As the decade recently came to a close and many reflected on those we lost, one of the deepest pains is that Philip Seymour Hoffman is longer with us. One can only imagine the performances the immensely talented actor would have delivered, but today brings one that had never seen the light of day–until now. Shortly before his death in February 2014, he had filmed the pilot for the Showtime series Happyish, which follows a depressed advertising executive. Created and written by Shalom Auslander, it was later relaunched with Steve Coogan recast in the role. Back in 2013, John Cameron Mitchell directed the pilot which ended up never being publicly seen, but he’s now made it available.
The director said on Instagram, “I directed the original unaired 2013 pilot of #Happyish, a Showtime comedy starring the brilliant #philipseymourhoffman in his last filmed role. (He is fraternizing w a double-stuffed Keebler elf...
The director said on Instagram, “I directed the original unaired 2013 pilot of #Happyish, a Showtime comedy starring the brilliant #philipseymourhoffman in his last filmed role. (He is fraternizing w a double-stuffed Keebler elf...
- 2/15/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The slate of Phyllis Nagy is getting a massive showing of support from some of the biggest names in film and television. More than 300 writers of all levels in the film and TV business, from up-and-comers to superstars, have signed an open letter endorsing Nagy, who is running for president of WGA West, as well as her slate of Craig Mazin, who’s running for vice president, and Nick Jones Jr., up for secretary-treasurer.
Those who have signed the letter include heavyweights Shonda Rhimes, Greg Berlanti, Ryan Murphy, Ava DuVernay, Dan Fogelman, Kenya Barris, Steve Levitan, Damien Chazelle, Courtney Kemp, Aaron Sorkin, David E. Kelley, Akiva Goldsman, Lena Waithe, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Allan Heinberg, David Benioff, Db Weiss, Alex Kurtzman, Sarah Treem,, Darren Star, Nic Pizzolatto, Scott Frank, Eric Kripke and Alex Gibney.
The list also includes top showrunner John Wells, one of the most respected leaders in the...
Those who have signed the letter include heavyweights Shonda Rhimes, Greg Berlanti, Ryan Murphy, Ava DuVernay, Dan Fogelman, Kenya Barris, Steve Levitan, Damien Chazelle, Courtney Kemp, Aaron Sorkin, David E. Kelley, Akiva Goldsman, Lena Waithe, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Allan Heinberg, David Benioff, Db Weiss, Alex Kurtzman, Sarah Treem,, Darren Star, Nic Pizzolatto, Scott Frank, Eric Kripke and Alex Gibney.
The list also includes top showrunner John Wells, one of the most respected leaders in the...
- 7/26/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Hundreds of WGA members rallied solidly behind their union last week as the industry grappled with uncertainties spurred by the sudden break between writers and their talent agency representatives.
But as the standoff heads into its second week, signs of strain among some WGA members are beginning to emerge. Shalom Auslander, author and creator of the Showtime dramedy “Happyish,” penned a scathing “Official Coerced Termination Letter” to his reps at CAA that blasted the WGA for what Auslander describes as thuggish tactics in forcing members to fire their agents.
The letter, which is circulating in writer circles, likened Auslander’s situation to being held “hostage” by the WGA and threatened with disciplinary action if he did not send in the electronic form letter of termination provided by the guild. The WGA reportedly plans to deliver hard copies of the termination letters to the Big Four talent agencies — Wme, CAA, UTA and ICM Partners — on Monday.
But as the standoff heads into its second week, signs of strain among some WGA members are beginning to emerge. Shalom Auslander, author and creator of the Showtime dramedy “Happyish,” penned a scathing “Official Coerced Termination Letter” to his reps at CAA that blasted the WGA for what Auslander describes as thuggish tactics in forcing members to fire their agents.
The letter, which is circulating in writer circles, likened Auslander’s situation to being held “hostage” by the WGA and threatened with disciplinary action if he did not send in the electronic form letter of termination provided by the guild. The WGA reportedly plans to deliver hard copies of the termination letters to the Big Four talent agencies — Wme, CAA, UTA and ICM Partners — on Monday.
