Greg Berlanti’s ‘How To Survive Without Me’ Lands Series Order At HBO Max

How To Survive Without Me, the family drama starring Ray Romano, Kaley Cuoco and Joshua Jackson, is officially a go at HBO Max.

The project, which comes from Greg Berlanti, has, as expected, been handed a series order from the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned streamer. It will consist of 15 episodes and comes as part of HBO Max’s strategy to follow the model of its Emmy-winning medical drama The Pitt, with a modest budget and yearly release, somewhat akin to the old broadcast model.

How To Survive Without Me was handed a pilot order last November and its chances of a pickup improved in March after it was awarded tax credits from the California Tax Commission. Deadline understands that HBO Max asked Berlanti for two back-up scripts before giving the final greenlight.

The pilot was written by Berlanti and Bash Doran with story by Berlanti, Doran and Robbie Rogers. The studio is Warner Bros. Television. It marks the first show that married couple Berlanti and Rogers have co-created together.

It follows the De Angelis family, who, in the wake of matriarch Beverly’s passing, have begun to drift, unsure how to manage their complicated, evolving lives without her guidance, but in true Beverly fashion, she found a way to keep running the show from the beyond. Should they wish to experience Beverly’s final work, the family must find the time — and make the effort — to remain connected and be there for each other through all of life’s challenges yet to come.

Romano plays the family’s patriarch and Rita Wilson plays the deceased matriarch. It also stars Julia Schlaepfer, Jack Ball, Kylar Miranda, Julian Grey, Scarlett Abinante, Tommy Dewey, Matthew Kellison, Colette Porch and Ella Rubin as as members of the De Angelis family.

Guest stars include Dar Zuzovsky, Genevieve Angelson, Joe Romano, Katie Aselton, Katie Monds, Kevin Changaris, Pressley Hosbach, Richard Blackmon, Sofía Rodríguez-Toymil, and Will Yun Lee.

The show has been mentioned in the vein of Brothers and Sisters, which Berlanti worked on, Everwood, which Berlanti created and Six Feet Under.

It is exec produced by Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman and Robbie Rogers via Berlanti Productions, which has an overall deal with Warner Bros. Television, Doran, Ryan O’Connell, and Daniel Minahan, who also directs.

It marks the fourth series sale for Berlanti Productions in the last twelve months; it recently received a greenlight for horror drama Stillwater at Amazon, Afterlife with Archie landed at Disney+ and it is making the upcoming Scooby-Doo! live-action series at Netflix

How To Survive Without Me was one of two drama pilots order by HBO Max at the time. It emerged last month that the other – American Blue – was not going forward at the streamer, but the project is still alive with Warner Bros. Television, which is still shopping it to other outlets.

Greg Berlanti said, “The first show I ever created was a family drama, almost exactly 25 years before this one was picked up. It’s been incredibly emotional to return to this kind of storytelling and I’m so grateful to Casey, Sarah, Joey and everyone at HBO Max for asking, to Channing, Brett and Clancy and the Warner Bros. team, and finally our brilliant cast — Ray, Kaley, Josh, Rita and the rest of our extraordinary ensemble and crew. To also co-create it with Bash and my husband, Robbie, and draw from our own families’ experiences of love and loss has made the whole show the most personal thing I’ve worked on in years.”

Sarah Aubrey, Head of Max Original Programming, said, “Ray Romano, Kaley Cuoco, Joshua Jackson, and Rita Wilson lead a dream cast perfect for this emotional, extraordinary story. We’re delighted to be in business again with Greg and our partners at Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.”

Channing Dungey, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Television Group and WBD US Networks, added, “All of us at Warner Bros. Television are thrilled to have another new series from our brilliant partner Greg Berlanti and his team. This is an incredible cast bringing to life a deeply personal, heartfelt story—one filled with laughter, and the kind of warmth that makes it instantly relatable. We are excited to be part of this next chapter with HBO Max and can’t wait to bring this beautiful story to fruition.”