NBC OKs 'Studio' for Sorkin
NBC OKs Sorkin's 'Studio'
May 5, 2006
Aaron Sorkin is heading back to NBC next season. Ten days before his White House drama "The West Wing" is set to end its seven-year run on the peacock, the network has given the green light to his latest drama series, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," for the 2006-07 season.
Meanwhile, HBO ordered to series its drama pilot "SexLife," from Gavin Polone's Pariah.
"Studio 60," from Sorkin and fellow "West Wing" alum Thomas Schlamme, is a drama set behind the scenes at a popular late-night sketch comedy show in the vein of NBC's own "Saturday Night Live." Warner Bros. TV is producing the show, which is said to have received a 13-episode order.
"Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme's work is TV at its best, and 'Studio 60' lives up to that standard," NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said.
The ensemble drama starring Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet and Bradley Whitford originally was picked up with a series commitment and had a large penalty attached to it (HR 10/17).
The series pickup for "Studio 60" is not thought to be affecting the chances of another NBC project set behind the scenes of a television show, the untitled Tina Fey half-hour, which is considered a hot prospect on the comedy side.
Co-starring in "Studio 60" are Sarah Paulson, D.L. Hughley, Nathan Corddry, Timothy Busfield, Steven Weber, Evan Handler and Carlos Jacott.
"SexLife" is described as a racy drama about three couples with intimacy issues. Cynthia Mort, who penned the pilot, is executive producing with Polone. The number of episodes HBO will pick up is yet to be determined.
As broadcast networks prepare to unveil their fall lineups during the week of May 15, sources said several pilots are close to earning early pickups along with "Studio 60" and Fox's "Vanished" and " 'Til Death," which received formal orders last week.
NBC's dramas "Heroes" and "Friday Night Lights," Fox's drama "Primary" and CBS' comedy "The Class" are all said to have been given the go-ahead to begin hiring staff writers and producers, which is always a good sign of a network's faith in a pilot.
According to sources, also hot at NBC are the comedies "Community Service," a single-camera project starring Jay Mohr that is said to be in the tone of the network's freshman hit "My Name Is Earl"; "20 Good Years," which is headlined by John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor; "The Singles Table"; and the Fey project.
On the drama side, the Jeff Goldblum starrer "Raines" also is said to be in contention. NBC is building a large drama series inventory for next season with two projects -- "The Black Donnellys" and "Kidnapped" -- already picked up to series and a slew of existing series, including the "Law & Order" franchise, "Medium," "Crossing Jordan" and "Las Vegas," assured a return to the schedule.
The dramas "American Crime," "Damages," "13 Graves" and "Southern Comfort" also are believed to have a shot at Fox. In the comedy field, the network is said to be considering the Ricky Blitt/Seth MacFarlane project "The Winner" and the freshman comedy "War at Home" as a potential companion for " 'Til Death." "Julie Reno, Bounty Hunter" also is said to have a lot of fans at Fox, while "The 12th Man" and "The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend" have cooled off a bit but are still in contention, sources said.
The dramas "October Road," "Secrets of a Small Town," "Six Degrees," "Ugly Betty," the untitled Steinbergs project, "Brothers & Sisters" and "Men in Trees" are all believed to be in the running at ABC. The network's ensemble single-camera half-hour "In Case of Emergency," which has a series commitment, the Ted Danson starrer "Help Me Help You" and the untitled Burnett/Beckerman project are rumored to lead the comedy field, with "Him and Us," which stars Kim Cattrall, also in the mix.
Sources said ABC is eyeing "Him and Us" and the untitled Burnett/Beckerman project to run as an hourlong combo given their tonal similarities. "Him and Us" revolves around a veteran rock star and his colorful entourage; the Burnett/Beckerman project has lured Mick Jagger for a guest appearance in the show about a group of blue-collar guys in New York who conspire to rob a rock star.
At CBS, "The Class," which also originally was picked up with a series commitment, is said to be joined by on the network's hot comedy list by "Inseparable." Most of CBS' drama projects are believed to be still in play, with two legal dramas -- the James Woods-starring "Shark" and the untitled project from "CSI" maven Carol Mendelsohn -- generating strong buzz, as is Peter Ocko's medical drama starring Stanley Tucci.
