![Larry-teng-Yalun-Tu](https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/larry-teng-yalun-tu.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1)
EXCLUSIVE: CBS has put in development The Bay, a one-hour police drama from director-producer Larry Teng (Nancy Drew); writer-producer Yalun Tu (Wu Assassins); and CBS Television Studios.
The Bay, described as The Good Wife meets NYPD Blue, is written by Tu from a story co-written by Tu and Teng. It centers on two newly partnered Chinese-American detectives who strive to overcome their gender, generational and cultural differences as they work to bring justice to their dynamic and ever-changing San Francisco community. The show revolves around their new partnership and examines the existing model of law enforcement along with the people they serve.
Tu executive produces with Teng, who is set to direct. CBS TV Studios is the studio.
This is a personal project for Teng, a sought-after TV director.
Growing up and even as a young adult, Teng was embarrassed being Chinese. While his father wanted to teach him Chinese culture and appreciate Chinese cooking, all he wanted to do was play football, eat pizza and blend in.
His outlook changed a few years into his directing career when it was starting to take off. In 2013, he visited Hawaii for the first time to direct an episode of CBS’ Hawaii Five-0. While on set, he noticed a local set dresser who kept asking him if he needed anything. “Are you always this nice?” Teng asked. “You don’t know how much it means to us that someone who looks like you sits in that director chair,” the set dresser replied. “It gives us hope.”
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That was a pivotal moment in Teng’s career. For the first time, he felt proud of who he was and where he came from, and that is something he started to embrace and reflect in his work. That was the impetus for The Bay.
Additionally, Teng is attached to direct and produce Greenglass House, a streaming series based on the Edgar-winning YA novel by author Kate Milford from Endeavor Content, which has a Chinese adopted boy at its center.
Teng, who had an overall deal at CBS TV Studios last year, directed the pilot and serves as co-executive producer on the studio’s Nancy Drew, which is heading into its second season on the CW. Teng’s previous TV credits include co-executive producer on Animal Kingdom, Supergirl, Graceland and Medium. He is repped by RBEL and Circle of Confusion.
Tu co-created and wrote Sent, a half-hour comedy for HBO Asia. He also wrote on Netflix’s Wu Assassins, and wrote and produced the upcoming Nicole Kidman-led drama series The Expatriates on Amazon; he is currently developing projects with Endeavor Content, Thunder Road and El Estudio. Tu is repped by Gersh, Circle of Confusion and attorneys Gregg Gellman and Ashley Briskman at Morris Yorn.