TV SALES
Aaron Kaplan and Sharon Horgan under their Kapital Entertainment and Merman Films banners are developing POST EMPIRE, a six episode darkly comedic project from James Van Der Beek, Roger Avery and Bret Easton Ellis. The project will star Van Der Beek as an American Bernie Madoff-type character.
ABC has given a put pilot commitment to COUCH DETECTIVE, a comedic mystery from Lauren Iungerich and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Written by Iungerich, the show follows the exploits of a thirty-something female “couch detective” who solves crimes based on her encyclopedic knowledge of every on-screen police procedural. Iungerich will executive produce with Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman.
ABC is developing NUCLEAR FAMILY, a family-comedy from writers/EPs Pete Huyck and Alex Gregory. The project, Dark Toy Entertainment and ABC Studios, follows the misadventures of self-professed altruists Rick and Barbara Foley, who have adopted eight children from all over the world. Todd Holland and Karey Burke will executive produce.
Alex Holdridge and Linea Saasen are developing HOUR ZERO for ABC, a new hour-long drama set in post-war Berlin that will explore the origins of the CIA and KGB. Paul Young is attached as a producer.
ABC has handed out a script commitment to PROTECT & SERVE from Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers under their Shondaland Banner. The new drama focuses on the last LAPD precinct left fighting to hang on in Los Angeles after a massive disaster has changed life irrevocably. David Slack is set to write the script and will serve as an executive producer alongside Rhimes and Beers.
CBS is developing PUBLIC INTEGRITY. The drama focuses the passionate prosecutors of the Public Integrity Section who target white collar criminals within the government. CBS TV Studios is producing with Kennedy/Marshall, who has deal there. Rene Balcer, Aaron Tracy, Robert Zotnowski, and Frank Marshall are executive producing and Tracy is writing.
CBS has given a put pilot commitment to THE THINGS THEY LEFT BEHIND from Warner Bros. TV and Berlanti Productions. The supernatural procedural drama is based on a short story from Stephen King that centers on an unlikely pair of investigators carrying out the unfinished business of the dead. Seth Grahame-Smith is writing the pilot and he is also executive producing with his partner David Katzenberg via their KatzSmith banner. Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter are also on board to executive produce.
CBS has bought the UNTITLED HALLE BERRY MEDICAL DRAMA. Written by Larry Kaplow, the project, from Berry’s 606 Films and CBS TV Studios, follows an enigmatic surgeon who imprisons himself in a state-of-the-art private hospital on the grounds of a prison. Berry, Kaplow, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, and Katie Jacobs are executive producing.
Fox has given a put pilot commitment with a nearly $1 million penalty to MINORITY REPORT, the new drama series from Steven Spielberg’s Amblin TV and writer Max Borenstein. Envisioned as a sequel to the Tom Cruise flick of the same name, the show is set 10 years after the end of the Precrime division as one of the three Precogs struggles to lead a normal life, but remains haunted by visions the future. Borenstein will executive produce with Amblin TV’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey.
Fox has given a cast-contingent pilot order to RUNNER, from 20th Century Fox TV and Sander/Moses Productions. The drama, based on the Turkish series “Son,” centers on a woman who discovers that her husband is an arms dealer, whose search for answers embroils her in the U.S./Mexico conflict over weapons and terrorism. Michael Cooney wrote the script, and Peter Horton will direct. Horton, Jon Cowan, Ian Sander, and Kim Moses will executive produce. Cowan will also serve as showrunner.
Fox is putting into developing an UNTITLED GHOST HUNTER DRAMA. Written by Evan Katz and Manny Coto, the project, which comes with a penalty attached, focuses on an Iraq War vet who embarks on a desperate quest to unravel the truth behind hauntings after a supernatural attack that leaves his wife in a coma. Katz, Coto and Michael Cuesta are executive producing for 20th Century Fox TV.
Fox has given a put pilot order to the UNTITLED JOHN STAMOS COMEDY. John Stamos will star as bachelor whose life is overturned when he discovers he is both a father and a grandfather. ABC Studios is producing the comedy, with Danny Chun is writing the pilot and executive producing alongside Dan Fogelman and Stamos.
Fox has given a put pilot with penalty commitment to an UNTITLED SCOTT SILVERI COMEDY from Scott Silveri (“Friends”) and 20th Century Fox TV. Silveri, who has a three-year overall deal with Fox, is attached to write and exec produce the comedy that follows a family that’s good at handling the challenges it faces, but even better at creating new ones. Jake Kasdan will direct the pilot and Melvin Mar is also on board as EP.
