2011-12 Season Network Rankings: Fox Still On Top But Down, … 
HLN Set To Air Daytime Emmy Awards 
Grant Bowler Cast As Richard Burton Opposite Lindsay Lohan … 
UPDATE: Dish Network And Broadcasters Ask Courts To Decide … 
Cannes Surprise Screening: Change Of Plans On Juan Antonio … 
Kevin Hart In Talks To Join Kevin James In ‘Valet … 
Anthony Hopkins Up For ‘Red 2′ Villain; Can … 
Cannes Conflicted Over ‘The Paperboy’ As … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘American Idol’ Posts … 
Ghost Of 2004 Hovers Over L.A. Screenings As Int’l … 
On The Road To Awards Season? Kerouac Book Finally Makes It … 
Michael Bay’s Name Pushed Paramount To Settle Injured … 
Several More New Series In Recasting Mode; Returning Ones … 
‘G.I. Joe: Retaliation’ Moving To March 2013 To … 
Directors Fortnight Says It Must “Police … 
‘Chronicle’ Helmer Josh Trank Takes On … 
Will ‘Pan Am’ Take Flight With Amazon? 
TOLDJA! ICM Management Buyout Complete 
DESPERATE: HuffPo & Oprah Team Up Now 
Hot Trailer: ‘The Great Gatsby’ 
How Did Women Pilot Writers Fare For 2012? 
REGULARLY UPDATED WITH NEW INFORMATION: With pilots starting to be delivered, more information is trickling in for the 2010-2011 season. Remember, it’s still very early and many pilots have not been screened yet. This is Round 2, updating my previous, PRIMETIME PILOT PANIC: Early Hot List, with polling from agents, executives, showrunners, producers, directors, writers, etc:
FBC is looking to pick up 3 to 5 new drama series and 3 comedies.
Dramas:
BREAKOUT KINGS: The breakout pilot so far this season with sky-high testing marks. For instance, the character played by Jimmi Simpson scored higher than any character ever tested at 20th TV, which produces the pilot.
MIDLAND: Testing was just OK. But it’s a favorite of both Fox and 20th TV. Those who’ve seen it tell me it could be a critical darling and awards contender.
RIDE-ALONG: Took a long time to cast, but Shawn Ryan’s cop drama still looks solid.
PLEADING GUILTY: There has been very little buzz on the legal drama starring Jason Isaacs. Neither the studio nor the network has seen a cut yet.
TERRA NOVA: Practically given a 13-episode order with Brannon Braga on board as showrunner.
Comedies:
TRAFFIC LIGHT: It’s been a solid green light for this Israeli import throughout pilot season. Still the frontrunner.
KEEP HOPE ALIVE: Greg Garcia’s new comedy is a go.
WILDE KINGDOM & SECURITY: Both look good on the strength of the performances of their stars, Will Arnett and Christian Slater. Wilde has not been seen by Fox yet.
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED: Tested well but hasn’t generated a lot of buzz at the network.
TAXMAN: I hear Martin Short is very good in it. Feedback on the pilot overall has not been strong, though several characters tested well on Friday night. Fox brass hasn’t seen it yet.
STRANGE BREW: Max Mutchnick and David Kohan’s pilot was converted from multi- to single-camera. Still shooting.
THE STATION: Doesn’t look good.
NIRVANA: Not going.
This network’s needs are to pick up 5 to 7 new dramas & 4-5 comedies.
Dramas:
UNDERCOVERS: The adjective people use who’ve seen J.J. Abrams’ pilot is “fantastic”. A go.
CHASE: The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama also looks like a lock.
KINDREDS: David E. Kelley’s new drama has a lot of supporters who call the project a “vintage Kelley” legal show and hail the great lead performance by Kathy Bates. It has a little less heat than the other two Warner Bros pilots, Undercovers and Chase, but still considered a likely go.
ROCKFORD FILES: NBC has been very high on this for obvious reasons (well-known franchise … David Shore as creator). The network only received the pilot this weekend, early feedback from people who have seen the cut is positive.
