Rumor has it: Amazon to launch original musical comedy series
The Web giant is looking to debut its first original TV series called "Browsers," which is about four interns working in a Huffington Post-like newsroom, according to Variety.
Amazon may be taking a cue from Netflix and Hulu and setting its sights on creating an original content TV series. According to Variety, the Web giant is about to greenlight a new comedy series called "Browsers."
This comedy will apparently be a musical based on four interns working in a newsroom similar to the Huffington Post, Variety reports. The series was first made for CBS but was then shopped to Amazon via production company Netco. (Disclosure: CBS is the parent company of CNET News.)
If indeed Amazon is working on releasing "Browsers," it would be the first ongoing series launched by the company. Earlier this year, rumors floated that Amazon was looking to create TV shows when a company executive posted to his LinkedIn account that he was currently the vice president of original television at Amazon.
Also, in May, the company put out a call for pilots for original comedies and kids shows for its Amazon Instant Video service. Since it launched in November 2010, Amazon Studios had focused on films, both full-length features and shorter films. But this was its first announcement of moving into episodic programming.
"In the course of developing movies, we've heard a lot of interest from content creators who want to develop original series in the comedy and children's genres," Amazon Studios director Roy Price said in a statement at the time.
Amazon's rivals are playing a similar game. Earlier this year, Netflix announced plans to launch its first original episodic show, "Lilyhammer," about a mobster who moves to Norway. And Hulu has also unveiled a handful original shows, including "The Awesomes," an animated series from "Saturday Night Live" head writer Seth Meyers.
It's not clear if "Browsers" would launch as a pilot or start up with several episodes already completed. The timetable and distribution plan for the possible show is also unknown.
CNET contacted Amazon for comment. We'll update the story when we get more information.