HBO is clearly trying to make a comeback in it's original programming and is dabbling with four new ones: "Cocaine Cowboys", "How to Make it in America", "Hung" and "Bored to Death".
"Cocaine Cowboys" is inspired by Billy Corben's documentary "Cowboys" which follows the early drug trafficking of cocaine in Miami. The big news, Jerry Bruckheimer ("CSI") and Michael Bay ("Transformers") are attached as executive producers with Meredith Stiehm ("ER" & "Cold Case") set to write the drama. This one has yet to be greenlighted, but I have a hard time imagining it won't be.
"How to Make it in America" follows the characters Ben (Bryan Greenburg) and Cam (Victor Rasuk), a pair of "enterprising twentysomethings who hustle their way through New York determined to achieve the American dream." This is a first for writer Ian Edelman who also executive produced the pilot with Stephen Levinson, Mark Whalberg, Rob Weiss and Julain Farino (who also directed). It's been picked up for 8 episodes so far.
"Hung" is the latest in dark comedys for HBO and stars Thomas Jane ("The Punisher") as Ray, a "well-endowed struggling high school basketball coach who figures out a way to use his best asset." The project comes to us from "The Riches" creator Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson and the pilot was directed by Alexander Payne ("Sideways") who will stay on as exec. producer. This one's been picked up for 10 episodes to start next June.
"Bored to Death", written by Jonathan Ames, stars Jason Schwartzman ("I Heart Huckabees") as Jonathan who is a "struggling thirtysomething Brooklyn writer with a drinking problem who, after a painful breakup with his girlfriend, decides to emulate his heroes from the novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett." The character pretends to be a private eye and take on cases, usually just making them worse. This one has been picked up for 8 episodes so far.
"Cocaine Cowboys" is inspired by Billy Corben's documentary "Cowboys" which follows the early drug trafficking of cocaine in Miami. The big news, Jerry Bruckheimer ("CSI") and Michael Bay ("Transformers") are attached as executive producers with Meredith Stiehm ("ER" & "Cold Case") set to write the drama. This one has yet to be greenlighted, but I have a hard time imagining it won't be.
"How to Make it in America" follows the characters Ben (Bryan Greenburg) and Cam (Victor Rasuk), a pair of "enterprising twentysomethings who hustle their way through New York determined to achieve the American dream." This is a first for writer Ian Edelman who also executive produced the pilot with Stephen Levinson, Mark Whalberg, Rob Weiss and Julain Farino (who also directed). It's been picked up for 8 episodes so far.
"Hung" is the latest in dark comedys for HBO and stars Thomas Jane ("The Punisher") as Ray, a "well-endowed struggling high school basketball coach who figures out a way to use his best asset." The project comes to us from "The Riches" creator Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson and the pilot was directed by Alexander Payne ("Sideways") who will stay on as exec. producer. This one's been picked up for 10 episodes to start next June.
"Bored to Death", written by Jonathan Ames, stars Jason Schwartzman ("I Heart Huckabees") as Jonathan who is a "struggling thirtysomething Brooklyn writer with a drinking problem who, after a painful breakup with his girlfriend, decides to emulate his heroes from the novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett." The character pretends to be a private eye and take on cases, usually just making them worse. This one has been picked up for 8 episodes so far.
source: The Hollywood Reporter
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HBO is really loading up. I'm really looking forward to "Cocain Cowboys" and "How to Make It in America." Im not sure about Cowboys, but Hot to Make It will air on Sunday nights in HBO's premium 10pm spot, starting February 14th.