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Friday Night Lights Writers Working on Modern Wizard of Oz

BuzzSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:30:58 -0700

We're off to see the wizard! The wizard of . . . Friday Night Lights?

Yes indeed: One of the drama's writers is at work on a modern-day adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, with FNL producer Jason Katims on board to help. The project, called Dorothy Gale, is an hourlong drama being developed for NBC, and according to Variety, the plot goes like this:

Script follows the story of Dorothy, a girl from Kansas who tries to tackle modern-day Manhattan (her version of the Emerald City). Dorothy finds a job in the art world - and must deal with a wicked boss.

It's not the first Oz adaptation we've seen recently (see also: Tin Man, Wicked, an upcoming CGI movie, etc.), and a good number of you think this classic story should stop being messed with, stat. But with such a solid creative team in place, could Dorothy Gale be worth checking out?

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NBC Hurtles Into the '80s with Parenthood TV Series

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:00:17 -0800

Parenthood - yes, as in the 1989 Steve Martin movie about a crazy extended family - is getting the TV treatment, courtesy of NBC. The network has ordered a pilot for a dramedy series based on the film, from Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims.

It's the second '80s-themed show the network's ordered so far this pilot season: It also has a Wonder Years-meets-The Ice Storm show called Lost in the '80s. It's also the second time NBC has tried to adapt the movie: The network previously turned it into a short-lived 1990 comedy series starring Ed Begley Jr., Leonardo DiCaprio, and Thora Birch (I know!).

There aren't any details right now about who would play this TV version of Gil Buckman (one of my all-time favorite movie dads) or how much the series would differ from the movie this time around. Hmmm, do I smell a Recast challenge?

Do you think Parenthood could work as an hourlong dramedy? And with NBC losing an hour of primetime each night to Jay Leno's new show, do you think the network should order both this and Lost in the '80s and make one night be '80s night?

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Friday Night Lights: A First Look at Season Three

BuzzSugar — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:48:50 -0700

Score! The Friday Night Lights crew stopped by the TCA press tour on Sunday to chat about their new deal with DirecTV and what's in store for the upcoming season three.

The show will begin shooting again in Austin in August, executive producer Jason Katims said, and it will premiere Oct. 1 on DirecTV before turning up up on NBC sometime in February. The cast all seemed grateful to be back for another season (not to mention back together - Taylor Kitsch couldn't stop calling Kyle Chandler "Chands," which prompted a few giggles). So what's happening when the show picks up? To find out (spoiler alert!), just read more.

The show will pick up about eight months after the last episode we saw. That'll put us in preparation for a new football season - and for senior year for many of the characters, including Lyla, Matt, Tyra, and Riggins. Are the Panthers still defending state champions? We'll find out in the first episode.
Tami's received a huge promotion, going from Dillon's guidance counselor to the school principal. Katims said the writers want to get her driving more stories and not being just the coach's wife, "but we also think that could be a really good way to turn it around and come back to the marriage, where maybe suddenly she finds herself on the opposite side of some issues." It'll also be good for Buddy, who's still leading the Boosters and now can lobby both Taylors about football issues.
As for Lyla, Minka Kelly revealed that the born-again phase of her life is mostly over - over enough, at least, that she's settled into a serious relationship with Tim Riggins. "It's one thing to have this passionate secret relationship," Katims said, "but once they're in a real relationship, then they see how different they are. They're completely like an odd couple. They're from different sides of the tracks. They have different ideas of the future. They have different ideas of personal hygiene!" And they're also possibly headed in different directions in life, so Lyla will spend some time trying to encourage Riggins to get into college, get a scholarship, and be the best Riggins he can be.
Jason Street and Smash will each have four-episode story arcs, and Katims said they'll be some of the show's strongest material. "We are not doing this in any unceremonious way," he said - and he's open to working with both of the actors in the future.
Also out: Santiago, the teacher Julie had a crush on, and Lyla's Christian-radio boyfriend.
With those departures, get ready for some new additions, ready to stir up conflict in Dillon (and also perhaps become a bit of FNL: The New Class if there's a season four after the old guard graduates). One will be a freshman quarterback, JD McCoy, who challenges Saracen for the QB1 spot. His family has moved from Dallas specifically so JD can play on the Panthers, and the story will also show how much pressure his wealthy father puts on Coach Taylor. JD hasn't been cast yet, but Katims said it would be "a very big guest star." Another new addition will be Cash, an old friend of Billy Riggins who's a local rodeo star - and who may be wooing Tyra.
Speaking of Tyra, she's started to feel like perhaps Landry isn't really "the one" - but that doesn't mean it's settled. "They had a conversation," Katims said. "Tyra's interpretation was, 'We broke up.' Landry's just, 'We're taking a break.'"
Since Landry's no longer going to be murdering anybody, he'll be able to get back to being Matt's fun sidekick a little more, too.
Matt and Julie are baby-stepping back into being friends - "and then we'll see how it goes from there," Katims said.
As for the 13th episode, "I'm definitely not going to write it as a series finale," Katims said, as the decision about whether to come back for another year will be made after the episodes have aired on DirecTV. It will have its share of resolution, he said, as well as "cliffhangers and questions that will make you wonder what's going to happen."

Photo courtesy of NBC