Showtime's latest series Ray Donovan premiered last year to mixed reviews but steady ratings, solid enough to grant a second season due later this year. With the cash flowing in, a writer has come forward accusing the network of essentially stealing the show from him.
Brian Larsen claims he pitched a more-than-similar concept of a California-based fixer for the rich and powerful (then titled The Swissman) to a former Showtime VP back in 2010, with a Writer's Guild registered script and everything. That VP, Danielle Gelber, apparently fought for the project to no avail, leaving the network not long after they passed on it. Larsen argues that Showtime dusted off his script and passed the concept to Ray Donovan's credited creator and executive producers Ann Binderman and the Mark Gordon Company—neither are named as a defendant in his filed complaint, however.
Not only is Larsen seeking unspecified damages (upwards of $25,000), he wants the show stopped altogether via an injunction. We'll have more on this as it develops.
[via Deadline]
