Paramount Television Studios Inks Exclusive Overall Deal With Writer Bash Doran

Paramount Television Studios has signed an exclusive overall deal with TV writer and playwright Bash Doran to create, develop and produce original scripted series through Pete's Uncle, her company with producing partner Mallory Baysek. Deadline reported the pact was negotiated before the close of parent Paramount's merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Bash Doran's Three Green Lights and Pete's Uncle

Doran has upcoming series on both sides of the combined Skydance company. She developed and co-wrote with Greg Berlanti the pilot for the HBO Max drama How to Survive Without Me, starring Ray Romano, Kaley Cuoco and Joshua Jackson, produced by Warner Bros. Television. She also wrote Fear Not, the Paramount+ limited series starring Anne Hathaway from MGM Television.

Over the past year or so Doran received three green lights, according to Yahoo: a six-episode straight-to-series order for Fear Not at Paramount+, a pilot pickup for How To Survive Without Me at HBO Max and a pilot pickup for Foster Dade at Hulu. How To Survive Without Me went to series with a 15-episode order, with Berlanti showrunning and Doran executive producing. Baysek serves as co-producer on Fear Not, which Doran executive produces.

"Bash is a master storyteller whose work is audacious, bold, and singular," said Matt Thunell, President of Paramount Television Studios. "She is a force of nature, and we are honored that Bash has chosen PTVS as her creative home. We can't wait to build with her."

Doran said she looked forward to building a relationship with Thunell, Shelley Zimmerman and the Paramount Television Studios team. "I am thrilled to have been given the resources to build my slate at a single home," she said.

Where the Deal Sits Inside Paramount

According to akta.pro company records, Paramount acquired Warner Bros. Discovery for $81 billion in equity, or $31 per share, about $111 billion including debt, combining HBO Max, CNN, Harry Potter and DC with CBS, Top Gun and Paramount+ under single ownership. The same records list Paramount+ at 79.6 million subscribers following its UFC rights deal in 2026, and first quarter 2026 revenue of $7.35 billion, up 2% year over year.

Paramount's Weeks Before the Doran Pact

On October 23, 2026, Business Insider reported that Skydance announced new leadership for its combined advertising business after the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, with Jay Askinasi outlining the unified organization's team. On October 20, 2026, Yahoo reported that culinary creator Desmond Scott will launch a 12-episode digital cooking series with BET and Paramount, premiering November 3. On October 17, 2026, EIN Presswire reported that Paramount completed its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, forming Skydance.