- 4/20/2019
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
It’s not often that a premium cable network cancels a series after just one season, but such is the fate of Happyish. Showtime has confirmed the death of its first-year comedy, which opened in April to mostly negative reviews. Created by playwright Shalom Auslander, Happyish was originally intended as a starring vehicle for the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, with Showtime chief David Nevins excitedly revealing the project to TV critics back in 2013. After Hoffman died and Steve Coogan signed on to fill the Hoffman role on the show, Nevins decided to keep the project going. But the combination of harsh critical reaction (the Denver Post’s Joanne Ostrow called the pilot “a sad, pretentious piece of work, desperate to be taken seriously”) and low ratings (just 300,000 viewers watched episode one within the first three days of its premiere, while, on average, a modest 1.6 million caught most episodes on...
- 7/24/2015
- by Joe Adalian
- Vulture
Showtime's Happyish will not be coming back. The premium cable network has canceled the freshman comedy after one season, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Read More How Showtime's 'Happyish' Recovered After Philip Seymour Hoffman's Death Happyish, created, written and executive produced by This American Life's contributor and first-time showrunner Shalom Auslander, had a particularly long and challenged road to screen, with star Philip Seymour Hoffman passing away just weeks after wrapping the series' pilot. After an extensive casting search during the latter part of 2014, veteran actor Steve Coogan stepped in to replace the late star in the dark satirical dramedy. Showtime CEO David Nevins,
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- 7/24/2015
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Before Shalom Auslander created the Showtime series "Happyish" — a "comedy" about a marketing executive struggling to overcome his moral qualms with the profession and find meaning in his day-to-day existence — he was a marketing executive dwelling on similar issues. This year, he's found a way to focus those thoughts into his first television series, an extension(-ish) of his past work as a writer of three novels, many articles and contributions to the popular NPR program "This American Life." Now Auslander is waiting to hear if he'll get to continue his latest story. Showtime has yet to pick up a second season of "Happyish," which should come as no surprise to critics and fans alike. Season 1 was an ambitious, genre-defying effort meant to get its message across more than cater to the predefined whims of a pay cable audience. In a way, Thom Payne — the show's central figure and embracer...
- 6/29/2015
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
With Mad Men about to end its seven-year run, a new dark comedy from This American Life contributor Shalom Auslander is debuting at April 26 to try to skewer the advertising industry and almost everything else. However, unlike AMC's Matthew Weiner-created drama, there isn't a lot to recommend about Showtime's Happyish. Despite a cast led by Steve Coogan, Kathryn Hahn and Bradley Whitford, the flabby show about middle aging, economic insecurity and social media bald spots…...
- 4/24/2015
- Deadline TV
A fresh perspective can be a a tremendous boon to creating a television show, or it can be an enormous handicap. If you're new to this, you may not see the form the same way all the veterans do, and you may wind up telling stories in an entirely new way. Or you may find yourself repeating things that many before you have tried because you don't know what's a cliche and what isn't. On the positive end of things, look at Simon Rich. He wasn't entirely new to TV when he created Fxx's "Man Seeking Woman," having spent a few years on staff at "SNL," but it was the first show he created and the first sitcom he worked on after a long time as a novelist and short story writer. That show doesn't always work, but when it does, it's explosively funny and feels like no other comedy on television.
- 4/23/2015
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
In the spirit of "HAPPYish," Showtime's self-satisfied new satire of American culture, let's skip the pleasantries. Our first sight of protagonist Thom Payne (Steve Coogan) is of his outstretched middle finger, a taunting "Fuck you!" to the viewer that more or less expresses the sour, pissing-contest bravado of the entire exercise: like Thomas Jefferson, "Mad Men," brands, Jewish mothers, and teenagers, we're easy targets for creator Shalom Auslander's palpable rage against the machine of modern life, laid out in Thom's opening monologue with all the subtlety of an eighth grader's five-paragraph essay. "What the fuck is happiness?" he asks, with an audible sneer. "A BMW? A thousand Facebook friends? A million Twitter followers?" It's as if the Aaron Sorkin of HBO's "The Newsroom" rode into Matthew Weiner's artful drama on his high horse and stripped away all but the most irksome "kids these days"...
- 4/21/2015
- by Matt Brennan
- Thompson on Hollywood
Audiences will soon be getting Happyish, as the highly anticipated Showtime series finally makes its debut next month. The show that was initially beset by tragedy – as original star Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away – has respectfully re-cast, re-grouped and re-shot, and a snippet of the result is now available in a new trailer. Striking a much lighter tone than expected, Happyish now stars Steve Coogan, employing an accent that is perhaps best described as ‘American-ish.’
