ABC has just picked up FX TV Studios’ series Defying Gravity from Grey’s Anatomy producer James Parriott. The show revolves around eight astronauts from five countries who undertake a mysterious six-year mission through the solar system. And while the 13-episode adventure tale doesn’t really involve a medical plot, it has been described as “Grey’s Anatomy in Space.”
“Since we originally pitched Gravity to the international marketplace as Gray’s Anatomy in space, getting the series on the network that has Grey’s and makes the most successful sci-fi show on TV in Lost is a good fit,” said FtvS executive VP David Madden, who continued on by describing Gravity as having a “sci-fi premise but being told in a female-friendly way.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the internationally produced series is also set to air on Canada’s CTV, Germany’s ProSieben and the BBC. Ron Livingston (Office Space, Standoff) will headline Defying Gravity, along with co-stars Laura Harris, Christina Cox, Malik Yoba and Florentine Lahme.
“We’re excited about being pioneers in doing television a different way,” added executive producer Michael Edelstein (Desperate Housewives), who got the ball rolling on the project more than three years ago when he caught a repeat of the BBC docu-drama Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets on Discovery Channel, about an international crew of astronauts on a trip through space.
Defying Gravity is one of three drama series that FtvS produced independently with international partners in the past year, along with Mental and Persons Unknown. But unlike Persons Unknown and Mental, which were existing pilot scripts at FtvS originally developed for other networks, Gravity was developed specifically for the company’s international producing model. The deal was reportedly championed by ABC senior vice president Quinn Taylor, who added acquisitions to his long form duties during the network’s recent executive restructuring.
Viewers can expect Defying Gravity to make its debut on ABC this summer.
-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Hollywood Reporter
(Image courtesy of Wire Image)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
