Network
I Can Do That Network: NBC Entertainment Studio: Universal Television Production Company: Armoza Formats Executive Producer(s): Marlon Wayans, Audrey Morrissey, Matilda Zoltowski, Avi Armoza Logline: The show challenges its celebrity cast members to stretch beyond their comfort zones by putting on a new act each week. Each week, the regulars will work in pairs to put on an act with the help of guest stars who work in other fields, such as magicians, acrobats and stunt performers. At the end of the season, one of the regulars will be crowned "the ultimate entertainer." Details: Based on the Israeli format, "I Can Do That." SSN Insight: NBC has ordered 6 episodes on March 3.
The Reaper Network: NBC Entertainment Production Companies: Macmillan Publishing, The Weinstein Company Executive Producer(s): Brendan Deneen, Marc Resnick Logline: Nicknamed "The Reaper" by his battalion, Nicholas Irving became one of its deadliest snipers, breaking records for enemy kills in a single deployment. The first African-American ever to serve as a sniper in his battalion, Irving's story gives an inside look at his development in the military, what those in the special operations community go through and the sacrifices they make to their country and families. Details: Based on the autobiographical memoir,"The Reaper: Autobiography of One of the Deadliest Special Ops Snipers," written by Nicholas Irving with Gary Brozek and published by St. Martin's Press on January 27, 2015. SSN Insight: Planned as a 6-hour miniseries. Cable
Best Friends Whenever Network: Disney Channel Production Company: It's A Laugh Productions Executive Producer(s): Michael Kaplan, Jed Elinoff, Scott Thomas Writer(s): Jed Elinoff, Scott Thomas Logline: Centers on teenagers Shelby and Cyd, who when a science experiment goes wrong, become unstuck in time, leaping forward and backward whenever they want and sometimes even when they don’t. Now with the help of their next-door neighbor, teenage genius Barry, the girls must learn to master their awesome new power as they time-shift through high school. SSN Insight: Ordered to series on March 6. Shelley Jensen (Austin & Ally) will direct multiple episodes. Production begins in March for a premiere later this year.
Shooter Network: USA Network Studio: Universal Cable Productions, Paramount Television Executive Producer(s): John Hlavin, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Lorenzo di Bonaventura Writer(s): John Hlavin Logline: Based on the film about a marksman and former U.S. Marine scout sniper who is coaxed back into action, only to be framed for murder and have to go on the run. Details: Based on the film, "Shooter," (2007) directed by Antoine Fuqua, which was based on the novel "Point of Impact," written by Stephen Hunter and published by Bantam on November 1, 1993. SSN Insight: Project was previously in development at TNT. USA has given an initial commitment of a pilot plus penalty as of March 9.
Sweat, Inc. Network: Spike TV Production Company: 3 Ball Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Jillian Michaels Logline: The series seeks to find the next big fitness phenomenon. 12 aspiring fitness entrepreneurs compete to prove they’ve developed the newest groundbreaking exercise program. Using her knowledge of the fitness industry and her business sense, Jillian Michaels will decide which undiscovered workout is best suited to be the next new phenomenon. SSN Insight: Spike has given a series order of 10 episodes as of March 4.
The Tracey Ullman Show Network: BBC 1 Production Companies: Allan McKeown Presents, BBC Productions Executive Producer(s): Tracey Ullman, Ben Farrell Writer(s): Tracey Ullman Logline: Tracey Ullman plays diverse and distinct characters living in, or visiting, the United Kingdom. SSN Insight: BBC has ordered a six-episode series as of March 5. The Tracey Ullman Show ran from 1987 until 1990 on Fox and spawned The Simpsons. She later produced other shows for HBO, including Tracey Takes On... (1996–1999), for which she garnered numerous awards.
Those Who Can't Network: TruTV Production Companies: 3 Arts Entertainment, Thank You, Brain! Productions Executive Producer(s): Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl, Ben Roy, Richard Korson, Tracey Baird Logline: Three delinquent public school teachers fight to stay employed at floundering James Buchanan High School. SSN Insight: A pilot was developed, shot and streamed on Amazon on April 19, 2013. Project did not go further. TruTV is redeveloping this project and has ordered a pilot.
Untitled Jenny Slate Project Network: FX Executive Producer(s): Jenny Slate Writer(s): Gillian Robespierre, Elisabeth Holm Logline: Under wraps. SSN Insight: Slate will be switching from regular to recurring role on FX’s Married to accomdate this pilot per Deadline. Slate recently has recurred on Kroll Show, Parks And Recreation and House Of Lies.
Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise Network: Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Studio: Sony Pictures Television Production Companies: Brandman Productions, TWS Productions II Executive Producer(s): Michael Brandman, Tom Selleck Writer(s): Michael Brandman, Tom Selleck Logline: Chronicle the cases of fictional Police Chief Jesse Stone of Paradise, MA, a respected and well-liked cop whose life is complicated equally by alcohol and his relationship with his ex-wife. In Lost In Paradise, Stone agrees to help the Massachusetts State Homicide Division track down a brutal serial killer. Details: Based on Robert B. Parker's "Jesse Stone" series. SSN Insight: This is the ninth movie in the detective series, which is in pre-production in Halifax, Nova Scotia for a fall 2015 premiere. The previous eight TV movies aired on CBS, which opted not to order more although Jesse Stone: Benefit Of The Doubt’s (eight film) had a respectable premiere viewership of 13 million.
