Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 11/26/14

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Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are=&0=& (SLEEPY HOLLOW) and Scott Rosenbaum (GANG RELATED) are teaming up to write a science fiction pilot described as “The Dirty Dozen in deep space? for Fox. (Which as old-fashioned as it sounds still seems kinda catchy to el munchero. Besides, this is a new and original idea compared to the oft-written but never shot pilots that described th emselves as “The Magnificent Seven in deep space.” I’m hopeful. For reals.) =&1=& (FELICITY) are developing a “relationship comedy” for ABC about the lies being told at a wedding. (Hey, if you think the premise is unworkable, wait’ll you see who’s running the production of this thing: Shonda Rimes. How long do you give it before the comedy turns to soap? I’m thinking two episodes, but then I’m an optimist at heart.) Neil Cross (LUTHER) is doing a U.S. remake of the series for Fox. (No, Idris Elba won’t star – or so he says. Instead he’ll be a producer cuz that’s, you know, where his real talent lies…?) =&2=& (MEET THE PARENTS) is going into the TV development biz with an overall deal at Fox. (And my munchiness is jumping up and down with excitement cuz…ZOOLANDER! Yeppers, John co-wrote that. And…I know the guy. All I’ve gotta do is butter him up a bit and a staff job is mine, all mine, mine I say! Hehehehehehehehe…Or not.)

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….)

Today’s TV Writing Deals Dept – 10/10/12

…And then there was the young actress who was so dumb (how dumb was she?) she screwed a writer.

  • Jon Robin Baitz (BROTHERS & SISTERS) is writing a limited run drama series based on the Australian series THE SLAP for NBC. (Although we doubt it’ll get on the air – no cops, no perps, no life or death; how can U.S. TV handle that?)
  • Neil Cross (LUTHER) is adapting The Republic of Pirates by Colin Woodard into a 10 episode series for NBC. (Sorry but we can’t think of anything snarky to say about the guy who created LUTHER. Well, except that we thought his novel based on the show was, um, badly written. Guess TVWriter™ will have to run a review of it sometime.)
  • Chris McKenna (COMMUNITY, THE MINDY PROJECT) is writing a sitcom about a family of orphans being raised by their oldest brother, the black sheep, for NBC. (Can’t snark about this either because…orphans? black sheep brother? who even cares…?)
  • Michael Questa (HOMELAND) and Gerald Questa (his brother) are writing SECOND SIGHT an adaptation of a British series about a detective who goes blind, for CBS. (So much room for snark on this easy target that we’re just not going to go there. We need a challenge, you know?)
  • Chris Fedak (CHUCK) is adapting Scott Westerfeld’s Midnighters book trilogy for Fox (Hey, we liked CHUCK, so we’re happy to congratulate Chris on finally getting another gig. That isn’t snarky at all, right?)

CYRANO DE BERGERAC Nosing His Way into Our Hearts via NBC

Because it’s been way too long since another bunch of tools murderized this classic (and by being a classic it’s in the public domain and free, free, free for BigMedia to plunder!):

Contemporary Cyrano De Bergerac-Themed Political Romantic Comedy Lands At NBC – by Nellie Andreeva

NBC has bought an hourlong romantic comedy from writer Michael Oates Palmer, Prospect Park TV and Universal TV. Tentatively titled Cyrano, the contemporary project, which has received a script commitment with penalty, recasts Edmond Rostand’s classic tale of the eloquent but looks-challenged Cyrano de Bergerac against the high-stakes world of campaign politics and government. It centers on a less-than-attractive but genius campaign strategist who returns to save the floundering gubernatorial campaign of the handsome but inarticulate Mayor whose career he helped launch. With the candidate being the photogenic, charismatic mouthpiece for the strategist’s ideas and rhetoric, the sky’s the limit — until both men fall for the same woman, a journalist covering the campaign. Palmer, who is writing the project as part of an overall deal with Universal TV he signed in April, will executive produce Cyrano with Prospect Park’s Jeff Kwatinetz and Josh Barry. read article