Netflix has ordered a series adaptation of Justin Halpern’s 2012 memoir “I Suck at Girls,” which will be written by Halpert and Patrick Schumacker, who both serve as co-showrunners on “Abbott Elementary” alongside Quinta Brunson. “Shrinking” and “Scrubs” exec producer Bill Lawrence is also on board via his banner Doozer, as well as Warner Bros. TV.
Variety hears the order is cast-contingent, meaning Netflix could scrap the project based on which actors the producers are able to attach.
Netflix declined to comment.
The show follows three high school sophomores who stumble through teenage romances while navigating adolescence and identity. “I Suck at Girls” is based on Halpern’s romantic misadventures with childhood crushes and losing his virginity.
Halpern and Schumacker are executive producing the series through their Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions alongside Chet Dave, Lawrence, Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer.
Halpern, Schumacker and Lawrence first developed “I Suck at Girls” as a pilot at Fox in 2013. At Fox, the show was developed with the working title “Surviving Jack,” and was framed as a single-camera ensemble comedy. Set in 1990s Southern California, Christopher Meloni was cast to as a man becoming a dad, as his son is becoming a man, “in a time before ‘coming of age’ was something you could Google.”
Lawrence remains involved because “Surviving Jack” was produced by Doozer Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. At the time, Halpern and Schumacker were perhaps best known for their adaptation of Halpern’s Twitter feed “$#! My Dad Says.” The Fox version was executive produced by Halpern, Schumacker, Lawrence (“Spin City,” “Scrubs,” “Clone High,” “Cougar Town”) and Jeff Ingold. Victor Nelli (“Scrubs,” “The Bernie Mac Show”) directed the pilot.