Pay Cable
Untitled Alec Baldwin Mayoral Political Drama Project Network: HBO Studio: Universal Television Production Company: El Dorado Pictures Executive Producer(s): Alec Baldwin, Cary Brokaw Writer(s): Wells Tower Logline: A billionaire real estate developer philanthropist, and celebrated socialite/tabloid fixture is unexpectedly rocketed into New York City politics when tragedy strikes the incumbent mayor and he is drafted to replace him. The larger than life divorced entrepreneur's burst into the political spotlight is made interesting by his appetite for women and a dark past. SSN Insight: HBO gave an initial commitment of a put pilot plus penalty if not ordered for a full season, series ordered on March 5. Beginning on 30 Rock, Baldwin has had a deal with Universal TV which beat out the overall deal Brokaw’s Avenue Pictures has at Warner Bros Television, as he is allowed a handful of exclusions.
Madame X Network: HBO Production Companies: Electric Dynamite, Untold Pictures, CASM Executive Producer(s): Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Jack Black, Cerise Larkin, Mark Larkin Writer(s): Julia Hart Logline: Set in Victorian New York City, where Axie Muldoon is one of the wealthiest and controversial women of her day. Axie helps her husband build a thriving midwife business and defies the law in the name of women’s reproductive rights. Inspired by the story of a real-life infamous female physician. Details: Based on the historical novel, "My Notorious Life: A Novel," written by Kate Manning and published by Scribner on September 10, 2013. SSN Insight: Anna Paquin previously starred on HBO’s True Blood where she met and married co-star Stephen Moyer.
Preserve, Protect and Defend Network: HBO Production Companies: HBO Films, Anima Sola Productions Executive Producer(s): Mark V. Olsen, Will Scheffer, Lisa Bellomo Writer(s): Mark V. Olsen, Will Scheffer, Craig Zobel Logline: A disgraced Texas justice of the peace enlists the help of his wife to plot and murder the two district attorneys who prosecuted him, in an escalating avalanche of firearms. Based on a true story. Details: Based on the true story of Eric Williams, a former Justice of the Peace who was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2013 slaying of a Texas D.A.'s wife. SSN Insight: Will be a TV movie. Married producing/writing partners Olsen and Scheffer previously worked on HBO’s upcoming third and final season of Getting On and the critically acclaimed Big Love.
Digital
The OA Network: Netflix Production Companies: Anonymous Content, Plan B Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Michael Sugar Writer(s): Brit Marling, Zal Batmanglij Logline: One hour drama, storyline under wraps. SSN Insight: Netflix has given a series order of 8 episodes as of March 5. Marling and Batmanglij previously worked together on The East and The Sound Of My Voice.
Between Network: Netflix Production Companies: Don Carmody Television, Mulmur Feed Co., Elevation Pictures Corp. Executive Producer(s): Michael McGowan, Don Carmody, Naveen Prasad Logline: About a town under siege from a mysterious disease that has wiped out everybody except those 21 years old and under and chronicles the power vacuum that results when a government has quarantined a 10-mile diameter area and left the inhabitants to fend for themselves. SSN Insight: Netflix will release the six one-hour episodes on a weekly basis because of a three-way deal in which it will air on Rogers Broadcasting’s City TV stations in Canada and will be available on Canadian subscription service Shomi. Emmy-winning director Jon Cassar (24) will direct the first two episodes.
In Development
Dublin Murder Squad Production Companies: Euston Films, Veritas Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Kate Harwood, Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen Logline: Based on a series of novels that each follow a different case and include overlapping characters: In The Woods focuses on a pair of detectives investigating the murder of a 12-year-old girl; The Likeness is about a young female detective who goes undercover to solve a murder in an elite college town; and Faithful Place advances a supporting character from The Likeness as a detective discovering dark secrets from his past. Details: Based on a murder mystery series by Tana French including books In the Woods, The Likeness and Faithful Place to the international television market that has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. French is published in the U.S. by Viking and in the UK by Hodder. SSN Insight: The Dublin-based French won several literary prizes for her first novel, 2007’s In The Woods. The Likeness was previously acquired by Paramount in 2011 to be adapted as a feature per Deadline but the option lapsed thereby allowing the executive producers to pick it up. This is the first time the books have been produced for television.
The Big Picture Studio: Talpa Media USA Executive Producer(s): John De Mol, Jay Bienstock Logline: A game show with a 12-round trivia contest, where a player has to identify a succession of pictures that appear on a large screen, with the cash prize going up to $1 million for the 12th photo. Viewers at home will be able to play along and allows for shared winnings of potentially up to $1 million. Details: Based on a reality series of the same name from the Netherlands. SSN Insight: Talpa acquired the format for The Big Picture from Israeli company A-Cappella at the MIP TV market last year and following adjustments, the series was distributed on RTL4. The modified format will be pitched in multiple territories once the series concludes its first season in Holland.
Untitled Eighty Days Project Production Company: Zero Gravity Executive Producer(s): Christine Hodler, Mark Holder, Lloyd Levin, Beatriz Levin Logline: In 1889, investigative journalist Nellie Bly decided she would try to beat the fictional record in Jules Verne’s now classic story and go around the world less than 80 days. At the same time, Cosmopolitan sent their own reporter Elizabeth Bisland, out to beat not only the 80-day fictional Phineas Fogg record but also try to one-up Bly who was working for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World newspaper. Details: Based on Matthew Goodman’s bestselling book, “Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s History-Making Race Around the World” SSN Insight: “We are developing it as a limited show and talking to creators now,” said Zero Gravity’s Marc Holder to Deadline. “After that, we’ll go to talent. People have tried to explore her story from her days undercover at a woman’s insane asylum, but not many people have tried to delve into this particular story. Goodman just did such a wonderful job with this book. They are both courageous women and this story is really inspiring.”