Netflix lines up first Rhimes series

Netflix has ordered its first series from Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes since her multimillion-deal to join the streamer last year.

Andrew Hinderaker

Netflix and Rhimes, through her prodco Shondaland, have picked up the rights to New York Magazine article How Anna Delvey Tricked New York’s Party People, written by Jessica Pressler.

The article, which went viral after its release at the end of May, tells of the infamous rise and fall of Anna Delvey (real name Anna Sorokin) who hoodwinked the New York social scene to become an “it girl” and scammed hundreds of thousands of dollars from banks, business and friends.

Producers have been scrambling ever since for the adaptation rights, but the combined power of Netflix and the Scandal creator swung the deal.

Rhimes will write the series, the first she has created since 2012’s Scandal. The most recent series to have come from Shondaland have been from other creators.

Since her US$300m arrival at Netflix, Rhimes has reportedly been acquiring IP and developing ideas for potential series.

In related news, Netflix has ordered two new series including a space-set love story from Roswell creator Jason Katims.

Charlie Covell

Ten-part Away, produced by Universal Television, True Jack Productions and 6th & Idaho, stars Emma Green as an American astronaut who must leave her husband and teenage daughter behind in order to command an international crew embarking on a year-long mission to Mars.

It is written by Katims and Andrew Hinderaker, who both serve as exec producers. Matt Reeves, Michelle Lee, Adam Kassan and Jeni Mulein all share exec producing responsibilities.

Elsewhere, the 10×60’ dark comedy Kaos is a contemporary interpretation of Greek mythology from actress, producer and writer Charlie Covell (Marcella).

Produced by All3Media and Brightstar, the show explores themes of gender politics, power and life in the underworld.

It is written and created by Covell, who was behind Channel 4 and Netflix’s hit graphic comic-based series The End of the F***ing World. Nina Lederman exec produces for All3Media alongside Tanya Seghatchian and John Woodward for Brightstar.