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Next year's pilots (1 Viewer)

Jason Seaver

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There's a pretty decent Link Removed about the pilots networks are considering for fall. Worth a look, with the caveat that come May, at least half these shows will be forgotten footnotes (CBS used to run a "Failed Pilot Theater" under a different name in the summer, which seems like a really good idea - I think a show or two actually got picked up thanks to good response).
Here's the ones that interest me (for good or ill):
ABC - Lots of holes to fill... Apparently with crap.
"8 Simple Rules" - John Ritter & Katey Sagal as parents with two teenager daughters. Ritter is, of course, wildly overprotective. Shoot me now.
"Astronauts" - Astronauts compete for a spot on a Mars mission. Unless the show is set in 2030 or something, I'm not expecting anything close to realism.
"Capital City" - A drama with Leslie Bibb (a good, attractive actress whose agent apparently hates her, putting her in stuff like "Popular" and See Spot Run) as a Senate intern. One heck of a supporting cast - Peter Fonda, Tom Berenger, and David Paymer.
"The Chang Family Saves The World" - ABC has a couple of family-friendly action/adventures in development (be an interesting block for Friday night). Think of Spy Kids with martial arts.
"EIS" - Drama about CDC investigators. Could be a good six-episode show, but how many different plots are there here. Still, Saffron Burrows.
"The Funkhausers" - The cast doesn't have folks I recognize other than Julia Campbell, and the premise ("The Addams Family" or "The Munsters" without the monsters!) is weak, but its producers worked on "The Simpsons" and "Futurama". Originally supposed to run this spring, it's got actual episodes ordered, so it will appear this fall.
"Homeward Bound" - An ambitious lawyer moves back in with her parents in this drama. Sounds dumb, but with Lindsey Sloane ("Grosse Pointe"), JK Simmons ("L&O", "Oz") and Samm Levine ("Freaks & Geeks"), I'd watch the first episode, at least.
"Legally Blonde" - No.
"Nancy Drew" - No.
"The Oath" - Medical drama about doctors in an HMO hospital. John Hannah, William Fitchner, and Edward Hermann (hopefully, he could still appear on "Gilmore Girls") are worth watching even though I'm not fond of medical dramas.
"Sun Gods" - A comedy about solar-panel installers. Silly idea, but it comes from the writers of Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity and stars Frank Whaley, so I'll cut it some slack.
"That Was Then" - ABC's Peggy Sue Got Married riff.
Untitled Bonnie Hunt Comedy - A family comedy. Bonnie deserves something more exciting.
Untitled Larry Gelbert Drama - The creator of "M*A*S*H" presents a soap about a media family. But the cast - John Larroquette, Martin Landau, Phillip Baker Hall, Robert Sean Leonard...
Untitled Indiana Jones Rip-Off - Father and son archeologists. Still, Bryan Spicer does good light adventure ("Brisco County Junior", "The Lone Gunmen").
Untitled Andy Dick Comedy - Dick as a temp. As usual with Andy Dick, it could be hilarious ("NewsRadio") or a train wreck ("Get Smart"),
CBS - CBS, as usual, has some really interesting projects that could turn out very good, but they aren't "hip". Still, they could be fantastic come fall.
"CSI Miami" - Emily Procter and Adam Rodriguez star in "CSI"... in Miami! I'd mock it as more of the same, but I watch all three "Law & Order" shows. Will apparently go in more for long-form storytelling.
"Dragans Of New York" - A light comedy/adventure about married P.I.s, starring Hugh Laurie ("Blackadder", "Jeeves & Wooster", one of the funniest men alive) & Liz Vassey ("The Tick", "Maximum Bob"). This needs to get picked up!!!
"Georgetown" - DC power brokers, with Helen Mirren, Fred Ward, Andrew McCarthy and Joanna Going. Yikes, what a cast.
"Hack" - Ex-cop works as a taxi drive and helps the down and out. Stars David Morse and Andre Braugher.
"Jo" - Comedy with Andie McDowell as a vet.
"Life Of The Party" - Former TV star elected to Congress, with Nathan Lane trying desperately to break the Ted McGinley curse.