Thom Payne (Coogan) has hit his mid-40s, and is facing the prospect of working for a new, younger, more hip boss who has assumed control of his workplace. A bundle of contradictions, Thom is concerned about erectile dysfunction, but worries that chemical remedies may counteract his anti-depressants. He loathes the current youth-focused trends, but tries his best to make skinny jeans work. Mostly, he wonders if he could be happier, but suspects that this...
Thom Payne (Coogan) has hit his mid-40s, and is facing the prospect of working for a new, younger, more hip boss who has assumed control of his workplace. A bundle of contradictions, Thom is concerned about erectile dysfunction, but worries that chemical remedies may counteract his anti-depressants. He loathes the current youth-focused trends, but tries his best to make skinny jeans work. Mostly, he wonders if he could be happier, but suspects that this...
- 3/12/2015
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
The untimely death of Philip Seymour Hoffman last year left many projects in limbo, most notably the Hunger Games movie franchise, where he was in the midst of shooting for a pivotal role in the series. However, Hoffman’s demise also put to an end the actor’s transition to television, as he was set to take on the lead role in the Showtime series Happyish, following in the footsteps of numerous performers who had made the transition to the small screen. While Hoffman’s demise put the show in jeopardy, it soon righted itself, going in a different direction by having Steve Coogan step into the lead. Coogan, who has previously found success in television with the Alan Partridge character across numerous shows, as well as movies such as Hamlet 2 and The Other Guys, plays the role of Thom Payne. The show’s synopsis is as follows:
On his birthday,...
On his birthday,...
- 3/10/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Read More: Showtime Picks Up 'Happy-ish' for Spring Debut, Sets 'Penny Dreadful' Return Suffering from what a super-trendy Ellen Barkin diagnoses as a "low joy ceiling," Thom Payne (Steve Coogan) isn't even sure if he's happy, let alone "happyish." Yep, for poor Thom, it would seem that life is intersecting somewhere at the decidedly unpleasant medium between Prozac and Viagra, but that won't keep him from pursuing happiness (and flipping Thomas Jefferson the bird along the way). Showtime's newest half-hour comedy (from "This American Life" contributor Shalom Auslander) also stars Kathryn Hahn and Bradley Whitford. The trailer asks plenty of hard-hitting questions; from the soul searching, "What the f*** is happiness?" to the honestly flummoxing, "Who wants to follow Pepto-Bismol on Twitter?" Check out the trailer for more musings (and a few ab-related nuggets of wisdom). "Happyish" premieres Sunday,...
- 3/7/2015
- by Rosie Narasaki
- Indiewire
Showtime has released a first-look tease for their new series "Happyish." The series, set to premiere April 26, stars Steve Coogan as Thom Payne, a 44-year old not quite ready for the new digital age his profession is suddenly thrown into. Kathryn Hahn plays his wife, Lee. The short teaser focuses largely on the counterproductive mix of Thom's erectial dysfunction pills and anti-depressants, it's hard (no pun intended) to not laugh at the banter between Thom and Lee here. "Happyish," created by "This American Life" contributor Shalom Auslander and directed by Ken Kwapis, is currently in production in New York. Check out the trailer below. Read More: Showtime Picks Up 'Happy-ish' for Spring Debut, Sets 'Penny Dreadful' Return...
- 2/9/2015
- by Travis Clark
- Indiewire
If you thought things were bloody twisted in the first season of "Penny Dreadful," it looks like the second season is about to up the ante. Showtime announced on Monday (January 12) at the Television Critics Association press tour that "Penny Dreadful" will return on April 26, airing in the 10 p.m. hour. The 9 p.m. hour will be filled with "Nurse Jackie" (premiering on April 12) and then, at 9:30, the series premiere of "Happy-ish," which was only formally ordered today. "Happyish," which will always be associated with its original incarnation with Philip Seymour Hoffman, stars Steve Coogan, Kathryn Hahn and Bradley Whitford now. Shalom Auslander created "Happyish," which is currently shooting in New York. “Shalom has a unique comedic voice," states Showtime President David Nevins. "He is smart, provocative and thoughtful. I know he’s going to make viewers laugh, but he’s also going to push a few buttons while doing it.
