Rueben's Ramblings

A recent post made at Twitter by The Futon Critic showed the top 10 most inquired about TV pilots for the 2011-2012 TV season to be the following:

1. 17th Precinct (NBC)
2. Alcatraz (FOX)
3. Wonder Woman (NBC)
4. Locke & Key (FOX)
5. Charlie’s Angels (ABC)
6. Prime Suspect (NBC)
7. Secret Circle (The CW)
8. Grimm (NBC)
9. Exit Strategy (FOX)
10. Poe (ABC)

This is obviously not a scientific study, but rather simply a tally of the searches conducted by readers of The Futon Critic in regards to the multitude of pilots up for consideration at the major networks for this fall. 

What is most interesting, at least to me, is that out of those top 10, I included 6 of them in my recent pilot watch updates as shows the respective networks should pick up for the fall.  I feel vindicated in that I made very good choices; now let’s just hope the networks make some good decisions.

You can find my pilot watch updates for the networks here: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and The CW.

If you had your choice, which pilots would you like to see on the fall schedule at ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and The CW?  Please share.

Read Full Post »

The following is the final list of pilots being considered for the 2011-2012 fall TV season. These pilots come from NBC:

17th Precinct Cast (c) Tricia Helfer

17th Precinct comes from Ron Moore (the man behind the reimagined Battlestar Galactica) and is a supernatural police drama set in the fictional town of Excelsior where magic and supernatural elements rule over science. The cast includes BSG alums Jamie Bamber, James Callis and Tricia Helfer as well as Eamonn Walker (Kings), Esai Morales (Caprica), Matt Long (Jack & Bobby) and Stockard Channing (The West Wing). Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) is set to guest star in the pilot.

VERDICT: Hell, YES! NBC would be foolish to not pick up this pilot to series not only because of the incredible cast (including the mini-Battlestar Galactica reunion with Jamie, James and Tricia) but also the fact that this is a supernatural series from Ron Moore. And, quite honestly NBC needs some hits and this could definitely be one of them.

Don Johnson

A Mann’s World is about Allan Mann, a celebrity Los Angeles hair stylist (Don Johnson) who struggles to navigate the complexities of his business, his family life and his goal to stay relevant in a world that moves quickly. This pilot comes from Michael Patrick King (the man behind Sex and the City). The cast includes Taylor Kinney (The Vampire Diaries), JR Bourne (Stargate: SG-1) and Kelly Hu (X-Men 2).

VERDICT: Are they kidding? NBC wants us to watch a show about a celebrity hair stylist? I’d rather watch a reality program and those things are about as close to bottom of the barrel to my way of thinking as possible. Run away from this one FAST!

David Giuntoli

Grimm is a dark, fantastical cop drama featuring characters inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales from David Greenwalt. The pilot stars David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby (Lincoln Heights), Silas Weir Mitchell (Prison Break) and Sasha Roiz (Caprica). Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy) will guest star in the pilot.

VERDICT: Again, another fairy tale inspired pilot just on a different network. There is a growing interest in fairy tales – just look at some of the upcoming box office movies – but will this one stick? It has some interesting cast members and the pilot episode was written by someone who knows a thing or two about the supernatural (Greenwalt worked on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer AND Angel). But again, will this work with the general viewing public? I seriously doubt it.

Playboy Cast

The drama pilot – currently called Playboy – is, of course, set at the Playboy Club in Chicago in 1963 and explores the lives of working-class Playboy bunnies and the men who loved them. The cast includes Eddie Cibrian (Third Watch), Amber Heard (Zombieland), Jenna Dewan Tatum (Step Up), David Krumholtz (Numb3rs) and Naturi Naughton (Fame). Among the producers is Brian Grazer.

VERDICT: Well, I know I am NOT going to watch this show, but this will definitely bring in the male viewers even if they don’t show that much skin. Pretty, scantily-clad girls in bunny costumes? Men will be salivating; but is there enough stories to tell and will the male of the species be enough to keep the show going ratings-wise? I sure hope not!

Maria Bello

Prime Suspect is an adaptation of the British miniseries that centers on a tough female detective (Maria Bello) who has to make her bones in a tough New York precinct dominated by men. One of the producers is Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights). The cast includes Aidan Quinn (Legend of the Fall, Kirk Acevedo (Fringe), Tim Griffin (Star Trek), Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) and Brian O’Bryne (FlashForward).

VERDICT: This show SHOULD be picked up by NBC based on the popularity of the original UK airing alone, but this version is helped along with the casting of Maria Bello (A History of Violence) in the lead role. If this show can exude half of what the UK version did, then it will succeed. It will have to live up to the legend of Helen Mirren, of course, as well as the sharp writing style that is predominant to UK series.

