Fun
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Nostalgic
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Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
ABC today made decisions on its 2020 pilots, impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The decisions included passes on three projects, including two high-profile dramas, the thirtysomething sequel thirtysomething(else), featuring several original cast members; Berlanti Prods.’ The Brides Dracula reimagining headlined by Gina Torres. The third is comedy Valley Trash starring Jason Lee. All three come from outside studios, MGM, Warner Bros. TV and Universal TV, respectively. Thirtysomething(else) and The Brides are expected to be shopped.
Broadcast networks trimming their pilot slates in the current environment is not surprising as the coronavirus-related Hollywood production upended 2020 pilot season, leading to nets having to make difficult decisions. CBS also passed on two high-profile projects with A-list asupices involved, drama The Lincoln Lawyer and comedy Fun.
Still, Thirtysomething(else) not going forward is a shocker given ABC’s passion for the project, whose pilot order was announced with fanfare by the network’s entertainment president Karey Burke — a huge thirtysomething fan — at TCA in January. While the order for the project, from the iconic original series’ creators Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, was for a pilot, at the time ABC allowed them to open a writers room.
It’s hard to pinpoint one reason for ABC’s decision not to proceed with the high-profile sequel; according to sources, it came down to available slots. ABC committed to two drama pilots to produce this year, and the the orders went to Rebel and Harlem���s Kitchen, which were considered stronger contenders. There have been concerns about the budget of thirtysomething(else), which was very expensive, with a large young ensemble cast and the returning original cast members who commanded big paychecks.
ABC Studios partnered with MGM on the project once it landed at ABC.
Written by Herskovitz and Zwick and to be directed by Zwick, thirtysomething(else) follows an ensemble of new faces, the new generation of thirtysomethings. They are being joined by returning original cast members Ken Olin (Michael Steadman), Mel Harris (Hope Murdoch), Timothy Busfield (Elliot Weston) and Patty Wettig (Nancy Weston), reprising their characters in supporting roles. (Fellow thirtysomething alums Melanie Mayron and Polly Draper were to recur in the sequel.)