- 1/12/2015
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
If you thought things couldn't get any "happier" for Showtime after last night's big Emmy wins, you'd be wrong. Kind of. Showtime didn't waste any time Monday, announcing a slew of new development news at its TCA presentation in Pasadena, including the pick up and premiere date for "Happyish." The half-hour comedy will premiere the first entry in its 10-episode first season April 26 at 9:30pm. Though perhaps most well known for what it could have been — the first-ever TV series to star Phillip Seymour Hoffman — "Happyish" is an exciting prospect for more than one reason. Created, written and produced by author and "This American Life" contributor Shalom Auslander, "Happyish" follows a family's pursuit of happiness while still asking if the goal is an attainable one. Showtime president David Nevins, who made the announcement, said the show was a high "priority" for him and his network. "Shalom has a unique comedic.
- 1/12/2015
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Showtime has ordered a sixth season of its comedy “Shameless” and given a series order to the project “Happyish,” Showtime Networks president David Nevins said at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena on Monday.
“Happyish” will premiere April 26 at 9:30 p.m.
It was also announced Monday that Kyle MacLachlan will reprise his role as FBI Agent Dale Cooper in the network’s upcoming “Twin Peaks” reboot, with MacLachlan showing up on stage in character to serve Nevins a presumably damn good cup of coffee.
Also Read: James Corden Says Taking Over CBS’s ‘Late Late Show’ Is ‘Daunting’
“Happyish,...
“Happyish” will premiere April 26 at 9:30 p.m.
It was also announced Monday that Kyle MacLachlan will reprise his role as FBI Agent Dale Cooper in the network’s upcoming “Twin Peaks” reboot, with MacLachlan showing up on stage in character to serve Nevins a presumably damn good cup of coffee.
Also Read: James Corden Says Taking Over CBS’s ‘Late Late Show’ Is ‘Daunting’
“Happyish,...
- 1/12/2015
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Kathryn Hahn (Bad Words) has ended speculation by renewing her commitment to the Showtime TV project Happyish, in which she was set to star with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Originally conceived as an episodic vehicle for Hoffman, Happyish – in its initial form – was a TV pilot picked up for a 10 episode series, with Hahn starring as Hoffman’s wife. Steve Coogan was recently confirmed as replacement for Hoffman in the drama, and he will now be joined by Hahn, who is reprising her role.
Happyish centres on Thom Payne (Coogan), who finds himself with new bosses, half his age, who demand he ‘re-brand’ himself. Lee (Hahn) is his wife, and mother of their 6 year-old son, Julius. She is uncompromisingly honest, while being a devoted, but frustrated idealist – believing the best of everybody and everything, while constantly resenting the fact that neither of those things can be true all the time.
Happyish centres on Thom Payne (Coogan), who finds himself with new bosses, half his age, who demand he ‘re-brand’ himself. Lee (Hahn) is his wife, and mother of their 6 year-old son, Julius. She is uncompromisingly honest, while being a devoted, but frustrated idealist – believing the best of everybody and everything, while constantly resenting the fact that neither of those things can be true all the time.
- 11/15/2014
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
Bradley Whitford has joined the cast of Showtime’s Happyish pilot, EW has learned. The comedy follows Thom Payne’s (Steve Coogan) pursuit of happiness in the midst of dealing with a world he doesn’t understand, a pursuit that might just be the thing causing his unhappiness in the first place. The Emmy-winning West Wing alum will play Jonathan Cooke, Payne’s boss and an advertising industry legend whose success is due in equal parts to his creative genius and moral cravenness. Rhys Ifans previously played the role in the original pilot. Whitford’s casting comes on the heels...
- 11/14/2014
- by Natalie Abrams
- EW - Inside TV
Kathryn Hahn is returning to "Happyish" with a new co-star. The "Crossing Jordan" actor is set to reprise her role as Lee Payne in the Showtime dramedy, the network announced on Thursday. This is Hahn's second outing in the part after shooting the same pilot with Philip Seymour Hoffman last year; Steve Coogan subsequently stepped in to replace the late actor. Lee is described as a wife and mother who is "honest and direct to a considerable fault" and who believes that people are good and that the world can be a better place - an outlook that causes no shortage of frustration when she is consistently faced with its limitations. "But she loves Thom (Coogan), and Thom loves her, even though they both loathe themselves." Hilarity ensues. Slated to film in New York next month with director Ken Kwapis ("The Office," "He's Just Not That Into You"), "Happyish" was...