Reconstruction Cast

Reconstruction is a period piece set in the aftermath of the Civil War, following a soldier (Martin Henderson from Off the Map) who crosses the country and settles in a complicated town where he is welcomed as its savior — whether he likes it or not. The cast include Rachel Lefevre (The Twilight franchise), Robert Knepper (Prison Break) and Emma Bell (The Walking Dead).

VERDICT: A period piece? Like that is going to work on an already fickle TV viewing audience? Don’t get me wrong, I like period pieces, but I can’t see enough viewers tuning it to make a difference ratings-wise.

Jason Isaacs

REM is the new drama from Kyle Killen (the creator of the short-live and much-maligned FOX drama Lone Star) about a police detective (Jason Isaacs from Brotherhood and the Harry Potter franchise) who is involved in a traumatic car accident, waking in two fractured realities. Among the cast are Wilmer Valderrama (That 70’s Show), Cherry Jones (24), Steve Harris (The Practice and Friday Night Lights), B.D. Wong (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Laura Allen (Terriers), Michael McManus (The Vampire Diaries) and Dylan Minnette (Lost).

VERDICT: Yes! Just look at the cast for this show and match that with a very unique premise. Sure the stories will probably get complicated since it is about two different realities, but that hasn’t harmed the fan fervor for Fringe (despite that show’s low ratings). And in the long-run that will be the one that could hurt this show if it were picked up: will enough viewers tune in.

Jimmy Smits

The Stephan Gaghan (the man behind the box office movie Traffic) pilot called Special Investigations L.A. takes a look at Los Angeles through multiple perspectives, including law enforcement, the justice system, city hall and the criminal underworld. The pilot stars Jimmy Smits (NYPD Blue), Madchen Amick (Twin Peaks and Damages), Danny Pino (Cold Case) and Noah Emmerich (White Collar).

VERDICT: This will be yet another Jimmy Smits pilot that has a unique premise but will probably crash and burn simply because it will go over the heads of the audience. Cop dramas are one thing, but when a pilot starts out focusing on multiple perspectives, well, that’s just gonna be too much too soon. Make it simple or else you are going to lose the viewers before you even get started.

Debra Messing

Smash is a Glee-esque copy-cat about a group of people who come together to put on a Broadway show about Marilyn Monroe. The pilot is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. The cast includes Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Anjelica Houston (Ever After), Jack Davenport (FlashForward), Katharine McPhee (former American Idol runner-up) and Broadway star Megan Hilty.

VERDICT: A show about a Broadway play focusing on Marilyn Monroe? I think this would make a better mini-series than a weekly drama. And while Glee started out as the little underdog show that became a worldwide phenom, the fans are starting to do the predictable: rejecting the very show they once heralded because of poor writing during the second season. The same fate could lie ahead for Smash.

Adrianne Palicki

The reimagined Wonder Woman is being done by David E. Kelley (the man behind Ally McBeal, The Practice and Boston Legal). This new version stars Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights) as Diana Themyscira (aka vigilante superhero Wonder Woman), a shrewd corporate executive AND Diana Prince, an assistant at Themyscira Industries (yes she has more than one identity BESIDES being Wonder Woman). The cast includes Tracie Thoms (Cold Case), Cary Elwes (Princess Bride) and Elizabeth Hurley (Austen Powers) in a recurring role.

VERDICT: No! First of all, it is a remake of the 1970’s classic that has been languishing in development hell not only for TV but also on the big screen. Second, the script is being heavily brutalized by critics. And, don’t even get anyone started on the various costumes worn by Wonder Woman. You just might start a war if the focus is on that one subject matter alone. And, there is the fact that remakes of past series don’t always work out. No matter how “cool” they try to make this pilot look, it’s just not going to work.

What does this mean for NBC? They need to pick up REM, Prime Suspect and 17th Precinct and they need to bury Wonder Woman and Smash. IF they need to fill more timeslots – because let’s face it NBC is HURTING big time in their dramatic programming timeslots – they could attempt to make Grimm work if necessary. The rest just aren’t going to cut it.

And with that said, this ends the pilot watch updates for the major networks.

Please keep in mind that in a few weeks we will find out which pilots each network has decided to pick-up to series and how the proposed fall TV landscape will look. I will be very curious to see if any of my predictions come true or not. What pilots from the five major networks would you like to see make it into the fall schedule? Please share.

Read Full Post »

The following list highlights all of the pilots being considered for pick up for the 2011-2012 fall TV season by FOX:

Sarah Jones

Alcatraz is another J.J. Abrams production that is about a cop (Sarah Jones from Big Love and Sons of Anarchy) and a team of FBI agents who attempt to track down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day after disappearing 30 years earlier. The cast includes Jorge Garcia (Lost) Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Parminder Nagra (ER and Bend It Like Beckham), Santiago Cabrera (Heroes) and Robert Forster (Karen Sisco and Heroes).

