Fox Orders Country Music Drama Series ‘Monarch’ Created by Melissa London Hilfers
Fox has ordered the country music drama series “Monarch” for the 2021-2022 broadcast season from executive producer and creator Melissa London Hilfers. The show, formerly known as “Untitled Country Music Dynasty,” will feature original songs and covers.
Per the logline, the one-hour drama is a Texas-sized, multigenerational musical drama about America’s first family of country music. The Romans are fiercely talented, but while their name is synonymous with honesty, the very foundation of their success is a lie. When their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, Nicky Roman, the heir to the crown, already battling an industry stacked against her, will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy.
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“Monarch,” wholly owned by Fox Entertainment, joins “Our Kind of People” as the network’s first two series to bypass a pilot order by advancing straight to a writers’ room commitment and subsequently be ordered to series. By committing to a writers’ room early during the lockdown, Hilfers and showrunner Michael Rauch were able to further develop the show for the straight-to-series announcement. Hilfers is repped by UTA, Alan Gasmer and attorney Allison Binder from Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher LLP.
Executive producing “Monarch” alongside Hilfers and Rauch are Gail Berman and Hend Baghdady for the Jackal Group and country music manager Jason Owen for Sandbox Entertainment, whose clients include Kacey Musgraves, Faith Hill, Dan + Shay and the estates of Johnny and June Carter Cash. Owen was named music manager of the year in Variety‘s 2019 Hitmakers issue. His experience and extensive relationships in the world of country music, managing acts like Little Big Town, Kelsea Ballerini and Midland, give him an authentic insider’s perspective to the series’ storytelling.
“Monarch” is Fox’s latest pickup for the upcoming season. Earlier Friday, Fox ordered a drama based on Argentina’s “La Chica Que Limpia,” “The Cleaning Lady,” starring Elodie Yung. Last week, the network ordered the dramedy series “The Big Leap,” about a group of strangers that join a reality dance show. Fox has also ordered an animated comedy set in ancient Greece from Dan Harmon, the drama “Our Kind of People” from Karin Gist and Lee Daniels, and the mockumentary series “This County.”
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