Kenya Barris’ “Bewitched” reboot is not moving forward at ABC this pilot season.
The project, which received a pilot production commitment from the network in August, has been rolled off the broadcaster’s current cycle, an individual with knowledge of the decision told TheWrap Tuesday. However, it still remains in active development, with the insider saying ABC is excited about the reboot and wants to take the time to get it right.
ABC Entertainment boss Karey Burke weighed in on the situation after the news broke this morning, telling reporters during her executive session at the Television Critics Association press tour later Tuesday: “We decided together that the script wasn’t quite there. We could make a mistake that many have made before, which is rush it and try to get it on for the fall. Or we could take our time with it and get it right, and Kenya and I decided that together — that was the best course of action.”
Barris and “Black-ish” writer and co-producer Yamara Taylor were set to write and executive produce the single-camera reboot of the popular 1960s sitcom, which would feature an interracial family formed when Samantha, a black hard working, single mom who happens to be a witch, marries Darren, a white mortal who happens to be a bit of a slacker. They struggle to navigate their differences as she discovers that even when a black girl is literally magic, she’s still not as powerful as a decently tall white man with a full head of hair in America.
The now-pushed reboot marks the final project at ABC Studios for Barris, who recently exited his deal with the studio in favor of a new venture at Netflix.
The original “Bewitched,” starring Elizabeth Montgomery, ran for eight seasons on ABC between 1964 and 1972 and has been a target for multiple reboots, most recently in 2014.