VERDICT: Yes, it’s a J.J. Abrams production and it boasts an impressive cast, but is the overall premise going to keep viewers coming back? This is Prison Break crossed with Lost and a little bit of Alias on the side; but will all of that really be enough to keep an audience hooked each week? I’m not sold (yet).

Ethan Hawke

Exit Strategy stars Ethan Hawke as the leader of a CIA team that specializes in high risk rescue extraction operations that save agents who have been compromised. This comes from Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (the men behind Hawaii Five-0). The cast includes Megan Dodds (MI-5), Tom Sizemore (Saving Private Ryan) and Lina Esco (the short-lived series Cane).

VERDICT: It’s quite interesting that FOX was able to get Ethan Hawke to appear in a weekly series and to have the men who not only brought Star Trek back to the big screen but have also succeeded to make Hawaii Five-O hip once again, well, that says a lot; but I have serious concerns if the general viewing audience is going to want to see these high risk missions each week. How many of these rescues – in real life – actually work out? And the rescues that don’t work out, are they going to show those too? There are just too many factors to have to worry about in order to hook an already fickle viewer.

Miranda Otto

Based on the Joe Hill graphic novel, Locke & Key is a new suspenseful thriller about widow Nina Locke (Miranda Otto from the Lord of the Rings franchise) and her three kids (Jesse McCartney from Summerland, Sarah Bolger from The Tudors and newcomer Skylar Gaertner) who, still reeling from the brutal murder of their guidance-counselor father by a deranged student, move to a small island off the coast of Maine, where they discover a mystical doorway in their new home. Nick Stahl (Terminator 3), Mark Pellegrino (Being Human and Lost) and Ksenia Solo (Life Unexpected and Lost Girl) co-star in this production from Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci.

VERDICT: This show has a captivating premise, being based on an already popular graphic novel, and is primed to be on a network – that despite its track record of holding on to sci-fi series for very long – occasionally knows how to cultivate a supernatural-based series (hello, The X-Files anyone?) and it would be a good idea to collect the graphic novel based fans (as AMC can easily claim they did with The Walking Dead). For FOX not to move forward with this pilot, making it a weekly series, would cement their fate and not in a good way.

Geoff Stults

The Finder is the spin-off from the popular FOX series Bones that is based on The Locator books by Richard Greener, which follows a former military policeman (Geoff Stults from October Road) who has the ability to find anything. The series (naturally) comes from Hart Hanson (the man behind Bones) and co-stars Saffron Burrows (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile).

VERDICT: Pick this show up FOX. For one thing, you’ve got Hart Hanson behind the scenes and he knows what he is doing as an executive producer (hello, Bones anyone?). Then, you have a terrific cast that will bring fans from all genres and it will be a great companion piece to Bones. Ready, set, go.

Kiefer Sutherland

The Kiefer Sutherland-led drama Touch is about a single father raising an autistic son who has never spoken; but he soon discovers that his son is actually communicating with him through a complex series of numbers, and may even be able to predict events before they happen. The series comes from Tim Kring (the man behind Heroes). There are no other details on cast members at this time.

VERDICT: Based on the power of drawing an audience to anything for which he appears in, FOX should pick up this show based on the popularity of Kiefer Sutherland even if he won’t be playing Jack Bauer in this series. The one big concern for this show getting picked up would be how parents with autistic children will react to the abilities of the lead character’s son. If they can accept it, then the general viewing public just might give it a chance; if not, then it is sayonara.

Lauren Ambrose

Weekends at Bellevue stars Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under) as a psychiatrist in charge of the weekend shift of Bellevue Hospital’s psychiatric unit. The cast includes Broadway actress Janet McTeer, Amber Stevens (Greek) and Eric Winter (Moonlight and Brothers & Sisters). Gail Berman, Jack Bender and Lisa Zwerling are among the executive producers.

VERDICT: Is this FOX’s idea of making a female House? Or will Ambrose’s character be touchy-feely, which could alienate viewers just as much. And, do we all want to see the stories coming out of psych ward on a weekly basis? This just might be too heavy (or in some cases depressing) for viewers to have to deal with week after week.

Where does all this leave FOX? They should pick up The Finder and Locke & Key without question and, more importantly, once each is on the air let them build an audience – no more on and off with only 13 (or less) episodes aired. They should also hold onto Touch simply because of the powerhouse that is Kiefer Sutherland. As for the rest of the pilots, despite interesting premises, great casting and big-name producers, they will either bore the audience, be too complicated or just not have enough story to attract the general viewing audience on a weekly basis.

The last pilot watch update will be coming soon, focusing on the pilots at NBC.

