‘From Scratch’ Creators Set Up Next Show: ‘Bluebird, Bluebird’ (Exclusive)

Lesley Goldberg
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Attica and Tembi Locke are re-teaming for another TV series.

The siblings, who already adapted Tembi’s memoir as the Netflix series From Scratch, have signed an overall deal with Universal Television and set up their first project under the pact: an adaptation of Attica’s novel Bluebird, Bluebird.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

The drama, which does not yet have a network/platform attached, revolves around Darren Mathews, a Black Texas Ranger who is deeply ambivalent about growing up Black in the lone star state and was the first in his family to get as far away from Texas as he could — until duty called him home.

The Lockes will co-write and exec produce the series alongside Richard Abate, Jermaine Johnson and Will Rowbotham for 3 Arts Entertainment.

“From our first meeting with Universal Television, we felt instant creative alignment,” said Attica and Tembi Locke. “As authors, we understand storytelling across different formats and platforms. Working with powerhouses like Pearlena [Igbokwe], Erin [Underhill] and the UTV team (Vivian Cannon, Adam Giagni, Kate Hoenigsberg, Becca Tesarfreund and Naketha Mattocks) is a dream partnership for the kind of ambitious, vanguard and character-focused stories we want to tell.”

The Lockes created and exec produced Netflix’s From Scratch, which starred Zoe Saldana, Eugenio Mastrandrea, Danielle Deadwyler and Keith David. The limited series garnered an 86 percent score among both critics and viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Attica and Tembi are exceptionally talented, multihyphenate storytellers,” said Underhill, Universal Television president. “They are adept authors, writers and producers with unique points of view and the ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate deeply with audiences. As long-time fans, we couldn’t be more excited to officially welcome the Locke sisters to the Universal Television family.”

Tembi Locke’s writing credits also include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Friends as well as on-screen roles in Universal TV’s Never Have I Ever, sister studio UCP’s The Magicians, as well as Bones, NCIS and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. She’s with WME, 3 Arts and Yorn Levine.

Attica Locke has penned five novels, one of them a New York Times best-seller; her TV credits include writing for Empire, When They See Us and Little Fires Everywhere, for which she won an NAACP Image Award. She’s with WME, 3 Arts and Myman Greenspan.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter