A Lot Of New Shows Are Trying To Copy The Success Of 'True Detective'
As networks showed off trailers for their big new fall shows this week, one thing was very clear: everyone wants its own "True Detective."
The HBO limited series starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson gained a lot of attention during its 8-episode run. Creator Nic show was influenced by 1895 book "The King in Yellow." So it's no surprise others would want to try and duplicate by finding other works to adapt.
Here are the shows we noticed that felt all too familiar.
ABC
"Secrets and Lies"
ABC
Stars: Ryan Phillippe and Juliette LewisAdaptation of: Australian TV series "Secrets & Lies" Episodes: 10
Synopsis: "Ben Garner (Ryan Phillippe) is about to go from Good Samaritan to murder suspect, after he discovers the body of his neighbor's young son in the woods. As Detective Andrea Cornell (Juliette Lewis) digs for the truth, the secrets and lies of this town come to the surface and no one is above suspicion. Ben's family's life will be turned upside down as he sets out on a complicated journey to prove his innocence in this thriller mystery from Barbie Kligman ("Private Practice") based on the original Australian series of the same name."
FOX
Fox is investing in two new shows with 10-episode formats.
"Gracepoint"
Stars: David Tennant ("Doctor Who") and Anna Gunn ("Breaking Bad")
Adaptation of: British series "Broadchurch"
Episodes: 10
Synopsis: "A riveting mystery that follows the tragic death of a young boy, and the major police investigation and nationwide media frenzy that subsequently overtake a picturesque seaside town, where anyone is a suspect."
"Wayward Pines"
Stars: Matt Dillon and Juliette Lewis and is from director M. Night ShyamalanAdaptation of: "The Wayward Pines" seriesEpisodes: 10
Synopsis: "An intense, mind-bending 10-episode thriller starring Academy Award nominee Matt Dillon ("Crash") as a Secret Service agent on a mission to find two missing federal agents in the bucolic town of Wayward Pines, ID. Every step closer to the truth makes him question if he will ever get out of Wayward Pines alive."
CBS also has a new crime thriller "Stalker" coming to the network with Maggie Q and Dylan McDermott but it's not a limited series. Similarly, ABC will launch a show from "12 Years A Slave" screenwriter John Ridley in 2015 called "American Crime."
NBC was the only major network that didn't announce any sort of similar crime series.
The influx of more limited series shows the influence that shows like "True Detective" and even Netflix's 13-episode rollouts of Emmy-winning political drama "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black" are having on network TV.
During a recent conference call for "24: Live Another Day," we noted how executive producer Manny Coto said one of the reasons "24" was returning as a limited series as opposed to a full season was in part due to the recent success of limited series shows like "Under the Dome."
ABC Studios chief Patrick Moran commented about the trend recently with The Hollywood Reporter.
"The limited event -- eventized [programming], the short-order, the close-ended, however it's described-- is clearly a big push everywhere, and it's [designed to] make these things as water-cooler as possible," said Moran. "There were very few shows that were announced that I think could even be the traditional 22 [episodes.]
Fox Broadcast chairman Kevin Reilly echoed those sentiments during this week's conference call when he said there isn't a standard number of episode orders for a show anymore.