America to get its own upstairs/downstairs show thanks to David O. Russell

By Caroline Siede | January 23, 2014 | 11:00pm

Aux Features TV

What does one get the man whose movie is nominated for 10 Academy Awards? An immediate pickup for a television series, of course! Which is precisely what ABC has done, giving American Hustle director David O. Russell’s untitled drama project a straight-to-series, 13-episode order, according to Deadline. Set at a private country club, the as-yet-untitled show is billed as an “upstairs/downstairs soap,” which means America may finally be getting its own version of Downton Abbey.

For his first foray into television, Russell will develop the show alongside Erin Brockovich writer Susannah Grant, who previously worked on the short-lived CBS series A Gifted Man. Given that Russell has lately surrounded himself with a loyal team of actors, we can probably look forward to Bradley Cooper as a wealthy golfer, Amy Adams as a plucky waitress, and Jennifer Lawrence as the country club version of the Dowager Countess.