TV writing deals – Page 10

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 12/24/12

Latest News About Writers Doing Better Than We Are

Gary Anthony Williams (WEEDS) & Sindy McKay (various animated TV shows) are writing THE FOSTERS, a comedy about foster children, for NBC. (No, this isn’t the same project that Jennifer Lopez is producing at ABC Family. But what’s a little confusion between friends?)
Whit Brayton & Zack Rice (Sorry but we haven’t been able to learn much about them) are writing the USA pilot ZORRO, set in modern day L.A. (Yes, this isn’t your grandfather’s Zorro, but what did we say about confusion?)
Michelle McGrath (another writer we can’t find out anything about, oy!) has written the pilot for GALLERINA, E!’s series about a young woman trying to make a name for herself in the art world. (Does this sound as totally boring to you guys as it does to us? Now we really want to find out more about the writer and how she got this thing going.)
Lydia Diamond is adapting her play STICK FLY into a drama about prejudice, hypocrisy, and adultery for HBO. (Which sounds incredibly interesting to us…except for the prejudice, hypocrisy and adultery stuff cuz we’ve definitely seen, felt, and maybe even eaten that stuff before.)

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

John Leguizamo (Mr. Stand-Up, sorta) & Chris Sheridan (THE FAMILY GUY) are writing the pilot for an untitled ABC comedy based on Leguizamo’s life as a Bronx Latino now living on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. (Because Leguizamo’s last pilot script got shitcanned, but ABC and he still have this deal, so…)
Rene Balcer (LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT) is writing DARKNET, a kind of X-FILES meets the MATRIX thing as a pilot for USA. (Because USA, Rene, and we all want to see if the dood can deliver without Dick Wolf on his back. We’re rootin’ for ya, Rene.)
Oren Moverman & Anthony Swofford (THE MESSENGER and JARHEAD, respectively) are developing LAUGHS UNLIMITED, a drama about U.S. servicemen who return from duty in the MIddle East with PTSD, for HBO. (Because human time bombs are dramatic gold…and don’t think for one minute that the servicemen won’t be portrayed just that way. Yes, we’ll be happy to put our money where our mouth is.)
Tyler Perry (we figure you know what he’s done) is developing 2 shows for OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network he financially bailed out just a couple of months ago. THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS is a drama, and LOVE THY NEIGHBOR is a comedy. (Because if there’s anything Tyler knows about it’s having and not having and loving too. What? You don’t believe us? Hey, just ask him.)

Bruce Eric Kaplan (SIX FEET UNDER) is writing the HBO pilot PEOPLE IN NEW JERSEY, a sitcom about an adult brother and sister who ponder life’s questions as they try to get through the day. (Because life’s questions are so funny, as we all know.)
Matt Wolpert & Ben Nedivi (ENTOURAGE) are writing an unnamed sitcom based on the life of Justin Bieber for ABC. (Because that really is funny, no? No? Oh, right: NO!)
Chris Mundy (CRIMINAL MINDS) is showrunning LOW WINTER SUN, a story about cops, criminals, corruption, murder, revenge, and any other bad shit you can come up with, for AMC. The series is based on a Brit miniseries of the same name. (Because ugliness always gets good ratings, as does anything adapted from the Brits…except when it doesn’t.)
Michael Lannan (REMEMBER ME) has written the pilot for HBO’s untitled comedy about 3 gay friends living in San Francisco. (Because somebody at HBO forgot that while 3 gay friends living in, say, a hard-boiled city like Chicago might be funny, 3 gay friends in San Francisco not only won’t be funny, they won’t even be noticed.)
Adam F. Goldberg (BREAKING IN) is writing the pilot for HOW THE F AM I NORMAL for ABC, a comedy inspired by Goldberg’s childhood. (Because everybody’s childhood is fascinating if its dysfunctional enough, right?)

Sigh…

Latest News About Writers Doing Better Than We Are

Double Down: Game Change 2012, by Mark Halperin & John Heilemann has been bought by HBO. Book is a sequel to the original Game Change which was made into an HBO film starring Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin. (Does this mean Sarah will be back? We mean, that Julianne will be back? ‘Cuz for reasons having nothing to do with artistic merit that would be awesome!)
Ethan Sandler & Adrian Wenner (EPITAPH, THE PRINCESS DIARIES) are writing the AMC sitcom pilot WE HATE PAUL REVERE, set in colonial Boston and about 2 brothers who aren’t big Paul Revere fans. (Does this mean Paul Revere & The Raiders, our parents’ favorite ancient rock band, will be coming to TV? ‘Cuz for reasons having nothing to do with our hard-on for Sarah Palin, that would be awesome!)
Unknown Writer (this could be your/our big chance) will soon be writing the ABC Family pilot RECOVERY ROAD, based on Blake Nelson‘s novel of the same name about a teenage girl who finds love at rehab. (Does this mean that idiotic relationships are coming to TV? ‘Cuz that could justify a lot of existences, including our own!)
Stacey Jay is writing JULIET IMMORTAL, an adaptation of her book by the same name describged by the H’wood Reporter as “a paranormal love story revolving around Romeo and Juliet, who meet again…as enemies.” (Yes! Idiotic relationships are indeed in, hip, and trendy now on the small screen. Our miserable lives here at TVWriter™ are now totally justified!)

Latest News About Writers Who’re Doing Better Than We Are

Paul Scheuring (PRISON BREAK) is set as the main writer for KLONDIKE, a Discovery miniseries based on the novel Gold Diggers: Striking It Rich in the Klondike,” by Charlotte Gray. (It’s a scripted series! On Discovery! An awesome inroad for fiction! So you’re not going to hear one lick of disappointment about the premise. We mean it. Not one.)
Chuck Lorre (all you favorite/least favorite sitcoms) & Eddie Gorodetsky (TWO AND A HALF MEN) & Gemma Baker (TWO AND A HALF MEN) have written MOM, a sitcom about a single mother for CBS. (To be precise, this show is about “a recently sober single mother as she attempts to get her life in order.” Because, we suppose, CBS knows all about how much fun kicking drugs and rebooting your life can be.)
Charles Randolph (LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS) & Sharyn Rothstein (the stageplays ALL THE DAYS and QUEEN BEE among others) are writing the pilot for the drama MOGULS for Bravo. The show is about a media mogul and his family. (Because, we also suppose, Bravo doesn’t understand how much heat News Corps’ Murdoch family will turn on under, over, around, and inside them.)
John Wirth (V, THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES) is taking over as showrunner of AMC’s HELL ON WHEELS from Anson Mount, who was taking over from Joe & Tony Gayton. (The language of the various departure announcements indicate that everybody who is leaving was fired so, good luck, John Wirth. Happy politicking!)