Stephen J. Cannell’s 1980s series Wiseguy is getting a contemporary reboot at NBC. The peacock network has bought a new take on the crime drama, which will be written by Alex Cary (Homeland). The project, from 20th Century Fox TV and studio-based Chernin Entertainment, has received a script commitment with penalty.

A reimaging of the original series, which Cannell co-created with Frank Lupo, Wiseguy centers on a disgraced former cop who, while serving time in prison, cuts a deal to work undercover for time off his sentence. The show begins as he’s being released — now he’ll put the connections he made behind bars to good use in the field as he helps the police take down a criminal organization. Cary, who is under an overall deal at 20th TV, will executive produce with Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope. The original series, which ran on CBS for 4 seasons from 1987 to 1990, starred Ken Wahl as Vincent “Vinnie” Terranova, an undercover agent of the Organized Crime Bureau, a fictional division of the FBI, whose cover was working as syndicate enforcer after a stint in the New Jersey penitentiary. The show was an early pioneer in the introduction of serialized elements to a crime procedural, with each season consisting of several arcs, and in the use of runaway production for cutting costs.

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Just say no to remakes. they are never as good as the original.

Just say no to remakes. they are never as good as the original.

Agree, the networks just don't seem to get it. They just keep reheating the leftovers, and the patrons just keep spitting them out in disgust (Charlies Angels, for instance).

I give this one less than one season.

Where's Ken Wahl when you really need him??? Hey, ultimately the planned Rockford Files remake was scrapped, so maybe this one will be, too. We can hope!!

Cool show.