Rueben's Ramblings

Every day this week, I have been focusing on the pilots being considered for the new fall TV season (2011-2012) by the major networks. The following list is just some of the dramas for which NBC is considering for possible pick-up for the fall:

Coming from the mastermind behind the Battlestar Galactica reboot, Ronald Moore, is the pilot called 17th Precinct. Set in the fictional town of Excelsior where magic and supernatural elements rule over science, BSG alum Jamie Bamber will play a homicide detective. Legendary actress Stockard Channing (The West Wing) will also star.

Set in the 1960’s, the pilot called Playboy will, of course, take a look at the lives of Playboy bunnies. Jenna Dewan-Tatum (Step Up), Amber Heard (Drive Angry), Naturi Naughton (Fame) and Tony winner Laura Benati will all play bunnies.

From Neil Meron and Craig Zadan (the men behind the recent film version of Chicago and Hairspray) are bringing musical theatre to the small screen – thanks to an idea from Steven Spielberg (yes, you read that right). The pilot called Smash will follow characters who come together to put on a Marilyn Monroe musical on Broadway. Debra Messing (Will & Grace), American Idol Season 5 runner-up Katharine McPhee and Broadway star Megan Hilty are part of the cast.

The 1970’s classic series Wonder Woman will attempt to make a comeback via the pilot from David E. Kelley, the man behind such shows as Ally McBeal and The Practice. Friday Night Lights actress Adrianne Palicki has been picked to take up the lasso and bracelets, portraying Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince, as she tries to balance her life as a vigilante crime fighter, a successful corporate executive and a modern woman.

Fairy tales will take center stage in the pilot from Executive Producer David Greenwalt (Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The pilot called Grimm is a dark but fantastical cop drama about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales exist. David Giuntoli (Privileged and the box office movie Weather Girl) will play the lead while Silas Weir Mitchell (Prison Break) will play a reformed big bad wolf.

The hit British series Prime Suspect will be Americanized by Peter Berg (Executive Producer of Friday Night Lights) with Maria Bello (A History of Violence) playing the lead role of a female detective who has to deal with working in a tough New York precinct dominated by men while Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) will play her live-in boyfriend.

Kyle Killen, the man behind the short-lived FOX series Lone Star, brings the Inception-like pilot called REM to TV with Jason Isaacs (from the Harry Potter franchise and the TV series Brotherhood) in the lead role of a detective who cannot let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a horrible car accident.

NBC has about 5 or 6 other dramas up for consideration for the 2011-2012 season in addition to the pilots listed above. But, please keep in mind that very few will actually make it to series. As stated before, the final decision will be made by the powers that be at the network in late spring and announced in May at the New York upfront presentations.