Despite having some heavy hitters on the airwaves, HBO is still pretty busy signing on projects for next season’s schedule. The subscription cable network announced on Tuesday that it has picked up the Lorimer-based project to series, which comes from a Michael Lannon script and stars Jonathan Groff, Frankie J. Alvarez, and Murray Bartlett. The actors play three gay friends who live, work, and play in the San Francisco Bay area.
Alvarez is pretty much a newcomer on the scene, having popped up in Smash in a few episodes as a background character. Bartlett has more experience, appearing in episodes of the now-defunct programs Farscape and Guiding Light. While Alvarez and Bartlett are lesser known, Groff is by far the most famous actor currently attached to the project. Groff has popped up in films like The Conspirator, but is more famous for small screen roles that include stints on Glee and Boss. He’s also set to appear in Ryan Murphy’s new movie, The Normal Heart, which is also set up at HBO.
HBO has signed on for eight episodes of the dramedy, which will be executive produced by Andrew Haigh (who also directed the pilot), Bored to Death Sarah Condon, and Smash’s David Marshall Grant. Lannon will receive a co-executive producing credit. According to THR, production is set to begin in the fall months for a 2014 premiere. Hopefully by then, the network will be able to settle on a title.
