DirecTV premiered its first original scripted series “Rogue,” an undercover cop drama starring Thandie Newton, on April 3. Now the satellite provider is upping its original programming game with “Full Circle,” another scripted series, this one the television debut of Neil LaBute.
DirecTV’s ordered 10 episodes of “Full Circle,” a high concept half-hour series LaBute created, is writing and will co-executive produce to air on DirecTV’s exclusive Audience Network in the fall of 2013. The show is based on Arthur Schnitzler’s classic play “La Ronde,” which daisy-chained ten pairs of lovers up and down the social classes in ten scenes, starting and ending with the Whore. “La Ronde” has been much abused in recent film, with Fernando Meirelles’ “360” and Alexis Lloyd’s “30 Beats” attempting none-too-successfully to use the narrative format in a contemporary setting.
LaBute’s series promises to examine relationship and the human condition through a series of conversations between 11 people whose lives are intertwined in ways of which they’re unaware. “I am always interested in pushing the boundaries of entertainment and I’m very lucky to find kindred spirits in both Nick Hamm at Momentum and the folks at DIRECTV,” LaBute said in the release. “They have all taken a chance on ‘Full Circle’ which features an unconventional structure and a revolving cast of characters — it’s a pleasure to work with people who believe that it’s still possible to marry artistic quality with audience appeal. I’m really excited to create some quality television with these forward-thinking colleagues of mine.”
“Full Circle” will executive produced by Nick Hamm for Momentum TV, the company that’s producing “Rogue.”
LaBute’s been all over the map since his influential 1997 play-turned-directorial debut “In the Company of Men.” His recent work behind the camera has… not been so acclaimed. He helmed the much-mocked Nicolas Cage-led remake of “The Wicker Man,” the race-baiting thriller “Lakeview Terrace” and the U.S. redo of “Death at a Funeral.” But his latest projects seem more in line with the work with which he first made his name — he adapted his play “Some Girl(s)” for a film directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer that premiered at SXSW last month, and on Sunday “Some Velvet Morning,” which he wrote and directed, will premiere at Tribeca.
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