TBS Orders Comedy Pilots From Sony Pictures And FremantleMedia

TBS has given the green light order to Hound Dogs from Sony Pictures Television and The Wedding Band from FremantleMedia, it has been announced by Michael Wright, Executive Vice President, Head of Programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies (TCM).
Hound Dogs and The Wedding Band are the latest moves in TBS's strategy to develop one-hour scripted comedy series.
Making the announcement, Michael Wright said: "Both Hound Dogs and The Wedding Band reflect our belief in betting on talent with distinctive voices and a love of good stories. Ron Shelton is one of America's favourite storytellers and Hound Dogs is another wry, sharp look at one of America's favourite pastimes from a master of the genre. The Wedding Band, from producer Mike Tollin and writers Lobis and Moiselle, mines great humour from its four very likeable and occasionally reckless, young men who have figured out that weddings are often the wildest parties in town. Both pilots affirm TBS's enthusiasm for irreverent, smart comedy and the storytelling advantages of the one-hour form."
Written by Oscar-nominated Writer/Director Ron Shelton (Bull Durham, Tin Cup), Hound Dogs from Sony Pictures Television is set in the world of minor league baseball. Drawing from Shelton's own experience as a player, the show centres on a minor league team and its general manager as they try to handle life's ups and downs, both in and out of the locker room. Shelton serves as Executive Producer on the project with Michele Weisler (The Ring), Andrea Buchanan (Love on the Rocks) and Todd DeLorenzo.
Executive produced by Tollin Productions (Smallville, Arli$$), The Wedding Band from FremantleMedia follows a group of guys who try to escape the stress and craziness of their lives by performing in a wedding band. Anchored by lifelong best friends - one a perennial bachelor and the other a married father of two - the band will stop at nothing to make every wedding, birthday or bar mitzvah a concert to remember. Josh Lobis and Darin Moiselle (South Park) will write the pilot and also serve as Executive Producers.
(KMcA)