The guilty pleasure television industry continues to be fed by the always reliable Darren Star! The mastermind behind hits like Beverly Hills, 90210 and its spinoff Melrose Place, Sex and the City, Younger, and the Netflix original series Emily in Paris has an exciting new show developing that was just set up at Peacock. As a bonus, there's a book coming out, too!
On Feb. 19, Deadline revealed that Peacock has snatched a script-to-series commitment for Climbing in Heels, the first new show under Star's new overall deal at Universal Television. Universal snapped up the rights to the debut novel by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas last year, with Star attached, even though the book still hasn't even been published. The novel hits shelves on April 29.
Here's a taste of the book's synopsis via Macmillian Publishers:
"Beanie, Mercedes & Ella — a girl from the deep valley, an English rose-with-thorns and a Kentucky blueblood — each denying their past while creating a future, together storm the boys’ club that is the hottest talent agency in 1980’s Hollywood. A riveting story of friendship, betrayal, and survival, Goldsmith-Thomas’ debut novel is a rollicking tale of sex, drugs, and power. How did they get to the top? They climbed. In heels."
Emily in Paris creator sets new show at Peacock
Star's on board the developing series as a co-writer and executive producer, and he's already singing the potentially show's praises via the book. The prolific television creator calls the show the "ballsy and bawdy love child ofMad Men and Sex and the City." I think I speak for everyone when I say, we're in! We're all ready to read this book and, eventually, binge-watch the series.
According to Deadline, Peacock's bid for the show was "aggressive," which means the NBCUniversal streamer likely outbid the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and even broadcast and cable networks for the rights to the series. Goldsmith-Thomas shared a statement about her excitement to bring her debut novel to the screen with Peacock and Star:
"I am thrilled that Climbing in Heels was taken off the table so quickly by Peacock. It is the perfect home for Darren and I to bring these fabulously complicated and colorful characters to life."
If Goldsmith-Thomas' name sounds familiar, it's because she's been working for years as an agent, most recently alongside Jennifer Lopez as her friend and producing partner. She's president of Lopez's production company Nuyorican Productions with a hand in producing the likes of Main in Manhattan, The Boy Next Door, Hustlers, and many more hit movies in and out of the J.Lo-verse.
Goldsmith-Thomas' new pivot to authorship with Climbing in Heels couldn't come at a better time for its genre. After Star's fan-favorite TV Land rom-com Younger recently enjoyed a resurgence via Netflix and with Emily in Paris possibly winding down with its forthcoming fifth season, we're in the market for a new female-fronted guilty pleasure that we don't feel so guilty about loving.
As the series is still in development at Peacock and pending an official pickup following the approval of the pilot script, there are no casting announcements or additional information to report just yet. Keep your fingers crossed that Peacock gives the green light, and make sure to pick up a copy of the book when it arrives in stores on April 29. Stay tuned for more updates!