Todd Ellis Kessler
Encyclopedia
Todd Ellis Kessler is an award nominated American television producer and writer. He has worked in both capacities on varied series including The Practice
, Crossing Jordan
, Kevin Hill
, The Unit
and The Good Wife. He has been nominated for daytime and primetime Emmy Awards and a Writers Guild of America Award
.
in 1997. He served as an executive story editor for the series single season. Later in 1997 Kessler next became a writer for the second season of the ABC legal drama The Practice
. He wrote the episodes "The Means" and "Axe Murderer". The Practice was created by writer and producer David E. Kelley
.
In 1999 Kessler obtained his first production work on the science fictions series Strange World. The show was created by Howard Gordon
and Tim Kring
. Kessler was credited as a co-producer and also worked as a writer on the short-lived series.
Later in 1999 Kessler returned to The Practice as a co-producer and writer for the show's fourth season. He wrote the episodes "Legacy", "Marooned", "Committed" and "Settling". Kessler was promoted to producer for the fifth season but did not write any further episodes. Along with the rest of the production team Kessler was nominated for the Emmy Award for outstanding drama series for his work on the fifth season.
In 2001 Kessler became a supervising producer and writer on the legal drama Crossing Jordan
. The series was created and executive produced by Tim Kring, who Kessler worked with on Strange World. Kessler wrote the first season episodes "Believers" and "Blood Relatives" and left the crew at the end of the first season.
In 2002 Kessler became a writer and supervising producer for the medical drama MDs
. Kessler wrote the episode "Open Hearts". The series was cancelled after ten episodes.
Kessler returned to television in 2004 as a supervising producer and writer for legal drama Kevin Hill
. He wrote the episodes "Snack Daddy", "Homeland Insecurity", "Cardiac Episode" and "Through the Looking Glass". The show was cancelled after completing its first season. In 2006 Kessler worked as a supervising producer and writer on the second season of HBO historical drama Rome
. The season did not air until early 2007. Kessler wrote the episodes "Testudo et Lepus" and "A Necessary Fiction". Rome was cancelled due to high production costs after two seasons.
In 2006 Kessler joined the crew of the action drama series The Unit
. Kessler became a co-executive producer and writer for the series second season. He wrote the episodes "Report by Exception", "Johnny B. Good" and "In Loco Parentis". He returned as a co-executive producer for the third season in 2007 and wrote the episodes "Pandemonium: Part Two" and "Side Angle Side". The third season was shortened by the writers strike. Following the writer's strike Kessler returned to work on the fourth and final season of The Unit in 2008. He was promoted to executive producer and wrote the episodes "Sex Trade", "Misled and Misguided" and the series finale "Unknown Soldier".
In 2009 Kessler joined the crew of new legal drama The Good Wife as a co-executive producer and writer. Kessler was joined by Ted Humphrey
who had worked as a supervising producer and writer on the fourth season of The Unit. Kessler wrote the first season episodes "Fixed" and "Infamy". Kessler and the rest of the writing staff for the first season were nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award
for best new series.
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
, Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
, Kevin Hill
Kevin Hill
Kevin Hill is an American legal drama that aired on UPN during the 2004-2005 TV season.-Synopsis:The series stars Taye Diggs as the title character, a lawyer who has to balance his professional career and his love life with having custody of Sarah, his 10 month old cousin...
, The Unit
The Unit
The Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
and The Good Wife. He has been nominated for daytime and primetime Emmy Awards and a Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
.
Career
Kessler began writing for television with the NBC science fiction series SleepwalkersSleepwalkers (TV series)
Sleepwalkers was a science fiction series which began airing on NBC in late 1997. It told the story of a team of researchers who used technology to enter the dreams of psychiatric patients in order to diagnose their problems....
in 1997. He served as an executive story editor for the series single season. Later in 1997 Kessler next became a writer for the second season of the ABC legal drama The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
. He wrote the episodes "The Means" and "Axe Murderer". The Practice was created by writer and producer David E. Kelley
David E. Kelley
David Edward Kelley is an American television writer and producer, known as the creator of Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Boston Legal and Harry's Law, as well as several films. Kelley is one of the only screenwriters to have had a show created by him run on...
