Rueben's Ramblings

Here is the list of pilots under consideration at The CW for the 2014-2015 TV season:

Flash: This is a spin-off of Arrow, based on characters published by DC Comics, where Central City assistant police forensics investigator Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) is given the power of super-speed after a freak accident that transforms him into the Fastest Man Alive.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Greg Berlanti, Geoff Johns, Andrew Kreisberg and Melissa Kellner Berman (all from Arrow)

CAST: Grant Gustin (Glee), Danielle Panabaker (Necessary Roughness), Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order), Rick Cosnett (The Vampire Diaries), Candice Patton (The Game), Tom Cavanagh (Ed), John Wesley Shipp (Dawson’s Creek and the 1990’s The Flash), Michelle Harrison (Emily Owens M.D.) and Patrick Sabongui (upcoming Godzilla movie)

Identity: This pilot is about a young woman asked to investigate a powerful family in exchange for help with an organ transplant.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Corinne Brinkerhoff (Elementary), Alon Aranya (Hostages), Heather Kadin, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (all from Sleepy Hollow)

CAST: Ahna O’Reilly (The Help), Matt Barr (Hatfields & McCoys and Hellcats), Mehcad Brooks (Necessary Roughness), Patricia Wettig (Brothers & Sisters and thirtysomething) and Irish actor Stephen Hagan (BBC series Injustice)

iZombie: A med student-turned-zombie takes a job in the coroner’s office to gain access to the brains she must reluctantly eat to maintain her humanity, but what happens when she starts inheriting the corpse’s memories? With the help of her medical-examiner boss and a police detective, she solves homicide cases to quiet the disturbing voices in her head. Based on the DC Comics series.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Rob Thomas, Diane Ruggiero, Dan Etheridge and Danielle Stokdyk (all from Veronica Mars)

CAST: Rose McIver (Once Upon a Time), Malcolm Goodwin (Breakout Kings), David Anders (Once Upon a Time and Alias), Robert Buckley (One Tree Hill and 666 Park Avenue), Alexandra Krosney (Last Man Standing), UK native Rahul Kohli and Nora Dunn (Saturday Night Live alum)

Jane the Virgin: This is an adaptation of the Venezuelan telenovela Juana La Virgen about a young Latino woman who accidentally finds herself pregnant.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Jennie Snyder Urman (Emily Owens M.D. and 90210) and Ben Silverman (Ugly Betty)

CAST: Gina Rodriguez (The Bold and the Beautiful), Mexican actor-singer Jaime Camil (in US debut), Yael Grobglas (Reign), Brett Dier (Ravenswood), Andrea Navedo (Golden Boy), Ryan Devlin (Cougar Town and Veronica Mars Season 3) and Ivonne Coll (Switched at Birth and Teen Wolf)

Supernatural: Bloodlines: This is a spin-off series that will explore the clashing hunter and monster cultures of Chicago.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Jeremy Carver, Adam Glass, Eric Kripke, Bob Singer, McG and Phil Sgriccia (all from Supernatural)

CAST: Nathaniel Buzolic (The Vampire Diaries), Lucien Laviscount (Episodes and Skins), Sean Faris (Pretty Little Liars and Reunion), Bryce Johnson (Pretty Little Liars and Popular), Danielle Savre (Heroes), Stephen Martines (The Vampire Diaries and The Closer) and Melissa Roxburgh (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules)

The Messengers: When a mysterious object crashes down to earth, a group of seemingly unconnected strangers die from the energy pulse, but then awaken to learn that they have been deemed responsible for preventing the impending Apocalypse.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Ted Humphrey (The Good Wife and The Unit), Basil Iwanyk (The Town and The Expendables) and Kent Kubena (Akeelah and the Bee)

CAST: Sofia Black-D’Elia (Skins), Joel Courtney (Super 8), British actor Jon Fletcher (The Good Wife), Diogo Morgado (The Bible mini-series) and Shantel VanSanten (One Tree Hill)

MOST LIKELY TO BE PICKED-UP: Flash and Supernatural: Tribes

COULD MAYBE GET AN ORDER: The Messengers

LONG SHOT (but it sure would be cool to see it): Identity

RIP-OFF OF THE SEASON: iZombie (it’s Tru Calling but with a zombie (oh joy!) Sorry Rob Thomas, I LoVe Veronica Mars, but I just can’t buy into anything with zombies).

