Marley And Me TV Sequel Lands Pilot Order At NBC

The 2008 canine smash, Marley And Me, was clearly in need of a sequel. Thankfully, NBC heard the cries of fans everywhere who demanded to know what happened to Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston’s cookie cutter family once the damn dog bit it! There’s no need to ponder anymore, as a put pilot order (meaning the network is obliged to broadcast that one episode) has been commissioned for the single camera doggy show.

20th Century Fox TV will be producing the sequel series, with original movie director David Frankel signed on to helm the pilot episode. Whether or not anyone genuinely wants a continuation of the Grogan family’s dog-related antics might seem like a relevant query at this point. However, there is a shred of hope; the writer attached to script the pilot is Sex And The City alum, Jenny Bicks. The thought of a wittier, insightful approach to canine care certainly diminishes some of my doubts regarding such an unnecessary sequel.

Now that there’s some badass scribblin’ talent in the mix, what can we expect in terms of the story? Deadline, who broke the news, has a brief synopsis which suggests the show will pick up pretty much where both the book and movie left off:

“John and Jenny Grogan — the characters played in the movie by Aniston and Wilson — and their two boys, now 14 and 11, have just moved back to Florida so that John can take up his newspaper column once again. However, when a stray puppy (“owned”, but not well, by their neighbors) ends up on their doorstep, they are forced to adopt it.

This dog, named Marley for the fact that they use Marley’s old leash and tags on her, is as will-full, destructive and delightful as her original namesake. And she will help shed light not only on the growing pains of the Grogan family, but also the lives of the neighbors, and fellow dog-owners, around them.”

It sounds like a retread of the original premise stretched out over a season, which isn’t exactly inspiring. But with Bicks at the keys after finishing work on The Big C for Showtime earlier this year, I’m willing to keep an open mind.