Perhaps fitting for the first streaming service to win a Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series, Amazon Studios’ day at the TCAs Monday began with a joke. “We’re moving Bosch to Wednesdays at 10 p.m.,” said Roy Price, head of Amazon Studios.

Of course, Bosch and all other original series stream on Amazon Prime Instant Video whenever a subscriber wants to tune in. “Your schedule matters; not ours,” Price said.

Buoyed by two Golden Globe victories and 12 Emmy nominations for the 2015 awards show, including for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor and Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Jeffrey Tambor and Gaby Hoffmann) and Outstanding Writing and Directing for a Comedy Series by creator Jill Soloway, Amazon brought some well-deserved swagger and good vibes to today’s TCA’s event.

Last year at the TCAs, Price promised a new era for TV and original series from the burgeoning streaming service. Today, Price stood before the TCA comfortably announcing that the network has “made significant progress delivering on that promise.”

“What fuels us is to create shows that people love and represents a creator’s best work,” Price said. Amazon is determined to do “things differently and have something to say.”

In just over two years, Amazon has made 49 pilots, with 17 going to series.

Bosch, the network’s highest performing show in the U.S. and abroad, is currently in production on its second season, along with the first season of Shawn Ryan’s (The Shield) new series Mad Dogs. Amazon also brought a collection of new and old to their panels this morning, with two shows returning for their second seasons in Transparent and Mozart in the Jungle, and the three newest shows to graduate from their pilot system: Hand of God, The Man in the High Castle and Red Oaks.

Given that Amazon represents the evolution of TV, it’s unsurprising that the mood was light and upbeat.

“It’s a beautiful place. It’s the reason why, coming from another phenomenal dream factory called FX, I was insistent on finding a way to see if lightning could strike twice. With Amazon, it’s been kind of a love affair that hopefully lasts beyond today,” said Ron Perlman, the star of Hand of God.

This intoxication with Amazon was echoed by actress Dana Delany, who said, “It’s Amazon that attracted me. It’s the freedom.” On network TV, execs are continually concerned about a “likability” factor for women, but that has not come up once with Amazon, Delany said.

Actress Alona Tal, in describing the work atmosphere on Hand of God, might have stumbled upon Amazon’s mission statement: “We’re a team. It’s collaborative… we’re part of the creative process.”

Similarly, after nine years of trying to adapt Philip K. Dick’s seminal alternate history novel The Man in the High Castle to TV, executive producers Isa Dick Hackett, David Zucker and Frank Spotnitz couldn’t be happier with where they landed. It “became [a] more richer opportunity when it came to Amazon,” Zucker said, noting that they were able to rebuild the show with a broader narrative opportunity, thanks to more episodes.

Morgan Wandell, head of drama at Amazon Studios, noted that the pilot for The Man in the High Castle, featuring a world where the Allies lost World War II, had the highest views and best reviews of any pilot ever for the network.

While Spotnitz was wary of the pilot system and the potential for a public failure, he didn’t realize the inherent benefit: once they started production on the show, everyone already knew it, was familiar with the premise and what they were going for, and could attract better actors because of it.

Zucker went further on how Amazon is the perfect fit for The Man in the High Castle. “I don’t think we could envision a better home for it. It’s a show that really belonged to a non-commercial broadcaster. It’s a very bold show for a lot of obvious reasons and a number of subtler ones. I don’t think we were surprised that we ran into hesitation… [but] this is a rare show that distinguishes itself from all others by its premise and hopefully by its execution. I don’t think we could be happier with where we landed,” Zucker said.

That sentiment appears to be shared universally across Amazon.

Joe Lewis, head of comedy at Amazon, admitted that they have a “thing for auteurs.” Given the success of Soloway’s Transparent, that’s not likely to change, and indeed, Lewis referenced the recent announcement of signing Woody Allen to his first TV deal (with more news promised later in the day), and the network’s relationship with Roman Coppola (Mozart in the Jungle), and now, with the coming-of-age ‘80s comedy Red Oaks, Executive Producers David Gordon Green and Steven Soderbergh.

The quippy cast, which includes Jennifer Grey, Richard Kind and Paul Reiser, continued the rave fest for Amazon. “It’s run nothing like a broadcast network. It’s far and above, superior… [they give] freedom with this first-rate directors. The writing is so good. They’re answering to no one but themselves. I’ve never had a better working experience. It’s all about quality. It’s about family… it’s very actor and writer friendly,” Grey said.

“The hardest part is to explain to my 80-year-old mother-in-law how to watch it,” Reiser joked. But “once you get it, you never go back,” Grey said. “Amazon Prime has changed my life. I haven’t been in a store in years. Every day is like Christmas. Did you know that you can give someone a free subscription?” As Reiser said, Grey is the best at this.

“I love the process. Amazon has been great to work with,” Executive Producer Gregory Jacobs said. “It was fun to have [the pilot] there and be able to sit on it, and have us think about what worked and what didn’t and make adjustments in the story, and that was really helpful.”

“Amazon gives the creators a lot of lee-way. They made the pilot the way they wanted to make it. What a great model,” Richard Kind said. “The only restraint is their artistic vision.”

That vision is getting blown out for the second season of Mozart in the Jungle, which includes two episodes shot in Mexico City, and a field trip to the Hollywood Bowl and a performance by the LA Philharmonic, conducted by Gael Garcia Bernal himself (thanks to tutelage by Gustavo Dudamel).

A lot has changed for Amazon Studios over the past year, and much of it comes from the success and whirlwind that is Transparent, a show that landed in the cultural zeitgeist permanently for its trailblazing portrayal of the transgender community that has only expanded given Caitlyn Jenner.

“Our culture has kind of caught up to Trans 101,” creator and EP Jill Soloway said. This season, “we’re taking the bubble wrap off, letting Maura be as fallible as her children.” Transparent has also added a trans writer to the writer’s room, Our Lady J, and had a trans director for an episode.

“I was dreaming of having a show that mattered. I want to write something that nobody’s ever written, I wanted to change the world. I had this feminist yearning to make things that matter,” said Jill Soloway.

“Amazon has really thrown down here. This is not an easy show. They picked us up for not only one season, but two seasons. I’ve been paid to say this, but I’m not afraid to. We’re really lucky. Oh, and I have a Kindle,” Tambor said.

Like with all of their shows, Transparent has a family vibe, but Soloway takes it a step further. After a hard day of filming, Amy Landecker told a story where she came to Soloway’s office, filled with pillows, blankets and lamps, and Jill wanted to snuggle. Landecker posited to the room: “What other showrunner would do that? I suggest all showrunners should snuggle with their cast.”

It’s clear there isn’t another showrunner like Soloway on the TV landscape, and that Amazon Studios is just as unique, and we’ll get to see even more of that uniqueness in the upcoming fall season.

Hand of God‘s first season premieres Sept. 4. Red Oaks lands on Oct. 9. The Man in the High Castle launches Nov. 20. Transparent‘s second season comes Dec. 4, while Mozart in the Jungle returns January 2016.

Two new pilots also premiere this Friday, Aug. 7: Sneaky Pete and Casanova.

David Shore’s Sneaky Pete, a con-man drama starring Giovanni Ribisi, Margo Martindale, Marin Ireland and guest starring Executive Producer Bryan Cranston; as well as Amelie director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Casanova starring Diego Luna.

Tags:


  Save as PDF