Category: News

The Latest Writer Deals Since the Last Latest Writer Deals

Because we’re always thinking of you:

  • MENTALIST creator Bruno Heller has a pilot production commitment from CBS for THE ADVOCATES, a drama about a woman lawyer and a male ex-con who right wrongs for underdogs. (You know, like LEVERAGE without the team, or FAIRLY LEGAL with a duo that actually works together.)
  • Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan has a put pilot commitment from CBS for an untitled comedy inspired by his life. (You know, like LOUIE without Louis C.K., or EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND without Raymond.) Also on the project: Peter Tolan of THE LARRY SANDERS show.
  • John Phillips, writer of the just purchased by Universal screenplay DIRTY GRANDPA is writing the pilot for STARTING UP, a comedy about two buddies who open a start-up together, for 20th TV.
  • Lauren Pomerantz, writer-producer on ELLEN, will write an untitled comedy about a “proudly independent 32-year-old single woman” for NBC. Joining her as producer of the project will be her current boss, Ellen DeGeneres.
  • Jeff Astrof, co-executive producer of the upcoming PARTNERS, has a put pilot commitment from ABC for a comedy based on the book Fat, Forty and Fired, about a guy who gets fired and figures out that there’s more to life than work anyway.

Some Details About Larry David’s HBO Movie

Cuz we all wanna know, right? It’s about the trendz, baby. So when pitch time comes we know what to take to HBO:

OMG! Larry David is turning into Chevy Chase! This can’t be good.

Larry David’s Clear History Adds All-Star Cast Including Jon Hamm – by Jessica Grabert

The last time we heard from Larry David’s new comedy movie, the project was potentially moving from the big screen to subscription cable channel, HBO. All of the details hadn’t been finalized, but, recently, they started shoring up fast. David’s new HBO movie is going to be called Clear History and a slew of cast members, including John Hamm, Bill Hader, Danny McBride, Kate Hudson, Michael Keaton and many more have been added to the lineup. read article

Mandy Patinkin on Why He Left CRIMINAL MINDS

Because he’s a sensitive man, that’s why. His reasons definitely resonate with us. Well done, Mandy dood! Yeah, right, we’re praising a man whose actions have consistently proven that he doesn’t need our praise. Which we also find praiseworthy. (Time to stop before this hole we’re digging gets any bigger!)

Mandy Patinkin: ‘Criminal Minds’ Was ‘Destructive to My Soul’
by Seth Abramovitch (HollywoodReporter.Com)

Emmy nominee Mandy Patinkin is currently enjoying popular and critical success on Showtime’s Homeland. But his last TV job, on CBS procedural Criminal Minds, was such a terrible experience it left him thinking he’d never work in the medium again. read article

Writing Deals and More Than Just Writing Deals – Whoa!

More writers to get to know…or be very, very nice to if you already know ’em:

  • Bill Lawrence, co-creator of COUGAR TOWN is adapting the book by Justin Halpern (of $#*! MY DAD SAYS fame), I Suck at Girls as a sitcom for Fox.
  • Jason Micallef, the relatively “unknown” writer of the feature film BUTTER, starring Hugh Jackman and Olivia Wilde, is writing the pilot of BASTARDS, another sitcom for Fox.
  • The far from unknown J.J.Abrams has extended his deal with Warner Brothers Television through 2015.
  • SONS OF ANARCHY creator Kurt Sutter has a deal at FX to write DIVA. CLOWN. KILLER,” a comedy to star his wife, Katey Sagal.
  • James Wong, an old TV hand from 21 JUMP STREET, THE X-FILES, and more, is set to write and produce OCCULT, a cop show that sounds a lot like X-FILES (but with Michael Bay producing so you know it won’t feel like X-FILES at all).
  • NUMB3RS co-creators Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci are writing and producing a pilot based on Elmore Leonard’s short story When the WOmen Come Out to Dance for USA.
  • Shaun Cassidy of INVASION and BLUE BLOODS is writing an unnamed spy pilot for Fox and will produce the show alongside HOMELAND’s Howard Gordon.

BINGE WATCHING is the Phrase of the Day

…And ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT is its prophet. Or something like that.

‘Arrested Development’ and How the Rise of Binge Watching Is Changing TV – by John Lichman read article