NOT GONNA HAPPEN: Jane the Virgin

Read Full Post »

Here is the list of pilots under consideration at FOX for the 2014-2015 TV season:

Empire: This pilot centers on Lucious Lyon, a charismatic, savvy music superstar who is about to take his company, Empire Entertainment, public. Raised on the streets, he has never backed away from a fight and will resort to any measures, fair or foul, to defend his beloved Empire.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Danny Strong (The Butler), Lee Daniels (The Butler), Francie Calfo (Scoundrels) and Brian Grazer

CAST: Terrance Howard (Iron Man), Taraji P. Hanson (Person of Interest), Malik Yoba (Single Ladies), Kaitlin Doubleday (Catch Me If You Can) and Bryshere Y. Gray (aka rapper Yazz The Greatest)

Gotham: This pilot explores the origin stories of Commissioner James Gordon from the Batman comics and films — who is still a detective and has yet to meet Batman — and the villains who made Gotham City famous.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Bruno Heller (The Mentalist), Danny Cannon (The Tomorrow People, Nikita) and DC Comics writer Geoff Johns

CAST: Ben McKenzie (Southland and The O.C.), Donal Logue (Vikings and Terriers), Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix franchise), David Mazouz (Touch), Sean Pertwee (Elementary), Robin Lord Taylor (Another Earth), Erin Richards (Breaking In), Zabryna Guevara (Burn Notice) and newcomer Camren Bicondova

Home: This is a family thriller/soap that delves into the secrets lingering behind the facade of a suburban family.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Aron Eli Coleite (Heroes), Jonathan Littman (CSI) and Jerry Bruckheimer

CAST: None so far

Red Band Society: Based on the acclaimed Spanish series Polseres Vermelles, the dark comedy focuses on the daily lives of a group of teenagers living in a hospital who become unlikely friends. The depth of the unexpected friendships allows them to survive the challenges of growing up under such intense circumstances.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Margaret Nagle (Boardwalk Empire), Justin Falvey (Under the Dome), Darryl Frank (Las Vegas), Sergio Aguero (Y Tu Mama Tambien) and Steven Spielberg

CAST: Octavia Spencer (The Help), Dave Annable (Brothers & Sisters), Zoe Levin (The Way, Way Back), Charlie Rowe (Neverland and Pirate Radio), youngster Griffin Gluck (Private Practice), Ciara Bravo (Big Time Rush), Nolan Sotillo (Prom) and newcomer Rebecca Rittenhouse

MOST LIKELY TO BE PICKED-UP: Gotham

COULD MAYBE GET AN ORDER: Empire

FOX has also already given an order for the following direct-to-series dramas:

Backstrom – This 13-episode straight-to-series drama is about offensive, irascible Detective Everett Backstrom who tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior while leading his team, the Serious Crimes Unit, as they navigate Portland’s most sensitive cases.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Hart Hanson (Bones) and Mark Mylod (Shameless)

CAST: Rainn Wilson (The Office), Kristoffer Polaha (Ringer), Dennis Haysbert (24), Page Kennedy, Beatrice Rosen (Blue Mountain State), Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) and Genevieve Angelson (House of Lies)

NOTE: Backstrom was actually a CBS pilot that was passed over by the network and picked up by FOX.

Hieroglyph – This 13-episode straight to series drama about a notorious thief is plucked from prison to serve the Pharoah, navigating palace intrigue, seductive concubines, criminal underbellies and even a few divine sorcerers.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Travis Beacham (Pacific Rim), Peter Chernin (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Katherine Pope (New Girl), Miguel Sapochnik (House) and Anna Fricke (Everwood and Being Human)

CAST: Reece Ritchie (The Lovely Bones and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time), Max Brown (Beauty And the Beast), John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings franchise), Kelsey Chow (One Tree Hill and Pair of Kings), Condola Rashad (Smash and Steel Magnolias), Antony Bunsee (Hollyoaks) and relative newcomer Caroline Ford

Read Full Post »

Here is the list of pilots under consideration at NBC for the 2014-2015 TV season:

Babylon Fields: The dead are rising in Babylon, NY, and as a result, lives are regained, old wounds are reopened and families are restored — for better or worse. The newly regenerated bodies are healing faster and growing stronger than anyone else, leading to the suspicion that they might be the next step in human evolution.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Michael Cuesta (Elementary) and newcomers Gerald Cuesta and Michael Atkinson

CAST: Meagan Good (Deception), Skeet Ulrich (Jericho), S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order), Kyle Schmid (Copper and Blood Ties), Virginia Madsen (Witches of East End), Ritchie Coster (Luck and The Blacklist) and Yul Vazquez (Treme)

Coercion: This pilot is a thriller revolving around the O’Connor family and their son, Alex, a decorated American war hero and CIA analyst who is a true patriot and loves his country and family. Unbeknownst to him, both of his parents and his sister are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated. Once the parents are reluctantly pulled back in, the stakes rise they are coerced into spying on their own son and turning him against his country.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Newcomers Amit Cohen and Ron Leshem, George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau) and Avi Nir (Homeland)

