American Gods Network: Starz Production Company(s): FremantleMedia North America, LivingDeadGuy Productions Executive Producer(s): Neil Gaiman, Bryan Fuller, Michael Green, Neil Gaiman, Thom Beers, Craig Cegielski Logline: Centers on a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of biblical and mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities. Details: Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman. SSN Insight: Today Starz gave a straight-to-series order for the drama. Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman were previously attached as executive producers. Playtone was previously attached as production company. HBO was previously attached as the network.
Presence Network: ABC Studio: ABC Studios Production Company(s): International Famous Players Radio Picture Corporation, Stearns Castle Executive Producer(s): John Ridley, Michael McDonald Writer(s): John Ridley Logline: The series follows Presence Foster, a former Army Counter Insurgency Operative who finds herself navigating a widely divergent and highly colorful cross section of Los Angeles as she unintentionally begins a career as an unlicensed Private Investigator. SSN Insight: ABC has bought the script penned by Ridley. Ridley previously created American Crime and is currently under an overall deal with ABC. He’s also in development on a project for Marvel Studios and ABC that is being kept under wraps.Stay Network: ABC Family Executive Producer(s): Spenser Cohen, Anna Halberg, Jon Turteltaub Writer(s): Spenser Cohen Logline: A recently widowed police detective and his two daughters, who are stranded at a foreboding hotel, must unravel the hotel’s mysteries to escape. SSN Insight: ABC Family greenlit the pilot on June 11. Cohen is also a writer on Mythos, currently in development at USA. Turteltaub most recently directed CBS’ Rush Hour pilot.
The Story of God Network: NatGeo Production Company(s): Revelations Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary, James Younger, Michael J Miller Logline: The series explores mankind’s quest to explore the divine. Each episode will center on one big question about the divine, from the mystery of creation, to the true power of miracles, to the promise of resurrection. The series also will examine how the frontiers of neuroscience and cosmology are intersecting the traditional domain of religion. SSN Insight: NatGeo ordered the series on June 11. Freeman famously previously played God in the film Bruce Almighty and its sequel. It will air on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Mundo later this year in the U.S. and globally in 171 countries and 45 languages.
Unveiled Network: NBC Entertainment Studio: Universal Television Production Company(s): LightWorkers Media Executive Producer(s): Mark Burnett, Roma Downey, John J Sakmar, Kerry Lenhart Logline: Revolves around a group of flawed guardian angels who intervene in the lives of those who find themselves facing crisis in an attempt to restore their faith and, often, save their lives. SSN Insight: Rolled from the 2013-2014 season. NBC greenlit a pilot in January but didn’t give a series order and is instead redeveloping the script with new writers. In a rare move, several actors from the original pilot will be kept including Will Kemp, Stephan James and Mouzam Makkar. NBC is currently considering Burnett’s series, The Bible Continues, for another season.
Untitled Tyrese Gibson Rev Run Talk Show Project Network: OWN Production Company(s): CBS Television Distribution Group, Voltron Filmz, Simmons/ Lehman Productions Executive Producer(s): Tyrese Gibson, Joseph "Reverend Run" Simmons, Eric Pankowski, Jerome Martin, Isabella Castro Logline: Tyrese Gibson and Rev Run will lead discussions about relationships and love from a man’s point of view. They will be joined by a primetime studio audience and celebrity guests. Via social media, viewers can ask the pair questions about men, relationships, marriage and sex. SSN Insight: OWN has given a series order of 8 episodes as of June 11. On the film side Tyrese Gibson has been cast in Little Mizz Innocent and Desert Eagle, both of which are in active development.
Dead Clean Network: Oxygen Production Company(s): Lime Pictures, All3Media America Executive Producer(s): Kate Little, Claire Poyser, Derek McLean, Stephen Lambert, Eli Holzman Logline: The series showcases a group of women working at Xtreme Cleaners, a company using bubbles and suds to clean and decontaminate some of the filthiest and goriest places from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. Armed with mops, hazmat suits and a sense of humor, these girls do the "dirty work" at crime scenes, hoarders’ homes and meth labs. For these eager millenials, the business of clean-up is just one step closer to their future goals whether they’re studying to be a criminal investigator, stashing cash for nursing school, or just trying to save up enough dough to move out of their parents’ homes. SSN Insight: One of five projects Oxygen announced on their development slate on June 10. All3Media America is behind a few pilots that have been ordered to series including Fit Club on Bravo, Just Jillian on E! and Sing It! On Lifetime.