LOVE BITES: Cindy Chupack’s anthology series starring Becki Newton and Jordana Spiro is still hot, with NBC already trying to get freelance writers lined up in case of a series order.
THE CAPE & THE EVENT: Somehow, the high-concept drama about a former cop-turned-superhero and the conspiracy thriller got lumped together from the get-go. The network is looking to pick up only one of them. The Cape seems to have the edge at the moment.
REX IS NOT YOUR LAWYER: This off-cycle pilot staged a comeback after being pronounced dead when the network didn’t pick it up for midseason. The legal drama’s producers did more work on the pilot they had originally rushed, including adding voiceover. The reworked pilot tested well, and the project has received an order for two back-up scripts.
UNTITLED JOHN EISENDRATH: Not going.
LOLA: The Law & Order spinoff is picked up for fall.
Comedy:
OUTSOURCED & PERFECT COUPLES: The frontrunners.
THIS LITTLE PIGGY: Still hot too.
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS: Looking for a showrunner for the potential series. Well-liked at the studio. Testing went well.
NEXT: Paul Reiser’s semi-autobiographical comedy came out OK. Reiser has 7 backup scripts written — which is an advantage.
THE ADAM CAROLLA SHOW: Actually, doesn’t look too bad, according to people who’ve seen it.
NATHAN VS. NURTURE: Doesn’t look very promising.
THE PINK HOUSE: Not likely to go.
BEACH LANE: After a major recasting, with Nick Thune replacing Patton Oswalt, and the negative buzz that created, this Matthew Broderick starrer had a decent run-through. The taping is tonight.
Looking to pick up 3 to 5 new drama series and 2-3 new comedies
Drama:
HAWAII-FIVE-O & CRIMINAL MINDS SPINOFF: Continue strong.
DEFENDERS: The legal drama starring Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell is lurking right behind the above pair as a major contender.
CHAOS: The CIA drama directed by Brett Ratner still has buzz.
ATF: The procedural has been gaining buzz.
QUINTUPLETS: The adaptation of the Israeli series has supporters. The script was strong. But people tell me the concept – about grownup quintuplets – remains somewhat risky.
UNTITLED MEDICAL DRAMA: A maybe. Has John Wells as executive producer and a strong cast led by Sissy Spacek and Skeet Ulrich going for it.
Comedy:
MIKE & MOLLY: The Chuck Lorre-produced pilot had a great taping. Looks like a go.
TRUE LOVE: This ensemble relationship comedy looks very good.
BLEEP MY DAD SAID: The Twitter transplant starring William Shatner also looks very good and had a great testing.
TEAM SPITZ: Coming off a strong taping.
LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER: There were last minute punch-ups to increase the comedy quotien. And the script had to be tightened after the table read ran over by 15 minutes. But with How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas behind it, the pilot is still considered a lead contender. Hasn’t been completed yet.
HITCHED: A high-profile lead recasting is among rumored issues with the pilot. But it just finished editing and the network has not seen it yet. Early buzz from the set is that the new female lead Sara Fletcher actually was quite good and that the show is work in progress but has potential.
OPEN BOOKS: Still shooting.
Looking to pick up 3-4 new drama series and 2-4 new comedies.
Drama:
The network is way behind on getting its drama pilots, so it’s almost impossible to get a good read. But there hasn’t been a clear standout like last year’s FlashForward.
MATADORS & NO ORDINARY FAMILY & 187 DETROIT & THE WHOLE TRUTH & TRUE BLUE & BODY OF EVIDENCE & OFF THE MAP & BOSTON’S FINEST: All look good sight unseen.
GENERATION Y: Heating up again after cooling off a bit last week.
Comedy:
MR. SUNSHINE: The Matthew Perry starrer came in strong. Looks good for a pickup.
WRIGHT VS. WRONG: The Debra Messing comedy had early buzz and still looks good, but hasn’t been delivered yet.
COUPLES: Shana Goldberg-Meehan’s comedy came out well.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE: The Leah Remini starrer has potential.
FRESHMAN: ABC didn’t like the first cut but still has hopes for the project while ordering major reshoots.
SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT: Hired comedy veterans Jay Scherick and David Ronn as showrunners. There have been rewrites, and the pilot is still shooting.
