Jason Bateman to develop TV series
Jason Bateman is keeping himself busy. Hot off his pilot directing debut with Do Not Disturb, he has signed a deal with 20th Century Fox for a first-look at the new series. Obviously, he doesn’t hold a grudge from the network’s shoddy treatment of Arrested Development.
The new series will be developed under the banner of Bateman’s company, F A Productions. Do Not Disturb stars Jerry O’Connell and it was the only live-action comedy pilot Fox picked up as a new series for next season.
“He did an excellent job on the pilot visually, brought great energy and enthusiasm to it and, as an actor, he really understands how to talk to and motivate actors,” said Gary Newman, 20th TV co-chairman. Bateman is also scheduled to lend his voice to the Fox animated series Sit Down, Shut Up which is scheduled to begin in the fall.
Jason Bateman has come a long way since Silver Spoons. I’m still eagerly waiting for the new season of It’s Your Move.
Tim Minear gets a new deal
As Roger Daltry once sang, “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” Tim Minear has signed a new seven figure deal that will keep him at 20th Century Fox TV for another two years. His job will continue to involve working on existing shows while developing new drama projects. He’s now been at 20th for over a decade, counting among his credits The X-Files, Strange World, Angel, Firefly, Wonderfalls, The Inside, and Drive. Currently he is working as a consulting producer on Joss Whedon’s upcoming Dollhouse.
That’s a really impressive list of shows, creatively at least. But it does stand out that five of them ended all too soon. On hearing that there was a new deal in place, I was surprised for that very reason. With the last four projects ending so quickly, I thought this might be where the two parted ways. The good news is that Minear’s bosses are saying the right things. 20th TV chairman Gary Newman was quoted as saying, “We truly believe that there is a hit show in him, and we weren’t prepared to let him go and do it somewhere else.” I couldn’t agree more. Tim Minear can make a hit show, and I’ll keep watching them, four episodes at a time if need be, until he finds it.