Nellie Andreeva

ABC seems to be sticking to its strategy of running original scripted series in the summer, putting on the fast track a new project from feature writer Greg Poirier (National Treasure: Book of Secrets) and Grant Scharbo and Gina Matthews, the producers behind ABC’s recent summer series The Gates. Steve Shill, who just won an Emmy for his directing work on Dexter, is reportedly attached to direct the pilot for the untitled spy drama eyed for next summer. While it has received a script order, there is already talk about 3-5 back-up scripts. And feelers have been sent out to writers to join the potential series. The project, from ABC Studios and Scharbo and Matthews’ Little Engine, is a female-centered spy show described as Taken meets The Bourne Identity. ABC had mixed results with its original scripted series this past summer: Canadian import Rookie Blue was the top-rated new scripted series of the summer and has been renewed for a second season, The Gates had middling ratings, while Scoundrels fizzled. That was better that the summer of 2009 when The Good Family, Defying Gravity and Surviving Suburbia all crashed and burnt. ABC already has 2 female-friendly spy dramas in the works for next season: remakes of Charlie’s Angels and True Lies.

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