crew · Producer · Director · Writer

United States · Male

17 series in the catalog

Tom Spezialy is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is best known for executive producing and writing for the television series Watchmen, The Leftovers, Reaper, and Desperate Housewives. His work has been recognized by the Primetime Emmys, Golden Globe Awards, WGA Awards, and Peabody Awards.

Early life

Spezialy is a native of Anchorage, Alaska, and a graduate from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.

Career

Spezialy began his career in 1989 writing for comedy television. In addition to writing and producing for shows such as Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Jack & Jill, and Ed, he also co-developed the series Weird Science.

During the 2004–2005 television season, Spezialy became known as executive producer and writer for Desperate Housewives, a genre-defying show both critically and commercially acclaimed. The series was nominated for multiple Primetime Emmy awards during his tenure, including Outstanding Comedy Series, and it received the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy in both 2005 and 2006.

In 2007, Spezialy continued his work in comedic television when he joined the CW's devil-centered comedy, Reaper, as executive producer and writer, the first season of which generated exceptional critical acclaim. Following that, in 2011, Spezialy created and served as an executive producer on the CBS comedy-drama television series CHAOS.

Not limited to a singular genre, Spezialy's work in the drama space includes writing for series such as WGN's Manhattan and Hulu's Castle Rock. In addition, he developed for television and penned the pilot for the horror-comedy Ash vs Evil Dead on Starz.

Spezialy served as writer and executive producer for the highly acclaimed The Leftovers at HBO, which received a Peabody Award. The second and third seasons received a 94% and 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively, and the critics' consensus complimented the show's "reliably ambitious storytelling and outstanding performances." In Maureen Ryan's review for Variety, she wrote that the final season "is spectacular, in every sense of that word."

In 2019, Spezialy was a writer and executive producer on the HBO limited series Watchmen, which also received widespread critical acclaim. It received 11 awards for the 72nd Primetime Emmys, the most of any show in 2020, including Outstanding Limited Series. The series also accepted the 2020 Writers Guild Award for New Series.

In 2021, Spezialy was chosen to write the feature film adaptation of Hyperion, Dan Simmons' science fiction novel, which was set up at Warner Bros. Studios.

Most recently, Spezialy had a overall deal at Amazon Studios, during which he joined the Sony's Spider-Man Universe series Silk and worked as writer/executive producer for the upcoming series, Blade Runner 2099.