"Metro" - Follows a robbery/homicide unit in LAPD. Tom Siezemore stars, Michael Mann produces.
"R.U.S./H." - Cop show in LA. Nice cast - Billy Baldwin, Colm Meaney, Mary Stuart Masterson.
Sharon McCone Mysteries - Stalled out, based on a popular series of mystery novels. There's a market for the weekly, star-based mystery show that "Crossing Jordan" doesn't really fill.
"Vanished" - The FBI's missing-persons bureau. Stars Anthony LaPaglia, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Eric Close, and Poppy Montgomery (obviously hedging her bets on "Glory Days")
Fox - Will have some holes (Sunday 9pm) to fill, but not as many as you'd think - they've already promised slots to two shows. Not much, but usually Fox gets the good stuff at mid-year.
"The Big Fix" - French Stewart is back from the dead in this alleged comedy.
"Eastwick" - The sons of the Witches Of Eastwick. Not on a bet, not even with Kelly Rutherford.
"Firefly" - The sci-fi action show from the creator of "Buffy" already has a 13-episode order; I wouldn't be surprised if Fox gives it the Sunday 9pm or Tuesday 9pm (if "24" moves to Sunday) slot.
"The Girls Club" - Young lawyers in San Francisco from David E. Kelley. Also has a 13-episode order.
"The Grubbs" - A family comedy with Randy Quaid and Carol Kane.
"John Doe" - Amnesiac tries to regain his memory. Has Meat Loaf in a supporting role.
"Keen Eddie" - American ex-cop in London - the London of "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrells".
"Next!" - Sketch comedy from "Mr. Show"'s Bob Odenkirk.
"Save The Last Dance" - Nope.
"Septuplets" - Seven kids grow up in a family-run hotel. I kind of hope they antagonize the audience and make them identical. :)
"Time Tunnel" - Is this needed?
NBC - Really, the slate looks kind of anemic, although they don't need that much filled in.
"Arthur" - Young King Arthur! Apparently, they moved slow with their "Hercules" rip-off.
Chevy Chase sitcom - Actually, I've been wondering why nobody has given Chevy a sitcom yet. It seems to be something he'd be suited for.
"Class Of '06" - Becaue "Class of '96" did so well ten years ago. Still, Kyle Howard from "Grosse Pointe".
"In-Laws" - Dennis Farina in a lame-looking sitcom. I hate when they do that to actors I love.
"It's Not About Me" - Man quits a stressful job to become a teacher. Jason Bateman and Nikki Cox are both sitcom veterans who have earned something good.
"Romeo Fire" - Comedy set in a fire department. Stars Jerry O'Connell, who really should just hope for a promotion to regular on "Crossing Jordan".
"War Stories" - Jeff Goldblum as a war correspondant.
"Zero Effect" - Loved the movie, love the idea of Alan Cumming as Darryl Zero, hope Jake Kasdan is writing/directing as much as humanly possible.
UPN - Desperately hoping WB cancels "Angel", because practically all they've got is...
"The Twilight Zone" - Well, it's got one of the guys from the decent (but too predictably morbid) new "Outer Limits" in charge...
WB - Not a whole lot that's terribly original, but at least the derivitive stuff looks good.
"Birds Of Prey" - Based on a pretty good DC Comics book, and one which can be done without a lot of goofy-looking spandex.
"The Black Sash" - A Hong Kong cop comes to the US. Hopefully, it won't get [naughty word]-ed up like "Martial Law". Star Russell Wong was pretty good in "Vanishing Son"
"Do Over" - WB's Peggy Sue Got Married rip-off.
"Family Affair" - Remake of a 60s sitcom about a bachelor caring for his brother's orphaned kids with his butler. But wait, Gary Cole is the bachelor and Tim Curry is the butler. TIM CURRY!!! This is right in his wheelhouse!
"The Lone Ranger" - Apparently, one of the ideas being thrown around for this (or the movie that's also in development) is "make Tonto a sexy woman". Not making this up.
"Lost In Oz" - An action/adventure version of Frank Baum's "Oz" books, with "Theives" cutie Melissa George.
"St. Sass" - Dear god. Delta Burke as a dorm mother at a boarding school.
Amanda Bynes comedy - I've heard great things about Amanda in Big Fat Liar, and here she goes to NYC to live with her older sister (Jennie Garth). Could work.

