Writers sue 'New Girl' creators for 'stealing the show idea from their television pilot script'

• Stephanie Counts and Shari Gold claim they shopped around TV pilot script 'Square One' from 2006-2011
  
• The screenwriting duo accuse Fox, WME and others of ripping off their ideas to create 'New Girl'
  
• They filed a lawsuit in California federal court on Thursday
• The women claim Fox made them a $10,000 settlement offer when the show aired in 2011, which they rejected

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Published: 23:50 EST, 17 January 2014 | Updated: 10:58 EST, 18 January 2014

Two screenwriters have accused the creators of Fox hit show 'New Girl', which debuted in 2011, of ripping off a television pilot script they had shopped around for about three years.

Stephanie Counts and Shari Gold claim the popular sitcom plagiarizes their script work in 'Square One', which was allegedly based on Counts' real-life experiences.

In a lawsuit filed in California federal court on Thursday, the women have demanded an injunction that halts further filming and distribution of the comedy series starring actress Zooey Deschanel.

The plaintiffs - Stephanie Counts and Shari Gold

Suing: Stephanie Counts (left) and Shari Gold (right) claim Fox comedy show 'New Girl' was ripped off from their television pilot script, 'Square One'

'Any differences between the Square One scripts and New Girl are so small and insignificant that they cannot be afforded copyright protection, and are, in fact, nothing more than transparent attempts to hide Defendants’ blatant plagiarism,' the writers claim in the 92-page complaint, obtained by Hollywood Reporter.

'These differences are more akin to eraser marks or ink blots on Stephanie and Shari’s creation and cannot be treated as original expression.'

The screenwriters, who met each other as journalism students at the University of Georgia in the 1990s, are suing 'New Girl' creator Elizabeth Meriwether, Peter Chernin, Jacob Kasdan, Fox and WME.  

The lengthy lawsuit alleges that the women based the original script on 'Stephanie’s real-life experience when she discovered her husband was having an affair, leading her to move into a three-man bachelor pad'.

Counts claims she had moved in with her brother, a Hollywood stuntman, and two of his friends in Culver City. During this time, she took notes, which reportedly inspired the 'Square One' script.

Scenes from 'New Girl'

'New Girl': The plaintiffs want an injunction to stop further filming and distribution of 'New Girl', which stars actress Zooey Deschanel (left)

'New Girl': The show, which revolves around offbeat teacher Jess (Zooey Deschanel, pictured) premiered on Fox on September 20, 2011

The lawsuit claims independent producer, Holly Harter, reviewed the script and advised the writers it would work better as a film. The women allegedly shopped around a rewrite in 2006.

The complaint says that, in 2008, Harter emailed Counts that she had sent a solicited copy to WME partner Adam Venit. The script was then allegedly shopped by the talent agency to directors.

A year later, Counts and Gold claim they suggested to Harter that Deschanel be a potential lead, but Harter didn't know who the the actress was.

Unhappy that the show hadn't been picked up despite interest from WME, the duo dumped Harter.  

The women claim that's when WME's attitudes towards them changed and they had trouble getting their calls returned.

The lawsuit claims the women found out in 2011 that their work appeared to be poached, with authorship of the series credited to Elizabeth Meriwether, a WME client.

Elizabeth Meriwether

Peter Chernin

Jake Kasdan

The screenwriters claim their script was passed on to Meriwether and industry luminary Peter Chernin's companies.

In January 2012, Fox  allegedly made a $10,000 settlement offer to Counts and Gold after the women hired a lawyer.

The women said their lawyer recommended they take the money, but they refused.

21st Century Fox did not return MailOnline's calls or email seeking comment.