The '80s are coming back, sorta, with the help of Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh and “Dirty Dancing” actress Jennifer Grey.
The iconic '80s star is joining Paul Reiser, Craig Roberts, Richard Kind and Oliver Cooper in “Red Oaks,” a new Amazon pilot that will be programmed as part of the nascent streaming service's third pilot season. Helming the first episode will be filmmaker David Gordon Green (“Pineapple Express,” “Eastbound & Down”), who's set to direct from a script by Gregory Jacobs (“The Knick”) and Joe Gangemi (“Eliza Graves”).
“Greg Jacobs told me this idea on the set of 'Behind the Candelabra' and I told him it was great and that he should start working on it immediately,” said executive-producer Soderbergh in a statement. “Then, while we were on the set of 'The Knick' he gave me the script he wrote with Joe Gangemi and I said, ‘This is ready to go, let's find a director.” We very quickly agreed to approach David because the humor was sharp without being mean, and we felt he would understand and appreciate that.”
Set in 1985, “Red Oaks” will follow David (Roberts) as he takes a summer job at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey before starting college in the fall. “Reeling from his father”s heart attack and conflicted about what major to declare,” the teen will come into contact with a “colorful cast of misfit co-workers and wealthy club members,” including art student Skye (guest star Alexandra Socha) and her corporate raider father Getty (Reiser).
As with all Amazon pilots, “Red Oaks” will live or die on the goodwill of Amazon Prime/Instant Video users, whose feedback determines which pilots are ordered to series. Last year saw the launch of comedy series “Alpha House” starring John Goodman and the now-cancelled “Betas.” In related news, Starz recently ordered a TV series based on Soderbergh's 2009 drama “The Girlfriend Experience.”
Does “Red Oaks” sound like something you'd be interested in watching? Let us know in the comments.