Considering the number of successful TV shows Ryan Murphy has been involved with since 2014, including “Scream Queens,” “Pose,” and “Monster,” HBO may have regretted its decision not to order his project “Open” to series that year. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO’s then-president Michael Lombardo did not feel the show would be the right next step after Murphy’s TV movie “The Normal Heart” won two Emmys. He said, “After such a triumphant collaboration with ‘The Normal Heart,’ everyone felt that ‘Open’ was not the right next step for all involved. However, we fully expect to work together again in the near future.”
On one hand, the decision seemed odd, given Murphy’s vital role as director and executive producer in making the movie a critical triumph. On the other hand, anyone familiar with his early signature show, “Nip/Tuck,” knows how strange and unconventional his storytelling around sexuality could be. That is not meant as criticism, but Murphy has long been a creator who knows how to stir the pot and generate shock value through outrageous storytelling. “Open” was meant to explore the complex nature of intimacy, sexuality, and monogamy through multiple perspectives. That vague description also left room for the kinds of provocative themes Murphy frequently explores in his film and television work.
Open had a solid cast and pilot ready to go
Written by Murphy and co-writer Lauren Gussis, the pilot episode was shot and starred Anna Torv, Scott Speedman, Michelle Monaghan, and Wes Bentley, among others. Since the deal with HBO didn’t go through, however, it was never released. One of the reasons was that Lombardo wanted to redevelop parts of the pilot with a potential reshoot once the actors became available again, but Murphy wasn’t open to the idea of reimagining what he initially dreamt up for the small screen. The cable network clearly wanted to move in a direction the “Glee” co-creator did not support.
It is unlikely anyone will ever know what the series might have become, which is a shame given how strong Murphy’s output has been over the past decade. It’s fair to say that we likely wouldn’t have gotten another “Nip/Tuck” or anything like that, but the cast and premise seemed promising enough for a hot and soapy drama a la Ryan Murphy. Murphy is hardly slowing down, with IMDb listing nine upcoming projects as an executive producer or writer, including the third season of “Monster,” which will focus on notorious serial killer Ed Gein. Either way, “Open” remains one of the few Ryan Murphy TV shows that never made it to series.