.
In 1999 Kessler obtained his first production work on the science fictions series Strange World. The show was created by Howard Gordon
Howard Gordon
Howard Gordon is an American screenwriter and producer.-Life and career:Gordon was born in Queens, New York, New York. After graduating from Princeton in 1984, Gordon came to Los Angeles with fellow filmmaker Alex Gansa to pursue a career in writing for television. Both broke into the industry...
and Tim Kring
Tim Kring
Richard Timothy "Tim" Kring is an American screenwriter and television producer, best known for his creation of the television series Strange World, Crossing Jordan, and Heroes.Kring is Jewish...
. Kessler was credited as a co-producer and also worked as a writer on the short-lived series.
Later in 1999 Kessler returned to The Practice as a co-producer and writer for the show's fourth season. He wrote the episodes "Legacy", "Marooned", "Committed" and "Settling". Kessler was promoted to producer for the fifth season but did not write any further episodes. Along with the rest of the production team Kessler was nominated for the Emmy Award for outstanding drama series for his work on the fifth season.
In 2001 Kessler became a supervising producer and writer on the legal drama Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan
Crossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
. The series was created and executive produced by Tim Kring, who Kessler worked with on Strange World. Kessler wrote the first season episodes "Believers" and "Blood Relatives" and left the crew at the end of the first season.
In 2002 Kessler became a writer and supervising producer for the medical drama MDs
MDs (TV series)
MDs was a TV show that aired on ABC in 2002. It starred William Fichtner as Dr. Bruce Kellerman and John Hannah as Dr. Robert Dalgety. The series only lasted one season, and though 10 episodes were filmed, only 8 were ever aired. The series was never released on DVD and it is very hard to find.-...
. Kessler wrote the episode "Open Hearts". The series was cancelled after ten episodes.
Kessler returned to television in 2004 as a supervising producer and writer for legal drama Kevin Hill
Kevin Hill
Kevin Hill is an American legal drama that aired on UPN during the 2004-2005 TV season.-Synopsis:The series stars Taye Diggs as the title character, a lawyer who has to balance his professional career and his love life with having custody of Sarah, his 10 month old cousin...
. He wrote the episodes "Snack Daddy", "Homeland Insecurity", "Cardiac Episode" and "Through the Looking Glass". The show was cancelled after completing its first season. In 2006 Kessler worked as a supervising producer and writer on the second season of HBO historical drama Rome
Rome (TV series)
Rome is a British-American–Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius and William J. MacDonald. The show's two seasons premiered in 2005 and 2007, and were later released on DVD. Rome is set in the 1st century BC, during Ancient Rome's transition from Republic...
. The season did not air until early 2007. Kessler wrote the episodes "Testudo et Lepus" and "A Necessary Fiction". Rome was cancelled due to high production costs after two seasons.
In 2006 Kessler joined the crew of the action drama series The Unit
The Unit
The Unit is an American action-drama television series that focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled after the real-life U.S. Army special operations unit commonly known as Delta Force...
. Kessler became a co-executive producer and writer for the series second season. He wrote the episodes "Report by Exception", "Johnny B. Good" and "In Loco Parentis". He returned as a co-executive producer for the third season in 2007 and wrote the episodes "Pandemonium: Part Two" and "Side Angle Side". The third season was shortened by the writers strike. Following the writer's strike Kessler returned to work on the fourth and final season of The Unit in 2008. He was promoted to executive producer and wrote the episodes "Sex Trade", "Misled and Misguided" and the series finale "Unknown Soldier".
In 2009 Kessler joined the crew of new legal drama The Good Wife as a co-executive producer and writer. Kessler was joined by Ted Humphrey
Ted Humphrey
Ted Humphrey is an award nominated American television and film writer and producer. He has worked in both capacities on the series "The Nine" and The Unit and the legal dramas Shark and The Good Wife...
who had worked as a supervising producer and writer on the fourth season of The Unit. Kessler wrote the first season episodes "Fixed" and "Infamy". Kessler and the rest of the writing staff for the first season were nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award
Writers Guild of America Award
The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949...
for best new series.