Here are the NBC pilots up for consideration for the 2016-2017 TV season:
The Blacklist (Spin-Off) – The May 12 episode of The Blacklist will serve as a backdoor pilot, with Famke Janssen playing Susan “Scottie” Halsted, who will – rumor has it – have a relationship with Tom Keane (Ryan Eggold) that mirrors the relationship that Liz and Red have on the mothership series.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Jon Bokenkamp, John Eisendrath, John Davis and John Fox
CAST: Famke Janssen (How to Get Away With Murder), Edi Gathegi (The Blacklist) and Tawny Cypress (Unforgettable).
Chicago Justice – This will be a planted Chicago P.D. spinoff – a backdoor pilot – that will be set in the legal world.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Dick Wolf
CAST: Philip Winchester (The Player), Joelle Carter (Justified), Nazneen Contractor (Heroes Reborn) and Carl Weathers (Rocky and Colony).
Cruel Intentions – This pilot picks up over 15 years after the end of the movie, following the beautiful and cunning Kathryn Merteuil as she vies for control of Valmont International as well as the soul of Bash Casey, the son of her brother, who was the late Sebastian Valmont, and Annette Hargrove. Upon discovering his late father’s legacy in a hidden journal, Bash is introduced to a world of sex, money, power and corruption he never could have imagined.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Roger Kumble, Jordan Ross, Lindsey Rosin, Neil Moritz and Pavun Shetty
CAST: Sarah Michelle Gellar (the original Cruel Intentions film), Taylor John Smith (American Crime), Peter Gallagher (The O.C.), Kate Levering (Drop Dead Diva), Samantha Logan (The Fosters), Sophina Brown (Ravenswood and Numb3rs) and Nathalie Kelley (UnREAL).
Heavenly Creatures – This pilot is redeveloped from last season’s pilot called Unveiled. It follows a war hero who rediscovers his purpose in life when a celestial being offers him a chance to change the world, one person at a time.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: John Glenn, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey
CAST (as of 2015 Unveiled pilot) [this list of cast could clearly change]: Liam McIntyre (Spartacus), Stephan James (Selma), Will Kemp (Petals in the Wind), Connie Nielsen (The Following), Mouzam Makkar (Matador) and Dana Davis (Franklin & Bash).
Midnight Texas – Based on Charlaine Harris’ best-selling trilogy and set in Midnight, Texas, a remote town where your neighbor could be a vampire, a witch, a werewolf, and even an angel. Mystery, horror and romance combine to both enthrall and frighten any outsiders who decide to venture into this unusual place.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Monica Owusu-Breen and David Janollari
CAST: François Arnaud (Blindspot), Dylan Bruce (Orphan Black, Heroes Reborn), Sarah Ramos (Parenthood), Parisa Fitz-Henley and Yul Vasquez.
Miranda’s Rights – A legal soap about an idealistic group of lawyers who not only work together but live together at their start-up firm.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Katie Lovejoy and John Glenn
CAST: Rebecca Breeds (The Originals), Jamie Chung (Once Upon a Time), Noel Fisher (Shameless), Gail O’Grady (Revenge), John Gabriel (Young & Hungry), Monique Coleman (High School Musical) and Ruffin Prentiss (Power).
Time – This high-octane drama follows an unlikely trio who travel through time to battle a master criminal intent on altering the fabric of human history with potentially catastrophic results.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Shawn Ryan, Eric Kripke, John Davis, Jon Fox and Marney Hochman
CAST: Abigail Spencer (Rectify, Suits), Matt Lanter (90210), Malcolm Barrett (Better Off Ted), Goran Visnjic (ER), Claudia Doumit (Scandal) and Sakina Jaffrey (House of Cards).
Untitled Dan Fogelman Dramedy – This hour-long project centers on a group of people born on the same day, including a married couple expecting triplets in Pittsburgh and a handsome television actor growing bored of his fly bachelor lifestyle.
THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Dan Fogelman, Jess Rosenthal, Charlie Gogolak, John Requa and Glenn Ficarra
CAST: Mandy Moore (Red Band Society), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Justin Harley (Revenge and Smallville), Sterling Brown (Army Wives) and Ron Cephas Jones (Mr. Robot).
MOST LIKELY TO BE PICKED-UP: The Blacklist Spinoff and Chicago Justice
WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE: Midnight Texas and Time
COOL FOR NOSTALGIA SAKE ONLY: Cruel Intentions
LONG SHOT: Heavenly Creatures
The drama Taken has been given a straight to series order. It will be set in present day, serving as a prequel to Luc Besson’s big-screen franchise, following a young Bryan as he acquires the very skills he uses to save his future daughter. The cast will include Clive Standen (Vikings) and Jennifer Beals (The L Word).
I agree, ‘Cruel Intentions’ would only be cool for nostalgia’s sake. I am heartened by the idea of a child of Sebastian (aww-Bash! I just got that!) and Annette, however!
I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Cruel Intentions; wasn’t my kind of movie when it came out and just never interested me enough to watch it so I can’t really comment. I think the network is trying a little too hard for nostalgia or trying to play off SMG’s fame.