Tim Minear Signs Up as Showrunner and Executive Producer

The Hollywood Reporter has a story up revealing that Tim Minear (Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse) has extended his development deal with 20th Century Fox where he has been based for over ten years. As part of this deal he will be functioning as showrunner on Terriers.

Gary Newman, chairman of 20th Television, and Shawn Ryan had the following to say about Tim's addition to the show:

"The tone of 'Terriers' is very challenging as it mixes drama, comedy and crime, which plays into Tim's talents," Newman said.

Added Ryan, "Tim is somebody who has a strong point of view, and FX is a point-of-view network thriving from having strong characters with a strong point of view."

Minear previously worked with Shawn Ryan on Angel. Ryan recounted a story to the Reporter about Minear's influence on his own career.

Ryan's and Minear's paths first crossed indirectly about 15 years ago; the two had (and still have) the same agent and manager. Frustrated that his specs weren't landing him work, Ryan asked his manager Larry Shuman to show him a script by another client who had been getting gigs.

He received a copy of an "The X-Files" spec by Minear.

"I was very impressed and realized that his was better than the ones I'd written," Ryan said. The next two specs he penned got him staff jobs and started his ascension to the top TV-writing ranks.

Minear was unaware of his influence on Ryan's career until a couple of years later when, during a Television Critics Assn. press tour, he was approached by Ryan, who introduced himself and told Minear how his spec changed the way he writes.