Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic split-personality tale of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is getting a contemporary interpretation with Hyde, a drama series project from Up In the Air co-writer Sheldon Turner and ABC Studios that has been set up at ABC. This marks the first sale for Sheldon and Jennifer Klein’s recently launched company Vendetta, which has a first-look deal at ABC Studios. Turner will write Hyde, which centers on Grant Hyde, a thirtysomething ER doctor with a degenerative eye condition who is conflict-averse and hesitant to be captain of his own destiny. After attempting an experimental treatment to improve his eyesight, he begins to experience a strange side effect — when he goes to sleep, his id manifests itself as Hyde, a fearless, gregarious personality who takes control where Grant cannot. Turner and Klein will executive produce the project, described as an odd buddy show where the buddies happen to be the same person. Going into this development season, the Jekyll & Hyde lore was one of the areas ABC was looking to mine. On TV, it last was tackled on NBC’s short-lived drama My Own Worst Enemy. ABC has been actively exploiting popular public domain concepts over the past year. The network has the Brothers Grimm fairytale-themed series Once Upon a Time coming up, along with Revenge, a contemporary female-centered take on The Count of Monte Cristo.

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