Rueben's Ramblings

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).

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Here are the FOX pilots up for consideration for the 2016-2017 TV season:

24: Legacy – Featuring an all-new cast of characters, the potential series centers on a military hero who encounters a troubled return to the U.S., compelling him to ask CTU for help in saving his life, and stopping what potentially could be one of the largest-scale terror attacks on American soil.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Howard Gordon, Manny Coto and Evan Katz

CAST: Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead), Ashley Thomas (Black Mirror), Jimmy Smits (Sons of Anarchy), Miranda Otto (Homeland), Teddy Sears (The Flash), Dan Bucatinsky (Scandal), Anna Diop (The Messengers) and Sheila Vand (State of Affairs).

A.P.B. – This pilot is about a tech billionaire who purchases a troubled police precinct in the wake of a loved one’s murder, but can this eccentric and enigmatic figure’s cutting edge approach fix the broken ways of these blue blooded veterans?

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: David Slack and Len Wiseman

CAST: Natalie Martinez (Secrets and Lies), Justin Kirk (Weeds), Ernie Hudson (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Eric Winter (Witches of East End), Caitlin Stasey (Reign) and Taylor Handley (The O.C.).

The Exorcist – A modern reinvention inspired by William Blatty’s original 1971 book, the propulsive, serialized psychological thriller follows two very different men tackling one family’s case of horrifying demonic possession, and confronting the face of true evil.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Jeremy Slater, James Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall.

CAST: Geena Davis (Grey’s Anatomy), Brianne Howey (Scream Queens), Hannah Kasulka (The Fosters), Alfonso Herrera (Sense8), Ben Daniels (Flesh and Bone) and Kurt Egyiawan (Beasts of No Nation).

Lethal Weapon – When Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Martin Riggs suffers the loss of his wife and baby, he moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he gets partnered with LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh, who, having recently suffered a “minor” heart attack, must avoid any stress in his life.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Matt Miller, Dan Lin, Jennifer Gwartz and McG

CAST: Damon Wayans, Sr., Jordana Brewster (Dallas), Keesha Sharp (American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson), Kevin Rahm (Mad Men), Clayne Crawford (Rectify) and Johnathan Fernadez (Younger and Girls).

Pitch – This pilot follows a young female pitcher who defies the odds when she becomes the first woman to play in the major leagues.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Dan Fogelman, Rick Singer, Tony Bill and Helen Bartlett

CAST: Kyle Bunbury (Twisted), Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Franklin & Bash), Ali Larter (Legends and Heroes), Mark Consuelos (Kingdom and Alpha House) and Dan Lauria (The Wonder Years).

Recon – A rookie FBI agent embeds herself in a suspected terrorist family.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Caroline Dries, Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson

CAST: Tracy Spiridakos (Revolution), Nick Wechsler (Revenge), Alexander Siddig (Game of Thrones), Sarita Choudhury (Homeland), Karan Oberoi (NCIS) and Amanda Warren (The Leftovers)

Untitled Lee Daniels Project (formerly known as Star) – The pilot centers on three young women who form a musical act with the hope of making it big.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Lee Daniels and Tom Donaghy

CAST: Queen Latifah and Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order).

Zoobiquity – This light, unconventional medical procedural follows the unlikely pairing of a successful, driven cardiologist as she risks career suicide by teaming with a socially-challenged veterinarian who relates better to animals than people. They try to put aside their competitive natures to cure the incurable using a unique blend of cross-species medicine that’s never been tried before. Based on Natterson-Horowitz and Bowers’ book of the same name.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Jon Collier, Stephen Nathan, Spencer Medof, Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers

CAST: Marsha Thomason (White Collar), Peter Facinelli (Supergirl), Kim Raver (24, Bones) and Ben Rappaport (Mr. Robot).

MOST LIKELY TO BE PICKED-UP: 24: Legacy

WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE (just get a better show name): Zoobiquity

LONG SHOT: A.P.B.

