series, Weber described it as a “dream job.” Having grown up watching sitcoms, he said being part of NBC’s comedy lineup during the network’s famous Must See TV era was an especially memorable experience.

Although Wings shared the network’s schedule with massive hits including Cheers, Frasier, Friends and Seinfeld, Weber acknowledged that the show was never considered the biggest or most talked-about comedy of its era.

“We were always sandwiched between those hotter shows,” he recalled, adding that the series nevertheless managed to “stand the test of time.”

One of the things Weber remembers most fondly is the show’s impressive lineup of guest stars. During its eight-season run, Wings welcomed performers from a wide range of backgrounds, including classically trained actors, comedians and unexpected celebrity appearances.

Among the more surprising names Weber remembered was Oliver North, who appeared as himself in the Season 3 episode “Take My Life, Please.” North’s appearance was particularly unexpected given his prominent role in the Iran-Contra controversy and his status as one of the most recognizable political figures in the early 1990s.

The sitcom also developed a second life after NBC through cable reruns. USA Network acquired the rights to dozens of episodes, eventually airing the series frequently enough that it became a familiar part of the channel’s schedule.

Even The Simpsons poked fun at the sitcom’s seemingly endless television presence, with one memorable joke dismissing an upcoming Wings episode with the line, “Ah, who cares?”

Despite the jokes and the show’s relatively low profile compared with other NBC comedies of its generation, Wings has continued to find new audiences. The series also became an early stop for several writers who would later make their own mark on television, including Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, who went on to create Modern Family.

Weber has also maintained friendships with several of his former castmates. He said he remains close with Tim Daly and stays in touch with Amy Yasbeck and Tony Shalhoub.

Whether a Wings reboot actually happens remains uncertain. There is currently no revival in development, but Weber’s willingness to return could certainly give fans another reason to imagine what Brian Hackett and the rest of the Nantucket crew might look like nearly 30 years later.

For now, Weber seems perfectly happy knowing that audiences continue to discover the sitcom and revisit the characters he spent eight seasons bringing to life.

“It was such a privilege to be a part of,” he said.

Source: https://www.tvinsider.com/