Maybe See TV? The week in pilots, script commitments and development deals (Oct. 9, 2014)

The Emmys may have celebrated the past year of television, and the new Fall TV series have yet to premiere, but Hollywood always keeps an eye to the future, and August still signifies the start to the following year’s development cycle.

You’ll hear a lot in the trades and the trade winds from now through pilot season, which starts in earnest in January, all the way up to the cable Upfronts in the spring and the broadcast network Upfronts in May — when TV programmers present their new and returning lineups to impress and attract advertisers for 2015-2016.

When a network orders a pilot to series, that’s newsworthy and vital information for you to know. Mark your calendars accordingly.

Everything else is speculation. In fact, that’s what the programming suits do is invest in a speculative market, buying up sitcom ideas and their writers and producers, not only for the prospect that their idea will evolve into a hit series, but also to keep those writers, producers and creators off the market from other networks. The news that a comedian has a script commitment or a development deal is valuable to that comedian and his/her landlord and family and friends, but doesn’t mean much to us as viewers until that deal pays off in the form of a TV series that’s actually on the air. So. Instead of bombarding you with hundreds of separate posts from TV wheeling and dealing, The Comic’s Comic this TV cycle will present a weekly roundup of what’s in the mix for 2015-2016.

MAYBE SEE TV? Oct. 9, 2014, edition

PUT PILOT — FOX

The Grinder, a single-cam about two brothers, from Andrew Mogel, Jarrad Paul and Nick Stoller. Mogel and Paul will write, and all three will executive produce. From 20th Century Fox TV.

PUT PILOT — FOX

Studio City, an hourlong family dramedy from Krista Vernoff and John Wells set in present-day Studio City, Calif., and described as “The O.C. meets Shameless,” inspired by Vernoff’s life growing up the daughter of a drug dealer to the stars. John Wells Prods. and Warner Bros. TV producing.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT (with penalty) — FOX

48 Hours Until Monday, a single-cam from Charlie Grandy and Peter Traugott, about a husband’s desperate struggle to not let every weekend go to hell. Grandy will write and executive produce, with Traugott and Rachel Kaplan also on as EPs via TBD Productions. Universal TV producing.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT — ABC

To Max & Paige, a comedy that takes place over the course of Max and Paige’s wedding rehearsal dinner, with lots of flashbacks. Scott Foley writing the script, EP with Shondaland’s Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers and actor/producer Greg Grunberg. From ABC Studios.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT (with penalty) — NBC

Take It From Us, a multi-cam/hybrid from Greg Malins and Sony TV. Co-written by Malins and Barry Schwartz, about a couple in their 50s who tell their son and his new fiancée all the mistakes they made in life in hopes the new couple can avoid making the same mistakes, with flashbacks to 1990s-era New York. Malins and Schwartz executive produce alongside 3 Arts’ Michael Rotenberg and Jonathan Berry.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT — CBS

How Not To Calm A Child On A Plane, based on Johanna Stein’s book, adapted by her, with Adam Barr, Will Arnett, and Peter Principato executive producing.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT — NBC

Junior Bender, a dramedy based on the four-book series by Timothy Hallinan about a classy thief who also is a private investigator for other criminals, adapted by Eddie Izzard. Jessica Ball writing the script, EP with Izzard and Sarah Townsend.

DEVELOPMENT (with penalty) — ABC

Splitting The Difference, written by Kat Coiro, with Eva Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Universal TV, based on Tré Miller-Rodriguez’s memoir as a 34-year-old widow in NYC reuniting with the daughter she gave up for adoption at 18. Coiro, Longoria and Ben Spector executive produce.

DEVELOPMENT — NBC

Untitled single-cam from Leslye Headland about a failed political blogger who restarts her life in NYC as the “sex” editor for a prestigious and provocative women’s magazine. From Universal TV, the District and Cosmopolitan magazine, with Headland EPing alongside Cosmo EIC Joanna Coles, Ruben Fleischer, David Bernad, and Holly Whidden co-producing.

DEVELOPMENT — ABC

Uncle Buck, a multi-cam adaptation of the John Hughes film that starred John Candy. Not to be confused with the 1990 adaptation that starred Kevin Meaney on CBS. This one is from Universal TV and Will Packer Prods., written by Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley.

DEVELOPMENT — ABC

Juvie, a single-cam from Sam Laybourne, about a privileged and naive golden boy who takes a job at a juvenile hall and discovers he has more to learn than to teach. With Sue Naegle and Naegle Ink producing. 

DEVELOPMENT — ABC

Big Stop, a multi-cam from Eric Stonestreet and Jerry Collins, via 20th Century FOX TV and ABC. Set in a Kansas truck stop.

DEVELOPMENT

DHX Media has signed a deal with Sony Pictures Animation to develop and produce 26 half-hour episodes adapting the Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs film franchise.

Previously in “Maybe See TV”

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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