Maybe See TV? The month in pilots, script commitments and development deals (Dec. 27, 2014)

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. 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 regular roundup of what’s in the mix for 2015-2016.

MAYBE SEE TV? Dec. 27, 2014, edition

SERIES – Hulu

Difficult People, a straight-to-series order starring Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner as best friends living in NYC whose difficult behavior produces comedic situations. Pilot written by Klausner, executive produced by her with Amy Poehler and Dave Becky. Production starts early 2015. Via Hulu and Universal Cable Productions.

PILOT — HBO

An untitled comedy starring Sarah Silverman as a pathologically honest woman having a modern mid-life crisis. Written by Lucy Prebble, executive produced by Silverman, Prebble, Ash Atalla, Amy Zvi and Dan Hine.

PILOT — FX

Atlanta, created by and starring Donald Glover, about two cousins rising through the Atlanta rap scene. Glover will play “Earnest ‘Earn’ Marks,” a college drop-out who reconnects with his long buried ambition and sets out to seize the life he imagined for himself when his estranged cousin becomes a sudden star. Glover serves as Executive Producer, along with Paul Simms and Dianne McGunigle of Schiff Company. From FX Productions.

PILOT — TBS

Quality Time, a half-hour pilot written, executive-produced by and starring Paul Soter, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme and Erik Stolhanske, members of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe. It’s semi-autobiographical, about four college buddies who kept their sophomoric ways into adulthood and now face fatherhood. From TBS, with Entertainment One‘s Michael Rosenberg and John Morayniss as well as Steven Amato and Michael Wallen on board as EPs.

PILOT – E!

Comments Section, starring Michael Kosta as host of show about the comments on popular websites. Executive produced by Joel McHale with Jason Burns and KP Anderson. Kosta a co-EP. Free Period and Pygmy Wolf Productions.

PILOT — ABC

Irreversible, starring Justin Long, is getting a second pilot order. It originally went to pilot this past season with David Schwimmer in the lead. It’s about a couple and the problems they bring upon themselves. From Sony Pictures TV.

PILOT – NBC

An untitled multi-cam based on Jerrod Carmichael’s stand-up, starring Carmichael, written by him with Nick Stoller, executive producing with Ravi Nandan. From Universal TV.

PILOT – Nickelodeon

The Dunes Club (working title), created by Heather Flanders and set in a high-end beach club, pairing up a rich boy and a “street-smart” local girl working at the club.

PILOT – Nickelodeon

Future Shock (working title), created by Mitchel Katlin and Nat Bernstein, about two brothers sent with their mom into the future to the year 2070.

PILOT PENDING — HBO

Divorce, written by Sharon Horgan, is expected to get a pilot order with Sarah Jessica Parker starring in a tale of a very long and drawn-out divorce. Horgan executive producing with Paul Simms, with Merman Films and Kapital Entertainment’s Aaron Kaplan, Parker and Alison Benson of Pretty Matches Productions.

PILOT PENDING — HBO

Living On Video, written by Rich Wilkes and Bob Stevenson, based on an idea by David Fincher, about an ambitious young music video director in early 1980s Los Angeles.

PUT PILOT — ABC

An untitled single-cam from Dan Fogelman set in the NBA, pairing a rookie who doesn’t speak English with a translator who doesn’t know hoops. With the league’s cooperation and Golden State Warriors co-owner Peter Guber of Mandalay Sports Media as an executive producer. Also EP: Mike Tollin, Aaron Kaplan, Casey Johnson and David Windsor writers/EPs.

