David E. Kelley, Michael Connelly Mystery ‘Avalon’ Gets Straight-to-Series Order From ABC
Another David E. Kelley drama is coming to the small screen. ABC made a straight-to-series order for Avalon, a new mystery drama from the Big Little Lies creator and author Michael Connelly, it announced Monday.
The series is based on Connelly’s short story of the same name and is produced by A+E Studios and 20th Television.
“The series takes place in the main city of Avalon on Catalina Island, where LA Sheriff Department Detective Nicole ‘Nic’ Searcy heads up a small office,” a statement describing the series said. “Catalina has a local population that serves more than 1 million tourists a year, and each day when the ferries arrive, hundreds of potential new stories enter the island. Detective Searcy is pulled into a career-defining mystery that will challenge everything she knows about herself and the island.”
Kelley and Connelly are co-creators and executive producers of Avalon. Kelley will write the pilot episode, and the debut season will be part of ABC’s 2022-2023 programming slate. Kelley’s previous ABC shows include Big Sky, Doogie Howser, Boston Legal, and The Practice.
“Excited to reunite with Michael Connelly,” Kelley said. “He’s written a fantastic short story, a great protagonist. Can’t wait to get started.”
“Being on a project with David E. Kelley again is amazing,” added Connelly. “This whole team of David, A+E and Ross Fineman has been wonderful to work with previously; and now joining up with ABC, well, I can’t wait to start. Catalina is full of mystery and good storytelling. We’re going to put it on the screen.”
‘Bosch’ star Titus Welliver (Photo Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video)
Avalon marks Kelley and Connelly’s second TV collaboration. The first was on a TV adaptation of Connelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer, in development at Netflix. Connelly created the TV adaptation of his book, Bosch, for Amazon Prime Video.
Ross Fineman (Fineman Entertainment) and Barry Jossen & Tana Jamieson (A+E Studios) will also executive produce.
