The people in Shondaland’s neighborhood
Betsy Beers presides over a sprawling array of shows on the air and in development. These are four of the many people she interacts with on a daily basis.
ALISON EAKLE
Senior executive of development at Shondaland
Eakle arrived at Shondaland in 2013 and works closely with Beers on creating new series. “Betsy taught me there is never any point making a writer write what you want them to write. We try to let the writers talk instead of just saying, ‘Go! Pitch!’ It’s like therapy. Betsy is the best therapist in Hollywood.” Beers has also encouraged Eakle not to fear passing on something that might be a hit. “You should only do stuff that you love, because when you are in Season 12, you better still love that thing.”
CHANNING DUNGEY
Executive vice president of drama development, movies & miniseries, ABC
Dungey has been at ABC for 11 years and has worked with Beers since the first episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.” “The thing about having a television show on a broadcast schedule is you get to a point when you are writing one episode, casting another, you are in preproduction on one and production on another — and all that is happening simultaneously,” she says. “One might think sometimes that [Betsy] has an extra set of hands or eyes in the back of her head.... She has an uncanny ability to see problems before they arise.”
PETE NOWALK
Creator of ‘How to Get Away With Murder’
Nowalk is the Shondaland equivalent of Lana Turner — he was a lowly assistant to an entertainment exec when Beers took a shine to his writing and whisked him into the “Private Practice” writers room. He calls Beers “my Santa Claus” and admits, “It’s nice to have this safe space to go to and to reveal your insecurities, and she will kick you in the butt and send you back to do your job.” He says, “I constantly hear her in my head. And it’s a nice voice, not one of the mean ones.”
TOM VERICA
Executive producer and director of ‘Scandal’
Last season, Verica juggled playing a murder victim on “Murder” while also directing “Scandal.” If he’s a utility player, he says Beers is “the general manager of the team — at the core of everything. The players and the coach and the manager get the glory, but somebody in the booth is orchestrating the whole symphony.” He says Beers and Rhimes have “four balls in the air, and they know when to catch and throw and catch and throw.”