HAPPY ENDINGS: Some good buzz.
WHO GETS THE PARENTS: Warming up
UNTITLED DANA GOULD: Not a perfect pilot but has potential. May not be given a chance though.
AWKWARD SITUATIONS FOR MEN: A maybe.
HOW TO BE A BETTER AMERICAN: Not looking good.
FUNNY IN FARSI: Not going.
NIKITA & HELLCATS: Both look very strong, very on-brand.
NOMADS: Dailies came in surprisingly strong, but the more male-skewing globe-trotting adventure may be hard to fit into the CW brand. The project is still hot, and I heard there may be a series future for it, with an international co-production model as a possibility. (The pilot filmed in Thailand).
THE WYOMING PROJECT: A lot of anticipation for this latest project from Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino. But the network hasn’t seen it yet.
BETWIXT & UNTITLED AMY HOLDEN JONES: Cooling off at the moment.
The cable network’s current pilot cycle coincides with the broadcast networks’. TBS is expected to announce its new series at its upfront during the same week in May just like the broadcast networks.
FRANKLIN & BASH & UNCLE NIGEL & IN SECURITY & GLORY : Of the four hour-long pilots TBS ordered, Franklin & Bash, starring Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and the Monk-esque Uncle Nigel, starring Gary Cole, have the strongest buzz. Though, with a young male appeal similar to Conan O’Brien’s, fraternity comedy Glory Daze might be considered for a lead-in.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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Is “our show” not on your list because it is semi-scripted? Larry charles has had 3 hits for nbc so I would think they would consider it seriously but it has not even been mentioned on your lists.
Yeah..why didn’t Our Show get mentioned? maybe because it was a pilot presentation….but they shot it to air…
would love to see it. Larry Charles makes great stuff.
What about my show? How could you pass over the greatest drama ever made? I mean really, what kind of an operation are you running?
Surprise. Surprise. The diversity shows like FUNNY IN FARSI aren’t getting picked up. The Networks are morons when it comes to diversity. Any diversity. As great as GOLDEN GIRLS was, do you really think the Networks would do a remake? Diversity in Hollywood is like the US Immigration Policy in D.C. Everybody talks about it, but NOBODY DOES ANYTHING.
Tartikoffs Ghost, the new JJ Abrams program, Undercovers, will have two African- American leads in it.
Sorry, I meant Ella.
The lead female in this program is BRITISH, not American. GuGu was a recurring guest on season 3 of Doctor Who and has done other BBC work as well…
Chaos has a Hispanic lead – Freddy Rodriguez. I’m really rooting for that one, nothing to do with political correctness. The premise sounds fun and the cast sounds great. Rodriguez has the presence to carry a series.
i heard quite the opposite about the Pink House. It has a young goodlooking funny cast with
Katherine McPhee and Zach Cregger from the Whitest Boys You Know. I had some friends at the taping and it was hilarious. It reminded them of Friends which I think NBC would love to have.
Funny how every table read is hilarious and kills. So to save money and give everyone a timeslot we’re going to do something different this year kids. We’re just going to tape and broadcast the table reads, to save money on sets and costumes and audiences and laugh tracks. The home viewer will love watching table reads we can even air some of them LIVE for added excitement. Even dramas can be broadcast as table reads let the home viewer imagine the location. We can then show the table reads on our websites to make and save more money. This is the future folks. Televised table reads because they’re all awesomely funny.
That may be meant sardonically but if studios’ egos could withstand it, making pilot season more publicly accessible on the internet could be an amazing PR tool. If you have a show that grabs people’s imagination, they would latch onto it and champion it through the process – even if the show goes south later on – simply because, once people are committed to something, they are loathe to admit their mistake. You’d lock in a PR army that works for free.
I attended a table-read of “The Simpsons” and it was just about the funniest thing I’d ever seen. Ten months later, I watched the episode and it sucked as bad as any other recent “Simpsons” episode. The difference was staggering.
Well it worked back in the radio days. Why not?
Traffic Light and Most Likely to Succeed are hilarious and smart. Hoping FOX picks them up and puts them on together.