The following dramas have already been given a straight to series order:

Prison Break – A limited, 10-episode continuation of the hit series, picking up several years later.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Paul Scheuring, Marty Adelstein and Dawn Olmstead

RETURNING CAST: Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper, Rockmond Dunbar and Paul Adelstein.

NEW CAST: Mark Feuerstein (Royal Pains)

Shots Fired – An expert investigator digs into a series of shootings in a small Tennessee town. Alongside a special prosecutor sent to the town by the Department of Justice, she must navigate the media attention, public debate and social unrest that comes with such volatile cases.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Francie Calfo and Brian Grazer

CAST: Sanaa Lathan (Love & Basketball), Helen Hunt (Mad About You), Richard Dreyfuss (Madoff), Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Stephan James (Selma), Aisha Hinds (Under the Dome) and Tristan Wilds (90210).

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Here are the CBS pilots up for consideration for the 2016-2017 TV season:

Bull – This pilot is based on the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw during his days as head of one of the most prolific trial consulting services of all time.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Paul Attanasio, Dr. Phillip C. McGraw, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank and Jay McGraw

CAST: Michael Weatherly (NCIS), Freddy Rodriguez (The Night Shift) and Jaime Lee Kirchner (Mercy).

Bunker Hill – Follows a young Silicon Valley tech titan who enlists a veteran surgeon with a controversial past in starting a hospital with a cutting edge, “new school” approach to medicine.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Jason Katims and Michelle Lee

CAST: Augustus Prew (The Borgias), Dermot Mulroney (Shameless), Odette Annable (The Astronaut Wives Club), Brenda Song (Scandal, Dads) and Reshma Shetty (Royals Pains).

Doubt – This pilot centers on Sadie Ellis, a lawyer who becomes romantically involved with a client who may or may not be guilty of a brutal crime.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater, Carl Beverly, Sarah Timberman and Adam Bernstein.

CAST: Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy), Steven Pasquale (Rescue Me), Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black), Dulé Hill (Psych), Dreama Walker (Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23) and Elliott Gould (Ray Donovan).

NOTE: This pilot is a hold-over from last season.

Drew – This pilot is a contemporary take on the character from the iconic Nancy Drew book series. Now in her 30s, Nancy is a detective for the NYPD where she investigates and solves crimes using her uncanny observational skills, all while navigating the complexities of life in a modern world.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Joan Rater, Tony Phelan and Dan Jinks.

CAST: Sarah Shahi (Person of Interest), Anthony Edwards (ER), Felix Solis (The Following), Vanessa Ferlito (Graceland), Steve Kazee (Shameless) and Debra Monk (Grey’s Anatomy).

Four Stars – This pilot is about two powerful rival families in the military community of Tampa, Florida make decisions at the highest levels in the interest of national security.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Becky Mode, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and RJ Cutler.

CAST: Wilmer Valderrama (Minority Report, That ’70s Show), Bojana Novakovic (Shameless), Bruce Greenwood (The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story), Steven Bauer (Ray Donovan) and Ashley Zukerman (Manhattan).

MacGyver – This is a reimagining of the television series of the same name, following a 20-something MacGyver as he gets recruited into a clandestine organization where he uses his knack for solving problems in unconventional ways to help prevent disasters from happening.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Paul Downs Colaizzo, Michael Clear, Henry Winkler and James Wan,

CAST: Lucas Till (X-Men), George Eads (CSI), Addison Timlin (Californication) and Michelle Krusiec (Hawaii Five-0).

Training Day – In this reimagining that begins 15 years after the film left off, an idealistic young African-American police officer is appointed to an elite squad of the LAPD where he is partnered with a seasoned, morally ambiguous Caucasian detective.

THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES: Will Beall, Antoine Fuqua, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed.

CAST: Justin Cornwell (Chicago P.D.), Bill Paxton (Big Love), Drew Van Acker (Pretty Little Liars), Katrina Law (Arrow), Julie Benz (Defiance, Dexter) and Lex Scott Davis (Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart).

MOST LIKELY TO BE PICKED-UP: Drew and Bull

WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE: MacGyver

LONG SHOT: Four Stars

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