Last week, word came down that NBC Universal was currently at work on a reboot of Xena: Warrior Princess, and with that announcement, so signified the beginning of the 2015 network TV development season.
Now is the time of year every writer walks into the respective studios and networks to pitch new shows that could potentially find their way into the production cycle for the 2016/2017 season. But, of that vast array of scribes, which ones have the most power this year? Which ones have the best chance of walking into a room and selling an idea? Well, based on past success and current availability, it might be these folks:
THE FOLLOWING IS PRESENTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
Greg Berlanti
Credit: Jon Reeves
With a staggering total of six series that are currently airing or are about to debut during the 2015/2016 television season, it’s easy to understand why Greg Berlanti isn’t going to have much trouble succeeding in the coming development cycle, should he decide to partake in it. In television, as it is in all of Hollywood, it’s much easier to create success when success already exists. So, when you’re the executive producer of two of the most 18-25 friendly shows on the market, as well as a traditional network procedural that just landed a second season , it’s a lot easier for executives to say “yes” to something your pitch when looking at the track-record of established success.
Kevin Biegel
Credit: Fox
While Biegel may have not had much luck with his previous effort, Enlisted, what’s working in his favor are two major factors. The first being that his other co-creation, Cougar Town, is currently in syndication (thus giving the man, like Berlanti, a track record of success), and the second being a brand new overall deal the writer recently signed with ABC Studios. As he works on the upcoming The Real O’Neals, Biegel will be pitching series of his own to the studio, and given the investment the network just made in him, it’s not hard to believe executives will be listening closely to whatever presentations he currently has in the works.
Carlton Cuse
Like Berlanti, Carlton Cuse currently has five television series in various states of production – but all with exiting series orders. Given this, should he partake in the latest round of network development, Cuse should have no issue taking projects around town during the remainder of 2015. Unlike his Lost counter-part, Cuse has managed to use the power of the sci-fi juggernaut to launch himself into a place of being one of TV’s most enduring powers, and he shows no signs of slowing down in the coming year.
Lee Daniels
This one’s simple: when you’re the co-creator and executive producer of the biggest success of the previous season, people are going to want to know what your next move is. Of course, it also helps Daniels has the flair of “Academy Award nominated director” under his belt, but ultimately, nothing speaks louder than Nielsen ratings, and that means nothing is speaking louder right now than Empire. Daniels’ co-creation tapped into a section of the television audience executives have been trying to reach for years, so it stands to reason they’ll pushing for another show that can make lightning strike twice from the man that made it strike gold the first time.
Hart Hanson
Credit: Jason Willheim
Even though his previous series, Backstrom, didn’t make it out alive during the most recent television season, there’s one key factor working in the Bones creator’s favor this year: he’s a free agent again. This coming development season marks the first time in a long time that Hanson isn’t under contract with 20th Century Fox Television, and that means every network and studio under the sun is now open to the chance of working with the man that created one of the most enduring, modern, syndicated hits on the small screen. Many executives who are still looking for shows that can succeed in the long term are most certainly going to be interested in hearing Hanson out in the coming development cycle.
Kyle Killen
Credit: Gage Skidmore
In the last few years, Kyle Killen’s had one unsuccessful show after another, so why is he on this list? He’s on this list because, despite those small screen failures, every network still wants to work with the man because, ultimately, his projects always cause a swirl within the critical and “trend setter” communities. Lone Star, Awake and Mindgames were all beloved series that failed to find a mainstream audience. But now, Killen has the benefit of being under an overall deal at Paramount TV, which gives him a sense of security that comes with being under such a contract in addition to the ability of pitching anyone that will listen as Paramount is merely a studio and not an airing network.
However, of those airing network, all of them want a Killen show because they want to be the network that finally get to walk away saying, “we’re the ones that made a Kyle Killen series last,” and those are bragging rights worth fighting for.
Ryan Murphy
Credit: David Livingston/Getty Images
Keeping a long the trend of producers with existing successes that put them in the position of easily accessible executive ears, Ryan Murphy falls right in line with the likes of Greg Berlanti and Carlton Cuse. With Scream Queens and American Crime Story about to launch alongside a fresh run of American Horror Story, Ryan Murphy should have no trouble getting a new series off the ground in the next development cycle should he have an idea for one. In addition, his odds will only be increased if that show is another anthology like the aforementioned three as the genre seems to be the hot topic of Hollywood television at the moment.
Sam Raimi
Credit: Gage Skidmore
In addition to being the man that essentially kicked off the 2015 develop season with the previously mentioned Xena reboot, Sam Raimi is also a big deal at the moment following the successful roll-out of the world’s first look at Ash vs Evil Dead at Comic-Con. Right now, the horror veteran has the attention of the key demographic, and a variety of networks are sure to take notice. While his attention might end up being focused on Xena right now, there’s no telling what else the Spider-Man director could have coming down the pipeline in the next few months.
Shonda Rhimes
Credit: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images
It simply wouldn’t be a list of television producers with development heat if it didn’t include ABC’s golden child, Shonda Rhimes. From Grey’s Anatomy to Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder, Rhimes has near complete autonomy to sell whatever she wants at the alphabet network (with a new series set for debut this coming year in the form of The Catch). With that power, should she plan on throwing her hat in the development pool ring this year, every executive at ABC Studios will surely be in the room for the meeting.
Shawn Ryan
Credit: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images
While he may not have a show up at a traditional network right now, Shawn Ryan is one of the few TV producers that currently gets to say they have greenlit shows in the works at both Amazon and Netflix in the form of Mad Dogs and The Get Down respectively. With that kind of credibility, in addition the continued enduring legacy of The Shield, Ryan won’t find it difficult to pitch a new idea to one of the big five if he wants to. However, of all the names on this list, he seems like the least likely to do so this year given his current placement among the two biggest streaming giants operating in Tinseltown.
