ABC has picked up a new pilot to series and it looks like an hour long gamble that paid off for all involved.
A Million Little Things, from DJ Nash, is the first drama project ever from the comedy writer. He previously created NBC’s Growing Up Fisher & Truth Be Told. The series was a huge frontrunner for ABC this pilot season and scores one of the network’s first pickups (they previously ordered The Rookie straight to series with Nathan Fillion & The Goldbergs spinoff).
A Million Little Things features an all-star ensemble cast — many of whom had led their own series — that includes David Giuntoli, Ron Livingston, Romany Malco, Allison Miller, Christina Moses, Christina Ochoa, James Roday, Stephanie Szostak and Lizzy Greene. Livingston’s casting had not been confirmed until now but he was in the pilot, playing a pivotal role, and will appear in multiple episodes of the series.
The show revolves around a group of friends from Boston who bonded under unexpected circumstances. Some have achieved success, others are struggling in their careers and relationships, but all of them feel stuck in life. After one of them dies unexpectedly, it’s just the wake-up call the others need to finally start living. Along the way they discover that friends may be the one thing to save them from themselves.
Think The Big Chill mixed with a little bit of This Is Us. The show actually almost hit a snag with the casting of the female lead, which threatened to derail it before things were worked out. But that hurdle aside, it was smooth sailing for A Million Little Things through the development and pilot process to ABC’s schedule. I’m thinking ABC might position this as one of their tentpole shows for the fall season.
