Category: TV Writing to Production Deals

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 9/28/13

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

  • NBC plans a miniseries based on the life of Johnny Carson, the man who kept our grandparents up way past their bedtime back in the day. (It’s based on the book Carson the Magnificent: An Intimate Portrait by Bill Zehme, but no writer has been named so call your agents and say TVWriter™ told you that nobody but you can do the job.)
  • Emily Fox (JANE BY DESIGN) has written HINDSIGHT a drama about a woman who gets the chance to go back in time and not commit what she remembers as her biggest mistake. (Which doesn’t mean much to us cuz we’re still, you know, under 30 and know damn well we’ll never make any big life mistakes. Ain’t the millenial demo grand?)
  • Katie Lovejoy (some version or other of DRACULA) is adapting the telenovela PURA SANGRE in TRUST, a serial about – surprise! – rich people in a dysfunctional family. (Which reminds us of the old saw that “movies about happy families were just jokes played by poor writers on their rich bosses.” Or something like that.)
  • Steven Bochco (he used to be Somebody) & Eric Lodal (LAWLESS) have gotten a 10 episode order from TNT for their drama series MURDER IN THE FIRST. (Which is being produced by – oh, really? who woulda thought? – TNT Originals. Which is how writers who used to be Somebody just barely manage to get deals these days even though they’re every bit as brilliant – like Mr. Bochco – as they ever were. Yeppers, we’re rooting for this baby.)
  • John Glenn & Andre Ovredal (you know them best for the huge hit TROLL HUNTER – oh, wait–) are writing NBC’s GHOST PROJEKT, based on a series of graphic novels by Joe Harris & Steve Rolston. (Hey, newbies, don’t just sit there. Turn all your specs into graphic novels and self-publish them. Not only is the future here – it works.)

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 7/30/13

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

  • THE DIVIDE, a very serious legal drama created by Richard LaGravenese (BEHIND THE CANDELABRA) & Tony Goldman (SCANDAL) , has been picked up for 10 episodes by AMC Networks. (The show actually will appear on WE TV, presumably because, you know, it can.)
  • Speaking of WE TV, Chris & Paul Weitz are developing another drama series, ALL AMERICAN WOMAN, for the new network. (Like THE DIVIDE, this is a turnaround series originally aimed elsewhere. Looks like WE is a good place to have in your hip pocket.)
  • Oh, and look at this. WE TV is also doing DIRTY, written by Nancy Fichman & Jennifer Hoppe  (DAMAGES). (Yeppers, another drama, this one about a zillionaire woman who falls on hard times and ends up living and working with her housekeeper. Oh, the ignominy of it all!).
  • Wait, one more WE TV drama project: Susanna Styron (BORGIA) is writing HEADHUNTERS. (Which is described with bullshit double-talk that we have no idea what it really will be except that it’s about the kind of women who scare the hell out of, well, us. You know, modern ones.)
  • Jason Katims & Sarah Watson (PARENTHOOD) are developing an unnamed 1-hour comedy about a woman lawyer who sounds a lot like the women in HEADHUNTERS, for ABC. (Presumably, if ABC passes WE TV will be waiting to snatch this one up too.)

Survival of the Fittest Dept – TV Production Deals for 2/1/13

writer-producersLatest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are – Because Their Pilots are Being Made

  •  Hannah Shakespeare (Sofia Vergara’s friend) is developing KILLER WOMEN, a “soapy procedural” about a female Texas Ranger for ABC. (Yes, MODERN FAMILY star Vergara is the producer and ABC wants to keep her happy.  ‘Tis how it goes, kids.)
  • Kyle Killen (AWAKE) is in charge of another ABC drama pilot called INFLUENCE, about an agency that solves problems by using “the science of human motivation and manipulation.” (What? This makes the heroes seem kinda sleazy and unethical to you? Grow up!)
  • David Shore (HOUSE) has a go for a third ABC pilot, DOUBT, about an ex-cop turned attorney who occasional takes time off from fighting with his ex-wife to help a client. (Wow, this sounds so familiar that it’s almost welcome. Don’tcha love TV?)
  • Kass Morgan’s (RAISING HOPE) THE HUNDRED, about a spaceship containing the last remnants of humanity – 100 juvenile delinquents – is a go to pilot at the CW.  (Um…where else? Huh?)
  • Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain (both of 666 PARK AVENUE and THE VAMPIRE DIARIES) are supplying The CW with SELECTION, about a romance 300 years in the future. (A future where teens play HUNGER GAMES type, um, games to see who becomes – wait for it – queen. Yikes!)
  • Sera Gamble (SUPERNATURAL) scored with a Navy drama called COMPANY TOWN, which will also be made for the CW. (We’re having a tough time picturing teenage admirals, but maybe that’s just us?)

Love & Money Dept – TV Pilot Production Deals for 1/29/13

producer sharksLatest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are – Because Their Pilots are Being Made

  • Robert Peacock (THE SOUL MAN) has gotten a 20 episode order from Nickelodeon for THE HAUNTED HATHAWAYS, a BRADY BUNCH meets a bunch of ghosts show for which he wrote the pilot. (Time to hit up your agents and get staffed, kids.)
  • Jon Bokenkamp (PERFECT STRANGER) is moving into production of his pilot THE BLACKLIST, a crime drama for NBC about the world’s most wanted man, who turns himself in to help the Feds…but there are certain conditions. (Uh-oh, we can’t think of anything snarky to say about this one. Does that mean it might actually, you know, work?)
  • Ryan Condal’s  THE SIXTH GUN, an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name, is going to pilot at NBC. Think “THE LORD OF THE RINGS’, um, rings only in the old west. (Hey, Carlton Cuse will be showrunner. If he brings his A-game this could be at least as good as THE BLACKLIST.)
  • Brian Gallivan (ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA?) has a  pilot deal for THE McCARTHYS, a CBS comedy about sports-crazed Bostonians. (Ooh, sports. Guess they’ve written off the geek audience. Oh, wait, CBS…of course they have.)
  • Lee Eisenberg & Gene Stupinsky’s comedy PULLING, about 3 30-something women being zanily contrary is going to pilot at ABC.