- 11/13/2014
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Showtime has announced that Kathryn Hahn will star alongside Steve Coogan in the comedy pilot for Happyish. Hahn will play Lee Payne, the wife to Coogan's Thom Payne and mother to their six-year old son, Julius. Hahn originally shot the 2013 pilot for Happyish with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Happyish is a comedy that follows Payne's pursuit of happiness in the midst of dealing with a world he doesn’t quite understand, and playing with the idea of rebranding himself to fit in with a younger demographic or if just settling for a “happyish” life is the best he can hope for.
- 11/13/2014
- by Teresa Jue
- EW - Inside TV
When The Master actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died of an apparent drug overdose earlier this year, the fate of the actor’s planned Showtime series Happyish was suddenly thrown up in the air. Though the network had ordered the half-hour comedy to series back in April, the entire show and the filmed pilot were based around Hoffman’s performance. With his death, it seemed for a time that Happyish would simply be swept under the rug. Now, however, Showtime has announced a replacement to lead the series – Philomena star Steve Coogan.
With the Oscar and Golden Globe nominee on board, Happyish will shoot a new pilot in New York this December. If all goes well, Showtime will then order nine additional episodes to complete the show’s first season. Currently, Happyish is in the process of being written, and it will have to be somewhat reworked to accommodate Coogan. Additionally,...
With the Oscar and Golden Globe nominee on board, Happyish will shoot a new pilot in New York this December. If all goes well, Showtime will then order nine additional episodes to complete the show’s first season. Currently, Happyish is in the process of being written, and it will have to be somewhat reworked to accommodate Coogan. Additionally,...
- 10/23/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Showtime is still moving forward with the Shalom Auslander–created dark comedy Happyish, the network announced today. Initially, the show starred Philip Seymour Hoffman as a middle-aged guy grappling with misery in the wake of professional frustration. After Hoffman's death in February, the future of the show was unclear, but Showtime has cast Steve Coogan in the main role. Coogan's version of the pilot will shoot in December, though it's not clear yet if the supporting cast from the previous version — including Kathryn Hahn as Hoffman's character's wife and Rhys Ifans as his boss — will be back.
- 10/22/2014
- by Margaret Lyons
- Vulture
While Showtime has been quiet for a while on any news following its decision to move forward with its show Happyish after the death of its star Philip Seymour Hoffman, the network has finally announced a replacement for the show's main role. Steve Coogan has been revealed as the new star of the Showtime half-hour comedy, with a new pilot to be shot in New York City in December of 2014. A pilot had previously been shot with Hoffman in the starring role, backed by a supporting cast that included Kathryn Hahn and Rhys Ifans. Ten episodes of the show had...
- 10/22/2014
- by Jonathon Dornbush
- EW - Inside TV
Oscar nominated writer and TV favorite Steve Coogan will be the new lead in Showtime's darkly comedic half-hour "Happyish." The new pilot for "Happyish" will shoot in New York City this December, with Ken Kwapis directing from a script by Shalom Auslander. Coogan is, of course, replacing the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who starred in the original "Happyish" pilot. That version of "Happyish," directed by John Cameron Mitchell, was ordered to series in January 2014, just weeks before Hoffman's death. The "Alan Partridge" and "Philomena" star will play Thom Payne, a 44-year-old man told by his 25-year-old boss that he's in need of "rebranding" and told by a corporate head hunter that has a "low joy ceiling." While the main character's name hasn't been altered, I'm told that the character has been reconceived from the Hoffman version to fit Coogan's persona. "Steve’s range is astounding – he is a comedy legend,...
- 10/22/2014
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
British thesp/screenwriter Steve Coogan has been tapped to succeed the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as the star of Showtime’s Happyish.
Happyish had been ordered to series in January of this year, weeks before Hoffman’s passing. With Coogan now in place, it reverts to the pilot stage.
Coogan will play Thom Payne, a middle-aged man whose world is thrown into disarray when his 25-year-old “wunderkind” boss arrives full of “social” and “viral” ideas. Is Thom in need of a “rebranding” for the new generation? Is pursuing happiness is a fool’s errand? Or, at his age, is “happyish” the best one can expect?...
