HBO picks up ‘Hung’

HBO has ordered 10 episodes of the dark-comedy Hung, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This is the first of the dozen or so pilots considered in contention with Game of Thrones to get picked up.

HBO is hung up on “Hung.”

The pay cable network has picked up the dark comedy pilot starring Thomas Jane to series.

The order for the project, from “The Riches” creator Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson, is said to be for 10 episodes, with the launch eyed for June.

Alexander Payne, who directed the pilot, will stay on as an executive producer on the series, along with Lipkin, Burson and Blueprint Entertainment’s Michael Rosenberg, Noreen Halpern and John Morayniss.

Winter Is Coming: It is funny that the one project that seemed the most ridiculous and least likely to get a series order got picked up first. I didn’t think much of the premise when I first read it either, but I didn’t realize the talent behind the project. The Riches is a great show and having Oscar-winner Alexander Payne on board certainly doesn’t hurt either.

The good thing is that this show getting picked up most likely has little effect on Game of Thrones’ chances. The even better news that came out of this story is that David Milch’s project about police corruption in 1970’s New York, Last of the Ninth, is out of the running. That show was probably in much closer competition with Thrones than Hung, so for it to be ruled out already is a good thing.

(Thanks to munkholt and Marco for the heads up on this!)

• Published on 12/18/2008 at 9:43 AM CDT
• Last updated on 12/18/2008 at 9:43 AM CDT