Disney Channel wants to hang out with “The A Girl.” Deadline confirms the network has given a pilot order to Brenda Hampton’s single-cam comedy about two unlikely friends, one of whom is on the autism spectrum.
“The A Girl” follows two teen girls who are forced to hang out thanks to their middle school’s awkward-as-hell-sounding “Friends Program”: “Daisy (Dora Dolphin), the Queen Bee, who isn’t used to being told the truth, and Zoe (Stacy Wiener), a girl on the spectrum of autism who would rather fly solo, and who can’t help do anything BUT [tell the truth].” As the source hints, “They’re two girls who are completely different, but find out they have more in common than they thought.”
Hampton consulted Autism Speaks, The Miracle Project, and Hollywood, Health & Society while writing the pilot. Steven K. Tsuchida (“Younger”) is directing.
Hampton created the Shailene Woodley-starring high school drama “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and faith-infused family saga “7th Heaven.” She also co-created show biz satire “Fat Actress” with lead Kirstie Alley. “Blossom” and “Mad About You” are among Hampton’s other writing credits.
“Atypical,” another woman-created comedy that explores autism from the perspective of a teen protagonist, launched its second season on Netflix earlier this year. From Robia Rashid (“The Goldbergs”), the series revolves around Sam (Keir Gilchrist, “It Follows”), a high school senior trying to establish some independence from his family.