In 2000, Sara Gilbert returned to television in the sitcom “Welcome to New York.” For Gilbert, who literally grew up cracking jokes in front of a live studio audience, returning to the four-camera comedy format brought her back to familiar ground. “I really like having that live audience and having a place that feels like a regular workplace,” she told Entertainment Weekly. There was another aspect of television that she preferred over film work. “It’s sad when you do movies and a few months later say goodbye to everybody,” she said. “Not that that couldn’t happen with this show, but at least there’s a chance you’ll be together for a few years.”
Sadly, that wasn’t the case with “Welcome to New York,” which didn’t make it beyond its first season. Gilbert, however, kept plugging away. In addition to an array of TV guest spots, she had a multi-episode story arc in “24,” then joined the hit medical drama “ER” in the recurring role of medical student Jane Figler. In 2005, she co-starred with Molly Stanton in the sitcom “Twins,” with the two playing polar-opposite twin sisters. Like her previous series, “Twins” was not invited back for a second season.
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In 2014, Gilbert joined “Bad Teacher,” a TV adaptation of the Cameron Diaz-starring movie of the same name. She played nerdy schoolteacher Irene Dudek in the series, which, like her previous TV comedies, was quickly cancelled.
