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Fox Orders Drama Series ‘Accused’ From ‘House’ Creator, ‘Homeland’ Duo

Joe Otterson
·3-min read

Fox has given a straight-to-series orders to a drama series that hails from David Shore, Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, Variety has learned.

The series, titled “Accused,” is based on the BBC series of the same name that aired from 2010-2012. The Fox version is slated to debut during the 2022-2023 broadcast season.

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“We take great pride in Fox’s legacy of bold risk taking and inventive storytelling,” said Charlie Collier, CEO of Fox Entertainment. “Howard, Alex and David are an important part of that history and working with them on ‘Accused’ takes us back to our roots, literally. They are tremendous artists responsible for some of the most important and beloved series ever on television, and it’s a joy to once again bet on their creative brilliance.”

“Accused” is a crime anthology where each episode opens in a courtroom on the accused without knowing their crime or how they ended up on trial. The drama is told from the defendant’s point of view. Viewers discover how an ordinary person got caught up in an extraordinary situation, ultimately revealing how one wrong turn leads to another, until it’s too late to turn back.

The series orders brings all three creators back into the Fox fold. Shore, who most recently created “The Good Doctor” for ABC, famously created the hit Fox medical procedural “House,” which ran for eight seasons. Gordon and Gansa both worked on the hit Fox shows “The X-Files” and “24” early in their careers before they went on to create “Homeland,” which was itself based on an Israeli series.

“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Howard, Alex and David back to Fox – and on the same team, no less,” said Michael Thorn, president of entertainment for Fox Entertainment. “Not only are they incredible writers, creators and producers, but working together on this rich and compelling source material promises something truly special. It’s safe to say that we, along with our valued partners at Sony, are excited for what has all the makings of a signature Fox series.”

“Accused” will be co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Fox Entertainment. Gordon, Gansa, and Shore are all under overall deals at the studio. Gordon, Gansa, and Shore serve as executive producers along with Glenn Geller, Erin Gunn, All3Media America’s Jacob Cohen-Holmes and All3Media International’s Jimmy McGovern, Sita Williams, and Roxy Spencer.

“’Accused’ is about crime and punishment, but it’s definitely not a procedural,” said Gordon and Gansa. “For years we’ve been living on the seismically-active fault lines of race, gender, income inequality, social-media FOMO and fake news. ‘Accused’ is our chance to work through and hold up a mirror to the interesting times we’re living in right now, with characters that break your heart. There’s nothing more pressure-filled and character defining than someone who commits a crime.”

“Accused” is one of several series orders Fox has made recently, though the first the network has made for the 2022-2023 season. For the 2021-2022 season, the network has ordered shows such as: the single-cam comedy “Pivoting” starring Eliza Coupe, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Maggie Q; the drama “The Cleaning Lady” starring Elodie Yung; the county music drama “Monarch;” dramedy series “The Big Leap;” an animated comedy set in ancient Greece from Dan Harmon; the drama “Our Kind of People” starring Yaya DaCosta; and the mockumentary series “This County.”

“’Accused’ is the perfect vehicle to showcase the breadth of Howard and Alex’s storytelling,” said said Andrew Plotkin, senior vice president of drama development at Sony Pictures Television. “This show takes on complex themes reflective of our times; exactly what the guys excel at. And we couldn’t be happier doing this show at Fox, who is historically comfortable pushing boundaries.”

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