CBS Buys Crime Drama ‘Truth & Justice’ From Peter Lenkov, Joe Halpin, Neil Strauss & Dan Lin’s Rideback

CBS has put in development Truth & Justice, a crime drama from one of its top drama showrunners, Peter Lenkov (Hawaii Five-O, MacGyver, Magnum P.I.), The Oath creator Joe Halpin and The Dirt author Neil Strauss. The project hails from Dan Lin’s Rideback and CBS TV Studios, where Lenkov and his 101st Street Entertainment are under a deal.

Written by Lenkov, former undercover cop Halpin and Strauss, Truth & Justice revolves around a disgraced cop-turned-PI and a down-and-out journalist, both seeking redemption, who team up and use nothing but their intellect, perseverance and profound empathy to dive deep into the lives of victims and perpetrators to deliver the justice that is so desperately needed in an otherwise flawed system.

Lenkov — via 101st Street — Halpin and Strauss executive produce with Donald Albright of podcast company Tenderfoot TV, and Lin and Lindsey Libertore for Rideback. Lenkov is a co-writer on the pilot only. If the project goes to series, he will continue as non-writing exec producer.

This marks a reunion for Halprin and Lenkov: Halprin was previously a writer on Lenkov’s long-running CBS crime drama Hawaii Five-0.

Lenkov is the co-creator of three CBS series that are currently on air: Hawaii Five-O, Magnum P.I. and MacGyver. He recently served as executive producer on Salvation, which aired for two seasons on CBS.

In addition to Truth & Justice, Lenkov has in the works at CBS via CBS Studios The Terminal, an airport drama with Barbie Kligman and Judith McCreary.

Halpin created The Oath, which recently wrapped its second season on Crackle. He also serves as co-executive producer on Chicago P.D. and consulting producer on FBI.

Strauss recently teamed with Tenderfoot TV to launch To Live and Die in LA, a podcast about the disappearance of aspiring actress Adea Shabani.

Rideback is the producer of films including Warner Bros’ Lego movies; New Line’s It and It: Chapter 2; Disney’s Aladdin;and Netflix’s The Two Popes, which is set to release November 27.

Strauss and Tenderfoot TV are repped by UTA.