Mary J. Blige, Gina Prince-Bythewood Team for Natalie Baszile Adaptation at UTV

Universal Television is developing a series adaptation of Natalie Baszile's novel "Friends and Family," currently titled "Good People," Variety has learned. If it goes forward, the project would become the second series built from Baszile's fiction — her novel "Queen Sugar" ran for seven seasons on OWN.

What is 'Good People' about?

The logline reads: "Set in Northern California, the story follows Babs, a successful self-made interior designer, and her old money best friend, Nora. Their world cracks open when a series of events, including an affair and a police confrontation involving Nora's adopted Black son, disrupts the stability of both families and their carefully constructed lives."

Who is making it?

Marissa Jo Cerar, whose credits include "13 Reasons Why" and "Black Cake," will write and executive produce. Gina Prince-Bythewood ("Love & Basketball," "A Different World") will direct the pilot and executive produce alongside Reggie Rock Bythewood ("A Different World," "Swagger") through their Undisputed Cinema banner.

The producing team also includes:

• Mary J. Blige, executive producer via Blue Butterfly Productions
• Debra Martin Chase of Martin Chase Productions, executive producer
• Natalie Baszile, the novel's author, executive producer

Universal Television is the studio. In plain terms: the author, an Oscar-nominated producer, a Grammy-winning artist and two veteran filmmaker-producers all share executive producer duties on one pilot.

What else are the producers working on?

The Bythewoods recently returned to "A Different World" with a sequel series that debuted on Netflix in September and has already earned a Season 2 renewal. Prince-Bythewood is also co-writer and director of the upcoming film adaptation of the novel "Children of Blood and Bone." Martin Chase's film credits include the Oscar-nominated "Harriet" plus franchises such as "The Princess Diaries," "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "The Cheetah Girls."

Who represents the team?

Cerar is repped by Heroes and Villains Entertainment, CAA and attorney Kim Stenton. Prince-Bythewood is repped by CAA and Del Shaw Moonves. Rock Bythewood is repped by CAA. Martin Chase is repped by CAA and Del Shaw Moonves. Blige is repped by IAG, Laffitte Management Group and LaPolt Law. Baszile is repped by Heroes and Villains Entertainment and Hirsch Wallerstein.

The project's trajectory now depends on the pilot: with Baszile's first adaptation sustaining seven seasons, "Good People" carries a proven template for turning her novels into long-running television.