TV SALES
Bounce TV will air SISTERS, an original sitcom centering on a once-famous R&B group called the “Ladies of Essence” who find themselves living together at forty.
Fox has ordered Batman prequel GOTHAM to series. The project follows the early years of Commissioner James Gordon as an idealistic rookie detective in Gotham City and the gallery of villains that made the city infamous. The pilot was written by Bruno Heller and stars Ben McKenzie, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Mazouz.
The CW has announced a Veronica Mars spin-off, PLAY IT AGAIN, DICK. The series will star Ryan Hansen and Rob Thomas will co-write and produce.
Sony Pictures TV is developing an adapted series based on Walter Kirn’s book BLOOD WILL OUT. Kirn and Sheldon Turner will pen the script which chronicles the 10 year friendship between Kirn and German con artist Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, aka Clark Rockefeller.
Fox has ordered Lee Daniel’s EMPIRE to series. The family drama is set in the world of hip hop and stars Terrance Howard and Gabourey Sidibe.
Fox has given a series order to RED BAND SOCIETY, a coming of age dramedy about teenagers who live in the pediatric wing of a hospital. The show will star Octavia Spencer, Dave Annable, Brian Bradley, Ciara Bravo, Griffin Gluck, and Zoe Levin, among others. Margaret Nagle is writing the pilot and executive producing alongside Steven Spielberg.
NBC has picked up ODYSSEY, STATE OF AFFAIRS, ALLEGIANCE and MARRY ME to series. ODYSSEY follows an international conspiracy that ignites when three stranger’s lives unexpectedly collide – a female soldier, a corporate lawyer and a political activist. STATE OF AFFAIRS stars Katherine Heigl as a top CIA analyst who advises the president. ALLEGIANCE centers on a young CIA analyst specializing in Russian affairs who learns that his parents are covert Russian spies who were deactivated decades before. MARRY ME is a comedy centering on a man who bungled his proposal and now has to hope his girlfriend will still say yes.
Comedy Central has picked up the syndication rights for the FX series ARCHER.
Fox has ordered 10 more episodes of John Mulaney’s comedy series, MULANEY. Based loosely on the comedian’s life, the series follows a comedian coming of age under the guidance of his boss, his roommates and his neighbors. The cast is comprised of Martin Short, Elliott Gould, Zack Pearlman, Nasim Pedrad and Seaton Smith.
TBS has given a series order to Steve Carell’s comedy ANGIE TRIBECA. The series stars Rashida Jones as a lone wolf cop who’s capable, committed, strong and less than excited when her boss tells her she has to work with a partner.
TBS has also picked up series BUZZY’S, a workplace comedy from David Kohan and Max Mutchnick and YOUR FAMILY OR MINE, a family comedy from Greg Malins.
TNT has ordered PROOF and PUBLIC MORALS to series. PROOF stars Jennifer Beals as a skeptical, hard science surgeon who has struggled with family issues including a tragic death and is tasked with investigating cases of reincarnation, out of body experiences and hauntings. Kyra Sedgwick will executive produce. PUBLIC MORALS follows veteran police officer Terry Muldoon who knows the line between good guys and bad guys is a fine one and is determined to raise his sons to be honest and hardworking as he deals with the dark underbelly of NYC in the 1960s. The project stars Ed Burns and is executive produced by Steven Spielberg.
USA is picking up three new drama series, RUSH (USA), SATISFACTION and COMPLICATIONS and has a cast contingent order for STANISTAN. STANISTAN follows the staff at the American compound in the Middle Eastern country of Stanistan where State Department workers, covert CIA officers and journalists strike a delicate balance of danger and silliness.
Lifetime is adapting religious novel THE RED TENT into a two night mini-series. The book written by Anita Diamant tells the story of Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob, who spend her childhood inside the red tent where only women of her tribe were allowed to gather. Dinah eventually grows up and marries a prince and falls out with her murderous brother. The mini-series will star Minnie Driver, Morena Baccarin, Iain Glen, Will Tudor and Debra Winger.
