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ABC, NBC and CBS are currently in a bidding war for J.J. Abrams' spec script for a new spy series.
Mr. Jeffrey Jacob Abrams has a storied history with spy-themed TV shows. He wrote and produced the Jennifer Garner launchpad Alias, which went off the air in 2006. Since then, he's been working on the series Lost and Fringe, as well as directing this summer's Star Trek movie.
Along with writer Josh Reims, with whom he produced and wrote Felicity a decade ago, Abrams has completed the new pilot about a married couple who work together as spies. The series, which sounds an awful lot like Mr. & Mrs. Smith, is a hot commodity for the three major networks, but the Hollywood Reporter has indicated that NBC is close to edging out the competition and securing the deal. NBC, which has been struggling in the ratings this season, already has the spy series Chuck on its roster (both Chuck and the nascent project by Abrams are produced by Warner Brothers Television).
Meanwhile, Abrams is stepping outside of the creative box. In the last month, he signed on with Fox to executive produce the pilot of a half-hour medical comedy that was written by Mike Markowitz (Becker).
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And yet Joss Whedon withers on a vine and dies...
Well, not "dies." That guy's house is huge. He's not starving.
But seriously, J.J. Abrams sells like gang busters while Joss doesn't. I like both. The difference is glaring though.
There is a simple answer to that: JJ Abrams is better.
From a writing standpoint, from an idea standpoint, and especially from a marketing standpoint, (face it--without Cloverfield's intense ad campaign, no one would've given a shit) JJ Abrams exceeds on all levels.
I don't watch Lost, Fringe, or even Buffy or Dollhouse, but if I had to choose it would be the first two. Back when Firefly was on it bored me to death, but Alias was very good the first two seasons.
Nothing against Joss, Dr. Horrible was fantastic (the ending was lame though; totally destroyed the flow that the previous two episodes had going) but Abrams is better in every way imaginable. Simple as that. He directed the best Mission Impossible movie and he accomplished another impossible; he got me to enjoy a Star Trek film. Abrams is doing better for a reason, Darcy.