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May 26, 2012

Grazer's F.B.I. up in the air

by Allison Waldman, posted Mar 12th 2008 6:01PM

FBI When you're an Oscar and Emmy-winning executive producer, you sort of expect your latest TV effort to be excitedly greenlighted network that ordered it. After all, you have a track record of success. Nevertheless, Brian Grazer (Friday Night Lights, Shark, 24) has had his latest effort rejected. Grazer's Imagine TV/20th Century Fox TV's crime drama about and called The F.B.I., is no longer attached to the Fox network.

The exec was reportedly especially enthused about the show. Last August, Grazer said of The F.B.I., "I like making movies about heroes. Selfless people willing to protect the city, the state or the world is interesting to me. I try very hard to do those subjects in a non-corny way. It's about people who have nobility but are emotionally flawed."

For the first time in 35 years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation gave their cooperation to a TV show. But something clearly went off the tracks with Fox because last month, even though it cost them plenty (there was a penalty attached to the network for not going ahead with the project), they passed on the drama.

Imagine is now looking for another network to take it on. CBS and TNT are supposedly interested. The pilot for this series sounds nothing like the Quinn Martin show on the same name that starred Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and ran on ABC from 1965-1974. Grazer's The F.B.I. was written by Chap Taylor (Changing Lanes), and tells the story of Michael Cavanaugh, an Iraq War vet who is appointed as the new head of the F.B.I.' s Critical Incidents Response Group. The character of Michael Cavanaugh is based on a real-life former agent, John O'Neill.

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Will

Man, I'm really showing my age here, but I remember the old "The FBI" from when I was a kid. It was on on Sunday night, and ( this is a really odd thing to remember) my Dad would be watching it when my Mom, my sister, and I would come home from the laundrymat. I was probably about 8 years old & we were living in a trailer ( but on our own piece of land & it was quite big) because my parents house had burned down a couple years before I came along. And it was a small trailer not like the big double-wide's like they have today, so there was no room for a washer even if we had the money. and it took my folks a while to get back on their feet. (Anyway, just a little trip down memory lane for me Thanks if you are still reading!)

I don't remember much about the show itself, but I do remember that we had a small black & white tv & this was in the days where we got maybe 3 channels. So, I would definately watch a new version, especially since Grazer (and Ron Howard, they're still in business together, right?) does quality work. I like Without a Trace a lot & it's setting is the FBI in New York and at least this isn't another CSI or basic cop show.

March 13 2008 at 6:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Franklin

I really hope this finds a home somewhere. I like the idea of a show about the FBI, although if it's nothing more than another procedural drama it might get lost in the sea of existing and similar shows. Still, it'd be nice to see what this guy has in mind.

March 12 2008 at 8:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
C C

The reason why Fox is letting The FBI go-they've simply got too many promising drama pilots/series on their slate for next season. They've given a series order to Dollhouse, created by Buffy's Joss Whedon, are spending 10 million on J.J. Abram's Fringe pilot , and have The Oaks, a new series from Shawn Ryan, who created The Shield. Unless something strange happens, all three shows will be on their schedule next season. Plus there's the possibility that Fox will pick up newbies The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Canterbury's Law, and New Amsterdam for second seasons. There simply wasn't room for The FBI.

March 12 2008 at 7:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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