As far as I’m aware, there are no shows about gay Black billionaires that are currently on air. But that could soon be changing, as The CW is reportedly developing a new drama based on popular Stratemeyer Syndicate character Tom Swift.
Of course, anyone familiar with the character through his appearances in books like Tom Swift and His Giant Telescope (where the cunning, science-obsessed inventor was often described as “Swift by name and swift by nature”) might not immediately imagine him as Black and gay. But it’s 2020. Move on and let us have something!
The announcement about the upcoming project comes as The CW works to expand its recent hit series Nancy Drew into a larger “Drew-niverse” franchise. Tom Swift — who sits alongside Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Bobbsey Twins, and The Rover Boys in Edward Stratemeyer’s sprawling syndicate of children’s mystery novels — is the first on the menu.
Judging from its description, the series seems fascinating. According to Deadline, the upcoming drama, simply titled Tom Swift, will follow “the serialized adventures of its titular Black, gay, billionaire inventor who is thrust into a world of sci-fi conspiracy and unexplained phenomena after the shocking disappearance of his father.” Once in this world, “Tom takes to the road on a quest to unravel the truth, leaving behind the comforts of his usual moneyed lifestyle, all while fighting to stay one step ahead of an Illuminati-scale group hell-bent on stopping him.” As he attempts to solve these mysteries, “Tom’s missions will require his genius and flair for innovation guided by love, romance, friendship, and the mysteries of the universe yet-unsolved.” Which is to say, if you’ve been looking for a slightly older-skewing version of A Series of Unfortunate Events that also features crucial sci-fi elements and a gay protagonist, you’re in luck.
The upcoming project hails from the original Nancy Drew executive producer duo of Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who are both also working on HBO Max’s upcoming reboot of Gossip Girl (naturally, another teen hit for The CW). For the Tom Swift project, the pair have teamed up again with Nancy Drew showrunner Melinda Hsu Taylor and co-creator Noga Landau. Cameron Johnson, a gay Black writer behind some of Empire’s strongest episodes, is also on board as co-creator. Together, the trio of Hsu Taylor, Landau, and Johnson will write and executive produce.
While there is no word yet on when we can expect the upcoming series, multiple reports confirm that Tom Swift will make his first appearance on The CW in the currently-filming sophomore season of Nancy Drew, which will premiere in 2021. During one of the new episodes, Tom will “crash into one of Nancy’s investigations.” While Nancy “interprets the event as supernatural,” Tom, with his inventive brain, “believes it to be cosmically paranormal.” After that, it is believed that Tom Swift will receive an official backdoor pilot before branching out into his own show.
The only question left is: Who’s going to be cast as Tom Swift? (I’m gunning for Paapa Essiedu.)
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