House of Black Diamond Network: Oxygen Production Company(s): Thinkfactory Media Executive Producer(s): Adam Reed, Adam Freeman, Leslie Greif Logline: The series follows six members of a successful drill team who live under one roof. Hard work, dedication and comical personal politics push this team to new limits as they fight to retain their reputation as the most decorated drill team on the West Coast. With multiple competitions each month, the road to success isn’t easy, but this group has the heart, talent and drive to reach new heights. SSN Insight: One of five projects Oxygen announced on their development slate on June 10. Thinkfactory Media is behind the Married by Mom and Dad series ordered to series by TLC along with Hometown Rebound and The One (Lifetime), both in development.
Start Me Up Network: Oxygen Production Company(s): Wilshire Studios, Soshefeigh Media Executive Producer(s): Matt O'Brien, Rene Brar Logline: Bringing the online crowdfunding phenomenon to television for the first time, each episode follows three contestants determined to launch a new campaign, business or cause as they work with an expert team to create the ultimate 90-second pitch video. At the end, the three videos will go up on Oxygen.com where viewers will have the opportunity to donate money to the projects they love the most. On the following week’s show, the video which raised the most money will be revealed in real time, honoring the winning contestant with a $25,000 grand prize. SSN Insight: One of five projects Oxygen announced on their development slate on June 10. Matt O’Brien currently serves as a writer and executive story editor on Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Swipe For Love Network: Oxygen Production Company(s): Wilshire Studios Executive Producer(s): David Friedman Logline: A group of eager young singles will put their profile pictures to the test in front of a live studio audience in hopes of finding "the one." Potential couples will be matched based on their "swipes" and social media "likes" to compete in a series of challenges designed to test and reveal chemistry and compatibility. SSN Insight: One of five projects Oxygen announced on their development slate on June 10. David Friedman currently executive produces NBC’s long running Last Comic Standing and E!’s Sex with Brody, awaiting air.
The Ultimate Relationship Test Network: Oxygen Production Company(s): A. Smith & Co. Productions Executive Producer(s): Arthur Smith, Kent Weed, Guy Hameiri Logline: Ten couples will compete in large-scale challenges , ranging from the physical to the mental , to win wagered money. While one person competes, their significant other bets a sum of cash based on how they think their partner will perform. These challenges will showcase how intimately each partner knows the other, while exposing the strengths and weaknesses of their relationship. SSN Insight: One of five projects Oxygen announced on their development slate on June 10. Arthur Smith is keeping busy and currently executive producing HGTV’s Ellen’s Design Challenge, SyFy’s Wizard Wars, TNT’s Save Our Business, Oxygen’s Too Young to Marry?, Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen and NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, which has a spin-off in development at Esquire entitled Teen Ninja Warrior.
Play It Forward Network: Showtime Production Company(s): Rare Bird Films, SMAC Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Michael Strahan, Constance Schwartz Logline: An intimate portrait unfolds featuring All-American NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez -- renowned for his sure hand and intrepid heart -- and his older brother and wingman, Chris. As we take a seat at the Sunday night Gonzalez family dinner, we observe their pride, love and resilience. They speak candidly about how they overcame disappointment and supported each other through tragedies in order to fulfill their dreams. SSN Insight: Showtime acquired the rights to the documentary film that premiered at the Opening Gala of the 2015 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. It was featured in SSN’s Tribeca Hit List, which you can read here.
Hyperion Network: SyFy Studio: Universal Cable Productions Production Company(s): GK Films, 22nd & Green Executive Producer(s): Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips, Graham King Writer(s): Itamar Moses Logline: Set on the eve of Armageddon with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a voyage to seek the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope and a terrible secret, while one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands. Details: Based on "Hyperion Cantos," a four-volume series of novels that includes "Hyperion" (1989), "The Fall of Hyperion" (1990), "Endymion" (1996) and "The Rise of Endymion" (1997), all written by Dan Simmons and published by Bantam Spectra. SSN Insight: This project was previously in development as a feature film at Warner Bros. Pictures, during which Cooper co-wrote a spec script in 2011 (according to Screenrant). SyFy is planning it as a limited event series.