Amazon has opted not to proceed with the new comedy series Highston. The streaming service picked up to series the pilot — written by Oscar-nominee Bob Nelson (Nebraska), directed by Little Miss Sunshine helmers Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, and executive produced by Sacha Baron Cohen — in December 2015. But it was never scheduled, and tonight, after co-star Curtis Armstrong tweeted that the show was dead, the development was confirmed by Amazon.
“We love Bob, Jon and Val, both producers named Todd and the incredibly talented cast,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy and Drama Development at Amazon Studios, in a statement. “Unfortunately not every series works out.”
This is the second time Amazon has scrapped a project after picking up the pilot to series. The streaming platform previously did the same with the Chris Carter drama The After, one of its first two drama series orders, along with Bosch.
Highston was in the same batch of pilot-to-series orders as comedies One Mississippi, renewed for a second season, and the upcoming Z, as well as dramas Good Girls Revolt, canceled after one season, and the upcoming Patriot.
In Highston, Highston Liggetts (newcomer Lewis Pullman) is a 19-year-old with a wide circle of celebrity friends—that only he can see. His parents, Jean (Mary Lynn Rajskub, 24), and Wilbur (Chris Parnell, Saturday Night Live) force him to get psychiatric help, but his Uncle Billy (Curtis Armstrong, American Dad!) thinks he’s just fine. Highston is a comedy about what it means to be normal in a world that’s anything but. The pilot guest stars Shaquille O’Neal (Thunderstruck) and Flea (The Big Lebowski), and is written by Bob Nelson, directed by Independent Spirit Award winners Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, and executive produced by Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator), Todd Hoffman (Love Stinks), Nelson, and Todd Schulman (Bruno).