CAST: Relative newcomer Gavin Stenhouse, Hope Davis (About Schmidt), Margarita Levieva (Revenge), Kenneth Choi (Ironside), Scott Cohen (Gilmore Girls), Annie Ilonzeh (Arrow, Drop Dead Diva and Charlie’s Angels), Alexandra Peters (Sage Paints the Sky) and Morgan Spector (Person of Interest)

Constantine: Based on the characters in DC Comics’ stories about John Constantine, an enigmatic and irreverent con man-turned-reluctant supernatural detective who is thrust into the role of defending us against dark forces from beyond.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Daniel Cerone (Dexter), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins) and DC comics writer Geoff Johns

CAST: Matt Ryan (Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior), Lucy Griffiths (True Blood and Robin Hood), Harold Perrineau (Lost) and Charles Halford (The Event)

Mysteries of Laura: Based on the popular Spanish series Los Misterios De Laura, it follows the life and relationships of a female homicide detective who can handle murderous criminals — but not her evil twins.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Jeff Rake (Cashmere Mafia), Greg Berlanti (Arrow) and Aaron Kaplan (Terra Nova)

CAST: Debra Messing (Smash and Will & Grace), Josh Lucas (The Firm), Laz Alonzo (Breakout Kings) and Janina Gavankar (True Blood and Arrow)

Odyssey: Traffic-like thriller that revolves around three families whose lives are torn apart when a stranded female soldier, a disillusioned corporate attorney and a disrespected political activist are pulled into the same shocking international military conspiracy.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Adam Armus (Heroes), Nora Kay Foster (The Following) and actor Peter Horton

CAST: Peter Facinelli (Nurse Jackie), Daniella Pineda (The Originals), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbage (Lost), Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies), Treat Williams (Everwood), Nate Mooney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Jake Robinson (The Carrie Diaries) and relative newcomer Elena Kampouris

Salvation: Set against the backdrop of a prominent Texas church where faith, family and corruption are explored in equal measure. It centers on Jennifer Strickland, who has to defend her children, church and religious beliefs after her husband dies under mysterious circumstances.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Liz Heldens (Deception) and David Janollari (Six Feet Under)

CAST: Ashley Judd (Missing), Ryan McPartlin (Chuck), Warren Kole (Common Law) and Ron Brown (Treme) and Danny Huston (Magic City and X-Men Origins: Wolverine)

State of Affairs: The pilot centers on a key CIA attaché who counsels the president on high-stakes incidents around the world. She balances her intense political responsibilities with a complicated personal life.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy), Alexi Hawley (Castle), Joe Carnahan (The Blacklist), Robert Simonds (This Means War) and Julia Franz (Made in Jersey)

CAST: Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) and Cliff Chamberlain (Chicago-based theatre actor), Sheila Vand (Argo), Adam Kaufman (Without a Trace), Tommy Savas (Hollywood Heights), Leslie Odom Jr. (Smash) and Alfre Woodard

Tin Man: Psychological crime thriller set in the near future focuses on a fugitive robot accused of first-degree murder, who may hold the key to the future of human evolution, and the young female public defender forced to fight for his cause.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Ehren Kruger (The Ring, Transformers) and Daniel Bobker (The Skeleton Key)

CAST: Patrick Heusinger (Revolution and Gossip Girl), Kathleen York (Crash and The Client List), Vondie Curtis-Hall (Chicago Hope), Kristen Connolly (House of Cards) and Shaun Toub (Homeland)

MOST LIKELY TO BE PICKED-UP: Mysteries of Laura (as long as they can make Debra’s character serious)

COULD MAYBE GET AN ORDER: Constantine

LONG SHOT (but it sure would be cool to see it): Tin Man

RIP-OFF OF THE SEASON: Babylon Fields (did anyone hear of The Returned or Resurrection?)

NOT GONNA HAPPEN: Salvation and Odyssey

NBC has also already given an order for the following direct-to-series drama:

Emerald City: This new series is a modern and dark reimagining of the classic tale of Oz that includes lethal warriors, competing kingdoms, and the infamous wizard as we’ve never seen him before. A headstrong 20-year-old Dorothy Gale is unwittingly sent on a journey that thrusts her into the center of an epic and bloody battle for the control of Oz.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Matthew Arnold (Siberia), Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)

CAST: None so far

Read Full Post »

Here is the list of pilots under consideration at CBS for the 2014-2015 TV season:

CSI Spin-Off: This pilot will center on Avery Ryan, Special Agent in Charge at the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI in Quantico, who is tasked with solving high-octane crimes that start in the mind, live on-line, and play out into the real world.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Anthony E. Zuiker (CSI creator), Carol Mendelsohn, Ann Donahue, Jonathan Littman (all three at CSI) and Jerry Bruckheimer

