A&E Rewrites Script
Net Considering 6 Drama Pilots to Flank 'Sopranos'
By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 1/14/2007 7:00:00 PM
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COMPANION PIECES
TELEFILM REDUCTION
Pasadena, Calif. — A&E Network's flair for the dramatic won't stop with Tony Soprano.
The network has commissioned six original scripted drama pilots with the hopes of launching at least one by 2008 to complement its acquisition of The Sopranos, according to A&E Network senior vice president of drama programming Tana Nugent Jamieson.
The pilots — announced last week at the Television Critics Association Tour here — are the network's first venture into the scripted series arena since 2001, when it canned two crime-based dramas, 100 Centre Street and Nero Wolfe, after disappointing ratings results.
Jamieson said the network decided to take another swing at the genre due to its high-profile acquisitions of The Sopranos, Home Box Office's popular mafia-based series, which debuted on the network Jan. 10, and forensics crime-based drama CSI Miami.
“The Sopranos gives A&E a platform to make a splash [with scripted dramas],” she said. “We're not going to go for content that you would typically see on other networks. It's going to be a good fit and a companion piece for The Sopranos.”
COMPANION PIECES
The pilots include: Dry River, a crime story set in a wealthy Texas border community; an untitled project from producer Steven Bochco about a married couple in a family law practice specializing in divorce; and The Hunt, about a former Los Angeles cop who spends time in prison and finds himself outside the criminal justice system looking in.
Also in production are Y3, about a thief-turned-good who dons a New York Police Department uniform to help solve crimes; an as yet-titled NYPD anti-terrorist project; and Johnny The Great, which revolves around the life of a hedonistic defense attorney.
In addition, the network is developing its first animated comedy series, dubbed Hollywood DMV.
The move toward scripted series comes on the heels of a strong ratings performance for A&E in 2006. The network posted a 1.0 household rating last year, an 11% increase over the same period in 2005, according to Nielsen Media Research. Jamieson attributed the network's ratings improvement to its original reality series lineup, including Dog the Bounty Hunter and Intervention, as well as acquired fare like CSI: Miami.
She added the network will remain aggressive in the reality space, returning the two aforementioned original series, as well as The First 48, King of Cars, Gene Simmons Family Jewels and Criss Angel Mindfreak.
In addition, A&E in April will premiere Sons of Hollywood, a 12-episode series that will focus on the escapades of three Hollywood scions: Randy Spelling, son of producer Aaron Spelling; Sean Stewart, son of famed singer Rod Stewart; and fledgling talent manager David Weintraub (no relation to celebrity manager Jerry Weintraub). Another reality series, Patti Novak: America's Toughest Matchmaker (working title), is also slated to debut in the second quarter.
TELEFILM REDUCTION
One area that will take a hit this year is original movies. As opposed to its typical annual output of four to six telefilms, A&E will only develop one movie in 2007: Kings of South Beach, premiering March 12 and starring Boomtown alums Donnie Wahlberg and Jason Gedrick. The network will also air a miniseries this year.
“This year we'll be down number-wise on how many we're doing, but next year we'll start getting back into it again,” she said.
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