TV SALES, PICK-UPS, ATTACHMENTS, RENEWALS & DEALS (03.21.14)
TV SALES
ABC Family has added three new drama pilots to its schedule, ALICE IN ARABIA, RECOVERY ROAD, and UNSTRUNG. ALICE IN ARABIA follows a rebellious teenage girl who is unknowingly kidnapped by her Saudi Arabian extended family. RECOVERY ROAD focuses on a teenage party girl who is forced to deal with her addiction after she’s faced with the choice between explusion and rehab. UNSTRUNG explores the world of professional tennis from the viewpoint of brother and sister team whose family secret threatens to turn their lives upside down.
Sony Pictures TV will be developing POWERS, an hourlong drama that will air on their newest digital platform, PlayStation. Based on the comic series, the show is set in a world full of people with super powers which are a catalyst for mayhem and murder and will follow Detective Christian Walker who is in charge of protecting humans while keeping a watchful eye on those with the powers.
IFC is setting up a slew of new comedy projects for 2015. AMERICAN STORAGE follows a storage facility employee who befriends a man he finds living in one of the storage units. WESTSIDE is a half hour scripted comedy following a group of suburban losers who are forced into a life of crime. THE BANK centers on a dysfunctional family who runs a sperm bank. AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY is a spoof series that will include made up documentaries and biopics.
Netflix has exclusive rights to SHORT POPPIES, a comedy series starring “Flight of the Conchords” alum Rhys Darby.
TV RENEWALS
ABC Family’s MELISSA & JOEY and BABY DADDY have been renewed for a fourth season each.
Adult Swim has picked up YOUR PRETTY FACE IS GOING TO HELL for another season.
NBC has given early renewals to CHICAGO FIRE, CHICAGO PD and GRIMM.
TV ATTACHMENTS
Dimension Television and Entertainment One Television are pairing up to produce DEATH IN THE MODERN AGE, a series centering on a man who fakes his own death in order to start his life over but realizes it’s not that easy in today’s world of digital fingerprints and DNA. The series will air on Sundance TV.
Adam Shankman will direct and executive produce HBO’s MADAME ROSE, a biopic based on Rose Hovick, mother of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee and actress June Havoc.
Rob Greenberg replaces Pam Fryman as director on the pilot of CBS’ HOW I MET YOUR DAD. Fryman directed most of the episodes of “How I Met Your Mother” but has stepped down as director for at least the pilot episode of the reboot.
TV GREENLIGHTS
TV Land has ordered a pilot for the comedy, TEACHERS. Based on the popular web series, TEACHERS centers on six elementary school teachers who are trying to teach the next generation but really don’t even have their lives together yet. “Community’s” Alison Brie is attached to executive produce.
FX has picked up THE COMEDIANS to series. The comedy stars Billy Crystal as a veteran comedian who gets paired with a younger, edgier one for a late night comedy sketch show. The show is set to launch sometime in 2015.
TV DEVELOPMENT
Roland Joffe and FremantleMedia International have joined forces to develop UGLY, a new series based on the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Joffe will pen the project that will be a re-tooling of the Victor Hugo novel played out against the political, economic, and social explosion of early 17th Century France.
FX and Sky Ink have signed a two year development deal for half hour scripted comedy projects. If any of the projects are picked up, they would air on FX in the states and Sky1 or Sky Atlantic in the UK.
TV DEALS
Erik Sommers has signed an overall deal with Sony Pictures TV after creating the multi-camera odd couple comedy pilot, CUZ-BROS. Sommers has also co-executive produced “Happy Endings” and “Community.”
“Modern Family” creator Steve Levitan has signed a four year overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV. Levitan will continue to work as executive producer and co-showrunner for “Modern Family” but will also be keeping an eye on other projects he may want to direct.
Anna Fricke inks a two year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. She joins the adventure drama, HIEROGLYPH but will also develop new projects under the deal. Fricke is repped by UTA and Patti Felker.
Hilary Winston signs a two year, seven figure deal with Sony TV. Winston is the writer, executive producer and showrunner for “Bad Teacher” and has worked on “Community” and “Happy Endings” as co-executive producer.
