Posted in: Current News, Editor's Picks TV News, Movies, TV | Tagged: articles, Bob Nelson, books, cable, Davey Holmes, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, epix, fear and loathing in las vegas, Generation of Swine, Get Shorty, gonzo, gonzo journalism, HBO, Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga, Hunter S. Thompson, In Treatment, journalism, magazines, mgm, MGM Television, nebraska, streaming, television, tv

MGM Developing Hunter S. Thompson Series With 'Get Shorty' Holmes

So it would seem that when the going gets weird, the weird also turn MGM Television. The studio is moving ahead with development of a series based on the life of famed "Gonzo journalist" Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Written by Bob Nelson (Nebraska), the project is part of an overall deal MGM Television has with Davey Holmes (Get Shorty, In Treatment), who will serve as showrunner should the project move to series.

The project is being described as an "authorized" look at Thompson's life and career as the creator of "Gonzo journalism: where reporters immerse themselves in the topics they're covering to such an extent that they become a central figure in that story. Thompson is best known for both his essays and reporting; as well as novels such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga and Generation of Swine. Suffering from seriously declining health, Thompson would take his own life in 2005 at the age of 67.

"As we look to the future of MGM Television, it is imperative that we forge long-term relationships with creators who have an eye for dynamic storytelling. Davey is tremendously talented and has demonstrated that he can deliver quality programming that will resonate with viewers."

– Mark Burnett, MGM TV and Digital

On a personal note, here are two of my favorite Thompson quotes:

"No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride…and if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well…maybe chalk it up to forced consciousness expansion: Tune in, freak out, get beaten."
― Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1971)

"Let us toast to animal pleasures, to escapism, to rain on the roof and instant coffee, to unemployment insurance and library cards, to absinthe and good-hearted landlords, to music and warm bodies and contraceptives… and to the "good life", whatever it is and wherever it happens to be."
― The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman (1997)

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