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EXCLUSIVE: Seasoned drama writer-producers Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts have inked an overall deal with ABC Studios. Under the two-year pact, the two are joining the studio’s new ABC drama series Off the Map as executive producers and will also develop new projects.
Berg and Harberts will serve as senior level writers on Off the Map, a medical drama set at an under-stocked clinic in the South American jungle, which will launch in midseason behind Desperate Housewives. The two will serve as executive producers alongside creator/head writer Jenna Bans, Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.
ICM-repped Berg and Harberts most recently served as executive producers/co-showrunners on the NBC/UMS medical drama Mercy with creator Liz Heldens. They also worked as co-exec producers on the ABC/WBTV series Pushing Daisies and created/executive produced the WB/20th TV dramedy Pepper Dennis.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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Kudos! Kudos! Kudos!
Especially looking forward to the new Created By projects. Berg and Harberts: Great talents, great people!
Please take some of the brunt off of Shonda you two… so she can actually run Grey’s Anatomy.
They better be nice to Jenna and not hog everything like others in their brethren. Let her be the voice of the show. CBS and ABC hire these showrunners with perfectly experienced creators in a shot gun marriage. The showrunners come in and try to push the creator off a cliff. Hire their writer buds on staff. Why is that allowed? Jim Parriot stood back and let Shonda in the first season make her show and taught her the ropes. But there are few like him.
Does Jeff Melvoin in the WGA showrunners programs advise these people to be sure to take the creator of the show and lock them in a closet down the hall? Because lots of his people do.
First and most importantly, congratulations to two hard-working writers who deserve this well-earned success.
Second, to Naive Naive:
Have you ever met Jeff Melvoin? Do you know what you’re talking about? From the way you write, it’s hard to tell. Let’s start with this chestnut: “the WGA showrunners programs.”
I assume you mean the WGA Showrunners Training Program, which Jeff has co-chaired with Carole Kirschner. A program that dozens of showrunners have volunteered their time and attention to help make a success.
You start with a specious argument (“ABC and CBS create shotgun marriages between creators and showrunners”) and then leap to a bizarre conclusion. It’s kind of hard to follow your logic because you’re so mind-numbingly stupid, but I think you’re saying this:
(1) “Some showrunners, which I’m too chickenshit to name, don’t get along with the creators of the show.”
(2) “These showrunners went through the Showrunners Training Program.”
(3) “That program was run by Jeff Melvoin.”
(4) “Jeff Melvoin teaches showrunners to lock the creators in the closet!”
Wow. Just… wow. Really? Did you pitch Episode 403 with that kind of narrative prowess?
Look, I’m sorry you’re too much of a talentless hack to stay on staff. I’m sorry you couldn’t type fast enough to keep your job as writers’ assistant. I’m sorry you got lost on the way to Koo Koo Roo as a writers’ PA. Whatever your trauma is, it doesn’t allow you to attack a good man and writer with this kind of anonymous drive-by.
And before you boo-hoo about a hurtful judgment based on a false assumption (see how easy it is?), your input is worthless unless you come out of the woodwork with (1) your real name, (2) what showrunners you ACTUALLY know and (3) some argument about how Melvoin is in any way responsible for them.
Until then, please stop embarrassing yourself by distracting from the two writers who are awesome and are the subject of this discussion.
Dearest Breen,
I suggest a deep breath…perhaps the yoga inspired “breath of fire” would be a good daily practice for you. This is going to be a wonderful show with or without your comments.
Now can you tell me where Koo Koo Roo is?
Congratulations!
Could not have happened to nicer, harder working, more professional, talented people.
Have worked with them, and look forward to doing so again.
If/when their schedule allows.
Berg and Harberts are super talented and super cool.
Can’t wait for the first episode of “Off the Map”! Berg & Harbert are such magnificent, intelligent, creative writers and producers and will certainly be on the stage at next year’s Emmy Awards show! Kudos!