Trent Jones is doing primetime

[Sylph]

From Variety:

ABC adds 'Handbook' to schedule

Network greenlights half-hour comedy

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER

They're having a busy week at ABC, which just greenlit another comedy pilot and three more dramas.

New to the pilot roster: the comedy "Bad Mothers Handbook" and the drama presentations "Finnegan," "The Unusuals" and "Castle."

Also Wednesday, Lauren Lee Smith scored the lead in the CBS pilot "Can Openers," while Alina Foley and Ridge Canipe have joined Fox's "Outnumbered."

Over at ABC, "Bad Mother's Handbook" comes from scribes Jennifer Konner and Alexandra Rushfield.

Laffer, based on the book by Kate Long, revolves around 32-year-old Karen, for whom taking care of her 16-year-old daughter and 48-year-old mother is all consuming.

Single-cam project will be exec produced by Konner, Rushfield and Stu Bloomberg; ABC Studios is behind it.

Laffer reps a return to the Alphabet web for Konner and Rushfield, who created and exec produced ABC's Ted Danson comedy "Help Me Help You" in 2006.

"Bad Mothers Handbook" comes out of Konner and Rushfield's premium two-script pact sealed last summer with ABC Studios.

The scribes' other credits include the Fox pilot "Pool Guys" and the Judd Apatow laffer "Undeclared." Duo are also writing a feature project for Apatow at Universal and the Disney feature "BFF" for producers Eric and Kim Tannenbaum.

Also at the net, "Finnegan" comes from writer-exec producer Trent Jones ("Threat Matrix"); Francie Calfo is also an exec producer.

ABC Studios is behind the project, which revolves around the Los Angeles Police Dept.'s organized crime and vice unit. Procedural will center on a female lead.

"The Unusuals," from Noah Hawley ("Bones"), is a one-hour comedic procedural set in a New York police precinct. Sony Pictures TV is behind the show; Hawley will exec produce with Peter Tolan. Hawley's credits also include the feature "Lies & Alibis."

"Castle," which comes from Armyan Bernstein's Beacon shingle, centers on a mystery novelist who helps the NYPD solve crimes.

Comedic one-hour procedural was written by Andrew Marlowe ("End of Days"), who will exec produce. Bernstein is also an executive producer, as is Beacon TV prexy Laurie Zaks. ABC Studios is behind the project.

It's been a busy development season for Beacon, which is also producing the CBS pilot "NY-LON."

On the casting front, Smith will play a brain surgeon attempting to balance her work -- the male-dominated world of neurosurgery -- with her personal life, on "Can Openers." Sony Pictures TV produces the pilot presentation.

Smith's credits also include the upcoming features "Pathology," "Trick 'r Treat" and "Helen."

Child actress Foley will play Lily Embry, the youngest of three children, on "Outnumbered."

Young thesp, the daughter of comedian Dave Foley, has appeared on "Days of Our Lives" and the Web series "In the Motherhood."

Also joining the cast of "Outnumbered": Canipe ("Supernatural") will play Kyle.

[Sylph]

From Hollywood Reporter:

ABC has greenlighted four more projects: one-hour cop presentations "Castle," "The Unusuals" and "Finnegan" and half-hour family pilot "Bad Mother's Handbook" from "Help Me Help You" creators Jennifer Konner and Alexandra Rushfield.

"Castle," from ABC Studios and Beacon, is a drama penned by feature writer Andrew Marlowe ("Hollow Man") that centers on a horror novelist who is consulting for the NYPD Homicide department. Marlowe is exec producing with Beacon's Armyan Bernstein and Laurie Zaks.

"The Unusuals," from Sony Pictures TV and Apostle, is a dramedy set at a New York police precinct. Noah Hawley ("Bones") penned the script and is exec producing with Peter Tolan.

"Finnegan," from ABC Studios and writer Trent Jones ("Threat Matrix") , focuses on the organized crime/vice unit in Los Angeles, which is led by a tough female detective. Jones is exec producing with Francie Calfo.

"Handbook," from ABC Studios, is a single-camera comedy written by Konner and Rushfield that centers on a 32-year-old woman too busy taking care of her 16-year-old daughter and 48-year-old mother.

UTA-repped Konner and Rushfield are exec producing with Stu Bloomberg.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Check the writers/directors thread, sheilaforever brought it up.

Anyway, good for Trent, he's had a very diverse career. It's not often traditional daytime writers make it in primetime. The only thing bad about this is that he won't be making his way back to Y&R anytime soon, unless the pilot isn't picked up that is...

[Sylph]

I couldn't access the board until now, so I might be late in posting this.

I saw sheilaforever's post a second ago, I couldn't access the board so I post this only now... However, it need a topic, I think, just to draw attention and so that everyone knows it. With a post, only a handful will notice.

[sheilaforever]

Exactly, tell it to Sylph. I'm already suing CNN because it's "Sheilaforever - Be The First to Know" and they stole my claim...

As we now already have a different threat: we'll be interesting to see how the latest Trent Jones project works out. It's not exactly like Theat Matrix was Masterschool Theatre.

[Sylph]

I've already explained myself, I believe. In a previuos post, look up. You should have started a thread if you cared so much.

And, of course, we can always have a childish war "Who read the news first?" on one those industry newspapers...

[sheilaforever]

That's exactly what I was hoping for...

...now that the board seems halfway be running again. It's kinda exhausting today.

[Sylph]

You know I'm joking, right? And that my previous post wasn't malevolent and sarcastic?

You know you're love.

[Sylph]

And by the way, even if they pick up the show, it just doesn't seem interesting to me. Quite the opposite actually: I find the concept boring.

[Toups]

I guess this is good news for those who want Trent Jones back at Y&R: there's a primetime Trent Jones and a daytime Trent Jones.

[Sylph]

What? It is the same person.

[Toups]

I thought it was the same person too until someone told me there's two Trent Jones.

Primetime Trent Jones is married to Francie Calfo (who's EPing the show and she is or used to be an ABC exec).

Also, Daytime Trent Jones was still writing for Y&R when "Threat Matrix" aired on ABC in 2003-2004.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Wow, IMBD really has the two Trent Jones' mixed up then.

Good to know though, now Maria better get daytime Trent Jones on the phone and beg him to come back to Y&R.

[Sylph]

Thanks, Toups, for the info! I just thought it was the same person because of the IMDB credits!!

I just looked Trent Jones up in the Database and there are, of course, other people with the same name, but no other writers...

Toups, do you know approximately how old is Trent? Because, if his middle name is Edward and if he is 45, then there are no 2 writers with that name. Also, then his wife is Francie C. Calfo.

[Sylph]

From Hollywood Reporter:

James Burrows has been tapped to direct CBS' comedy pilot "Single White Millionaire," Gary Fleder is in negotiations to helm ABC's drama presentation "Finnegan," and Bharat Nalluri is set to helm ABC's comedy pilot "Cupid."

...

"Finnegan," from ABC Studios, focuses on the organized crime/vice unit in Los Angeles. WMA-repped Fleder, director/exec producer of ABC's "October Road," recently helmed the feature "The Express."