Though Dexter is dead in the ground and Californication is gearing up for its final outing, Showtime is experiencing a very strong dramatic season thanks to the one-two punch of Masters of Sex and Penny Dreadful, as well as excellent comedies like Nurse Jackie, Shameless, Episodes, Web Therapy and House of Lies. Now, the network is prepping another comedy hopeful by handing a pilot order to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Cameras will roll this summer, and then Showtime will decide whether or not to order it to series.
The half-hour musical comedy, from writer Aline Brosh McKenna and writer/actress Rachel Bloom, will feature direction from The Amazing Spider-Man helmer Marc Webb, who is on board as an executive producer alongside Brosh McKenna and Bloom. Bloom originally sold the show to Showtime as a pitch in October.
“This pilot is an exciting change of pace for us. ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ is built on the inspired comedy and songwriting of Rachel Bloom – who we believe, is ready to break out,” says Showtime Networks president David Nevins. “She was introduced to us by Aline Brosh McKenna, who has a brilliant, contemporary comedy voice that is spot on as showrunner of this project. And, we were lucky to attract director Marc Webb who is eager to flex different creative muscles after his blockbuster successes.”
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend stars Bloom as “a young woman who abandons a choice job at law firm and her life in New York in an attempt to find love in the unlikely locale of West Covina, California.” It sounds like an intriguing, outside-the-box series for Showtime, so I’m excited to see how it develops. Brosh McKenna built off Nevins’ comments, adding:
“I am so happy to be working with Rachel Bloom, who is not just a powerhouse musical comedy talent, but also a fabulous writer and creator – I feel very lucky to have found her videos online. We are thrilled that Marc Webb, whom I’ve wanted to work with for such a long time, has come aboard as we move forward with the pilot. David Nevins has been a great champion of the show from the second we stepped into his office, and Showtime and CBS have been ideal creative partners. They’ve given us both freedom and support, which is all writers can really ask for.”
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is the second pilot order from the premium cable network in a week – it recently also ordered Roadies, a comedy series set on a rock tour, from Cameron Crowe and J.J. Abrams. Do I sense a musical comedy block in Showtime’s future? It certainly seems that way.