Read Full Post »

The next list of pilots being considered for pick up for the 2011-2012 fall TV season are the following at The CW:

Lucy Griffiths

Awakening is a drama about two sisters (Lucy Griffiths from the UK series Robin Hood and Meredith Hagner from short-live FX series Lights Out) who face off during a zombie uprising. The cast includes Brian Hallisay (Privileged) and Titus Welliver (Lost and The Good Wife).

Meredith Hagner

VERDICT: This is obviously an attempt by the CW to cash in on the zombie frenzy that was started by AMC when the network introduced their new series The Walking Dead last Halloween; but I have to question if this potential pilot will be done as well as that series.

Alex Breckenridge

Cooper and Stone is about two young female Chicago homicide detectives (Alex Breckenridge from Life Unexpected and Vanessa Ferlito from CSI: NY) who find a balance between catching criminals and everyday issues in their personal lives. Riley Smith (24 and Joan of Arcadia) co-stars.

Vanessa Ferlito

VERDICT: What the tagline above doesn’t state is that these detectives are best friends who are supposed to be equally adept at discussing homicide cases just as well as fashion, music and pop
culture. So, it’s Gossip Girls as cops? Maybe those kinds of skills can work on the CW, but will the general viewing audience really buy into it?

Amanda Walsh

The drama pilot Danni Lowinski is about a recent law school graduate (Amanda Walsh from the box office film Disturbia), repeatedly brushed off by big law firms, who decides to open her own practice in a shopping mall kiosk. The cast includes Carla Gallo (Bones), George Dzunda (Grey’s Anatomy), Natalia Cigliuti (Raising the Bar) and Neal Bledsoe (Ugly Betty).

VERDICT: This sounds a bit like the short-lived FOX series Wonderfalls, but I doubt it will be anywhere near as clever or fan-appeal-worthy. It will have the pre-requisite young adult in an unusual situation, which seems to be the direction for which the CW seems to be going, but will it have longevity? I doubt it.

Heavenly Cast

Heavenly is about a young female attorney (Lauren Cohan from Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries and Chuck) and a former angel-turned-human (relative newcomer Ben Aldridge) who take on cases at a legal-aid clinic. Ryan Eggold (90210) co-stars.

VERDICT: The rest of the tagline for this new drama is this: “She comes to the rescue of her clients – while he saves their souls.” Really? So, this will be Touched By An Angel mixed with The Client or Harry’s Law? Again, it’s another young lawyer that fits the age limitations of this network, but will the whole angel-turned-human really capture the imagination of a secular audience? I don’t think so.

Rachel Bilson

Hart of Dixie stars Rachel Bilson (The O.C.) as a New York City doctor, who inherits a small medical practice in the South. This pilot comes from Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (the team behind Gossip Girl) and co-stars Jaime King (My Generation), Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights), Cress Williams (Grey’s Anatomy) and Nancy Travis (The Bill Engvall Show).

VERDICT: Schwartz and Savage know what works best on The CW. Combine their knowledge of the network, their history with TV series (Chuck and The O.C.) and this very interesting cast, this could be a combination of Everwood and Gilmore Girls IF they play their cards right and provide a solid product.

Britt Robertson

Secret Circle is based on the three-book series from L.J. Smith (the woman behind The Vampire Diaries books for which the show is modeled after). The story follows a young witch (Britt Robertson from Life Unexpected) who is the key to a battle between good and evil. The pilot co-stars Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Shelley Hennig (Days of our Lives), Jessica Parker Kennedy (Smallville), Natasha Henstridge (Eli Stone) and Phoebe Tonkin (the Australia series Home and Away). The pilot is to be executive producer by Kevin Williamson.

VERDICT: This is THE hot new show for The CW. It fits well into what the network is already known for: stories about teenagers with a supernatural twist. And, in the hands of Williamson, who has already had success with Dawson’s Creek and most recently with The Vampire Diaries, this will be a hit – hands down, no question.

Where does all this leave The CW? They will assuredly pick up Secret Circle and most likely Hart of Dixie. Secret Circle can be paired with The Vampire Diaries and Hart of Dixie will be the companion of whichever series survives on Tuesday nights (either Hellcats or One Tree Hill). The rest of the pilots will simply be small blips on the TV screen; actually they won’t even make it that far.

More pilot watch updates will be coming soon with a look at the FOX pilots coming up next.

Read Full Post »

Yesterday, I posted updated details on the drama pilots that are being considered by ABC for the 2011-2012 TV season. Today’s list will focus on the drama pilots over at CBS:

Christine Lahti

The new drama from executive producer Rina Mimoun (Privileged) called The Doctor, stars Christine Lahti (Jack & Bobby and Chicago Hope) as a mother who reconnects with her adult children when she joins the family medical practice. Among the cast are Scott Foley (Felicity and The Unit), Kyle MacLachlan (Desperate Housewives and Twin Peaks) and Michael Boatman (China Beach and The Good Wife).

