Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 8/26/13

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

  • Nick Thiel (WHITE COLLAR) has been moved up to co-showrunner of WHITE COLLAR. That means he can hire, so if you know him, call him. (And don’t forget to say that LB sent you. Back in the Stone Age ’80s Nick worked for Our Beloved Leader as a story editor on the late, lamented THE FALL GUY.)
  • Jennie Snyder Urman (EMILY OWENS, MD) has sold a gender-bending drama called CROSS to The CW, as well as writing a U.S. version of Venezuelan telenovela  JANE THE VIRGIN. (Ah, two concepts that remind us once again of what’s made The CW the Big Success it is. Oh, wait….)
  • Ooh, wait, lookee here. The very same Ms. Urman is also teaming up with David Rosenthal (GILMORE GIRLS) to write a Fox sitcom pilot to be called SOBER COMPANION. (Wait, does this mean that TV execs now think that sobriety is as funny as drunkenness? Or, more to the point – would that be a positive development or a Thought Too Horrible to Even Consider?)
  • Barbara Hall (JOAN OF ARCADIA) is writing the pilot CBS’s MADAME SECRETARY drama. (Which isn’t really about Hillary Clinton cuz we know what happens to TV projects about Hillary, don’t we?)
  • Lauren Graham (the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe) is adapting her book as soft drama pilot for The CW. (Ms. Graham may be known to TVWriter™ visitors as one of the stars of GILMORE GIRLS on The CW’s predecessor, The WB. Congrats on stepping up to real stardom, Lauren, as a TV writer. Yeah!)

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 6/17/13

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

  • Lauren Graham (PARENTHOOD star – yeah, an actress) is developing a drama series from her novel, Someday, Someday, Maybe at Warner Bros. TV. (Because they’re trying to make her happy so she’ll do some acting for her in the future. How do we know? Well, do you see a network that’s actually thinking of running this series named in this announcement?)
  • Rod Lurie (COMMANDER IN CHIEF) is writing MONSTERS OF GOD, a Western drama for Starz. (Because he’s partnered with Brad Pitt now and everybody’s hoping the Bradman will act. You know, just like Lauren Graham.)
  • CMT has announced its first animated comedy series, BOUNTY HUNTERS, starring and produced by Jeff Foxworthy. No writer has been mentioned in the announcement. (Which either means the gig’s open so go for it…or CMT hasn’t yet figured out that shows like this need to be written. Yeppers, the truth is anybody’s call.)
  • Neal H. Moritz (THE BIG C) has a brand new 2-year overall deal with CBS Television Studios through which he and Vivian Cannon (also from THE BIG C) will develop and produce comedy and drama projects. (Because these two are hot, boys and girls, in the eyes of the networks, which is much more important than them meaning anything to any audience. Another TV reality lesson from TVWriter™, not to be confused with reality TV from us because that’s not an area we dare to tread.)