TV SALES
Cinemax is developing (but really adapting) a new drama series called THE STRAITS, a gritty modern-day drama that tells the story of a powerful and dangerous crime family who run their business out of the Florida Keys and into Jamaica, trafficking drugs, guns and exotic animals. The pilot will be written by Tony Gayton and Joe Gayton (“Hell On Wheels”) who will also executive produce and run the show. The brothers Gayton are repped by UTA.
Bravo is developing three new scripted shows. First show, GIRLFRIEND’S GUIDE TO DIVORCE, follows a best-selling author of a self-help book series who is secretly hiding her separation from her husband as she starts to navigate her life as a single woman in her 40’s in Los Angeles. The pilot is written by Marti Noxon who will also executive produce with Dawn Olmstead and Meryl Poster. Noxon is repped by WME. The second show, HEIRESSES, follows one of the most prestigious and wealthy families on the Upper East Side who have built their entire fortune on the business of diamonds. Les Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo are executive producers. And the last show, HIGH AND LOW, is set in the 80’s and focuses on rival brothers, from two different mothers, who open a restaurant together, forcing the two estranged families to finally deal with the years of resentment between them. Michael Imperioli will write the pilot and executive produce with Michael Jackson (not that one, obviously) and Rachael Horovitz. Imperioli is repped by ICM.
Cinemax has ordered a pilot of QUARRY, based on the series of novels by Max Allan Collins. Project is set in the 1970s and centers on a Marine sniper who, upon his return home from Vietnam in 1973, finds himself shunned by those he loves and demonized by the public. Combat-hardened and disillusioned, he’s recruited into a network of contract killers and corruption spanning the length of the Mississippi River. Graham Gordy and Michael D. Fuller will write the pilot and executive produce along with Steve Golin, David Kanter, Matt DeRoss and Keith Redmon. Gordy and Fuller are repped by CAA.
SyFy just bought a drama on spec from Alfonso H. Moreno. The untitled project starts off with a meteorite striking a plane. The only two survivors find themselves sleepwalking and waking up with no memory of their actions. On the run from the government, they must figure out what happened to them and prove their innocence. Moreno, who is repped by ICM, will also executive produce with Ross Fineman.
TV RENEWALS
In a move that surprises no one, GAME OF THRONES has been renewed for a fourth season. This is especially unsurprising, given that the third book has been split into seasons 3 and (now officially) 4.
The Disney Channel has renewed AUSTIN & ALLY for a third season.
The History Channel has renewed it’s original series VIKINGS for a 10 episode second season. Production will begin this summer.
TV ATTACHMENTS
Director John Hillcoat will direct the pilot episode of QUARRY. He’s best known for “The Proposition” and “Lawless” and is repped by CAA.
TV GREENLIGHTS
BET has officially ordered BEING MARY JANE to series after initially deciding on turning the pilot into a tv movie. Despite the show’s name it seemingly has nothing to do with weed and is merely unfortunate.
INSTANT MOM has been ordered to series from Nickelodeon as part of their upcoming ‘NickMom’ block of programming, which will then re-run on Nick at Nite.
A&E has given the greenlight to THOSE WHO KILL and ordered it to series.
TV DEALS
Leila Strachan has signed an overall deal with ABC Television Studios, where she will develop new shows for them. She is repped by UTA.
Darlene Hunt has signed an overall deal with Sony Pictures TV. She will develop shows with them over the next two years and her payout was reportedly in the seven figure range. She is repped by UTA.
Lou Wallach has signed a deal with Universal TV’s Alternative Studio. He will develop, produce and consult on comedies of different formats, primarily for NBC but also possibly for other networks.
