It looks like Oprah is trading in her Angel Network for something a bit more seedy. The media mogul is teaming with HBO to executive produce the pilot for a series described by Variety as “a sexually charged hour-long series pilot about a woman who leaves her seemingly perfect marriage and children in Santa Monica for the underbelly of L.A., where she indulges her secret fantasies and desires.”
The pilot will be written by Erin Cressida Wilson, the genius behind 2002’s Secretary, in which Maggie Gyllenhaal was hired on as James Spader‘s sexually submissive office worker. For those of you who haven’t seen it, rent it. Of course, be forewarned that anything starring James Spader within the last 10 to 15 years will most certainly be twisted.
Erin has also written for Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus and Chloe.
Oprah’s right-hand woman over at Harpo Films, Kate Forte, came up with the idea for the series. “It is unsentimental and pretty shocking, and there is something complicated and destructive driving her,” Forte said. “It is literally a day at the pool, where she gets up, in sarong and flip-flops, and walks out of her life, leaving everyone behind so abruptly that her husband and kids initially think she’s been kidnapped or murdered.”
To me this sounds like a combo of a Lifetime Television for Women movie, Snapped and Californication, which, in my eyes, is an obvious recipe for success.
If Oprah’s fans are willing to follow her anywhere, they should probably start trading in their cardigans and sweater sets for fishnets and lace.
