Following the massive success of “The Pitt,” HBO Max has ordered two new drama pilots that would hope to emulate the longer episode order, modest budgets and annual release of the medical drama.
The streamer has greenlit pilots for two one-hour drama projects hailing from Warner Bros. Television, one surrounding an Illinois police force from Jeremy Carver, and the other a family drama from Greg Berlanti and Bash Doran.
The first, titled “American Blue,” centers on native son Brian “Milk” Milkovich as he returns to his hometown of Joliet, Illinois, to rescue a beleaguered police force while seeking redemption of his own, per the official logline. Carver will write and executive produce “American Blue” under his overall deal with Warner Bros. TV, while Brian Udovich is also attached as an EP.
The other pilot is currently titled “How to Survive Without Me” and will be written and executive produced by Berlanti and Doran, with story by Berlanti, Doran and Robbie Rogers. Rogers also executive produces alongside Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman via Berlanti Productions and its overall deal with Warner Bros. TV.
The move, which marks a stark departure from the prestige programming across sister company HBO, comes in the wake of the major wins for “The Pitt,” which returned to the traditional TV layout of longer seasons, smaller budgets and annual season releases, a format that streamers have largely abandoned, though is still embraced by broadcast networks.
Though the initial series order for “The Pitt” might’ve prompted some skepticism, the medical drama, which first debuted in January, drew rave reviews and ratings success for HBO Max. And as “The Pitt” took home best drama series, alongside wins for Noah Wyle for best lead actor and Katherine LaNasa for best supporting actress, it proved there’s still value in the traditional TV formula, according to HBO boss Casey Bloys.
“‘The Pitt’ shows that you can also go back to the formula that was perfected over decades of doing more than 10 episodes … and setting up a show that can return on an annual basis, which was a really important part of television, being there for viewers and fans to spend time with the characters on a more regular basis,” Bloys told TheWrap after the Emmys wins in September. “What ‘The Pitt’ shows is you can do that at a high quality level, and still maintain those properties. I think that’s great for television, and if we get a few more of those shows to go along with our big, giant cinematic blockbusters, that’s great.”
