development

TruTV Orders Pilots from Tom Segura and Melissa Hunter

December 2, 2015

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TruTV, keep doing what you’re doing.

In addition to the early renewal of Those Who Can’t yesterday, TruTV is continuing to bulk up their brand with the additions of a pilot deal and script from Tom Segura and Melissa Hunter, respectively. Segura is a great stand-up and you probably know Hunter better as Adult Wednesday Addams.

TruTV has Tom developing a medical comedy and Melissa working on a project centered on a “amateur vigilante squad”. There aren’t details beyond that, but we’ll be watching these and the rest of what TruTV has cooking because, from where we’re standing, it smells pretty good so far.

ABC Developing Ex-Convict Comedy From Elizabeth Laime, Casey Wilson, and June Diane Raphael

November 9, 2015

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Not only is it a sitcom following an ex-convict, but one that ends up being an in-home health aide.

The great comedic forces of Elizabeth Laime, Casey Wilson, and June Diane Raphael are coming together for an intriguing addition to ABC’s comedy development slate. Laime is writing what is called Crystal and Wilson and Raphael are attached as producers, which serves as good cause to keep a close eye on this project.

Hopefully, we won’t be getting our hopes in vain like we did when ABC had a pilot with June Diane Raphael, Kristen Schaal, and Jenny Slate.

NBC Is Developing a Wendy Davis Inspired Comedy

October 9, 2015

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We’d like to think that a sitcom based on a former Texas senator that famously filibustered in a dress and running shoes against a bill introducing restrictions on abortions is kind of what Leslie Knope would have been up to before the finale of Parks and Recreation.

Thankfully, the story of Wendy Davis will not fall victim to the 24 hours news cycle. A sitcom is being developed at NBC based on her going to work at a law firm after losing in a race for governor with no reelection and her agenda completely in mind. Jennifer Cecil is writing the project, which definitely seems to up the profile of NBC’s comedy development slate.

Jermaine Fowler Has a Showtime Special on the Way and Is Developing a Multi-Cam Sitcom at CBS

September 18, 2015

cbs, comedy special, development, jermaine fowler, multi cam, showtime

If you haven’t committed the name Jermaine Fowler to memory yet, you’ll end up doing that soon with what he has in the works.

Not that it’s a surprise to us, but Jermaine Fowler has got a lot of great irons in great fires.

An hour comedy special, Jermaine Fowler: Give ‘Em Hell Kid, that mixes stand-up and interviews with family and friends is coming to Showtime in mid December. On top of that, Jermaine is developing a semi-autobiographical multi-cam sitcom following his very young parents trying to raise him and the rest of his family.

In case you haven’t noticed, another era of shows based on the lives of comedians is riding high right now.

NBC Doubling Down on Mike Schur with Developing His and Matt Hubbard’s Interracial Family Sitcom

September 4, 2015

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(via The Hollywood Reporter)

Looks like NBC sure missed Mike Schur, the mind behind Parks and Recreation.

Already, showrunner Mike Schur has a series greenlit at NBC, A Good Place. He’s getting a second project into development with a former Parks and Recreation producer Matt Hubbard that will follow an interracial couple that moves to the South.

Based off of that premise, if this project gets greenlit to series too, it might accompany The Carmichael Show quite nicely over at the peacock.

HBO Is Developing Lynn Shelton Comedy Anthology Series “Family Drama”

August 29, 2015

anthology, development, family drama, hbo, lynn shelton

HBO has comedy about a family covered in LA. Now, they’re on to Seattle.

Lynn Shelton, director of Your Sister’s Sister and Laggies, is developing HBO’s latest comedy project that is taking an anthology angle by exploring the inner workings of different Seattle families and the comedy that lies therein.

If picked up, it should actually pair quite well with HBO’s Togetherness.

AMC Giving Comedy Another Go With “Fast Boys” Now In Development

February 4, 2015

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(via The Hollywood Reporter)

There was some excitement with AMC last year when they were perhaps dipping their toe into comedy waters with We Hate Paul Revere. Eventually, they passed on it after the pilot was shot.

Now, a new comedy project “Fast Boys” from Anthony Pucillo might have hope. It’ll follow “the great American hamburger boom” in Post-WWII America.

If Sterling Cooper were to pitch comedy series at AMC, this would definitely be in the running.

