The TV development season is in full swing, as cable and broadcast networks scramble to find established brands as a source for new TV series. Even “Homeland” executive producer Howard Gordon is getting in on that chase with his latest project.
According to Deadline, Fox has given a put pilot commitment to “Frankenstein,” a new drama created by Rand Ravich (“Life”) and executive produced by Godon. Although Frankenstein is the name of the iconic horror novel by Mary Shelley, Ravich and Gordon’s take on the concept appears to have only a tenuous connection to the source material.
The new “Frankenstein” drama project will follow a corrupt FBI agent named Adam Tremble, who is killed and brought back to life by “an antisocial internet billionaire and his bio-engineer twin sister.” Now in a “younger” and “stronger” body, Adam will take on threats that go beyond the scope of the FBI while attempting to avoid the temptations of his old life.
That is so far removed from Shelley’s concept that this series doesn’t even deserve the name Frankenstein. But the novel has been in the public domain for so long that there’s nothing to stop Ravich and Gordon from calling their show “Frankenstein.”
The put pilot commitment means that Fox will have to produce a pilot episode of “Frankenstein” or face a substantial fee. “Frankenstein” will likely compete for a slot on Fox’s 2015 Fall TV schedule.