VERDICT: I am a big supporter of female show-runners and executive producers; and have been a fan of Rina Mimoun’s work since her days on the WB series Everwood; but I just don’t see this show being the top pick by CBS for the fall season.

Minnie Driver

Hail Mary is about a suburban single mom (Minnie Driver from The Riches) who teams up with a street hustler (Brandon T. Jackson from Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief) to solve crimes. This pilot comes from Joel Silver and Ilene Chaiken (one of the women behind The L Word) and co-stars Enrique Murciano (Without A Trace), Stephen Tobolowsky (Glee) and Noureen DeWulf (HawthoRNe).

VERDICT: Just reading the premise of this pilot should tell you that it will not make it no matter what it’s overall intentions may be.

Person of Interest Cast

The J.J. Abrams pilot called Person of Interest is about a presumed-dead CIA agent (Jim Caviezel) who is recruited by a billionaire (Michael Emerson from Lost) to catch violent criminals in New York City. Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttom) co-stars.

VERDICT: Not only is this pilot from TV mastermind J.J. Abrams and includes some very interesting cast members, it has a premise that is perfectly suited to this network. This should be the top drama pilot chosen by CBS.

Ringer Cast

Ringer is about a troubled young woman (Sarah Michelle Gellar) on the run from the mob, who hides out by living the life of her wealthy twin sister. There is one big problem with this ruse: Her sibling has a bounty on her head as well. The cast includes Nestor Carbonell (Lost), Kristoffer Polaha (Life Unexpected), Ioan Gruffudd (The Fantastic Four), Tara Summers (Damages) and Mike Colter (Taking Chance).

VERDICT: Will viewers welcome the girl who was Buffy Summers back with open arms if she is playing someone other than the vampire slayer? Hell, yes! The premise is a departure from the norm for CBS, but it includes a great cast and is one of the most buzzed about pilots of the new fall season.

Leelee Sobieski

The Robert De Niro drama called Rookies follows six new NYPD cops trying to balance their personal lives while working the mean streets of Manhattan. The cast includes Leelee Sobieski (Joan of Arc), Stark Sands (Generation Kill), Terry Kinney (Oz) and Adam Goldberg (The Unusuals).

VERDICT: This show sounds exactly like the ABC series from Canada called Rookie Blue that follows five rookies on the police force. Do TV viewers really need another cop show about rookies? For that matter, does CBS really need yet another police drama?  They really need to branch out into other genres.

Poppy Montgomery

The Rememberer is about a female NYPD detective (Poppy Montgomery from Without A Trace) who has the special ability to remember everything, which is a gift in her job, but a curse in her personal life. The pilot comes from Ed Redlich (creator of Without A Trace) and actor John Bellucci. The co-stars include Dylan Walsh (Nip/Tuck), Michael Gaston (Terriers and Jericho) and Kevin Rankin (Trauma).

VERDICT: Interesting premise, great cast and an established show runner – should be the makings of a great new show; but I personally just don’t see it working over the long haul.

Patrick Wilson

The as-yet untitled Susannah Grant (the writer of the box office movie Erin Brockovich) medical drama follows ultra-competitive surgeon (Patrick Wilson from Phantom of the Opera) whose life is changed forever when his ex-wife (Jennifer Ehle from Pride & Prejudice) dies and begins teaching him about life from the hereafter. The cast includes Julie Benz (No Ordinary Family).

VERDICT: Is this the network’s attempt to merge Grey’s Anatomy with Ghost Whisperer? It might be a terrific idea, but it is questionable whether this pilot could work with the general viewing audience or not.

Where does all this leave CBS? Well, for one, the network doesn’t really have a lot of programming space to fill where dramas are concerned. But, it would be to their benefit to move forward with Person of Interest and Ringer. They should drop Rookies without a second glance and if they feel the need to pick up a medical drama then they should move forward with the Susannah Grant pilot and just let all the other pilots fade away.

More pilot watch updates will be coming this week with a look at The CW pilots coming next.

Read Full Post »

About a month ago, I posted details on some of the pilots that are being developed and considered for possible pick-up as a series by the five major networks. In an effort to keep TV fans informed about these potential new shows, I wanted to provide updates on casting and more details on these pilots where possible. I also thought it would be a good idea to provide insights on which shows have the best shot at actually being picked up for the fall.

Over on ABC, the following pilots are being filmed:

Charlie's Angels

The remake of the 1970’s classic Charlie’s Angels will be set in modern-day Miami, starring Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights), Rachael Taylor (Transformers and Grey’s Anatomy) and Annie Ilonzeh (General Hospital) as the Angels. Ramon Rodriguez (Transformers II) will star as Bosley and Robert Wagner (Hart to Hart) will provide the voice of Charlie. The project comes from the original series’ producer Leonard Goldberg, actress Drew Barrymore (who, of course, starred in the box office film versions) and Smallville producers Miles Millar and Al Gough.

