Reporter Bill Carter’s new book DESPERATE NETWORKS follows the 2004-2005 season from inside the network ranks. Apparently, leaked copies of the book are already causing controversy in Hollywood. Variety reports that, among the tidbits, the success of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES sent execs at studios and networks scurrying to find out how they missed the opportunity to snag it:
- Warner Bros. TV was on track to land the rights to Marc Cherry’s spec spec
script for "Desperate Housewives" via Tony
Krantz, who had an overall deal at the studio. Unfortunately,
WBTV execs refused to give Cherry’s reps at Paradigm a packaging fee — so
Paradigm set up the project at Touchstone. Carter shows NBC U topper
Bob Wright launching a fervent investigation to find out why NBC didn’t land
"Housewives." At one point, Wright even calls Cherry to ask if NBC had ever had
a shot at the script. (It did. The network passed.)