We’ve always known that sci-fi is cool, but could it be that the networks are starting to catch on? Today brings the great news of NBC ordering a futuristic drama entitled Beautiful People. ABC Studios is producing, along with Universal TV, and released this information: “Set in the near future, Beautiful People is about a society where humans co-exist with mechanical androids that look like us but are treated like second-class citizens.”

Yes, we know that this has been done before in episodes of sci-fi shows and in movies, but there’s plenty of room to develop it, depending on scope and point of view, and of course whether or not violence will be involved…

Deadline first posted the news, and had the first description:

Beautiful People is described as an imaginative and thematically rich ensemble “what if” drama set 10 minutes into the future where families of mechanical human beings exist to service the human population… that is until some of the mechanicals begin to “awaken.”

We wonder if the “10 minutes into the future” was an homage to Max Headroom’s “20 minutes into the future” or if it was subconsciously borrowed. Imagine a little winking emoticon right there. Regardless, it may have been removed from the marketing-campaign-to-be, since the ABC Studios blurb came out subsequently.

Reportedly Beautiful People was written ten years ago, by Mad TV co-executive producer/director/sometime actor Michael McDonald. It went to ABC and ABC Studios about two and a half years ago, but ABC eventually passed on it. ABC Studios stayed attached to it, and now here we are. A tale of inspiration for you writers out there. Hopefully there will be more good news to follow.

We’re thrilled to get this news about another potential new sci-fi show, and are keeping our fingers crossed both for the pilot being picked up, and for it being worthy of the genre.