
CBS has bought Legacy, a drama project from Jericho co-creator Jonathan E. Steinberg, DreamWorks TV and author James Frey’s book-packaging company Full Fathom Five. The project has received a script commitment plus penalty from the network and has been laid off at CBS TV Studios. It centers on a one-term president who goes back to work at his hometown law firm where he hand-picks the cases that really matter to him. Steinberg, who will write the script, is executive producing with Frey, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. The idea for the project was generated by A Million Little Pieces author Frey’s IP company, which focuses mostly on young-adult fiction. Six months ago, Frey came to Los Angeles to pitch the company’s catalog, and WME — which reps him, DreamWorks TV and Steinberg — got them together to develop Legacy. The project was pitched directly to the networks, landing at CBS. In addition to Legacy, Steinberg has a Beauty and the Beast reboot in the works at ABC/ABC Studios this development season. It combines elements of the classic fairy tale and fantasy world aspects a la Game of Thrones. Steinberg most recently developed Fox’s drama Human Target based on the comic book. DreamWorks TV recently sold drama Raiding Party to Fox and also has The Americans and Under the Dome in the works at FX and Showtime, respectively.
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Well, the legal drama about an ex-Supreme Court Justice becoming a lawyer again worked so well for NBC.
So basically it’s like the horrible OUTLAW with a Prez instead of a Supreme Court justice. Pass.
My initial thoughts: How is this different than Outlaw?
Then I clicked to see the comments.
Hollywood never learns…or is it all about the casting? Granted, Outlaw aired on a Friday night, which didn’t help the ratings any bit whatsoever
“Outlaw” deja vu!
wait wait wait… What about my idea. It’s a legal drama, but it’s different because… The lawyer is an ex-cop with a medical degree. So it covers all three of the boring bases. But the twist… He’s also an alien who served time in Leavenworth prison 50 years ago. Totally original character. And uhhmmm yeah. So each week, he just takes on a new case.
Sounds like a great role for GERALD MCRANEY!!
glad to see i’m not the only one that immediately thought of “Outlaw” when i read the logline
Good for Jon. I’ve worked with him and he is a good person.
I wish there were more people like this in the biz. He treats people well and it’s getting paid back to him.
Wow! What can anyone even say about this one. I’m sure they couldn’t pass on this idea because Jericho did so well as a TV series, and I Am Number Four was such a massive success as a book and at the BO as a movie.
The difference is this show won’t have a Latino lead (Jimmy Smits) as in “Outlaw” the way Hollywood TV likes it and so then will get a better opportunity to succeed. Hollywood claims to be so inclusive maybe if your a white gay person then yes they believe in I inclusion, diversity whatever you want to call it. Look at how many minority driven TV shows there are on TV I’m not talking entire casts or ensemble cats we are talking main character, stop thinking you might hurt yourself. The TV business is racist at worst segregated at best.
Jon Steinberg is a WONDERFUL writer and this is going to be AMAZING! So excited!
Jonathan E. Steinberg is a great storyteller. I can’t wait to see what he does with this. I’ll definitely be tuning in.