ABC has picked up the pilot “Flesh and Blood” from Writers Guild of America-nominated screenwriter Jenna Bans. The pilot explores the shockwaves that ripple through a family and community when a son thought dead for more than 10 years suddenly returns.
The son of a local politician, the young man’s return not only rattles his tight-knit family to its core, it prompts the release of the neighbor imprisoned for his murder, while the cop responsible is forced to reexamine what truly happened all those years ago.
The ABC Studios pilot is executive produced by David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Laurie Zaks of Mandeville Television.
Bans earned two nominations from the WGA as co-writer on two different episodes of “Desperate Housewives.” She has served as a producer on “Private Practice” and co-executive producer on both “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal.”
The latest pilot pickup follows on the heels of several other pickups for the network, including another drama pilot from ABC powerhouse Shonda Rhimes called “The Catch,” about a female forensic accountant, and a pilot about the first female graduates from Boston’s Police Academy in 1978 from “Gossip Girl” alum Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz.
ABC picked up four other dramas including the Biblical “Of Kings and Prophets,” the 1980s-set true-crime procedural “LA Crime,” the cartel drama “Runner” and “Quantico,” following a group of young FBI agents. The network also picked up dramedy “Mix,” which will explore modern families through the backdrop of a revered family restaurant.
On the comedy side, the network has picked up a pilot reuniting “National Lampoon’s Vacation” couple Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, as well as another based on the life of gay columnist Dan Savage.