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EXCLUSIVE: Former 20th Century Fox TV SVP drama Patrick Moran has been tapped as new head of drama at ABC Studios. He will replace Josh Barry, who is stepping down from his post after a year. Barry, a 10-year ABC/ABC Studios veteran, is well-regarded and, while the top drama job at the studio didn’t quite work out for him, I hear he could stay within the company in a different capacity.
Meanwhile, Moran exited his post as head of drama for 20th TV in early May when the studio tapped Michael Thorne for the job. Moran spent 7 years at 20th TV. He was upped to SVP in August 2007 and took over the drama department in January 2008, following the promotion of EVP Jennifer Nicholson Salke. He oversaw the development of the studio’s breakout freshman hit Glee as well as other 20th hourlong series such as Bones, Lie to Me and Prison Break. This development season, he shepherded the development of new Fox series Lone Star and Ride-Along, as well as Breakout Kings, which landed at A&E, and Chaos, which got close to a series order at CBS.
Barry joined Touchstone TV in 2000 where he worked on Alias and The Amazing Race. As executive director at the studio and then vp drama development at ABC, he helped develop Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy. He became SVP and head of drama for ABC Studios in June 2009 as part of the executive restructuring at ABC and its sister studio.
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What?! Josh is extremely well liked, both internally at ABC and by writers and producers all around town. Doesn’t make any sense. And by the way, Josh oversaw drama development and current; I hear Moran is getting development only and development going to somebody else internally.
I meant “Current” is going to somebody else internally.
that’s because doing development AND current was obviously too much for barry… and in my opinion, too much for anyone. perhaps that is the reason the shows barry developed weren’t very good. to do development properly and have as many hits as moran has shepherded, one needs to FOCUS on development.
“Josh oversaw development and drama” — that is only due to the one year long experiment where McPherson abolished the current departments at both the studio and network. Guess what? You need a current department, and asking your development execs to also handle current production shows is nuts. Good for ABC for understanding its mistake, and ensuring that their development execs and current execs are all doing a better job by having one specific job to do.
Way to go Patrick!
What a great get for ABC Studios! Patrick is one of the smartest guys around with impeccable taste. Chalk one up for the good guys.
Moran’s comment when departing fox per nikki’s prior reporting: “I decided I wanted to do something that is more producer-driven and more hands-on in a more managed volume environment. If you don’t openly want to run a studio or network one day– and I don’t — you have to be ready to take the plunge and do something else.”. Wonder what he’ll think of abc crazy development slate?
Happy to hear this; Patrick is talented, a cool guy and a pleasure to work with.
WAY TO GO, PATTYCAKES!!!!!
Congratulations to ABC, Moran is an excellent, down to earth, brilliant guy. Good choice!
How do we know they aren’t good, nothing has aired yet right? In any case an in-house studio brings the network what it wants so if these shows stink they stink from the top.
I agree! The fish stinks from the head.
That-a-boy!
Patrick is one of the good ones. Worked with him last year, don’t have a bad thing to say about him. Cute too. Congrats, buddy.
in a sea of so so so many unattractive execs, it’s always refreshing to see a handsome one like moran.
and Josh by the way. out with one hottie in with another!
Josh you will be missed!
Saying Josh Barry is well liked by everyone is like saying Steve McPherson is a programming genius. Maybe the astonishing drought in quality ABC drama for the last six years has something to do with his exit from this job? Josh Barry is a middling yes man with no taste, and no credible success to speak of.
So uncalled for. Josh developed Lost, Desperate, Grey’s, Ugly Betty, Private Practice, even Alias way back. Sure there have been some flameouts (Flash Forward, Commander in Chief) but certainly no worse a record than any of the other networks. Josh has always championed original voices, and that’s no easy task in a totally dysfunctional mega conglomerate with a hundred different agendas in play.
I just wish that whole team at ABC studios was gone. Cheryl Stanley Bosnack is just the worst. Nicole Norwood gives the kind of notes that are written up as parody. Barry Jossen just hides in his office.
The place is an absolute mess. Josh Barry was the smartest one there.
You dip shit, Barry Jossen is an assiduous worker. He’s incredibly dedicated, brilliant and talented. There will never be a better executive.
While I think Patrick is an excellent choice to run drama development @ ABCS, I am disappointed that once again upper management has overlooked an amazing in-house talent that they already have: MICHAEL MCDONALD! Hello!?!? He should have gotten the job back when it was given to Barry last year