A cop, a reporter and a computer IT security geek, all pals, walk into a bar. A small crowd of elbow benders surrounds them as they start comparing war stories to see who will pick up the first round.

In what sounds like a combination of his series “Freaks and Geeks” and “Sex and the City,” Paul Feig has made a deal with HBO to script the pilot “Nice Guys.” The comedy revolves around a trio of ...