PUT PILOT – FOX

A single-cam starring Rob Riggle based on the Austrian comedy series Braunschlag, via 20th Century Fox TV and Principato-Young Entertainment. Steve Hely will develop the adaptation, about a small-town mayor who will do anything to save his community.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT — NBC

Kate On Later, a single-cam starring Lauren Graham as a woman trying to host a network late-night TV talk show, co-written by Graham and Liz Tuccillo and executive produced by Ellen DeGeneres. From Warner Bros. TV and A Very Good Production.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT — FOX

Frauds, a single-cam about a family of two-bit criminals looking to pull off a big Ponzi scheme. Written and executive produced by Gil Ozeri, David Caspe, with Jamie Tarses also executive producing. From Sony Pictures TV.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT — NBC

Human Resources, a single-cam from Howard Gordon, an action workplace comedy about co-workers who band together to save their lives and jobs. Written by Tom Gormican, executive produced by Gordon, Gormican, Hugh Fitzpatrick and Oly Obst. From 20th Century Fox Television.

SCRIPT COMMITMENT – ABC

Untitled semi-autobiographical single-cam written by Ali Wentworth with Jackie Clarke. Bill Lawrence and Jeff Ingold executive producing. ABC’s take centers on Ali, her husband George Stephanopoulos and their two kids, with her shooting vlogs from home while he works in morning TV.

DEVELOPMENT — FOX

Veronica Osorio has signed a talent deal with FOX Broadcasting Co. and 20th Century Fox TV to cast her in a comedy pilot this season.

DEVELOPMENT – ABC

Forever 31, a comedy written by and starring Iliza Shlesinger based on her stand-up. which will be produced by ABC Studios and studio-based Mark Gordon Co. Shlesinger will write the script with Cindy Chupack. Chupack executive producing with Gordon and Andrea Shay of the Mark Gordon Co., and Shlesinger’s managers David Martin and Kara Baker of Avalon Entertainment. Shlesinger will co-executive produce.

DEVELOPMENT — FOX

A Better Bushwick, a single-cam created by and starring The Lucas Brothers, Keith and Kenny Lucas. Written and co-executive produced by them with Christian Lander, based on their real life of dropping out out of law school to pursue their dreams, only on TV, that dream won’t be comedy but community organizing. Executive produced by Marcus Wiley as well as Michael Rotenberg and Avi Gilbert of 3 Arts Entertainment. From 20th Century Fox Television.

DEVELOPMENT — FOX

The Tyler Zone, starring Danny Pudi as a guy who moves to a town full of supernatural happenings, but are they really happening, or is just his imagination? Written and directed by Keith Schofield, with The Lonely Island executive producing.

DEVELOPMENT — FOX

Home For the Weekend, hosted by Neal Brennan, is a mockumentary-style half-hour comedy following a celebrity’s return trip to his or her hometown, where pleasant strolls down memory lane can take unexpected turns and reveal surprising backstories about high-profile stars. The first episode in production features The Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone back in Berkeley, CA, where they grew up.

DEVELOPMENT — FOX

Topics with Andre Hyland, written, directed and starring Andre Hyland as a character-comedy interacting with unsuspecting audiences. The Lonely Island’s Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone executive producing.

DEVELOPMENT — HBO

Quick Shots Of False Hope, a single-cam from Max Mutchnick and actress-comedian-writer Laura Kightlinger based on Kightlinger’s memoir Quick Shots of False Hope: A Rejection Collection.

DEVELOPMENT — COMEDY CENTRAL

An untitled sketch show starring Rachel Feinstein, executive produced by Amy Schumer. Schumer and Feinstein are executive producing the pilot with Kim Caramele and Honest Engine’s Nick McKinney and Meghan O’Hara.

DEVELOPMENT — SHOWTIME

Professionals, a half-hour project from David J. Rosen and Marc Webb, about two mid-level employees embroiled in corporate espionage.

DEVELOPMENT – ABC

Jenny Mollen will be adapting her best-selling memoir memoir I Like You Just The Way I Am via Sony TV and Fanfare Productions.

DEVELOPMENT – FOX

Jump Start, a single-cam based on Robb Armstrong’s comic strip, co-written by Armstrong and Andrew Orenstein, about a Philadelphia cop whose home beat is more difficult than his work one. From 20th Century Fox TV and Kapital Entertainment, with Armstrong, Orenstein and Aaron Kaplan executive producing along with Bridget McMeel of Amuse Entertainment.

