Women's Murder Club Kills Its First Pilot

Aubrey Dollar, Paula Newsome, Angie Harmon and Laura Harris in Women's Murder Club by Andrew Southam/ABC

The entire pilot for ABC's new Friday night procedural The Women's Murder Club has been reshot. Why? Apparently, it was a little too mysterious for fans to follow. Executive producer Joe Simpson, tells TV Guide that there were too many characters and too many murders in the first attempt to turn James Patterson's best-selling novels about crime-solving female buddies into a TV series. "We tried to cover too much too early," Jessica and Ashlee's dad says. So one of the books' characters, Yuki Castellano (played by Elisabeth Ho) has been written out, and a simpler homicide written in. The version that will debut on October 12 is darker and more grisly as well.

Although Patterson is a writer on the series, the only storyline expected to be copied from his novels is an ongoing search for a — what else — serial killer. In other changes, Rob Estes (CSI:Miami) has replaced the less-known Christopher Wiehl as the former hubby of cop Lindsay Boxer, played by series star Angie Harmon. And Kyle Secor (Commander In Chief) has a recurring role as a public defender. Patterson and Simpson are also developing another of the prolific author's mysteries into a TV series. "It's one of his first books called The Midnight Club," says Simpson. "It's about a young detective in a wheelchair, who plays Murderball and has a love life." Somewhere, Ironside is smiling.

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Sep 28, 2007 3:48 PM

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How does Kyle feel about defending pubes? I'm not sure that's a job, acting or otherwise, I'd want.
Posted by bluefairies Sep 28, 2007 4:22 PM Report Abuse

As long as Joe Simpson is involved no one will watch this show.
Posted by alicegardner Sep 28, 2007 4:27 PM Report Abuse

Here's a question: How can I, as a TV watcher, feel confident in watching a show (such as Women's Murder Club) when the network that it's on doesn't even feel confident with it? ABC has NOT promoted Women's Murder Club well at all, and they stick it behind 20/20 (at its new time) on Friday nights @ 9? Not going to watch because I feel ABC is going to try to cancel it at their first chance.
Posted by Randy69 Sep 28, 2007 4:27 PM Report Abuse

Anything that deals with Joe Simpson will be a waste of space.
Posted by Aileen Sep 28, 2007 4:43 PM Report Abuse

Man, that's harsh news for those two actors. Buh-bye, Christopher Wiehl and Elizabeth Ho! Don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out.
Posted by scooterndc Sep 28, 2007 5:27 PM Report Abuse

How does Kyle feel about defending pubes? I'm not sure that's a job, acting or otherwise, I'd want. Posted by bluefairies Well played.
Posted by brian73107 Sep 28, 2007 5:44 PM Report Abuse

Are you telling me that Christopher Wiehl got replaced on both Lipstick Jungle and now this show? Yikes, tough breaks. Maybe Jericho will need (his) Roger back at some point?
Posted by nsgal Sep 28, 2007 5:58 PM Report Abuse

Oh man, I just re-read that "pubic defender" sentence again. Didn't catch it the first time through lol Hmmm... i doubt I would've watched the show anyway though. 9pm on Fridays would be devoted to Friday Night Lights for me.
Posted by Lester/DryedMangoez Sep 28, 2007 7:30 PM Report Abuse

They reshot the pilot because it was too complicated? Have the writers read the books this series is based on? I like the series but the books are probably some of the easiest to read; not that hard to follow at all. If they were shooting Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series I could understand convoluted/complicated. I'd compare them to Murder, She Wrote. Yuki Castellano doesn't appear until the 3d book. There is another asst D.A. so I guess they aren't following the timeline of this series at all. Although considering Angie Harmon is playing Lindsay Boxer I'm not surprised as she doesn't physically resemble the blonde character in the book. This is what you get when Joe Simpson is involved.

Posted by danielle

Sep 28, 2007 8:01 PM

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The Murder Club, without all the women..Imagine that......NOT I was actually looking forward to this new series, as I love JP and his books. But now.....I won't waste my time watching. Such a dissappointment.
Posted by SCBlondeMB Sep 29, 2007 3:59 PM Report Abuse

I love this series of JP I can't wait for the TV series, I dont care who's producing it, I will still watch it. I hope it turns out good.
Posted by nyyankees51 Sep 30, 2007 4:47 PM Report Abuse

I'm reading the 6th book now. How can you James Patterson allow one of it's members (Yuki) to be written out? I have been waiting for this show since I first heard about it months ago and didn't even care what night it was on. I would tape it if necessary..I hope they keep Lindsay, Claire, and Cindy there. I still miss Jill.
Posted by RobbieJ7 Oct 1, 2007 4:16 PM Report Abuse

You can read and follow the book but you don't think the audience can follow a TV plot? Don't underestimate the intelligence of the viewers.
Posted by thedew Oct 1, 2007 6:48 PM Report Abuse

Exactly. None of the WMC books are hard to read so what the heck did the creators do? This series should not be that hard to follow even with multiple threads. I think with ditching the Yuki character they are trying to keep a core of four characters but at some point in the series Yuki does replace Jill still keeping it four women. Were they figuring the only audience would be people who've never read the books?

Posted by danielle

Oct 1, 2007 8:12 PM

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