VERDICT: While this show has the nostalgia factor and a hot cast in its favor, remakes of TV shows have not had the best success rate over the last few seasons. If Knight Rider and Bionic Woman are any examples by which to judge, Charlie’s Angels could be dead in the water before it even starts.

Kerry Washington

The drama Damage Control stars Kerry Washington (Ray) as a professional “fixer,” based on the career of Judy Smith, the legendary crisis management consultant, who over the course of the last 20 years has guided numerous corporations, politicians, celebrities and public figures through crises and scandals. The cast includes Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Liza Weil (Gilmore Girls), Columbus Short (Stomp the Yard), Jeff Perry (Grey’s Anatomy), Darby Stanchfield (Jericho), Katie Lowes (Easy Money), Guillermo Diaz (Weeds) and Tony Goldwyn (Ghost). The show comes from Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers and Judy Smith.

VERDICT: Crisis management as the key premise of a series, really? I have big doubts that this type of series would draw enough viewers on a consistent basis to garner the ratings necessary to even allow it to have a full-season order of episodes. Despite the power of Shonda Rimes and the interesting cast, this pilot just won’t hold water.

James Wolk

Georgetown is the sexy soap that follows four young people – Jimmy Wolk (Lone Star), Katie Cassidy (Melrose Place and Supernatural), Daisy Betts (Persons Unknown) and Joseph Mazzello (The Social Network and The Pacific) – who work for the power brokers of Washington, D.C. The executive producers are Josh Schwartz (Chuck) and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl). The cast also includes Tiya Sircar (The Vampire Diaries and 17 Again), Kevin Zegers (Gossip Girl and The Jane Austen Book Club) and Wendy Crewson (24 and Air Force One). Additionally, Boris Kodjoe (Undercovers) will appear as Sam’s boss, a White House senior adviser.

VERDICT: Despite a great cast and an interesting premise, this pilot sounds like another failed Washington DC pilot from a few seasons ago – Body Politic (which starred – among others – Jason Dohring and Minka Kelly) – that was one of the most talked about unseen pilots of that season. If this show does succeed in getting a pick-up order for the fall season, it could potentially fit on Sunday nights after Desperate Housewives since there is a good chance that Brothers & Sisters isn’t coming back for another season; but the chance of a pick-up is slim at best.

Cast of Grace

The drama Grace stars actor Eric Roberts as a famous choreographer whose womanizing ways have produced three daughters – Sarah (Abigail Spencer from Mad Men and HawthoRNe), a lawyer; Shay (Sherri Saum from In Treatment), a photographer and Eden (newcomer Anabelle Acosta), a teenager – all with different mothers. The cast includes Will Kemp (Van Helsing), Eion Bailey (Covert Affairs), Chris Carmack (The O.C.) and Robert Hoffman (Vanished). The pilot is executive produced by Krista Vernoff and Carrie Ann Inaba (Dancing With the Stars).

VERDICT: A series about a philandering choreographer starring Eric Roberts, seriously? I don’t care how popular the reality show Dancing With the Shows is with the general viewing audience, there is not enough of a draw for viewers to tune into a show such as this week after week.

Leslie Bibb

The drama Good Christian Bitches is about former high school mean girl Amanda (Leslie Bibb), who returns to Dallas after her marriage ends in scandal, hoping for a second chance with those she once bullied. Among the cast are Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies), Jennifer Aspen (Glee), David James Elliott (JAG), Annie Potts (Designing Women), Mark Deklin (Lone Star), Marisol Nichols (The Gates) and Miriam Shor (Damages). Darren Star (Sex and the City) is one of the executive producers.

VERDICT: Yes, the name of this pilot could be seen as disturbing especially to those of the Christian faith or even to those who tend to be more sensitive; but different is actually better sometimes. And, with the power of Kristin Chenoweth and Darren Star behind the scenes and in front of the camera, well, those two things could be the deciding factors for its success. And, Desperate Housewives has to end at some point and this show could take over that niche market.

Cast of Hallellujah

The new drama from Executive Producer Marc Cherry called Hallelujah is set in a Tennessee town that is being torn apart by the forces of good and evil until a stranger arrives to restore the residents’ faith. The cast includes Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order), Donal Logue (Terriers), Terry O’Quinn (Lost), Arielle Kebbel (The Vampire Diaries), Della Reese (Touched By An Angel), Frances O’Connor (Cashmere Mafia) and Zoey Deutch (The Suite Life on Deck). Brett Cullen (The Gates) and Jonathan Scarfe (Raising the Bar) will guest star in the pilot.

VERDICT: Just looking over the cast members for this pilot is impressive and the fact that the creator is the man who brought Desperate Housewives to the small screen should speak volumes. But a great cast and a talented show runner does not always make the best new show. If none of the other pilots on this list make it, then perhaps this pilot has a chance, but that is a slim possibility.

