Looks like another current creator-owned series may be getting the TV series treatment: Deadline.com is reporting that Image’s Chew, by writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillroy, is in development as a half-hour comedy at Showtime. The script’s from Terri Hughes Burton and Ron Milbauer, who have both worked on Supernatural and Eureka (plus, IMDb tells us that Milbauer wrote the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers episode “I’m Dreaming of a White Ranger,” so that’s a plus). Stephen Hopkins, no stranger to Showtime with directing work on Shameless and Californication among his credits, is attached to direct and executive produce.
Chew — the story of “cibopathic” federal agent Tony Chu who psychically receives information of the live and death of whatever food he eats — has been in development from production company Circle of Confusion since July. Circle of Confusion is also behind TV versions of the The Walking Dead, which is headed to its second season on AMC this year, and Powers, currently in the pilot stage at FX. Chew debuted in June 2009, and last year won the Eisner award for best new series.
March 24th, 2011 at 4:43 pm
Okay, I love “Walking Dead.” “Chew” and “Powers” could be cool, but for the love o’god, people, where’s the “Scalped” TV series?
March 24th, 2011 at 6:13 pm
The Walking Dead, Powers and now Chew! I have A all new reason to watch TV.
March 24th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Damn Batlash, a “Scalped” TV series? I could totally get behind that! I’m intrigued with a “Chew” TV series though, given that the comic is always top-notch.
March 24th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Chew comedy series? Well, a pretty dark comedy. But yeah, I can see it.
March 25th, 2011 at 8:00 am
if Chu isn’t at least Asian I’m gonna find the producers and drop a deuce on their faces
March 25th, 2011 at 11:18 am
but we’ve already had a “Scalped” TV show…it was called Deadwood
(I’ve always described the book to people as “deadwood on a modern indian reservation” it’s really the closest one can come to describing it)
but yeah…this is great news…and an actual “Scalped” show would be even better news
March 25th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
I’m thrilled Chew is being developed! It could be half as good as the comic & still be great. However, I am concerned with it being developed at Showtime. Isn’t that a premium channel? I think part of Walking Dead’s success was getting non-comic readers to watch in addition to comic readers. A barrier like this was not present by airing the show on AMC. I can guarantee my family wouldn’t have watched it on a premium channel. As a matter of fact, out of the 20-ish people I know that did become viewers of that show during its 6 initial episodes, I am pretty sure that none would have watched if it had aired on a premium channel.
Alienating any potential viewers, especially by to forcing them to choose between paying more to watch or skip it, seems as if it will handicap the shows potential success.
I hope that will not be the case (the premium network or the handicapping of the show’s potential success).