In women and television news, some more promising deals have been cropping up from NBC, The Hallmark Channel and MTV.
NBC has picked up a drama from 9 To 5 writer, Patricia Resnick. Loosely autobiographical, Resnick’s dramedy is set on the lives — both personal and professional — of people who work for a formerly famous novelist currently suffering from long-term writers block. A new personal assistant, who is also an aspiring writer, is hired and everything changes.
Moira McMahon Leeper has also sold a drama, Maddox, to NBC. Maddox is about a family who moves into a community where medicine and technology are the closest things to utopia. But despite their seemingly perfect surroundings, something much more sinister is happening.
And fashion stylist turned weirdly endearing Bravo personality, Rachel Zoe will be executive producing a half hour sitcom loosely based on her life as a fashion stylist and designer. Aseem Batra will be writing the script and will also be an executive producer on the project.
The Hallmark Channel is working on its first scripted series starring Andie MacDowell. Cedar Cove, based on the book by Debbie Macomber, follows a small-town family court judge Olivia Lockhart (MacDowell) whose work greatly impacts her day to day life in her small town. Dylan Neal will co-star as the editor or the local paper and potential love interest for MacDowell’s character. Originally set up as a two hour TV movie that would double as a backdoor pilot, they have decided not to go that route and will premiere Cedar Cove on January 19th with episodes airing in the spring.
MTV has optioned Elizabeth Norris’ YA novel, Unraveling, for development. Unraveling follows a teenage girl, Janelle, who is convinced that she was in a car crash and brought back to life by her mysterious classmate, Ben. Janelle finds out that Ben is being followed by the FBI for an investigation that could be very dangerous.
NBC Buys Dramas From ‘9 To 5’ Writer Patricia Resnick, Newcomer Moira McMahon (Deadline)
Rachel Zoe Developing Semi-Autobiographical Comedy at NBC (The Hollywood Reporter)
Hallmark Gives First Scripted Series Order to Andie MacDowell’s ‘Cedar Cove’ (The Hollywood Reporter)
MTV Developing Elizabeth Norris’ Young Adult Novel ‘Unraveling’ (The Hollywood Reporter)
