Tag: David Shore

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 11/18/14

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Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are=&0=& (INTERSTELLAR) is developing Isaac Asimov‘s FOUNDATION series of books into a series for HBO. (And yer munchiness is curious as hell re what Asimov, who was all about the word, would think of whatever script Jonny boy comes up with. Anybody want to venture a guess. Give it a go cuz, after all, nobody will ever be able to prove you wrong.) Bryan Cranston & David Shore (if you need to ask who these dudes are there’s no reason for you to read any further here) are co-writing SNEAKY PETE, a CBS drama about a con man who hides his past by taking the name of his cellmate. (Cuz, I gotta assume, the protagonist’s crimes are much worse than the other guys…but what would Isaac Asimov have defined as “worse” anyway?) =&1=& (WILL & GRACE) are co-writing a Fox comedy series about a single mother, her kids, and her grifter (as in con man?) father when they move from New Jersey to L.A. (Whatcha think, Asimov fans? Would the good doctor have gone for this one? Why? Why not? Huh? Huh?) Andrea Newman (CHICAGO FIRE) is writing the pilot for a “supernatural thriller in a realistic tone” for NBC. (Leading yer favorite munchhausen to turn to the late Mr. Asimov and wonder – aloud – “If they want realism, why use a writer from CHICAGO FIRE? Whaddaya think, Isaac?” Uh-oh, Dr. Asimov is frowning. Guess you’d have to be one of the 4 people in the universe who watched CHICAGO FIRE to know what I’m talking about. Oh well….)

That’s it for now. Write in and tell munchilito what you’ve sold today. TVWriter™ can’t wait to brag to all your friends. (And, more importantly, enemies. Hehehe….)

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 10/4/13

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

  • Blake Herron (THE BOURNE IDENTITY) will write an untitled action drama for TNT about a super agent. (Who just might remind some of the audience of a certain Jason Bourne. Totally coincidental, of course.)
  • Josh Heald (HOT TUB TIME MACHINE) is writing a TBS comedy  which also is untitled but probably won’t be anything like THE BOURNE IDENTITY. (Although some viewers might wish it was.)
  • Vince Gilligan (BREAKING BAD, natch) has sold an 11 year old drama spec to CBS and will share showrunner/writer duties with none other than David Shore (HOUSE). (The show’s about two “very different” cops who team up to inflict justice on the town of Battle Creek, Michigan. And after hearing that description all we can say is, it better be fucking funny.)
  • Josh Harto & Liz Garcia (MEMPHIS BEAT) are adapting Anne Rice’s Songs of the Seraphim novels into a series for CBS. (And we’re going way out on a limb here to tell ya that the series will be so much better than the original books it’ll make Anne Rice’s head bleed. No, we haven’t seen any advance script pages we just luv MEMPHIS BEAT. Watch it if you can and see why. Go on. We dare ya.)
  • Emily Goldwyn & Sasha Spielberg (newbie daughters of famous dads) are writing an ABC comedy pilot called GIRLS WITHOUT BOYS, which we really, really, really hope is about lesbians cuz we’re sort of bent that way.  (And regardless of whether it is or not, we’re hoping even more that the father of one of these fine lady writers stays totally out of the loop of the show cuz let’s face it, Stevie S. doesn’t exactly have the best TV track record in the world.)
  • Joel Hlavin (UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING) is writing the pilot for OASIS, a si-fi thriller, for CBS. (And while we’re getting a little tired of science fiction everywhere we look, we admit to being curious about any show about “the inhabitants of a new…perfect community, who discover there may be danger….” Actually, what really makes us curious here is the understatement in the announcement. It’s so unlike good ole broadcast TV.)

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 7/22/13

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

  • Mark Friedman (BELIEVE) has left the upcoming NBC show, which he co-created with Alfonso Cuaron. (We’d tell you to get our agents hustling for you to take over Mark’s showrunner gig, but we have a feeling it isn’t a job anybody should want. No, we can’t say anything more, but it’ll come out soon enough. Sorry.)
  • Jon Bokenkamp THE BLACKLIST creator) has signed an overall deal with Sony TV. He’ll be writing, producing, all those wonderful things you/we want to do. (Damn you, Jon Bokenkamp! We’re sooo jealous.)
  • Manny Coto (DEXTER) will be sequeing over to a showrunner gig 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY as part of a new overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television (Inasmuch as Manny wrote some of the best episodes of the original 24, this is great news for fans…as well as writers who’ve already made friends with him. Hehehe.)
  • Stephen Falk (WEEDS) has sold YOU’RE THE WORST, a sitcom pilot, to FX. The show is about what happens when two self-destructive people fall in love. (Just between us, this sounds like every relationship ever between people in showbiz, so if it isn’t the most realistic, brilliantly written comedy ever, something will have gone terribly wrong.)
  • This is more about love than money, we thinks, making it big writing news indeed. Humanitas Prize Finalists have been announced,  and the TV writing nominees are:
    90 Minute Category
    Abducted: The Carlina White Story Written by Elizabeth Hunter
    Betty & Coretta Written by Shem Bitterman and Ron Hutchinson
    Firelight Written by Ligiah Villalobos
    60 Minute
    Bones, “The Patriot in Purgatory” Written by Stephen Nathan
    House, “Everybody Dies” Written by David Shore, Eli Attie & Peter Blake
    Monday Mornings, “Truth or Consequences” Written by Karen Struck & David E. Kelley
    30 Minute
    Modern Family, “Party Crasher” Written by Danny Zuker & Christopher Lloyd
    Nurse Jackie, “Disneyland Sucks” Written by Liz Brixius
    The New Normal, “The Godparent Trap” Written by Mike Scully
  • Three Humanitas Winners have also been made public:
    Children’s Live Action
    Let It Shine Written by Eric Daniel & Don D. Scott
    The David & Lynn Angell Fellowship in Comedy Writing
    Jason Romaine
    Fellowship in Dramatic Writing
    Taylor MartinCongrats from TVWriter™!

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?)

The One Film Every New TV Writer Must See

…And it wouldn’t hurt the film types either.

Some showrunner type you may have heard of – Damon Lindelof of LOST

If you want to know what it’s really like to toil in the diamond mines of episodic television, run, do not walk, to SHOWRUNNERS, a documentary that tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Directed by Des Doyle, the full-length film features the most powerful cast of superstar TV showrunners this side of, oh, Venus, including: read article