‘New York Undercover’ Reboot, Comedy ‘Woman Up’ Picked Up to Pilot at ABC

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – ABC has given pilot orders to the “New York Undercover” reboot and the single-cam comedy “Woman Up” from Zoe Lister-Jones.

Picking up 20 years after the end of the iconic series, “New York Undercover” will follow detectives Nat Gilmore and Melissa Ortiz as they investigate the city’s most dangerous criminals from Harlem to Battery Park. Some cast members from the original series are expected to reprise their roles.

The rebooted series will be written and executive produced by Dick Wolf and Ben Watkins. Frequent Wolf collaborators Arthur W. Forney and Peter Jankowski will also executive produce. Anthony Hemingway is onboard to executive produce and direct the pilot. Universal Television and Studios will produce in association with Wolf Films.

Should the project go to series, Wolf would have series on the air three of the Big 4, the others being “FBI” on CBS and the recently announced planted spinoff ,  as well as the “Chicago” shows and straight-to-series project “Law & Order: Hate Crimes” at NBC.

In “Woman Up,” two former teen moms have worked their asses off to see their daughters all the way through high school graduation. And now, at 35, they’re ready to make up for the youth they never had.

Lister-Jones will write and executive produce under her Ms. Lister Films banner. In addition to Lister-Jones, Liz Meriwether will also executive produce. Meriwether recently co-created the ABC comedy series “Single Parents” and worked with Lister-Jones when the latter guest starred on “New Girl.” Jason Winer and Jon Radler will also executive produce via their Small Dog Picture Company. 20th Century Fox Television will produce along with ABC Studios.

This mark the first TV project that Lister-Jones has written. She previously wrote the films “Band Aid,” “Consumed,” “Lola Versus,” and “Breaking Upwards,” all of which also featured her in a lead role. She currently stars in the 20th TV-produced comedy “Life in Pieces” at CBS. She also recently starred in the HBO film “Confirmation,” and previously starred in shows like “Friends With Better Lives,” “Whitney” and “Delocated.”.