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EXCLUSIVE: ABC has bought Secret Lives Of Husbands And Wives, an hourlong project from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and writer Sascha Penn. Inspired by Josie Brown’s 2010 novel that takes on life love, marriage, infidelity and friendship in suburban California, the project is described as thriller/dramatic soap that centers on a murder and the secrets exposed in its aftermath. Penn, Bruckheimer and Jonathan 
Littman will executive produce, with KristieAnne Reed co-executive producing. This is the second consecutive development season in which Penn is adapting a book to the small screen. Last year, he wrote Confessions Of A Back-Up Dancer for the CW. On the feature side, Penn, repped by CAA and Madhouse Entertainment, has sold his spec sci-fi actioner The Ditch to Warner Bros and another spec, action/thriller Gone, to the Chinese company Hollywood Movie Works, with Pierce Brosnan producing. This is the fourth sale for Bruckheimer TV this season. The company previously landed put pilot commitments for a 1980s pro wresting drama executive produced by Dwayne Johnson at NBC, a Navy SEALs drama at ABC and a procedural about a mom-turned-New York State Trooper at CBS.
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I’ve seen that show, it’s called Desperate Housewives.
That sounds pretty cool for ABC – anything under the Bruckheimer banner is going to work. go sascha penn!
A Bruckheimer soap??
Hmm.. should be interesting.
Sounds like a great movie but how do you hang a TV series on one murder?
Call it The Killing
You’re right: Twin Peaks, The Killing, Desperate Housewives, Pretty Little Liars, Murder One, et al., none of those worked.
Well, if it worked for Desperate Housewives…enough said. Besides, I know Josie and it couldn’t have happened to a better person. Congrats, Josie.
Congrats Josie Brown. Loved the book can’t wait to see the show.
Can’t believe they’re rebooting DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES so soon!
i like it. nice work sascha penn!
This dude wrote a pilot called “UNKNOWN” that was one of the best pilots I’ve ever read. And I’ve read way too many pilots. I’m excited to see what comes of this.
@Lainiejay
Try “The Fugitive”. A whole series about one murder.
Ever heard of TWIN PEAKS?
Bruckheimer tried a soap before, Skin. It lasted about 4 episodes, but did introduce us to the lovely Olivia Wilde.
A million dollars says this project won’t even make it to pilot. I’ve read Sascha’s work before, and it’s barely comprehensible, let alone interesting. With this guy getting work, no wonder TV drama is in the doldrums recently…
Sadly I have read a lot of friend’s scripts that never even made it this far.
I didn’t know you thought Olivia Wilde was lovely Erin.
This show already exists…………….and it finishes on ABC next year.
sadly NONE of Bruckheimer’s sold projects this season fall anywhere less than embarassing…”average housewife turns state trooper?”… should I go on? What’s really the disappointment is that Jerry would attach himself to this crap when his talent far surpasses this??? Of course he can sell anything he wants to ABC while Paul Lee hopes Anne Sweeney doesn’t fire him….but the real question jerry needs to start asking himself in regards to this “dribble”…is do I want my name attached to this garbage at all.i’ve worked too hard to be where I’m at.
The condescension to female viewers at ABC with this development is what I don’t get. And to buy this idea from Bruckheimer who has never had a an interesting female character on any of his shows… you know where he’s going to go with it.
Paul Lee has demonstrated no taste and no intuition to develop. He follows market studies and predictions like horoscopes. Lee thinks you can game the system. Sadly you can’t. There is talent and creativity involved with being an exec and a genuine love of TV. It’s all logline over substance. Buy from the big name producer whether it’s a good idea or not. It’s not going to create good TV.
It’s a less than stellar crew at Disney Studios and ABC network. They’re all still traumatized from their last boss who had been off the rails for years. Lee and the gang should read the Steve Jobs interviews and obits and get a clue.
It is logline over substance at ABC TV. Paul Lee doesn’t have the taste to do this successfully. Very few smart execs at ABC and it’s still a totally fear based environment. Look at this seasons and last seasons new shows.
Lost, Greys Anatomy, Desperate Housewives were happy accidents. Modern Family had to push back hard to be left alone creatively and as a result ride a wave to success. ABC should understand this but they don’t.
What sad is this network TV climate will never allow a Norman Lear to emerge again. When execs want creative control network TV loses.
This sounds awful. Desperate Housewives Jerry Bruckheimer style? Has anyone noticed the kind of women he likes on his shows and movies?
He likes blow up dolls not real women. Women hated The Playboy Club and they will hate this.
I will watch for sure!
Really looking forward to seeing this – sounds right up my alley!