Deadline has announced that the NBC and Universal Television pilot Puzzled gained a new lead with Damon Wayans Jr. (Let’s Be Cops, New Girl). Based on the novel The Puzzle Master from Danielle Trussoni (Angelopolis, Angelology). Joey Falco (Charmed, Treadstone) is the creator of the series.
Deadline reports that in the show, Puzzled, Wayans Jr. plays Mike Brink, a college athlete who narrowly escaped a house fire, suffering a horrible brain injury. The injury changes him and makes him see the world differently. With his new savant abilities, he assists the local law enforcement with local crimes. Although this is not how he makes his money. Brink’s makes a living by betting on sports using his puzzle-solving and math skills to reveal the repeating patterns.
According to Deadline, the show’s writer and executive producer is Falco, with Linden Entertainment’s Jordan Cerf (Judgement) as an EP. Trussoni will produce under Universal Television, which is a part of Universal Studio group.
Along with producing this show, Deadline reports Wayans Jr. has starred with Tom Ellis (Lucifer, Tell Me Lies) and Gina Rodriguez (Not Dead Yet, Someone Great) in Netflix’s films Players and Kinda Pregnant, along with actress Amy Schumer (I Feel Pretty, Inside Amy Schumer). Wayans Jr. first appeared in his father, In Living Color alum Damon Wayans’s film, Blankman, as well as in Wayans’s 2000’s sitcom on ABC, My Wife and Kids. However, he broke out in his role on ABC’s sitcom Happy Endings. That was followed by a role in Fox’s New Girl, with Zoey Deschanel (Elf, New Girl) and Jake Johnson (Let’s Be Cops, The Mummy). Wayans Jr.’s other movie credits include Let’s Be Cops, Big Hero 6, The Other Guys, and The Harder They Fall.
Deadline lists Wayans Jr.’s Two Shakes Entertainment is negotiating a deal currently at CBS Studios, where it recently had the comedy Poppa’s House and Raid the Cage. He is represesnted by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.