Angela Bassett

The cop drama Identity centers on an elite unit formed to combat identity-related crimes and stars Angela Bassett (ER), Orlando Jones (Drumline), Bree Turner (The Ugly Truth) and Jay Paulson (October Road). It is rumored that Wentworth Miller (Prison Break) and Tony Curran (The Pillars of the Earth and Underworld Evolution) will also be part of the cast. One of the executive producers is Mark Gordon (the man behind Private Practice, Army Wives and Grey’s Anatomy).

VERDICT: Identity theft? Is this enough of a premise to keep a series going short-term or long-term? I don’t know! Maybe the fact that Wentworth Miller is rumored to be part of the cast could help the show be picked up; but I doubt it.

Jennifer Morrison

From Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz – the men behind the 2009 Star Trek – comes the fairy tale inspired drama pilot called Once Upon a Time about what happens when a young boy who purports to be a woman’s (Jennifer Morrison from House) son shows up on her doorstep, drawing her into a town where the magic and mystery of fairy tales may be real and could hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of her troubled past. The cast includes Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love), Lana Parrilla (Miami Medical), Robert Carlyle (Stargate Universe), Josh Dallas (who will be seen in the upcoming movie Thor) and Raphael Sbarge (Prison Break).

GinniferGoodwin

VERDICT: While fairy tales are becoming increasingly more and more popular – especially if you look at some of the upcoming box office films – is the general viewing audience really going to flock to a weekly series focusing on fairy tale characters that are seemingly real? I highly doubt it even if the cast includes Ginnifer Goodwin and Robert Carlyle.

Christina Ricci

The 60’s-themed Pan Am follows the stewardesses and pilots of the titular airline and their glamorous world full of exciting adventures. Stars include Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow), Kelli Garner (My Generation), Jonah Lotan (Generation Kill), Michael Mosley (Scrubs) and Will Chase (Rescue Me). Among the producers are Jack Orman (ER and JAG) and Tommy Schlamme (The West Wing).

VERDICT: Just because Mad Men worked for AMC doesn’t mean that a 60’s themed series about a particular airline and its “glamorous” world is going to make ratings gold for ABC. Turn around fast and don’t board that plane.

Scottie Thompson

In the pilot Partners, Scottie Thompson (NCIS and Mercy) and Annie Wersching (24) will play two female police detectives who are fiercely loyal to one another because they are also secretly sisters. Among the other cast members are Kenneth Mitchell (Jericho), Frances Fisher (Eureka), Michael Beach (Third Watch), Nestor Serrano (24) and Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (The Beast). The pilot was created by Edward Bernero (the man behind Criminal Minds).

VERDICT: As much as I like both leads in this pilot, that doesn’t mean that yet another police drama is going to be picked up by the network let alone have it end up being any kind of ratings success. In a “perfect” world this show would fit into the niche of dramas like Castle and the new series Body of Proof, but I just don’t see it happening.

Chris Egan

Chris Egan (Kings) will star in the pilot Poe as the title character – Edgar Allan Poe – in this period crime drama about the sleuth who uses unconventional methods to investigate dark mysteries in 1840s Boston. The cast includes Tabrett Bethell (Legend of the Seeker), Natalie Dormer (The Tudors), Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean franchise) and Leslie Odom, Jr. (CSI: Miami). Chris Hollier (Alias and Kyle XY) is the creator.

VERDICT: While TV shows with a unique premise do not always have the best track record on ABC (or any other network for that matter) [examples Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone], this particular pilot has been getting the right kind of buzz from critics since its inception was announced. It also has a terrific cast and could become a big hit.

Emily Van Camp

Emily Thorne (Emily Van Camp from Brothers & Sisters and Everwood) has a secret. She’s new to the Hamptons. She’s rented a beautiful house on the water for the summer and she has been welcomed into the spectacular community by her neighbors. Little do they know, though, that every kind gesture is an invitation to their own downfall in the prime time soap called Revenge from Mike Kelley (Swingtown). Among the cast are Nick Wechsler (Roswell), Connor Paolo (Gossip Girl), Gabriel Mann (Mad Men), Ashley Madekwe (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Madeline Stowe (The Last of the Mohicans) and Henry Czerny (The Tudors).

VERDICT: This modern-day reimagning of the Count of Monte Cristo with a female protagonist should be near the top of the list for pick-up, but despite an interesting cast and a talented show-runner, a revenge storyline will be hard to maintain for the long haul; and it will be hard to maintain a large enough audience to make it worthwhile for the show to last beyond a 13-episode order.

