Hulu Develops 'Suspect' Drama from Scott Turow Novel
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- Hulu is developing 'Suspect,' a drama series based on Scott Turow's 2022 novel, with Marissa Jo Cerar writing and the show centering on Pinky, a private investigator trying to exonerate a female police chief accused of extorting sex from male officers in exchange for job promotions
- Cerar executive produces alongside Bruce Miller, Matt Shakman, Turow, and MGM, with 20th Television as the studio — reuniting the writing duo from Hulu's Emmy-winning 'The Handmaid's Tale'
- Shakman initially optioned the novel, and Turow announced the deal last fall on Facebook, calling Pinky an 'oddball private investigator' and praising Shakman, who directed 'Fabulous Four: First Steps'
- The 'Suspect' project joins a wave of PI shows across networks: NBC is launching a 'Rockford Files' reboot and single-camera comedy 'Sunset P.I.' next season, while Netflix has 'A Man on the Inside' starring Ted Danson and ABC has 'R.J. Decker' with Scott Speedman
- Hulu is also developing a series adaptation of Adam Brody's film 'The Kid Detective,' with Rachel Kaplan producing, adding to the platform's PI pipeline
Why it matters: Hulu is doubling down on PI procedurals just as every major network and streamer — NBC, Netflix, ABC — races to launch competing detective shows, betting that a Turow-adapted prestige drama can stand out in an increasingly crowded field. The pairing of Cerar and Miller signals Hulu is leaning on its 'Handmaid's Tale' creative infrastructure, which has already delivered a hit sequel in 'The Testaments' with 45 million hours streamed.