Lionsgate Television Signs Overall Deal with Craig Ferguson

January 27, 2015

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Though the plans for a talk show via Tribune Media fell through, Craig Ferguson might on to greener pastures as he has just signed an overall deal to develop series for Lionsgate Television.

Here’s to hoping that one of those series is one focused on the crime solving duo of Ferguson and Geoff Peterson.

HBO Gives Mike Myers an Overall Deal

January 14, 2015

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(via The Hollywood Reporter)

The man who brought us Austin Powers and so many memorable years on Saturday Night Live is going to get back into television.

HBO has just given Myers a two year overall deal, which will give him plenty of room to create and play at the premium cable network.

This announcement has already got our wheels turning for what Myers might be concocting? Maybe a Dr. Evil series?

High Concept Comedies Are in Style Ahead of This Pilot Season

October 27, 2014

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There are indeed plenty of semi-autobiographical comedies in development, especially with the success of freshman series Cristela at ABC.

However, at the other end of the TV comedy development spectrum, at this time, is a bunch of high concept comedies that steer clear of the fish-out-of-water in a small (or big pond) dynamic. Conspiracy theories, witches, and, highest concept of all, Vine stars, and more are all subjects for comedy projects that are being worked for TV across several networks.

Specifically, TBS has ordered a sort of Lost parody from Justin and Jordan Shipley, DirecTV has ordered a parody reminiscent of Downton Abbey that will star Peter Serafinowicz and Will Sasso from College Humor’s Big Breakfast, Elizabeth Banks is set to produce and direct a workplace conspiracy theory comedy from Caroline Williams at ABC, 30 Rock’s Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan are writing a witch comedy at NBC, Nick Frost is set to star in a comedy as an ex-jewel thief that’s having trouble getting out of the jewel thief business also at ABC, and Rainn Wilson is developing a series following stars (minus Curtis Lepore due to Internet outrage at his rape charge that he plead down to an assault charge) on the six second movie platform Vine trying to make it in the traditional half hour format.

There’s no telling where these will end up, if anywhere at all, but it’s a good sign to see more comedy series in the works that aren’t how two people met and fell in love or how an abnormally configured family figures out how to be a family.

Cameron Crowe’s Developing a Comedy for Showtime

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Cameron Crowe’s Developing a Comedy for Showtime

Cameron Crowe is indeed making his way to comedic television as he is developing a series entitled Roadies for Showtime. There’s no cast attached as of yet, but we’re sure that Crowe will get some great folks together for a comedy series about a rock tour.

Whether this ends up being a sort of Almost Famous: The Series, we’re on board.

AMC Getting Into Comedy

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It was only matter of time before AMC, who made an amazing transformation from just playing classic movies to making its own landmark original programming, would get into comedy.

They’ve already ordered a project about two Echo Park female contract killers who are also friends, a pilot called We Hate Paul Revere, a project from Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg as well a project from Wyatt Cenac.

We’re very curious where they’ll fall between the likes of network sitcoms, Comedy Central, FXx, TBS, IFC, etc.

Two Modern Family Executive Producers Just Signed Overall Deals

February 11, 2014

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Dan O’Shannon and Bill Wrubel, both executive producers at the wildly successful Modern Family, just signed overall deals respectively CBS and Warner Bros. Television.

This means that Modern Family has become such a hit that you could be seeing a title card that says “from the people that brought you Modern Family” often for other TV shows, really soon.

Power Violence’s Whitmer Thomas Joins Comedy Central Pilot ‘Crazy House’

February 8, 2014

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Power Violence’s Whitmer Thomas Joins Comedy Central Pilot ‘Crazy House’

The Comedy Central pilot Crazy House by the amazing Nick Turner and Lee Rubenstein just gets better and better.

First off, it’s a comedy pilot from Turner and Rubenstein, which is already great and now, great indie comedy group Power Violence’s Whitmer Thomas will play opposite Turner.

Just to see what this would be, we want to see this picked up to series.

Lionsgate Developing a BriTANick Movie

December 19, 2013

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Lionsgate Developing a BriTANick Movie

It’s true that a full fledged movie studio is getting behind the guys who made the short film Eagles Are Turning People Into Horses.

Lionsgate is in development with Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher better known as BriTANick to make a feature length film.

We know this probably won’t happen, but it would be pretty great if they adapted Eagles Are Turning People Into Horses into a two and a half hour epic.