Leslie Hope

When a famed adventurer and TV personality (Bruce Greenwood) goes missing in the Amazon, his family (Joe Anderson and Leslie Hope) tries to find him in the drama The River, which comes from Oren Peli and Jason Blum. The rest of the cast includes Eloise Mumford (Lone Star), Thomas Kretschmann (Valkyrie) and Paul Blackthorne (The Gates and The Dresden Files).

VERDICT: The premise for this show is obviously geared toward the adventurous, but how long can that hold up with the viewing public? Just because a pilot has an interesting storyline and some great cast members, doesn’t mean that it will work over the entire season or beyond. This would make a better two-hour made-for-TV movie or a 4- or 6-hour mini-series, but not a year-round TV series.

So, where does all this leave ABC? They should move forward with Good Christian Bitches and Poe giving each full-season pick-ups for the 2011-2012 fall season, they should drop Pan Am and Grace immediately and they can perhaps consider keeping Hallelujah, Georgetown and Partners for possible mid-season pick-ups, depending on the outcome of their fall line-up. Lastly, they could perhaps consider giving Once Upon a Time a time-slot next summer as filler for any open programming holes.

More pilot watch updates will be coming over the next week (or so) with a look at the CBS pilots up next.

Read Full Post »

This is the final article in the pilot watch 101 series, this time covering the pilots that are being considered by The CW for the 2011-2012 TV season. The network will be losing its powerhouse series Smallville and has room on its schedule for at least two if not more dramas. The following are just some of the ones that could take those openings:

The pilot called Awakening features two sisters who are coming of age and facing off against one another during the beginning of a zombie uprising. Can you say The Walking Dead for teenagers? No details are available yet on casting.

Meanwhile, actress Rachel Bilson (The O.C.) will return to episodic TV in the form of the drama pilot Hart of Dixie from Executive Produces Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The pilot is about a young New York City doctor who inherits a medical practice in a small Southern town inhabited by an eclectic and eccentric group of characters. Actor Wilson Bethel (The Young and the Restless) will co-star.

The DC comic character Raven will get a turn on the small screen in the pilot of the same name. Raven is the daughter of a human and a devil who has the ability to read emotions and divine secrets. It is said Raven fights crime as well as the darkness in her own soul. There are no details yet on casting.

Kevin Williamson (half of the executive producer team on The Vampire Diaries) will bring another novel set by L.J. Smith (the author the Vampire Diaries novels) to life on the CW. The Secret Circle is about a young woman who discovers that she’s a witch and part of a secret coven that holds the key to unlocking ancient battle of good and evil to pilot. The cast of this pilot includes Britt Robertson (Life Unexpected).

The CW has at least 5 or more dramas in addition to those listed above that are being considered for the 2011-2012 TV season. Please keep in mind that very few of these pilots will actually make it to series. One last time, 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.

Read Full Post »

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.

Read Full Post »

So far this week, I have provided a list of pilots that are being considered for the 2011-2012 TV season for CBS and ABC. Today’s list will be the most talked about pilots for FOX:

J.J. Abrams, the man behind Felicity, Alias and Lost, is bringing the pilot Alcatraz to FOX with the help of two of his Lost counterparts Bryan Burk and Liz Sarnoff. The story follows a cop and a team of FBI agents trying to track down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day after disappearing thirty years earlier. Among the cast are Santiago Cabrera (Heroes), Jorge Garcia (Lost), Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Parminder Nagra (ER) and Paul McGillion (Stargate Atlantis).

The Bones spin-off, now being called The Finder, is based on The Locator books by Richard Greener and follows the story of a former military policeman who can find anything. The cast includes Geoff Stults (October Road), Michael Clarke Duncan and Saffron Burrows (Law & Order: Criminal Intent).

The men behind Hawaii Five-0 and the reimagined Star Trek – Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci – are bringing the Joe Hill graphic novel called Locke & Key to the air. Miranda Otto (Cashmere Mafia) will play the mother of three children (Skylar Gaertner, Sarah Bolger and Jesse McCartney), who moves to late husband’s family mansion in Massachusetts where supernatural activities reign. Nick Stahl (Carnivale) plays the kids’ uncle and Ksenia Solo (Life Unexpected and Lost Girl) also co-stars.

Kiefer Sutherland (24) will star in the pilot Touch from Tim Kring, the creator of the NBC series Heroes. While there aren’t a lot of details available on the storyline for this pilot except that it follows a father whose mute, autistic son develops the ability to tell the future, the big talk, of course, is that Sutherland will play the father.

Box office actor Ethan Hawke (Training Day) is set to star in Exit Strategy, which is about a team of experts who help the CIA with extractions. Megan Dodds from Detroit 1-8-7 also stars. This pilot is also from Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci.

FOX has at least four other dramas up for consideration for the 2011-2012 season in addition to those listed above. But, as I’ve stated all week, please keep in mind that very few will actually make it to series. Again, 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.

Read Full Post »