Only a few MUST SEE THIS NOW shows - "Dragans Of New York", "Firefly", "Zero Effect", "Keen Eddie" - and a few with actors I'll generally give a chance to. There could be surprises, but most of the shows I watch now are ones that would grab me with the synopsis.
 

Larry Geller

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Today ABC cancelled their best drama-Once And Again, and this is the shit that they plan to replace it with??

This is VERY depressing.
 

Jason Seaver

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Well, it's a horse race as to whether ABC or UPN is the dumbest broadcast network (You should see the ABC and UPN stuff I left out). Considering the amount of filler ABC airs per week, why isn't "The Funkhausers" on the air now, especially considering that recent history shows that new comedies (especially unusual ones) generally fare better when introduced mid-season?

And though I never watched "Once And Again", I at least appreciate ABC giving it a chance to have a legit finale.

Still, it's worth remembering that most of this stuff won't get picked up, and there's still a month and a half until the networks introduce their new schedules to their advertisers. It's possible that there are some pilots that haven't been reported on, casting and such could change, and there's a whole summer of tinker with the series after the pilot is picked up.
 

Mark Evans

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If ABC wants to air some good shows, I hear that Kevin Smith wants to do a clever animated comedy based on his Clerks movie :D
Oh My God! Bear is driving! How can that be!?
 

Jeff Kleist

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Maybe ABC is getting so desperite THEY'LL be the onese to pick up the Galactica revival to make up for f**king it over all those years ago

IT would be amazing if Firefly got the Sunday 9PM spot, Lord Whedon would cement his staying power (early reports is that the show is outstanding, but would we ever expect less?)
 

Scott D S

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Whoa, Kevin Smith wants to do an animated comedy based on Clerks?! Sounds like a winner! And I'm sure ABC will give it a chance. :D
 

Jason Seaver

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Maybe ABC is getting so desperite THEY'LL be the onese to pick up the Galactica revival to make up for f**king it over all those years ago
Last I heard, UPN was looking at it for Wednesdays after "Enterprise", with second runs on Sci-Fi. Considering the lack of anything else on UPN's plate and their addiction to pre-existing brands, I wouldn't be terribly surprised. Still, unless they manage to grab an ownership stake, it seems like something that could financially backfire like "Buffy", only in a big way.

Also, updated the original post to note Frank Whaley's casting in "Sun Gods", which raises my interest in the comedy a notch or two.
 

John Berggren

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So far I'm most looking forward to "Birds of Prey" and Nathan Lane's new sitcom.

With ABC's list and "CSI Miami" I was nearly convinced I was looking at an April Fools post.
 

Matthew Chmiel

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I hope to god that Jake Kasdan is involved with Zero Effect every way possible. If it does end up being good, hopefully NBC won't give it the axe like Freaks and Geeks (a show Jake Kasdan was involved with by directing a few of the episodes like the pilot). The only shows I actually want to see on that pilot list include (along with Zero Effect): Firefly, Untitled Chevy Chase Sitcom, John Doe (it has Meatloaf and hottie Azura Skye), Metro, and Sun Gods. It pisses me off that most good shows get cancelled for such shit that is on that list.
 

TonyD

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i found this old one looking for time tunnel.

looks like less then half of those shows aired and most of the rest are off the air already.
 

Paul Sandhu

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Its funny how some of those shows are cancelled or aren't doing that well.

I didn't know that "Vanished" was the original name for "Without a Trace"
 

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