Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: In one of ABC’s first major development commitments for next season, the network has bought a soapy drama  from McG, producer of Fox’s The O.C., which helped usher in the current resurgence of the primetime soap genre. ABC, home of some of the most popular nighttime soaps on TV, including Grey’s Anatomy and Revenge, has handed out a put pilot commitment to the McG-produced project, which will be written by Byron Balasco (Detroit 1-8-7).

The untitled drama, which echoes the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, revolves around the haves and have-nots of one of California’s most seductive cities, Venice. It focuses on two rival families and a forbidden and dangerous romance emerging between them as the two families battle for control of Venice. McG’s Wonderland Sound and Vision is producing with Warner Bros. Television where the company is based. McG and Balasco are executive producing with Wonderland’s Peter Johnson.

This would mark McG’s first series on ABC. He currently executive produces the CW’s Supernatural and Nikita. Additionally, he has Fox drama pilot Guilty in consideration for fall 2013. His previous series credits include NBC’s Chuck and Fox’s Human Target and Fastlane. ICM-repped Balasco also worked on Happy Town, FlashForward and Without A Trace. This would mark the his first series as a creator. WME-repped McG has history of shepherding writers’ first series, including Josh Schwartz’s The O.C. and Eric Kripke’s Superatural. McG and Balasco are with Management 360.

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