Adult Swim has ordered NEON JOE, WEREWOLF HUNTER to series. Created by Jon Glaser, the story follows Neon Joe, a man with a mysterious past and a skill set that comes in handy when a sudden plague of inexplicable werewolf fatalities strikes.
The CW has picked up THE FLASH from Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, iZOMBIE from Rob Thomas and Diane Ruggiero, JANE THE VIRGIN from Jennie Snyder Urman and THE MESSENGERS from CBS TV.
Disney has ordered live action spy comedy K.C. UNDERCOVER to series. The story follows a high school math whiz who is training to be an undercover super spy, following in the footsteps of her parents.
NBC has picked up drama series MYSTERIES OF LAURA and CONSTANTINE. “Mysteries” is written by Jeff Rake and follows the life and relationships of a female homicide detective who can handle murderous criminals but has trouble with her unruly twins. CONSTANTINE comes from Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer and centers on an irreverent con man turned reluctant supernatural detective who is thrust into the role of defending the planet against dark forces from the beyond.
Fox International Channel has picked up the overseas rights to WAYWARD PINES. The limited series thriller stars Matt Dillon as a secret service agent who arrives at the town of Wayward Pines, Idaho, on a mission to find two missing federal agents but instead of finding answers only has more questions.
CBS has ordered HOW I MET YOUR DAD to series. The spin-off stars Greta Gerwig as Sally, a female Peter Pan who has never grown up and has no idea what she’s doing with her life but she knows she has nothing in common with her new husband and knows a breakup is inevitable.
NBC picks up A TO Z to series. The comedy is set in the world of an online dating company that details the “A to Z’s” of a relationship, from the initial meeting to the inevitable breakup. Cristin Milioti and Ben Feldman star in the series.
NBC has ordered a pair of Gary Sanchez Productions comedies: BAD JUDGE and MISSION CONTROL. BAD JUDGE centers on a wild child who happens to be one of LA’s toughest and most respected criminal court judges. She’s not ready to settle down with kids yet but when an 8-year-old boy needs her help. MISSION CONTROL centers on a tough but brilliant female aerospace engineer in the 1960s who leads a team of NASA scientists at the cutting edge of space exploration but runs into problems based on her gender. Also ordered is the relationship sitcom ONE BIG HAPPY, produced by Ellen Degeneres. The series centers on best friends Lizzy (who is gay) and Luke (who is straight) who decide to have a baby together but Luke throws a wrench in the plan by marrying a woman he’s just met.
Adult Swim has a new programming lineup, including: UNTITLED TRIUMPH/MCBRAYER SITCOM, UNTITLED WORLD STAR HIP HOP PROJECT, MIKE TYSON MYSTERIES, BLACK JESUS, MR. PICKLES, TIM & ERIC’S BEDTIME STORIES and THE VENTURE BROS. SPECIAL.
ABC is picking up a slew of new series including: HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER, a sexy legal thriller starring Viola Davis; AMERICAN CRIME starring Timothy Hutton and Felicity Huffman; BLACK-ISH starring Anthony Anderson, GALAVANT, a fairy tale musical from Dan Fogelman; alien drama THE WHISPERS, Jeff Lowell’s rom-com MANHATTAN LOVE STORY, FOREVER starring Ioan Gruffudd and Alana De La Garza, and SELFIE starring Karen Gillan. The network has also picked up Marvel’s AGENT CARTER straight to series.
ABC has also given a series order to the mystery thriller SECRETS AND LIES starring Ryan Phillippe and Juliette Lewis. The series centers on a father who becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a young boy when he finds the body.
CBS has picked up a slew of new shows to series.
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, an NCIS spinoff that handles cases from Pensacola through Mississippi and Louisiana to Texas
MADAM SECRETARY, follows the personal and professional life of a maverick female Secretary of State as she balances office politics and the complexity of her family life
SCORPION, the story of an eccentric genius and his international network of super-geniuses
THE ODD COUPLE, a comedy series from Matthew Perry based on the original series
THE MCCARTHYS, the story of a big Irish Catholic family from Boston and the gay son whose biggest sin isn’t his sexuality but his desire to spend less time with the family
STALKER, a psychological thriller revolving around a pair of detectives who handle stalking incidents for the Threat Management Unit of the LAPD
CSI: CYBER, a CSI spin-off starring Patricia Arquette as a Special Agent in Charge at the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI who solves major crimes that get their start online but play out in the real world. “CSI” team Carol Mendelsohn, Anthony Zuiker and Ann Donahue will executive produce the series which they also wrote.
