Universal Television Develops Novel Friends and Family
The studio is adapting the Natalie Baszile novel into a new television series titled Good People.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Human Interest
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Universal Television is currently developing a television series adaptation of Natalie Baszile's novel Friends and Family. The new project, titled Good People, explores the lives of two friends impacted by an affair and a police confrontation.
Why it matters
The development represents a new high-profile adaptation from Natalie Baszile, whose previous work Queen Sugar enjoyed a successful seven-season run on OWN. This project joins a slate of literary adaptations currently seeking to build on established narrative foundations.
The original novel Friends and Family is set in Northern California. The production follows the successful seven-season run of the author's previous book adaptation, Queen Sugar.
The players
Natalie Baszile
She is the author of the novel Friends and Family and previously penned the book Queen Sugar.
Gina Prince-Bythewood
She serves as a director for the pilot and an executive producer through her company Undisputed Cinema.
Mary J. Blige
The singer and actress is attached to the project as an executive producer.
Marissa Jo Cerar
She is the writer and executive producer tasked with adapting the source material for television.
Universal Television
This major studio is overseeing the development and production of the series.
The details
Marissa Jo Cerar is attached to write and executive produce the series, with Gina Prince-Bythewood directing the pilot. Additional executive producers include Reggie Rock Bythewood, Debra Martin Chase, Mary J. Blige, and author Natalie Baszile.
Timeline
September 2026: Sequel series to A Different World debuted on Netflix.
Culture Shift
The adaptation of Friends and Family follows the precedent set by the Queen Sugar series adaptation on OWN. This reflects a broader trend of leveraging established literary works to capture audiences familiar with an author's previous successful television projects.
Viewers who enjoyed the previous television adaptation of the author's work may find this new series aligns with their existing narrative preferences. The project is still in early development, meaning audiences will likely not see the final product for some time.
The takeaway
Literary adaptations often rely on the established track record of an author to secure studio interest for new projects. Audiences can track the development phase to anticipate future casting and distribution announcements.
Further reading
Learn more about upcoming media projects in the Human Interest section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Variety.
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