Dramas From Kevin Williamson, Reese Witherspoon, ‘Agent Carter’ Duo Among ABC Pilot Pickups

January 28, 2016 2:45pm PT by Lesley Goldberg

Thursday's four pickups bring the network's drama haul to 11 — off one from a year ago.

ABC is adding to its drama pilot haul.

The network on Thursday picked up four new drama pilots from producers Kevin Williamson, Reese Witherspoon and Agent Carter's Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, among others, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

First, Witherspoon's untitled divorce drama (formerly known as Please Don't Go) scored a script commitment in December. It follows a ruthless Dallas divorce attorney’s life begins to unravel when her emotionally damaged, love-addicted sister resurfaces triggering self-destructive tendencies and exposing long-hidden family secrets. Fear the Walking Dead's Meaghan Oppenheimer created the drama and will exec produce the drama alongside Witherspoon and her ABC Studios-based Pacific Standard topper Bruna Papandrea. The drama was one of multiple sales this development season for Pacific Standard. The company also is readying a romantic mystery drama from Rob Long for ABC and is among the producers attached to HBO's Big Little Lies, in which Witherspoon will star.

Divorce has been one of the bigger trends to emerge this development season as broadcasters look for the family dynamic that isn't currently on the air. ABC is teaming with romance novelist Nicholas Sparks and super-producer Shonda Rhimes for two different divorce comedies. HBO, meanwhile, has Sarah Jessica Parker comedy series Divorce coming this year.

Second, Williamson's Time After Time is based on the Karl Alexander novel of the same name. The drama uses the 1979 book and subsequent movie as a starting point and chronicles the adventures of a young H.G. Wells and his time machine. From Warner Bros. Television, Williamson will pen the script and exec produce via his studio-based Outerbanks banner. The drama marks Williamson's second pilot order of the season and joins Fox's Recon, which reunites him with The Vampire Diaries' Julie Plec and Caroline Dries. 

Time travel continues to be in high demand this pilot season (and comes on the heels of The CW's similarly themed DC Comics entry Legends of Tomorrow). NBC also has Time, from Shawn Ryan and Eric Kripke and Fox comedy formerly known as In Time from Last Man on Earth's Phil Lord and Chris Miller, among others. (Meanwhile, Comedy Central has Time Traveling Bong, Hulu has 11/22/62, among others.)

ABC's third order of the day is Spark, a drama set in an alternate history where gas and coal fuel the world. The so-called genre soap centers on the battle for power between two rival families and a rebellious young woman with a spark of invention that could level both their empires. Michael Cooney (Center Stage) penned the script and will exec produce the WBTV drama alongside Ian Sander and Kim Moses (Reckless, Ghost Whisperer).

Rounding out the orders is The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez, from ABC Studios-based Agent Carter duo Fazekas and Butters. The soap is described as MacBeth with a Cuban twist and centers on Eva Sofia Valdez, an immigrant who rose from rags to riches. The character is a Miami entrepreneur and a champion for immigrant rights — but her success is fueled by an insatiable ambition that could destroy her family, a vendetta against the lover who betrayed her, and ghosts from the past who threaten to reveal the dark sacrifices Eva Sofia made to attain the American Dream. Fazekas and Butters exec produce alongside Charise Castro Smith (Devious Maids), who will pen the script. Sofia marks ABC's second Shakespeare-themed drama this season and joins Shondaland's Romeo and Juliet follow-up Still Star-Crossed.