CAST: Patricia Arquette (Medium)

Madame Secretary: The pilot explores the personal and professional life of a maverick female Secretary of State as she drives international diplomacy, wrangles office politics and balances a complex family life.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Barbara Hall (Joan of Arcadia), actor Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary (Invictus), Tracy Mercer (Beyond the Wormhole) and David Semel

CAST: Tea Leoni (The Naked Truth), Tim Daly (Private Practice), Geoffrey Arend (Body of Proof), Patina Miller (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay), Bebu Neuwirth (Frasier and Cheers), relative newcomers Katherine Herzer and Erich Bergen

NCIS: New Orleans: The New Orleans NCIS office handles cases from Pensacola through Mississippi and Louisiana to the Texas panhandle.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Gary Glasberg (NCIS), actor Mark Harmon and Tony Wharmby (NCIS)

CAST: Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap), Zoe McLellan (Dirty Sexy Money), CCH Pounder (Warehouse 13), Paige Turco (The 100 and Person of Interest) and Lucas Black (Fast & Furious 3: Tokyo Drift)

Only Human: A soapy medical show centered around quadruplets, three brothers and a sister, who grew up on a reality show.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: David Marshall Grant (Brothers & Sisters), Carl Beverly (Elementary), Sarah Timberman (Justified and Unforgettable) and David Garrett (Step Up)

CAST: Jamie Leigh Curtis (Freaky Friday and NCIS), Ashton Holmes (Nikita and Revenge), Nick Jandl (Green Lantern) and relative newcomer Cameron Scoggins

Red Zone: This drama revolves around a retired CIA officer who’s pulled back into action after a terrorist attack hits Washington, D.C.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Nikki Toscano (Revenge)

CAST: Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace), Samantha Mathis (Under the Dome), Kim Dickens (Friday Night Lights), Aimee Garcia (Dexter), Kevin Rahm (Mad Men and Desperate Housewives), Graham Rogers (Revolution), Sepideh Moafi (upcoming Black Box), and Shanley Caswell (The Conjuring)

Scorpion: Inspired by the true story of Walter O’Brien, a real-life Professor X who recruited and trained other geniuses from around the world to work together to save lives and solve problems from casino security to Military Drone warfare.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Nick Santora (Prison Break), Scooter Braun (The Giver), Heather Kadin (Sleepy Hollow), Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci (both from Sleepy Hollow) and Justin Lin (Fast and Furious franchise)

CAST: Actor Elyes Gabel (Game of Thrones and Body of Proof), Katharine McPhee (Smash), Robert Patrick (The Unit) and Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Dad)

Untitled Ben Cavell/Taylor Elmore Project: This pilot is set in the world of Wall Street power and money.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Ben Cavell (Justified), actor John Cusack, Taylor Elmore (Justified), Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly (both from Elementary)

CAST: Charlie Cox (Stardust and Boardwalk Empire), Maggie Grace (Lost), David Morse (Treme and The Green Mile) Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda and After Earth) and Joseph Lyle Taylor (The Dark Knight Rises)

Untitled Kevin Williamson Project: A psychological thriller centered around a pair of detectives who handle stalking cases for the Los Angeles Police Department.

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries and The Following)

CAST: Dylan McDermott (Hostages and American Horror Story), Maggie Q (Nikita and Divergent), Mariana Klaveno (True Blood and Devious Maids) Aubrey Dollar (Women’s Murder Club and 666 Park Avenue) and Victor Rasuk (How to Make It in America)

MOST LIKELY TO BE PICKED-UP: Madame Secretary

WILL PROBABLY GET AN ORDER: CSI Spin-Off and new NCIS franchise

LONG SHOT (but it sure would be cool to see it): Scorpion and Red Zone

RIP-OFF OF THE SEASON: Only Human (don’t we have enough reality already that we have to make a scripted series be about a reality series family?)

NOT GONNA HAPPEN: Untitled Ben Cavell/Taylor Elmore Project

CBS has also already given an order for the following direct-to-series drama:

Battle Creek – The series is about two detectives with very different worldviews who are teamed up and must answer the question: Are cynicism, guile and deception enough to clean up the semi-mean streets of Battle Creek, Michigan in the face of a complete lack of resources; or is the exact opposite true – it takes naïveté, trust and a boatload of resources?

THOSE BEHIND THE SHOW: Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad), David Shore (House), Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad) and Melissa Bernstein (Breaking Bad)

CAST: Janet McTeer (The White Queen), Dean Winters (Oz), Josh Duhamel (Las Vegas) and Kal Penn (House)

Read Full Post »