Freeform Orders Pilot for Drama ‘Motherland’

Freeform has given a pilot order to a new military fantasy drama under the working title “Motherland.” From “Claws” creator Eliot Laurence,”Motherland” is set in an alternate America where witches ended their persecution 300 years ago by cutting a deal with the U.S. government to fight for their country. The logline: The proposed series follows three young women from basic training in combat magic into early deployment at Fort Salem. In this world, the traditional roles of gender and power are flipped with the more dominant women on the front lines fighting looming terrorist threats that are familiar to our world, but with tactics and weapons supernatural.

The news came on the same day and at the same event that Freeform announced development of “Pippa Smith: Grown-Up Detective,” a proposed dark comedy series pilot executive produced by “Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s” Joss Whedon.