The book chronicles the life and times of a mid-western elderly couple and their three children from the mid-twentieth century to the turn of the new millennium. Fraught with plenty of familial conflict, Baumbach’s certainly a good fit for the content given that he’s covered similar territory with the likes of Squid and The Whale before. A pilot based on his script is reportedly close to being ordered by the network, and HBO will be keen to bolster the cast with some typically strong talent and after a slew of bland performances that barely even constitute phoning it in, this could well be the opportunity that Hopkins needs to make a return to form.
It’s a busy time of year for the cable network responsible for the likes of Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones, both of which currently have second seasons in development, and the news comes just days after James Gandolfini announced plans to pitch comedy drama Big Dead Place to the network. Based on Nicholas Johnson’s memoir of the same name The Sopranos actor has expressed interest in taking a lead role should the network option a pilot.
The series is set to chronicle Johnson’s time working for the US Antarctic Program at a remote outpost, taking a comic look at the relationships of the individuals positioned at McMurdo Station and the perils of working in a frozen environment far out in the middle of nowhere. Gandolfini’s pitch has the support of Breaking Bad producer Peter Gould, so expect plenty of dark humour and strikingly poignant drama if and when this one makes it to our screens.
