Fox Buys Male Buddy Comedy Based On Israeli Format With John Wells Producing
EXCLUSIVE: Fox has bought Hard Up, a single-camera comedy project executive produced by John Wells. Based on the Israeli series Asfur created by Hanan Savyon and Guy Amir, Hard Up is a comedy about four twentysomething, cash-strapped close friends willing to do anything for each other — especially if it means breaking the rules as they fight against the odds to keep their home in a gentrifying neighborhood. The Fox version, which has received a script commitment, will be written by Etan Frankel (Shameless). The original series, produced by Sumayoko, airs on Israeli network HOT with Shameless. Because of the two shows’ compatibility on HOT, CAA — which reps ADD, the company that has foreign distribution rights to Asfur – took the format to Wells, who co-created the U.S. version of Shameless, and the series’ writer Frankel. Wells and Frankel will executive produce Hard Up with Savyon & Amir, Mark Mylod (pilot only) and Andrew Stearn, with HOT production executive Mirit Toovi also involved in the adaptation. John Wells Prods and Warner Bros TV are producing. Savyon and Amir are repped by ADD’s Hadas Mozes.
Israeli formats’ popularity among U.S. TV networks has grown exponentially over the past few years. It has resulted in four series — including HBO’s In Treatment and Showtime’s Homeland. Last year, two projects based on Israeli series reached pilot stage: NBC’s Midnight Sun and the CW’s Joey Dakota. Israeli concepts are getting a jump on the new development cycle with two early sales, Hard Up and drama M.I.C.E. at NBC, which has Film 44 producing.
Do unaired pilots everget show. love to see them on something like youtube or hulu
I can’t imagine that this premise – essentially four young dudes in a loft – hasn’t been pitched to Fox a million times. What exactly are they taking from the Israeli version, if Fox is then just hiring Shameless writers to write about four dudes in a loft?
You can’t imagine anything about the premise because you haven’t seen the Israeli version. It couldn’t be less about four young dudes in a loft. It’s excellent. In the right hands, with the right casting, it could be a great show here.
Etan is one of the best writers in the biz. This will be a great contender for FOX next season.
I agree. He is a wonderful, wonderful young writer.
In the Israeli version, they live in an abandoned bus. not in a loft.
The article hasn’t mentioned the coolest thing: The 4 guys live in an abandoned bus! They go to fight against a construction plan which will destroy their so-called ‘Home’.
This show became Israel’s biggest hit in the recent decade, with VOD ordering numbers surpassing big network’s show (like the Israeli Homeland).
Not bad for a cable series. too bad the U.S version will be in a network, probably without all the swearing and nudity. But I still have high hopes.
great series if this version will be half from the original it will be a hit
It’s not a show about four guys in a loft.
It’s more like 4 “white trash” friends, living in a bus in a junkyard that real estate sharks are lurking around. They drink, smoke weed, have sex and fist-fight for fun, not something that will carry on to a broadcast network. In Israel it was a 50-episode daily (Sun-Thu) show at 10pm with sex, drugs and free use of the f-word.
It would be a better fit on cable than broadcast because they’ll have to “water it down”.
The first season was a huge hit in Israel, the second one (a twice a week, 20 episodes run) lost the water-cooler buzz but apparently still a rating mammoth (The ratings for cable shows in Israel aren’t advertised, just the occasional PR self-pat-on-the-back sent from them “We had so-and-so VOD views… broke all the records…” etc.)
Bottom line, it’s more like an Israeli version of Shameless, I just don’t see it on broadcast TV.
The best tv show ever broadcast in israel, good luck , and hope the american audience will love it. In israel it broke all the records of viewing
Asfur is really a very amazing show! Really good! I hope they’ll be able to make it as good as it is now…
Hollywood continues to confirm my conviction that originality and quality television programming are available only from Scandinavia or Israel.
If it hasn’t already been said: There is nothing new under the sun. ‘Original’ is just a flavor of the same plotline(s) that have been told since the dawn of man.