Happyish had been ordered to series in January of this year, weeks before Hoffman’s passing. With Coogan now in place, it reverts to the pilot stage.
Coogan will play Thom Payne, a middle-aged man whose world is thrown into disarray when his 25-year-old “wunderkind” boss arrives full of “social” and “viral” ideas. Is Thom in need of a “rebranding” for the new generation? Is pursuing happiness is a fool’s errand? Or, at his age, is “happyish” the best one can expect?...
- 10/22/2014
- TVLine.com
Philip Seymour Hoffman’s tragic death rocked the film world in February this year, but it also had repercussions for the TV universe. Hoffman had been part of a pilot for a new show on Us cable channel Showtime called Happyish, which has just been ordered to series when he passed. Now the dark comedy is headed back to the pilot stage, with Steve Coogan taking over the lead.He’ll be Thom Payne, a 44-year-old British expat working in the States whose ordinary life is thrown into disarray when his boss is replaced by a 25-year-old wunderkind who spouts terms like “viral” and “social marketing”. The new arrival makes him question whether he’s satisfied with his situation.According to Deadline, producers Shalom Auslander, Ken Kwapis and Alexandra Beattie had been developing the project for years before finally getting the green light to make the show. Given the long...
- 10/22/2014
- EmpireOnline
Showtime president David Nevins says there's a chance that “Happyish,” the series that was to have starred Philip Seymour Hoffman, could come air with a new lead. Creator Shalom Auslander has written five scripts for the show so far, Nevins said at a Television Critics Association panel Friday. Also read: ‘Happyish’ Creator on Philip Seymour Hoffman: ‘The Biggest, Brokenest Heart of Anyone I Have Ever Met’ “I now am sitting on five scripts from Shalom that I think are brilliant,” Nevins said. “If I can cast it the same way, it's something I will probably make. But there's no guarantees.
- 7/18/2014
- by Tim Molloy
- The Wrap
Shalom Auslander, who created the Showtime series in which Philip Seymour Hoffman was to star, remembered the actor Monday as having “the biggest, brokenest heart of anyone I have ever met.” Hoffman was the lead in Auslander’s “Happyish,” about a frazzled advertising executive who struggles with how much selling out is too much selling out. The series had shot only a pilot before Hoffman died Sunday of an apparent heroin overdose. He was 46. Also read: Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Showtime Series Shot Just One Episode “This planet is no damned place to have a heart, and Phil had the biggest,...
- 2/3/2014
- by Tim Molloy
- The Wrap
Update, 1:45 Pm: Happyish creator/executive producer Shalom Auslander issued a statement on Hoffman’s passing: “This planet is no damned place to have a heart, and Phil had the biggest, brokenest heart of anyone I have ever met. He was a beautiful person in a hideous world. Great actor, too.” Auslander and his writing team had been working on scripts for the recently picked up series, which now has been put on hold. Previous, Sunday 12:50 Pm: Like all great actors whose lives are tragically cut short way too early, Philip Seymour Hoffman is leaving a number of unfinished projects behind. Only two weeks ago, Showtime unveiled its two new series for 2014, including Happyish starring Hoffman in what would’ve been his first series role. (He earned an Emmy nomination in 2005 for the HBO mini Empire Falls.) Today, Showtime issued the following statement: “Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of...
- 2/3/2014
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
The fate of what would have been Philip Seymour Hoffman's first TV series is up in the air following his death Sunday (Feb. 2).
Hoffman was set to star in "Happyish," a dark comedy from Showtime that had been slated to premiere later in 2014. The cable channel showed a teaser to reporters in January, to mostly good responses. Hoffman starred as the creative director of an ad agency who rages at his new, twenty-something bosses and the notion of "rebranding" himself.
Nothing beyond the pilot, however, has been shot thus far. A Showtime rep tells Zap2it that the show had begun work on scripts for subsequent episodes, but it had yet to go into production.
Showtime hasn't made any decisions on the future of "Happyish," which was created by novelist and "This American Life" Shalom Auslander.
"It was a great privilege and pleasure to work with him and we...
Hoffman was set to star in "Happyish," a dark comedy from Showtime that had been slated to premiere later in 2014. The cable channel showed a teaser to reporters in January, to mostly good responses. Hoffman starred as the creative director of an ad agency who rages at his new, twenty-something bosses and the notion of "rebranding" himself.