Meanwhile, HBO ordered to series its drama pilot "SexLife," from Gavin Polone's Pariah.
"Studio 60," from Sorkin and fellow "West Wing" alum Thomas Schlamme, is a drama set behind the scenes at a popular late-night sketch comedy show in the vein of NBC's own "Saturday Night Live." Warner Bros. TV is producing the show, which is said to have received a 13-episode order.
"Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme's work is TV at its best, and 'Studio 60' lives up to that standard," NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly said.
The ensemble drama starring Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet and Bradley Whitford originally was picked up with a series commitment and had a large penalty attached to it (HR 10/17).
The series pickup for "Studio 60" is not thought to be affecting the chances of another NBC project set behind the scenes of a television show, the untitled Tina Fey half-hour, which is considered a hot prospect on the comedy side.
Co-starring in "Studio 60" are Sarah Paulson, D.L. Hughley, Nathan Corddry, Timothy Busfield, Steven Weber, Evan Handler and Carlos Jacott.
"SexLife" is described as a racy drama about three couples with intimacy issues. Cynthia Mort, who penned the pilot, is executive producing with Polone. The number of episodes HBO will pick up is yet to be determined.
As broadcast networks prepare to unveil their fall lineups during the week of May 15, sources said several pilots are close to earning early pickups along with "Studio 60" and Fox's "Vanished" and " 'Til Death," which received formal orders last week.
NBC's dramas "Heroes" and "Friday Night Lights," Fox's drama "Primary" and CBS' comedy "The Class" are all said to have been given the go-ahead to begin hiring staff writers and producers, which is always a good sign of a network's faith in a pilot.
According to sources, also hot at NBC are the comedies "Community Service," a single-camera project starring Jay Mohr that is said to be in the tone of the network's freshman hit "My Name Is Earl"; "20 Good Years," which is headlined by John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor; "The Singles Table"; and the Fey project.
On the drama side, the Jeff Goldblum starrer "Raines" also is said to be in contention. NBC is building a large drama series inventory for next season with two projects -- "The Black Donnellys" and "Kidnapped" -- already picked up to series and a slew of existing series, including the "Law & Order" franchise, "Medium," "Crossing Jordan" and "Las Vegas," assured a return to the schedule.
The dramas "American Crime," "Damages," "13 Graves" and "Southern Comfort" also are believed to have a shot at Fox. In the comedy field, the network is said to be considering the Ricky Blitt/Seth MacFarlane project "The Winner" and the freshman comedy "War at Home" as a potential companion for " 'Til Death." "Julie Reno, Bounty Hunter" also is said to have a lot of fans at Fox, while "The 12th Man" and "The Adventures of Big Handsome Guy and His Little Friend" have cooled off a bit but are still in contention, sources said.
The dramas "October Road," "Secrets of a Small Town," "Six Degrees," "Ugly Betty," the untitled Steinbergs project, "Brothers & Sisters" and "Men in Trees" are all believed to be in the running at ABC. The network's ensemble single-camera half-hour "In Case of Emergency," which has a series commitment, the Ted Danson starrer "Help Me Help You" and the untitled Burnett/Beckerman project are rumored to lead the comedy field, with "Him and Us," which stars Kim Cattrall, also in the mix.
Sources said ABC is eyeing "Him and Us" and the untitled Burnett/Beckerman project to run as an hourlong combo given their tonal similarities. "Him and Us" revolves around a veteran rock star and his colorful entourage; the Burnett/Beckerman project has lured Mick Jagger for a guest appearance in the show about a group of blue-collar guys in New York who conspire to rob a rock star.
At CBS, "The Class," which also originally was picked up with a series commitment, is said to be joined by on the network's hot comedy list by "Inseparable." Most of CBS' drama projects are believed to be still in play, with two legal dramas -- the James Woods-starring "Shark" and the untitled project from "CSI" maven Carol Mendelsohn -- generating strong buzz, as is Peter Ocko's medical drama starring Stanley Tucci.
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