Key Takeaways
- Hulu has ordered a pilot for Chicks, a family dramedy starring Ellen Pompeo, who will also serve as an executive producer.
- The series is written by Katie Robbins, Pompeo’s collaborator on the Hulu limited series Good American Family, and is inspired by their conversations on that set.
- Chicks follows estranged half‑sisters Chickie (Pompeo) and Doreen as they inherit their late father’s low‑level criminal legacy and turn to increasingly bold frauds, forging an unexpected bond in the process.
- The pilot is slated to begin production in September in New York, filmed by 20th Television.
- The order reflects Hulu’s recent shift back to a traditional pilot model after a period of favoring straight‑to‑series greenlights during the streaming wars.
- Pompeo’s extensive Disney/ABC portfolio—including her long‑running role on Grey’s Anatomy and recent executive‑producing credits—adds significant star power to the project.
Hulu has moved forward with a pilot order for Chicks, a family‑centered dramedy that pairs Ellen Pompeo with writer‑showrunner Katie Robbins. The series is set against the backdrop of Boston’s rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, a setting that promises both visual texture and fertile ground for exploring themes of change, class, and familial legacy. Pompeo will portray Chickie, one of two estranged half‑sisters who are thrust together after the sudden death of their “wise guy” father. The inheritance they receive is not a fortune or a piece of property, but rather a legacy of low‑level, two‑bit crime that the sisters decide to leverage. As they concoct and execute increasingly audacious frauds, the scheme forces them to rely on each other, gradually filling the emotional void left by their absent parent and nurturing an odd‑couple relationship that blends tension, humor, and unexpected tenderness.
The concept for Chicks originated from Robbins, who developed the idea specifically for Pompeo after their collaboration on Hulu’s limited series Good American Family. That show, which premiered last March, garnered 6.3 million views in its first six days and demonstrated a strong creative chemistry between the actress and writer. Robbins’ experience on Good American Family—where she served as creator and showrunner—combined with her background on projects such as Apple TV+/A24’s Sunny and her role as an executive producer on an untitled Hedy Lamarr limited series for Apple, positions her well to steer Chicks from script to screen. Pompeo’s own résumé further bolsters the project: beyond her iconic role as Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy—the longest‑running primetime medical drama now heading into its 23rd season on ABC—she has accumulated executive‑producing credits on the Grey’s Anatomy spinoff Station 19, the Good American Family limited series, and the upcoming West Texas‑set Grey’s Anatomy spinoff slated for a mid‑season 2027 debut. Her representation by CAA, Linden Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson underscores her industry clout.
The pilot is eyeing a September start date for production in New York, a choice that allows the series to authentically capture the city’s evolving streetscape while leveraging local talent and crew resources. 20th Television will serve as the studio, continuing its partnership with Hulu on a variety of scripted endeavors. Chicks arrives alongside several other recent Hulu pilot orders that illustrate the platform’s current development strategy. These include the reality‑TV‑themed comedy Lex, the drama Durango from Y: The Last Man creator Eliza Clark, a drama adaptation of the graphic novel Southern Bastards by Jason Aaron and Jason Latour, and Ryan Coogler’s X‑Files reboot, which is being produced with Onyx. Collectively, these projects signal Hulu’s renewed embrace of the traditional pilot model—a shift from the straight‑to‑series approach that dominated during the peak of the streaming wars, when platforms sought to lock in content quickly to attract subscribers.
By reverting to a pilot‑first process, Hulu aims to test audience response and refine creative elements before committing to a full series order. This method allows for greater flexibility in casting, script adjustments, and tonal calibration, all of which are crucial for a dramedy that balances crime‑capers with heartfelt sister dynamics. The involvement of Pompeo, whose star power draws both critical attention and viewership, adds a compelling commercial incentive for the network to move forward with the pilot. If the pilot resonates with test audiences and critics, Chicks could evolve into a signature Hulu offering that blends the grit of a Boston‑based crime story with the warm, character‑driven storytelling that has become a hallmark of Pompeo’s recent work.
In sum, Chicks represents a strategic convergence of talent, timing, and platform strategy. Ellen Pompeo’s return to executive producing and leading a new series, paired with Katie Robbins’ proven ability to craft engaging, character‑rich narratives, positions the pilot as a promising addition to Hulu’s slate. The show’s premise—two half‑sisters turning their father’s dubious legacy into a conduit for personal growth and illicit adventure—offers ample opportunity for both comedic set pieces and poignant moments, making it a noteworthy contender in the current television landscape. Should the pilot succeed, audiences can look forward to a fresh dramedy that showcases Pompeo’s versatility beyond the operating room and highlights Robbins’ deft hand at blending humor with heart.