Some great news today coming from the Fox network. A big wrong from last year’s pilot season has been righted. They have a new show for their drama slate and it’s a highly talked about series that’s had a long road trying to find a home. Backstrom has finally earned it’s series order it seems like the perfect match with it’s new network.
Backstrom was one of the more promising new series in last year’s pilot season. It’s a not so average crime drama about Detective Everett Backstrom, a cranky, offensive, self-destructive, and just overall pain in the ass cop and the team that puts up with him. It earned a pilot order last year at CBS after first going through development at Fox where it found it’s champion and showrunner in Bones creator Hart Hanson. Through inspired casting the project found the ideal actor to bring this colorful character to life with Rainn Wilson, who had just finished up with The Office.
Backstrom is based on a best selling series of books by Leif G.W. Persson and it seemed ideal for the small screen. Detective Backstrom is in charge of the Serious Crimes Unit at the Portland Police department and manages to leave any personal filter he might have at home while having zero regard for his own well being – an offbeat match for a guy in charge of sensitive cases. The humorous edge of the show along with the procedural element was a bit too edgy for CBS, who already had a very full slate for it’s schedule. They passed on the project last May, but Hart Hanson and 20th Century Fox didn’t give up.
According to Deadline, the options on the entire cast were kept until the end of 2013, but CBS didn’t release the project until December 15th. As soon as that happened, negotiations began at Fox.
It’s looking like Backstrom will be part of the 2014 fall schedule, especially if the rumors are true that The X-Factor will be reduced to one night. The show has received a 13 episode initial order.
Backstrom also stars Mamie Gummer, Dennis Haysbert, Kristoffer Pohala, Page Kennedy, and Beatrice Rosen. Word is that all cast members will be returning except for Gummer, who’s character is being reworked. Hart Hanson will be the primary showrunner, Leif G.W. Persson and Niclas Salomonsson will be his executive producers, while Rainn Wilson and Josh Levy are producers.
Curious about this show now? Here’s a sizzle reel that was leaked by Rainn Wilson during last year’s pilot season. I say count me in!
CBS should have picked this up rather than Intelligence. Count me in for a looksee next season!