Mike White Comedy Project in HBO Development Focused on Romance Novel Models

December 6, 2013

development, hbo, mike white, romance novels

Mike White Comedy Project in HBO Development Focused on Romance Novel Models

As reported earlier this week, Enlightened’s Mike White is returning to HBO in developing another comedy project.

For this show, White is keying in on the lives of romance novel models, which has us pretty much sold on the show. Let’s hope that whole pilot order to series order goes quickly.

‘Girls’ EP Murray Miller Inks Deal with HBO/Developing Comedy with Mike White

December 3, 2013

development, girls, hbo, mike white

‘Girls’ EP Murray Miller Inks Deal with HBO/Developing Comedy with Mike White

This is good news for a few reasons.

One, HBO is developing another comedy. Two, HBO is having one of the Girls’ brass, executive producer Murray Miller, develop a series. And three, Enlightened’s Mike White might possibly be returning to HBO.

Bill Cosby Looking To Do Family Sitcom/Reboot ‘Fat Albert’

November 9, 2013

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Bill Cosby Looking To Do Family Sitcom/Reboot ‘Fat Albert’

For as tired as we are with multi-camera sitcoms based around family dynamics these days, we’d still watch one from the legendary Bill Cosby. He’s working on developing something for networks to hopefully put on their slate.

With this and his special coming out later this month, looks like the next year is going to a thankfully (even more) busy (as he tours much of the year) one for Cosby.

Fox Developing Comedy Written by Bruce McCullouch, Starring Molly Shannon

November 8, 2013

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Fox Developing Comedy Written by Bruce McCullouch, Starring Molly Shannon

We’ve been saying over the last few weeks that Fox has been really killing it in terms of their comedy development slate, bringing in projects that already sound enticing to watch.

Well, this show that Molly Shannon will star in and produce, written by Kids in the Hall’s Bruce McCullouch who will also produce definitely falls into that category.

ABC Buys Comedy That Kristen Schaal Will Be Starring In & Writing From Chris Miller & Phil Lord

November 8, 2013

abc, development, kristen schaal

ABC Buys Comedy That Kristen Schaal Will Be Starring In & Writing From Chris Miller & Phil Lord

Good job ABC for adding one of the most intriguing projects this development season centered around the amazing Kristen Schaal. The show could be her doing Kristen Schaal is a Horse with Kurt Braunohler over and over and it would be something worth watching.

Yet, the project is even more fascinating, possibly more high concept than that, and called “American Monster”.

Fox Developing Buddy Comedy From Conan O’Brien

November 7, 2013

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Fox Developing Buddy Comedy From Conan O’Brien

Fox continues to make the most intriguing comedy development slate this season with bringing a project Conan O’Brien aboard. Whether it’s intentional or not, it seems like Fox is taking great ideas that NBC didn’t ultimately want.

FX Buys Modern Day Odd Couple Comedy From Randall Einhorn

November 5, 2013

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FX Buys Modern Day Odd Couple Comedy From Randall Einhorn

FX/FXx adds another intriguing project to their slate with a Randall Einhorn (Wilfred, The Office) an adaptation of an ‘odd couple’ type novel that’s a little bit of a departure from the typical odd couple fare, but relies on the same dynamic.

That is, unless we’re mistaken, and The Odd Couple featured gang members and drug use.

Moshe Kasher Developing Autobiographical Half-Hour to Star In For Showtime

November 1, 2013

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Moshe Kasher Developing Autobiographical Half-Hour to Star In For Showtime

Finally, Moshe Kasher is developing a series for television so we can firstly, see the life of growing up in the Bay Area with deaf Hasidic Jew parents.

See him talk about his childhood here on Conan, then let’s hope this goes to series at Showtime soon to watch a fully actualized version of all that.

Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie Developing Animated Series for Fox

October 30, 2013

bret mckenzie, development, flight of the conchords, fox

Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie Developing Animated Series for Fox

…and Fox is continuing to kill it with their comedy development slate, both animated and live action.

We really hope this makes it to series ASAP for both the sake of Fox and Bret McKenzie being back on American television.

Fox Orders Steve Carell Produced Game Show & Kevin Biggins/Travis Bowe Comedy

October 10, 2013

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Fox made quite the moves yesterday in regards to their comedy slate.

They nabbed both a reality competition series to be produced by Steve Carell as well as a sitcom set in a Fisherman’s Wharf by Family Guy’s own Kevin Biggins and Travis Bowe.

Hopefully, these will go to air instead of being shopped around to other networks like Murder Police.