TV RENEWALS
Hallmark Channel has renewed WHEN CALLS THE HEART for a second season. The drama follows a young woman who begins a new chapter of her life in an early 20th century coal mining town. The series stars Lori Loughlin, Erin Krakow and Daniel Lissing.
Bounce TV has renewed FAMILY TIME, a comedy centering on the life and times of The Stallworths, a working class African American family who wins the lottery.
Netflix breakout hit ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK has been renewed for a third season. The dramedy tells the story of a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money for her drug-dealing girlfriend.
HBO is officially renewing THE COMEBACK for a six episode limited series after a nine year hiatus. Lisa Kudrow is back to star and executive produce alongside Michael Patrick King.
WGN America is renewing SALEM for a second season. The network’s first original scripted drama is only three episodes into its first season but the numbers are looking good.
Starz series DA VINCI’S DEMONS gets the go-ahead for a third season. The historical fantasy series was created by David S. Goyer and follows the “untold” story of artist/creator Leonardo da Vinci during his youth in Renaissance Florence.
Hub Network is renewing animated series MY LITTLE PONY for a fifth season. The series follows magical Princess Twilight Sparkle and her assistant Spike through Ponyville in the enchanted land of Equestria.
NBC has renewed LAW & ORDER: SVU for its 16th season. The series, created by Dick Wolf, stars Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson.
The CW has renewed dramas THE 100, HART OF DIXIE, ARROW, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, THE ORIGINALS, SUPERNATURAL, REIGN and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
ABC is renewing THE MIDDLE and MODERN FAMILY for their sixth seasons as well as GREY’S ANATOMY (11th season), SCANDAL (4th season), REVENGE (4th season), CASTLE (7th season), RESURRECTION (2nd season), THE GOLDBERGS (2nd season), AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (2nd season) and ONCE UPON A TIME (4th season).
NBC has renewed HANNIBAL for a third season. The series was created by Bryan Fuller and stars Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, the cannibal psychiatrist who treats FBI investigator Will Graham, played by Hugh Dancy. The network has also renewed freshman comedy ABOUT A BOY for another season. The romantic comedy is based on the book by Nick Hornby and stars Minnie Driver and David Walton.
ABC has renewed THE BACHELOR, SHARK TANK, DANCING WITH THE STARS and AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEO.
Disney XD has renewed LAB RATS for a fourth season. The sci-fi teen comedy was created by Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore and stars Billy Unger, Spencer Boldman and Kelli Berglund.
TV CANCELLATIONS
Fox is cancelling comedies DADS, SURVIVING JACK and ENLISTED due to poor ratings. Also on the chopping block are Simon Cowell’s X-FACTOR and coming of age comedy RAISING HOPE.
The CW has cancelled THE TOMORROW PEOPLE, STAR-CROSSED and THE CARRIE DIARIES.
ABC has cancelled TROPHY WIFE starring Marcia Gay Harden, NEIGHBORS and MIXOLOGY. Also cancelled by the network are the Rebel Wilson comedy SUPER FUN NIGHT and SUBURGATORY, starring Jeremy Sisto and Jane Levy. The network has also given the ax to THE ASSETS, BACK IN THE GAME, BETRAYAL, KILLER WOMEN, LUCKY 7, and MIND GAMES.
NBC has decided to cancel COMMUNITY after its fifth season. The comedy has been on the verge of cancellation for a number of seasons but it just didn’t have the ratings to save it this time. The network is also canceling the J.J. Abrams produced, dystopian drama REVOLUTION as well as BELIEVE, CRISIS and GROWING UP FISHER.
NBC has also cancelled midseason comedy GROWING UP FISHER after its first season.
