Amazon today announced it has added the comedy pilot “Red Oaks,” produced by Steven Soderbergh and directed by David Gordon Green, to its third pilot season, setting it for debut later this year on Amazon Instant Video. Customers will once again be invited to watch and provide feedback on the shows they want to see turned into full series, which will then become available on Prime Instant Video.
Written by Gregory Jacobs (The Knick) and Joe Gangemi (Eliza Graves), “Red Oaks” stars Craig Roberts (Submarine) as “David,” an assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey in 1985. Paul Reiser (“Mad About You”), Richard Kind (“Luck”), Jennifer Grey (“It’s Like, You Know”) and Oliver Cooper (“Californication”) also star in the pilot.
“Red Oaks” is set in 1985, and features college student David Myers who is both reeling from his father’s heart attack and conflicted about what major to declare in the fall. Myers gets a summer job as an assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey and while there, he meets a colorful cast of misfit co-workers and wealthy club members including an alluring art student named “Skye” (played by guest star Alexandra Socha) and her corporate raider father “Getty” (played by Reiser). A coming-of-age comedy set in the “go-go” 80s that is equal parts hijinks and heartfelt, Red Oaks is about enjoying a last hurrah before summer comes to an end—and the future begins.
“To be able to collaborate with Steven, David and Greg, three of the most highly-regarded creators in Hollywood, is an absolute pleasure,” said Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. “’Red Oaks’ brings together not only top-notch talent, but also a hilarious and wonderfully written script that we think our customers will enjoy seeing come to life later this year.”
“Greg Jacobs told me this idea on the set of ‘Behind the Candelabra’ and I told him it was great and that he should start working on it immediately,” said Steven Soderbergh. “Then, while we were on the set of ‘The Knick’ he gave me the script he wrote with Joe Gangemi and I said, ‘This is ready to go, let’s find a director.’ We very quickly agreed to approach David because the humor was sharp without being mean, and we felt he would understand and appreciate that.”
“Red Oaks” also stars Grey as “Judy Myers,” Kind as “Sam Myers,” Cooper as “Steve,” Gage Golightly as “Karen,” and Ennis Esmer as “Nash.” Guest stars include Josh Meyers and Freddie Roman. Soderbergh, Green, Jacobs, and Gangemi are Executive Producers.
