DEXTER & BURN NOTICE: Fun in the Sun? Or Something Much Darker?

And now, a little overthink for those of you who prefer it when your cortexes go ka-blam!

Miami Justice: Two Sides of the Same Coin – by Ben Adams

Why do we punish? And why is it so much fun to see punishment doled out? From crime procedurals like Law and Order to superheroes dominating the box office inThe Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers, we seem to have a collective fascination with the punishment of wrong-doers. But where does the urge to punish come from? Why are we so insistent that the wicked suffer? Because that’s the key question – punishment, but it’s very nature, is generally backwards looking. Punishing the murderer doesn’t bring back the dead. What good does it do anyone to inflict further suffering, even if it seems like someone “deserves” it? My colleague Matthew Belinkie has explored the legal side of punishment at length, so I’m going to turn my attention towards the extra-legal side of punishment – the vigilante. read article

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 10/23/12

“Anyway you wa-ah-ah-ah-ant me, that’s how I will be-e-e-e…” (Aaron Schroeder & Cliff Owens w/some interpretation by a kid named Elvis)
  •  Dean Koontz’s series of Frankenstein novels (Prodigal Son, City of Night, Dead and Alive, Lost Souls, Dead town) are being made into a series for TNT. (No writer is set so, you know, jump on this…now!)
  • Frank Darabont (THE WALKING DEAD) has sold an as yet untitled series based on John Buntin’s book to TL.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City to TNT. (And we think any series called SEDUCTIVE CITY would have to be a hit.)
  • Manny Coto (DEXTER) is writing the pilot for an ABC cop series, THE DEFECTIVES, about a female internal affairs investigator who won’t be played by Mary McDonnell. (Um, that means there’s not much reason to watch it, but maybe that’s just because we have this thing about Mary M.)
  • Jennifer Love Hewitt’s  book, THE DAY I SHOT CUPID, is being developed as a series called FINDING LOVE for Lifetime by Matt Hastings (ALPHAS). (Just between us, THE DAY I SHOT CUPID is a much more inviting title although definitely not in the Lifetime style – which is yet another plus but we won’t go there right now.)
  • Speaking of stars, Andie McDowell is starring in Hallmark Channel’s first scripted series, CEDAR COVE, based on the book by Debbie Macomber. Bruce Graham (ANASTASIA, ROSEANNE) wrote the TV movie that served as the pilot. (How many TVWriter™ ers will be watching for this one? Sorry, can’t see your hands…oh…right…)

Ever Wonder What Network Press Releases Look Like?

Well, here’s one we got yesterday:

Hello and a Happy Monday to you!

With the adventures of DEXTER and HOMELAND continuing last night, there’s a whole lot more in store for us to chat about this week! read article