Cosmopolitan Is Getting a TV Show

Leslye Headland, who penned the play Bachelorette and its on-screen adaptation, is writing a pilot about a woman who fails at political blogging and gets a job at Cosmopolitan magazine as a sex and dating editor.

Cosmo editor Joanna Coles will have an executive producer credit on the show. In a statement, Headland said, “I am elated to collaborate with Joanna on this series. Cosmo was a must-read for me growing up. Under Joanna’s influence, the magazine embodies topics for every modern female, which makes this a perfect union.”

According to Coles, Headland has been working with Cosmo “quietly” to research the piece: “We even managed to smuggle her into New York Fashion Week, so she’s been sitting at the junction of fashion, celebrity, beauty and the utter madness of our world. Be prepared for life at a women’s magazine, but not as you know it.”

The adaptation of journalism projects to movies and television shows is pretty par for the course these days; it’s just another way for publications to make a little money and networks to profit from story that has already been given a stamp of approval by the public. Usually, however, specific articles are picked up. Women’s magazines have also had their editors get involved in reality TV projects, like when Coles appeared onan episode of CBS’s The Job and helped decide what woman should win a position as editorial assistant at the magazine. (The show was cancelled after episode two – her episode.)

But to have the EIC of a magazine EP a whole show based off the brand she leads is something a little different than previous projects seen. Either way, Headland’s been keeping herself busy with lots of projects and so has Coles, so this seems like an appropriate match.