Showtime‘s new direction of spinoffs and revivals is underway as a Nurse Jackie and Weeds sequel is now in the works from Lionsgate Television. According to network reps, both series are in early development, with the original leads, Edie Falco and Mary-Louise Parker, set to reprise their starring roles with executive producer credits.
Although the projects are still being negotiated, Nurse Jackie will be written and executive produced by Abe Sylvia and Liz Flahive, respectively, reenlisted from the original show. Meanwhile, Weeds will be written and executive produced by Christian Torpe, creator of the popular Danish series Rita, featuring the main character Nancy (Parker) in Copenhagen.
A continuation of Weeds has been in the works for years, with a follow-up series previously announced in 2019 by writer Victoria Morrow. It was set to pick up with the Botwin family ten years after the events of the original series in an era of marijuana legalization.
Created by Jenji Kohan, Weeds followed a widow (Parker) whose pot-selling business broke the mold of her “ticky-tacky” environment, and Malvina Reynolds’ 1962 song about suburban sprawl and middle-class conformity proved the perfect way in. Justin Kirk, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins., Justin Kirk, and Romany Malco also starred. The show aired from 2005-2012, winning two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe and WGA awards.
Meanwhile, Nurse Jackie followed Falco as the titular character, a scheming, pill-popping ER nurse and mom. The show was created, and executive produced by Liz Brixius, Linda Wallem, and Evan Dunksy and ran from 2009 to 2015. The series won five Primetime Emmy Awards and also starred Peter Facinelli, Merritt Wever, and Anna Deavere Smith.
Showtime is following in the footsteps of Paramount as the network reportedly has plans for spinoffs and expansions of its popular series Billions and Dexter. The intention is to build out the pre-existing worlds with rich storytelling set in the past and present similar to Paramount’s Yellowstone franchise format.
This story originally appeared on TV Insider