Nothing beyond the pilot, however, has been shot thus far. A Showtime rep tells Zap2it that the show had begun work on scripts for subsequent episodes, but it had yet to go into production.
Showtime hasn't made any decisions on the future of "Happyish," which was created by novelist and "This American Life" Shalom Auslander.
"It was a great privilege and pleasure to work with him and we...
- 2/3/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Philip Seymour Hoffman, who was found dead in his apartment of an apparent drug overdose today, had been poised to take on his first leading role in a television series in "Happyish," an original Showtime comedy. He was set to play Thom Payne, a 42-year-old ad exec working for people half his age at a company where "digital" and "social" get thrown around more often than he'd like. The series, which was created by author and "This American Life" contributor Shalom Auslander, received a series order last month. Only the pilot, directed by John Cameron Mitchell, has been shot -- with the series reportedly built around Hoffman, its future is very uncertain. A clip from the episode was previewed at the Television Critics Association press tour in January to much positive response. Showtime's released the following statement about Hoffman's passing: Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of our generation's finest and most brilliant actors.
- 2/2/2014
- by Alison Willmore
- Indiewire
Feature Louisa Mellor 28 Jan 2014 - 07:00
A spate of promising-sounding Us comedy pilots is on its way from the likes of Tina Fey, Charlie Kaufman, Amy Poehler and Louis C.K…
With new seasons of Veep, Louie, Orange Is The New Black and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia on their way to join successful new arrival Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Us sitcom is already looking not too shabby for the months ahead.
Add to that little lot new sitcom projects from the likes of Louis C.K., Tina Fey, Charlie Kaufman, Steve Carell, and Amy Poehler, and 2014 could well turn out to be a special year for Us TV comedy.
With the best information available at the time of writing, here’s our pick of the year ahead's most promising-sounding Us comedy pilots (many of which are already confirmed as going to series) by that guy who did that thing you liked...
A spate of promising-sounding Us comedy pilots is on its way from the likes of Tina Fey, Charlie Kaufman, Amy Poehler and Louis C.K…
With new seasons of Veep, Louie, Orange Is The New Black and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia on their way to join successful new arrival Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Us sitcom is already looking not too shabby for the months ahead.
Add to that little lot new sitcom projects from the likes of Louis C.K., Tina Fey, Charlie Kaufman, Steve Carell, and Amy Poehler, and 2014 could well turn out to be a special year for Us TV comedy.
With the best information available at the time of writing, here’s our pick of the year ahead's most promising-sounding Us comedy pilots (many of which are already confirmed as going to series) by that guy who did that thing you liked...
- 1/27/2014
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Between Sundance and the Oscars, it might seem like its all movies all the time, but some new developments in the TV world have our attentions pointed toward the small screen... Nicolas Winding Refn's still mostly-under-wraps sci-fi remake/television series "Barbarella" now has a home at Amazon Studios. It seems to be the kick in the pants the project needs, as a showrunner is now being sought with the creatives—writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade ("Skyfall"), executive producer Refn (who will also direct)—expecting a pilot order. No word yet on who will take on the iconic title role, but if things keep moving, we're sure that conversation will be starting soon. [Deadline] We were stoked when we first heard about it, and now we're even more excited as Showtime has ordered to series "Happyish," a new show starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kathryn Hahn, with Rhys Ifans added to the cast.
- 1/20/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Showtime has picked up a pair of new series -- a drama called "The Affair" starring Dominic West and Joshua Jackson and a comedy called "Happyish" with Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Both shows have 10-episode orders and will premiere sometime in the next year, with specific dates still to be determined.
Showtime Entertainment president David Nevins says "The Affair" is a counterweight to the trend of cable dramas continuously expanding their size and scope. He describes it as an intimate, close-up exploration of two marriages and the affair that disrupts them.
West and Maura Tierney play a married couple who go on vacation in the Hamptons with their kids. He then begins an affair with a waitress (Ruth Wilson of "Luther"), who's married to Cole (Jackson), who's struggling to keep his family's ranch afloat. The show, created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi ("In Treatment"), will be told from all four characters' perspectives.
Both shows have 10-episode orders and will premiere sometime in the next year, with specific dates still to be determined.