DEVELOPMENT — ABC Family

Hearts And Clubs, written by Austin Winsberg, about a group of Las Vegas entertainers as they fall in and out of love. Produced by Lionsgate TV, with Christina Aguilera executive producing with Winsberg, Kwatinetz, Barry and Matt Rutler.

DEVELOPMENT — Amazon

Tough Love, a dramedy written by Jeremy Littman about a kidnap victim five years after she has been reunited with her family, who is seeing a psychiatrist who is also a dominatrix. Kwatinetz, Barry, Wexler and Kim Barton executive produce.

DEVELOPMENT — CBS

We Fought About, written/executive produced by Hunter Covington, is based on the @WeFoughtAbout Twitter account by Alan Linic & Claire Meyer and pitched as “Seinfeld meets Game Of Thrones set in Chicago.” Prospect Park’s Kwatinetz, Barry and Priscilla Crowe executive produce for CBS TV Studios.

DEVELOPMENT – ABC

Grandma Dearest, by Todd Linden, about the world’s worst grandmother who has to move in with her daughter after going broke. From Sony TV and FanFare Productions, with Moses Port executive producing.

DEVELOPMENT – CBS

All In, a hybrid written by Ben McMillan, from Sony Pictures TV. About a woman who, after a tough breakup and a couple of one-night stands, finds herself pregnant — and all three possible fathers are determined to help her raise the baby. Will Gluck executive producing.

DEVELOPMENT – FOX

An untitled multi-cam from creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick about a single mother, her three kids and her ex-grifter father who move from New Jersey to Los Angeles to start a new life. Kohan and Mutchnick writing and executive producing through KoMut Entertainment. From Warner Bros TV.

DEVELOPMENT – CBS

Justin And Abby And Oh Yea Zack Too, a single-cam by Justin Noble, with Tad Quill executive producing. From CBS Studios. Quill, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum executive produce, with Noble co-executive producing. The ensemble comedy centers on platonic best friends Justin and Abby — and Abby’s boyfriend, who feels like a third wheel.

DEVELOPMENT – ABC

Untitled single-cam written/executive produced by Gregg Mettler and executive produced by Aaron Kaplan through his Kapital Entertainment and Warner Bros. TV. Based on his own life, growing up with a mom who was a puppeteer and a dad who played the blues.

DEVELOPMENT – HBO

Bros, from director Anthony Hemingway, Mark Taylor and Lena Waithe, written by Ben Cory Jones loosely based on his real life as a gay black man with his non-gay brothers. Hemingway and Taylor executive produce, Jones and Waithe co-executive produce.

DEVELOPMENT – CBS

An untitled multi-cam written by Dan Kopelman about four best friends from college who are still living together as bachelors 10 years after graduation. Kopelman executive producing with Aaron Kaplan of Kapital Entertainment for Warner Bros. TV.

DEVELOPMENT – FX

Daedalus 6, a sci-fi comedy set in the distant future written by Dan Hernandez and Benji Smit, with the pair executive-producing with Michael Showalter and Jonathan Stern.

DEVELOPMENT – 20th Century Fox

Zoe Lister-Jones signed a deal with 20th Century Fox TV that includes a substantial talent hold with a premium script commitment for her and her writing/producing partner Daryl Wein to develop a project for Lister-Jones to star and Wein to direct.

DEVELOPMENT – 20th Century Fox

Ty Burrell has signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, the studio behind Modern Family, to co-create and write comedy projects as well as develop shows from other writers.

PASSED – AMC

AMC has passed on this pilot: Written/executive produced by Ethan Sandler and Adrian Wenner and starring Ron Livinston and Wenner, We Hate Paul Revere is the story of brothers Hugh and Ebenezer Moody and their struggle to find the recognition they believe they deserve as they live in the shadow of history in Colonial Boston.

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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