TV ATTACHMENTS
Criag Zisk is set to direct AMC’s pilot KNIFEMAN, replacing Brian Percival. The series centers on an arrogant surgeon who robs graves and harvests organs in 18th century London. Zisk is repped by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment.
TV GREENLIGHTS
XBox Studios is in negotiations to develop a HALO live action series at Showtime. The company has been developing a series based on the popular video game at Amblin TV and is close to a deal with two showrunners to oversee the series.
Spike has greenlit TUT, a six hour event series about King Tut, the youngest Pharaoh to rule ancient Egypt. The series will follow Tut’s rise to power and his struggle to lead Egypt while his closest advisers, friends and lovers scheme for their own interests.
Adult Swim greenlights DREAM CORP, LLC, a live action pilot executive produced by John Krasinski. The project follows an experimental therapy facility that creates virtual reality for patients to confront issues in their waking life by simulating their wildest dreams.
Spike Lee is adapting his debut feature film SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT for Showtime. Lee will write and direct the series which takes a contemporary look at the characters and will explore the themes of race, gender, sexuality, relationships and the gentrification of Brooklyn.
Showrunners Ian Roberts and Jay Martel are now in charge of TV Land’s comedy pilot TEACHERS. The pilot follows six elementary school teachers who are trying to mold the minds of America’s youth without having their own lives put together at all. Alison Brie will star and executive produce for the project.
USA network is developing a slew of new dramas including: LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH, MAJORDOMO, MOGULS, ROYAL, BOOM, BRAND, COLONY, THE FARM, CONTROL, and MR. ROBOT.
Bravo is developing RULES OF ATTRACTION based on the Bret Easton Ellis book as well as SHANGHAI, SWEET LIFE, GIRLFRIENDS GUIDE TO DIVORCE, ODD MOM OUT, ALL THE PRETTY FACES. “Rules” is a high concept series that shows the unraveling of a murder through 12 different points of view. SHANGHAI is an ensemble drama centered on a group of young expatriates in Paris. SWEET LIFE is a family drama set in Martha’s Vineyard where affluent African Americans flock to vacation.
TV DEALS
Marc Buckland has signed a two year overall deal with Warner Bros. TV. The deal will start once Buckland’s previous deal with Universal TV is up. Buckland is known for his work on “The West Wing” and “My Name Is Earl.” He is repped by ICM and ESA.
Producer Aaron Lee has a new overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV. Lee is currently co-executive producer for “Family Guy” and was supervising producer on “The New Normal” and “The Cleveland Show.” Lee is repped by WME and Morris Yorn.
Andrew Chambliss has inked a two year, seven figure overall deal with ABC Studios. This is the first overall deal for the “Once Upon A Time” co-executive producer. Chambliss is repped by ICM and Bruce Gellman.
Former “Daily Show” writer Rich Blomquist has signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox. The “American Monster” creator will develop new projects for the studio. He is repped by UTA.
Writer Jenna Bans has inked an overall deal with ABC Studios, having starting her career there ten years ago. Bans is the creator of “Sea of Fire” and has worked on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice.” She is repped by UTA.
Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer have signed a two year first look deal with HBO to develop series, films and mini-series. The duo will be able to produce, act and/or direct projects for the network. Paquin and Moyer are both repped by WME. Paquin is with Brillstein Entertainment and Moyer is at Luber Roklin Entertainment.
Dan Goor has signed a two year overall deal with Universal TV. Goor will continue to executive produce Fox’s comedy series “Brooklyn Nine Nine.” He previously executive produced “Parks and Recreation,” “The Office,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” Goor is repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham.
Patrick Massett and John Zinman have signed new overall deals with Sony Pictures TV. The duo has worked on “The Blacklist” and “Last Resort” for the studio. They are repped by CAA and Industry Entertainment.
Jack of all trades David S. Goyer has signed a first look deal with Universal TV. Goyer is the creator, director and executive producer of the Starz series “Da Vinci’s Demons” and the short lived ABC series “Flashforward.” He also executive produces the NBC drama “Constantine.” Goyer is repped by WME and Bloom Hergott.
