‘Take Two’ Procedural From ‘Castle’ Creator Starring Eddie Cibrian & Rachel Bilson Gets Straight-To-Series ABC Order
ABC has re-teamed with Castle creator Andrew W. Marlowe for another light crime procedural with a male and female leads to be played by former Hart of Dixie star Rachel Bilson and CSI: Miami alum Eddie Cibrian.
The network has given a straight-to-series order to Take Two, created by Marlowe and his wife, former Castle executive producer Terri Edda Miller, which is being done as an international co-production between ABC Studios and StudioCanal’s Tandem Prods. In addition to ABC, the series has been picked up by RTL/VOX in Germany and France Television in France.
Marlowe and Miller will executive produce via their Milmar Pictures banner, along with StudioCanal TV’s Rola Bauer and Tandem Productions’ Tim Halkin.
Described as an upbeat procedural, Take Two, written by Marlowe and Miller, stars Bilson as Ella, the former star of a hit cop series who’s fresh-out-of-rehab following a bender of epic proportion. Desperate to restart her career, she talks her way into shadowing rough-and-tumble private investigator Eddie (Cibrian) as research for a potential comeback role. Though lonewolf Eddie resents the babysitting gig, high-spirited Ella proves herself to be surprisingly valuable, drawing on her acting skills and 200 episodes of playing a detective. When the press touts Ella’s role in solving a high-profile case, Eddie finds his phone ringing off the hook with new clients looking to hire the pair.
“Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin and the team at Tandem Productions have been stellar partners in this groundbreaking venture,” said Miller and Marlowe. And we are thrilled to be back working with our good friends at ABC and our new friends at France 2 and RTL/VOX.”
The project had been in the works for awhile. It was cast-contingent, with its straight-to-series order dependent on locking in actors for the two leads.
“Terri and Andrew have created wonderful characters and a light-hearted, yet strong drama that has excited leading networks on both sides of the Pond,” said Rola Bauer, Managing Director at StudioCanal TV. “This is a new paradigm for network co-productions with the anchor networks being in the US and Europe. To be here now with ABC, RTL/VOX and France 2 is a testament to Terri and Andrew’s creative vision. We are all thrilled that Rachel and Eddie will join this journey.”
ABC has been looking to recapture Castle‘s success via new projects from the key auspices behind the long-running procedural. The network recently gave a straight-to-series order to The Rookie, a light crime drama starring and executive produced by former Castle star Nathan Fillion and Castle executive producer/co-showrunner Alexi Hawley.
“Andrew and Terri are wonderful storytellers and this is the perfect project for their return to ABC,” said Channing Dungey, President, ABC Entertainment. “We’re excited to see Rachel and Eddie bring these characters to life.”
StudioCanal will serve as the lead studio. ABC Studios’ affiliate, Disney Media Distribution, will handle international sales.
Bilson was most recently seen playing Alyssa Green in Season 5 of CMT’s hit country music drama Nashville. She also starred as Dr. Zoe Hart in four seasons of The CW’s Hart of Dixie, and appeared in Drunk History. She’s repped by CAA.
Cibrian played Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami and most recently was a series regular on Rosewood. He’s repped by Gersh and manager Steve Sauer at Media Four.
Miller and Marlowe are repped by CAA, Management 360 and Lichter, Grossman. TANDEM Productions and StudioCanal are repped by Loeb & Loeb as well as CAA.
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