A new reality show called “Mob Wives” has been sold for a 10-episode run by The Weinstein Co. and Ben Silverman’s company Electus, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Production on the show for VH1 is scheduled to begin within a few weeks, with a tentative premiere date of March 2011.

The show examines the efforts of four women to get on with their lives while their husbands or fathers are in jail after being convicted on mob-related charges. It will be executive produced by Jennifer Graziano of JustJenn Productions, the story says.

A video made by Graziano about the women found its way to Weinstein and then Silverman, who was moved by it. “They were balancing all the issues of being a mom, a sister, a daughter, a friend, but they were also inside another world,” Silverman said. “TV is driven by characters. That’s what makes ‘The Office’ work, that’s what makes ‘American Idol’ work and that’s what makes ‘The Simpsons’ work. And when you find great characters in reality, you get galvanized."