When it was announced, “Redeemer” was a series that had absolutely everyone excited. The FX series seemed like a prestige drama that would reunite the creator of “True Detective,” Nic Pizzolatto, with the Emmy-winning star of the series, Matthew McConaughey. And if it was half as good as the first season of that HBO hit, then it would have to be something special. Needless to say, that’s a sort of no-brainer project that FX probably couldn’t have said yes to quick enough. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
According to Deadline, creator Nic Pizzolatto’s “Redeemer” has gone from being one of our most anticipated TV series in development to completely removed from the FX slate. What happened? Well, the report claims that the series fell apart after McConaughey decided to leave the series. No other reason was given for why the star of the show might have left, but when you lose the A-lister lead, it’s clear why FX might have had second thoughts.
“Redeemer” was based on Patrick Coleman’s debut novel “The Churchgoer,” and the series would have featured McConaughey as a minister-turned-security guard that is on a mission to find what happened to a missing girl. While investigating, he is brought into a vast criminal conspiracy. And yes, that sounds endlessly fascinating and something the creator of “True Detective” could have made into an awesome drama series.
And it seems as if the decision by FX to move on from “Redeemer” has led Pizzolatto to seek an end to his exclusive deal with FX Productions and 20th Television (formerly Fox). The “True Detective” mastermind has two more years on the deal that he signed last year. Again, no official reason was given for why Pizzolatto might be seeking an exit, but it would stand to reason that his decision and the “Redeemer” news aren’t mutually exclusive.
We’ll have to see what McConaughey has up his sleeve next and if there’s more TV in his future. And as for Pizzolatto, there are probably plenty of networks and streaming services that would love to do business with him.