Amid the turbulence of the entertainment landscape, Lisa Taddeo's groundbreaking novel found itself at the center of a tumultuous journey. Originally incubated by Showtime, whose direction shifted under the new stewardship of Chris McCarthy towards a franchise-driven model, the drama based on the book's intimate narratives was suddenly cast aside. However, Showtime's misfortune became Starz's triumph.
Backed by Lionsgate, Starz swooped in to salvage 'Three Women', the compelling drama fronted by Shailene Woodley that had been discarded by Showtime. Sources reveal that the series was courted by several prestigious outlets, including HBO and Amazon, before ultimately finding a new home at Starz. Representatives for Starz declined to comment on the acquisition.
In 2019, Showtime, then under the watchful eye of David Nevins, had secured the rights to the book in a fiercely contested bidding war. The drama was poised to premiere in 2022, but following Nevins' departure and McCarthy's subsequent appointment, Showtime embarked on a rebranding journey, emphasizing franchises and announcing multiple spin-offs of 'Dexter' and 'Billions'.
'Three Women' marks the latest scripted series to find refuge at Starz, led by Jeff Hirsch. The cabler also recently rescued the second season of the Lionsgate TV-produced comedy 'Minx' after HBO Max reversed its plans. Both the first and unaired second season, mere days away from completion, will now be available exclusively on Starz.
Starring Woodley, DeWanda Wise, Betty Gilpin, and Blair Underwood, 'Three Women' is executive produced by Taddeo and Laura Eason (of Showtime's 'The Loudest Voice' and 'House of Cards'). Louise Friedberg, renowned for her work on 'Y: The Last Man' and 'Borgen', directs and executive produces the first two episodes. Production on the series has been completed, ready to be unleashed onto Starz's ever-expanding roster of scripted content that includes 'Outlander', its prequel, 'P-Valley', the 'Power' franchise, 'Blindspotting', 'Heels', 'Hightown', and the revival of 'Party Down'.
As networks and streaming platforms alike scramble to cut costs and maximize tax benefits, the practice of dumping already completed shows has become increasingly prevalent, yet deeply disheartening. However, in this case, Starz has emerged as a beacon of hope, rescuing 'Three Women' from oblivion and giving it a new lease on life.