Showtime Entertainment president David Nevins says "The Affair" is a counterweight to the trend of cable dramas continuously expanding their size and scope. He describes it as an intimate, close-up exploration of two marriages and the affair that disrupts them.
West and Maura Tierney play a married couple who go on vacation in the Hamptons with their kids. He then begins an affair with a waitress (Ruth Wilson of "Luther"), who's married to Cole (Jackson), who's struggling to keep his family's ranch afloat. The show, created by Sarah Treem and Hagai Levi ("In Treatment"), will be told from all four characters' perspectives.
- 1/16/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Exclusive: Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows) is set to co-star opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kathryn Hahn in Showtime‘s comedy pilot Trending Down. A blistering attack on our youth-obsessed culture, Trending Down centers on Thom Payne (Hoffman), a man facing his own obsolescence after his advertising agency is taken over. BAFTA winner Ifans, repped by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment and 42, will play Thom’s (Hoffman) boss, Jonathan. Trending Down is written and executive produced by Shalom Auslander. It was developed by Ken Kwapis, who will executive produce; John Cameron Mitchell is directing.
- 8/14/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
The Amazing Spider-Man star Rhys Ifans is the latest name to join the cast of the Showtime comedy pilot "Trending Down." He'll star opposite Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman ( Capote ) and acclaimed actress Kathryn Hahn ( Revolutionary Road ) in the lead roles of Thom and Lee Payne. Ifans will star as Thom Payne's boss, Jonathan Clow in the blistering attack on our youth-obsessed culture. "Trending Down" centers on Payne, a man facing his own obsolescence after his advertising agency is taken over. Written and executive produced by author and This American Life contributor Shalom Auslander, "Trending Down" was developed by Ken Kwapis, who will executive produce, and Alexandra Beattie, who will co-executive produce, under their In Cahoots banner....
- 8/14/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Exclusive: Ken Kwapis’ dark comedy Trending Down is inching closer to a pilot order at Showtime. I’ve learned that the pay cable network has started casting the lead role in the project, Thom Payne, who is facing his own obsolescence at a shockingly young age. Thom just celebrated his 35th birthday and his company is being taken over. He is out of shape and has become complacent with his life. It is a standard practice for pay cable networks to try to cast the lead of a starring series vehicle before giving the project a green light. The comedy was written by author and This American Life contributor Shalom Auslander. The project was developed through Kwapis and his producing partner Alexandra Beattie’s company In Cahoots, with Kwapis serving as executive producer alongside Auslander and Beattie as co-executive producer.
- 8/31/2012
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Director/producer Ken Kwapis has come on board to direct NBC’s untitled Sarah Silverman comedy pilot, from Imagine TV and 20th TV. Additionally, Kwapis’ company, In Cahoots, has signed a one-year, first-look deal with NBC’s sister studio Universal Television, which kicks in June 1. The Sarah Silverman comedy, a pet project of Imagine principal Ron Howard, is loosely based on Silverman’s life. It stars the comedian as a woman readjusting to the single life after a decade-long live-in relationship. Silverman wrote the script with Dan Sterling and Jon Schroeder. Silverman, Sterling and Imagine’s Howard, Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo are executive producing, with Schroeder serving as co-exec producer. The project reunites Kwapis, Silverman and NBC. In 2000, Kwapis directed another NBC comedy pilot, Rocky Times, which co-starred Silverman. At NBC and Universal TV, Kwapis most recently executive produced and directed the pilot of the comedy Outsourced last season.
- 12/15/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Showtime has teamed with director-producer Ken Kwapis for two comedy projects. The comedies are being developed through Kwapis and his producing partner Alexandra Beattie’s company In Cahoots, with Kwapis serving as executive producer and Beattie as co-executive producer. The first project is an untitled dark comedy set in the world of modern advertising, which will be written/executive produced by author and This American Life contributor Shalom Auslander. Auslander’s second novel, Foreskin’s Lament, was optioned by Killer Films; his upcoming third one, Hope: A Tragedy, will be released in January. The second untitled comedy is a provocative look at the relationship of young married couple who decide to explore an open marriage. It is written and executive produced by Sara Goodman (Gossip Girl). Kwapis directed the pilot for NBC’s long-running comedy The Office and has helmed dozens of episodes of primetime comedy series, including The Office,...
- 11/17/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
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