ABC to Debut Auto Industry Drama Next Year

It’s easy to envision the meeting where creators pitched the upcoming drama "Prince of the Motor City" to ABC: "OK, so it's like Hamlet, only set in the world of Detroit auto manufacturers, and we'll get the girl from ‘Coyote Ugly’ to play the love interest. It can't miss!"

The plot centers on Billy Hamilton, a philosophy professor who unexpectedly inherits his father's automotive empire and must defend his kingdom from the greed of his father's rivals and his own family, while rekindling a relationship with an old flame, who just happens to be the daughter of his father's oldest friend (and perhaps killer). Oh, and then he starts seeing his father's ghost.

In other words, if you read your Shakespeare in 10th grade, you already know how this one is going to end.

"Prince of the Motor City" stars Warren Christie as Billy Hamilton, Piper Perabo as his love interest, Meg Riley, and Andie MacDowell as Billy's mother. The show is scheduled to air this winter as a midseason replacement.

ABC Planning The Prince of Motor City Hour-Long Drama (Autoblog)