Joss Whedon could use some good news because it’s been rough out there for him lately. Last year he was hired to take over Justice League after Zack Snyder’s departure, and the film, which was expected to be an Avengers-sized hit, ended up huge disaster. He was then hired to work on a Batgirl movie but was removed, with some saying his public persona has become too problematic for a female-led property. Ironic and a little bit troubling for the guy who built a career with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other shows with strong female antagonists.
Fortunately, Whedon isn’t done yet, and he’s making his return to television as exec-producer of Freeform’s developing series, Pippa Smith: Grown-Up Detective. The dark comedy series centers on the title character who used to be a kid detective, but now asa 20-something adult deals with relationships, addiction, and the continued solving of mysteries. Siobhan Thompson, best known for her work with CollegeHumor, and Baskets writer Rebecca Drysdale, are the show’s creators.
This might be a good way for Whedon to do some career rehabilitation without spending much time in the spotlight. I think he’s still an important voice out there with a lot of stories to tell, so it’ll be very interesting to see the reaction to him on this project. [Variety]
