ABC has picked up the drama pilot “RJ Decker,” based on Carl Hiaasen’s 1987 novel “Double Whammy.”
The one-hour pilot hails from writer and executive producer Rob Doherty, with Paul McGuigan attached to direct and executive produce. Hiaasen is also executive producing along with Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman of Timberman/Beverly Productions. 20th Television is the studio.
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The official logline for the series states:
“RJ Decker, disgraced newspaper photographer and ex-con, starts over as a private investigator in the colorful-if-crime-filled world of South Florida, tackling cases that range from slightly odd to outright bizarre with the help of his journalist ex, her police detective wife, and a shadowy new benefactor, a woman from his past who could be his greatest ally… or his one-way ticket back to prison.”
This marks the latest attempt to adapt a Hiaasen novel for television in recent years. Apple TV+ currently has the series “Bad Monkey” starring Vince Vaughn from Bill Lawrence, based on Hiaasen’s novel of the same name. The show was renewed for a second season in December. Variety exclusively reported in March that Lawrence is also developing Hiaasen’s novel “Skinny Dip” at Max with Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis.
Doherty previously created the popular CBS procedural “Elementary,” on which he also served as showrunner and executive producer. The show aired for seven seasons from 2012 to 2019, with Timberman and Beverly also executive producing. Doherty was also the co-showrunner and executive producer on the CBS drama “Medium” starring Patricia Arquette. Doherty’s other credits include “Dark Angel,” “Tru Calling,” and “Star Trek: Voyager.”
He is repped by UTA and Hansen Jacobson. McGuigan is repped by WME and Curtis Brown in the U.K. Hiaasen is repped by CAA. Timberman and Beverly are repped by UTA, Lenore Entertainment Group, and Hansen Jacobson.
This marks the first pilot pickup this year for ABC, as they have opted for a year-round development cycle the past few years rather than relying on the traditional pilot season model. The broadcaster has already given out a series order for next season, though — the spinoff series “9-1-1: Nashville — with several other projects in consideration for pilot pickups.
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