Thursday, September 10, 2009

And Speaking Of Geniuses...

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... besides us getting a hint of what's to come next from Park Chan-wook this morning, we've also got the first rumblings of what's the haps with Pushing Daisies and Wonderfalls wunderkind Bryan Fuller post-Heroes. Via Variety:

"Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer are partnering to adapt the Augusten Burroughs book "Sellevision" for NBC.

Fuller also has a second script -- his first stab at a half-hour comedy -- in the works at the Peacock.

"Sellevision" revolves around the inner workings at a fictional home shopping channel. The hourlong comedy-drama came about when both Fuller and Singer independently contacted former HSN topper Mark Bozek, who resigned in 2002 to become a film and TV producer, about collaborating on a TV project.

Bozek had originally planned to direct a feature version of "Sellevision," to be toplined by Kristin Davis and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, but the movie never got off the ground. That's when it was reimagined as a TV series.

Universal Media Studios is producing the project; Fuller, Singer, Bozek and Russell Nuce will exec produce, while Jason Taylor is a producer.

"We were all big fans of Augusten and the book, and we all got along great," Fuller said. "So we decided to get into bed together."

Fuller stresses the show won't satirize the home-shopping genre but instead will be a more grounded take on that sphere through the eyes of one player in it.

"I love the world of home shopping -- it's such a rich world," he said. "There are those great metaphors of consumerism, buying happiness, all of that chasing material thing."

Fuller said he also sees an opportunity for product integration on "Sellevision" given the project's subject matter -- as long as "it's in an organic way. Then it can be funny and part of the story. But our first hurdle is to make it a good TV show; then we can apply the sauce."

As for Fuller's half-hour script, "No Kill" is a workplace laffer set inside a no-kill animal shelter. Fuller, a self-described "animal lover," said he saw humor in people who identify more with animals than other humans.

"It's a comedy about becoming human," he said. "There's definitely a 'Barney Miller' workplace aspect to it."

Universal is producing with BermanBraun; Fuller will exec produce along with Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Project marks a reunion for Fuller and Berman, who developed the scribe's critically acclaimed but short-lived "Wonderfalls" at Fox.

"I'd never done a sitcom before, and I want to partner with people who know that genre," he said, citing the comedy background of BermanBraun exec Gene Stein.

In between these two scripts, Fuller is still working on a comicbook adaptation of his late ABC series "Pushing Daisies." Fuller said he remains hopeful that the 12 issues of the comicbook will eventually serve as a blueprint for a "Pushing Daisies" movie."

I've not read Burroughs' book but the world of home-shopping and Bryan Fuller's already well-documented, well-loved sensibilities seem like a natural (naturally brilliant) fit, doesn't it? I salivate already. And a sit-com! The mind boggles (in the best, most glorious way).

And speaking of Bryan, y'all need to head over here and vote for Pushing Daisies for Best Comedy! Do it. I command you. (And Buffy for Best Drama naturally.)
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1 comment:

Mike said...

It's premature to say that Augusten Burroughs is the worst writer to ever put pen to paper, since the world hasn't ended yet and Dan Brown has a piece of shit ready for the crapper later this year. (Also: Jewel's book of poetry.)

So I will simply say that as of this moment -- taking into account A Knight Without Armor -- Augusten Burroughs is the worst writer to ever put pen to paper. He is also at least among the worst writers of his generation.

Also: I hate him.