NBC is developing THE CURSE OF THE FUENTES WOMEN from “Ugly Betty” creator Silvio Horta. The “magical realist” drama follows a young man who washes up on Miami Beach claiming to be a long-lost member of a Cuban family. Horta’s Silent H Productions is producing with Warner Bros. TV.
NBC has given a pilot production commitment to GAME OF SILENCE, a new drama from Carol Mendelsohn, David Hudgins, and Sony TV. The drama, which is based on a Turkish series, centers on a rising attorney on the brink of success who could lose his perfect life when his childhood friends threaten to expose a dark secret from their violent past. Hudgins is writing the script and will executive produce with Mendelsohn and Julie Weitz. Timur Savci, of TIMS Prods., also will EP with Intrigue’s Tariq Jalil.
NBC is developing POOR HOUSE, a multi-cam comedy with Julian McCullough, who will write, executive produce, and star in the project based on his childhood experiences. Ed Helms will be exec producing through his Pacific Electric banner with partner Mike Falbo. “Poor House” follows a free-spirited dad who drifts through life until he decides to let his teenaged son have a normal high school experience and decides to settle in a Norman Rockwell-esque utopia where they share the only rundown house in town with two other working class misfits. Mike Pennie will serve as showrunner.
NBC has given a script commitment THE WALK-UP from Jason Katims and Julia Brownell. The multi-cam comedy centers on two 30-something couples who agree to move into a Brooklyn brownstone together, creating a new kind of modern family. Katims and Michelle Lee will executive produce under True Jack banner through their overall with Universal TV.
NBC has made a script commitment to an UNTITLED PUB QUIZ COMEDY from Chris Moynihan and Universal TV. The series follows a group of twentysomethings who compete weekly in their local pub quiz. Moynihan will write the pilot. He will also executive produce alongside Jonathan Prince.
NBC is developing an UNTITLED SUBURBAN NEW JERSEY COMEDY from Universal TV. The series follows a blogger who moves with his new wife from Manhattan to suburban New Jersey, where he begins writing about his new suburban friends and neighbors. Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley wrote the pilot, and are executive producing alongside David Janollari through Janollari Entertainment.
NBC has made a script commitment with penalty to LAST HOUR from Nikki Toscano and Universal TV. The series follows a female FBI agent in the final hour of her infiltration into a dangerous criminal organization. Toscano wrote the pilot. She is also executive producing alongside John Glenn.
Showtime is developing an hourlong period project about poet/essayist Mary Karr. “Masters of Sex” EPs Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly are attached to produce and Mary-Louise Parker is circling the lead role. CBS TV Studios is on board the project as well.
TV RENEWALS
Nick at Nite has renewed INSTANT MOM for a 20-episode third season. The multi-cam comedy follows a former party girl who becomes a full-time stepmom to three kids when she marries a much more traditional man. Howard Michael Gould serves as executive producer with Aaron Kaplan of Kapital Entertainment and Regina Hicks.
TNT’s freshman drama series MURDER IN THE FIRST has been renewed for a sophomore season. From Steven Bocho and Eric Lodal, the series stars Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson as homicide detectives who start to investigate seemingly unrelated murders, which actually are connected through a Silicon Valley genius.
TV CANCELLATIONS
ABC Family has cancelled MYSTERY GIRLS. The comedy starred Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth as two former TV detective show starlets who are brought back together by a real-life mystery. The pilot was written by Shepard Boucher, with Spelling, Garth, and Maggie Malina serving as executive producers.
Showtime has announced that NURSE JACKIE will end after its upcoming seventh season. The series, starring Edie Falco, follows the personal and professional trials of a slightly less than ethical ER nurse in a New York hospital.
TV GREENLIGHTS
NBC has given a 10-episode order to MANHUNT, anthology-style drama series from creators Zack Rice and Whit Brayton and Gavin Hood. Penned by Rice, the series centers on the mounting tension of an entire city on the hunt for a fugitive roaming the streets at large. Universal TV is producing with Hood, Rice, Brayton, Michael Sugar, Alex Goldstone and Nicole Romano on board as EPs.
TV DEALS
Brannon Braga has closed a new overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV. The deal is focused on development of TV series.
John Cameron has inked an overall deal with FX Productions and is partnering with Noah Hawley’s production banner 26 Keys. Under the agreement, Cameron will develop projects for TV, cable and broadcast. He is repped by ICM.
Kevin Connolly has signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV to develop projects with 3 Arts Entertainment. Connolly is repped by CAA and 3 Arts Entertainment.
Wes Craven is in talks for a deal with NBC/Universal Cable. Under the deal, Craven would develop and produce TV series for NBC/Universal channels.
