Dr. Phil, Jay McGraw Set Up Pair of Drama Projects at CBS

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Dr. Phil and his son are developing two new drama series at CBS, Variety has learned.

Both projects will be produced by Television Studios, where the McGraws are set up under an overall deal.

The first project is titled “Chaplain.” It follows a talented, scientifically minded ICU doctor and her free-thinking, faith-oriented brother. They clash over the best approach to the business of saving lives when he is hired as chaplain at her hospital.

The series hails from writers Nick Weiss and Isaac Laskin, with Weiss set to executive produce and Laskin co-executive producing. The McGraws will executive produce along with Julia Eisenman via their Stage 29 Productions banner, with Laurie McCarthy also executive producing.

The other project is titled “Melanie.” In the series, a scattered but astute criminal defense attorney who uses her seemingly inept methods to disarm judges, charm juries, and win cases returns home to join her brother’s white-shoe law firm and help her family of outsiders get back on their feet. Scott Prendergast is the writer and executive producer on the project, with the McGraws and Eisenman executive producing.

These are the latest in a long line of development projects Stage 29 has set up at CBS in recent years. The company also produce the hit daytime series “” and shows like “DailyMailTV” and “The Doctors” for CBS Television Distribution, as well as the scripted series “Bull,” currently in its third season on CBS.

Weiss is repped by Apostle Management. Prendergast is repped by UTA. Stage 29 Productions is repped by UTA and attorneys Joseph Horacek and Manatt Phelps of Manatt and Christopher Chatham of Chatham Law Group.