Saw the taping of NBC’s “Beach Lane” last night. I was very impressed with the quality of the script, funny and with some interesting, quirky characters. Broderick was top notch, as was Nick Thune, the newcomer. I think this one will be picked up for fall and based on the pilot, has a good chance to attract an audience. The formula of a likeable proven star like Broderick and a funny, young, handsome actor like Thune, plus the power of Michaels/Klein production could prove to be a hit.
20th is really pushing “Friends With Benefits,” but the network already knows it’s not funny. And they’ve already had to re-cast. And it’s expensive. For the sake of the Imagine relationship, it’ll probably get picked up, but since there’s already this much in-fighting, they’re going to need to get rid of some people if they want it to be successful going forward.
What happened with the Station? There is so much talent involved and I had heard great things about it. Is there any chance it will get picked up? Has anyone seen it or heard anything about it?
Still think there is going to be a TON of recasting. Way too much talent on the sidelines and some of these shows are severely undercast.
Most of this hot/not stuff has to be coming from agents and the studios. If a show is lukewarm or “not going” it has to be terrible. One thing for the people buying the product ( the nets ) to be lukewarm and another for the people selling it ( agents and studios) to be lukewarm. Sellers ALWAYS oversell.
Picking up Hellcats would be a mistake. I wouldn’t watch that crap if you paid me. It will be canceled.
What’s the word on ABC’s Cutthroat? I heard they replaced Roselyn Sanchez with Mia Maestro. Any reasons why they did that? Also, again what’s the word on The Cape? I’d really like to know.
Roselyn’s accent was too thick for ABC.
1. Yeah, but she’s been on a successful show on CBS with the exact same accent on Without a Trace. 2. Most actors who have accents can fake an American accent.
I was on the set and they replaced both leads. No chemistry.
Maggie Q is on the wrong side of 30. I have a very hard time seeing the youth-obsessed CW feature a show starring all *old people*.
Nomads sounds expensive and not like a CW show at all. I could more readily see this on CBS if it skewed older. World-traveling CIA operative action show on a CW budget doesn’t sound feasible, unless somebody is willing to take massive upfront losses in the hopes that the series lasts five years and they recoup their money. Is the CW network going to even last five years?
No matter how crappy Betwixt is, it’ll be picked up just to pair it with Vampire Diaries and try to steal some Twilight glow. It could be cooling to arctic temperatures and it doesn’t matter a bit.
Current shows experiencing deep freeze recently are Gossip Girl, 90210, Melrose Place, One Tree Hill, and Life Unexpected. Since this strikes right to the heart of CW’s demo, I expect replacement/shoring up to be done. Hello Hellcats.
Wyoming Project has possibilities, but it can’t compete with young female cheerleaders in a soap format, complete with peppy cheerleading routines and Disney stars. If this were the old WB maybe. But it ain’t.
Right on. Thank you. Please start your own blog, JMO
All of the comedies from every network sound terrible. The only exception is Bleep My Dad Says. However, an above poster is right. Shatner is way too old to be starting a series. This is looking like a dismal year for comedies.
I agree. The comedies sound interchangeable and not one of them is appealing. I was holding out hope for The Station. Oh well.
Just saw a cut of “Generation Y” for ABC and I have to say it is by far the most interesting, compelling and funny drama pilot I’ve seen in some time. Really hope they give it a shot.
I hear it tested horribly. I don’t think has a shot in hell of making on the air.
How did you just see a copy of Gen Y? I just read it was submitted to nets about 48 hours ago, is it testing already? I doubt it.
Bad word of mouth on The Whole Truth. Bruckheimer went out to 8 showrunners to run the thing. They all passed, based on the premise and the pilot script. It has the stink of death attached to it now.
The premise and the pilot script aren’t the only problems. After Ben Bratt dropped out at the last minute, The Whole Truth got stuck with a problem actor with a well-deserved rep for making producers and his fellow actors miserable. No good showrunner wants anything to do with that mess of crazy. One other problem: Anyone who says that there’s chemistry between the two leads is spinning very hard indeed. The project requires an actor capable of delivering some level of comedy and character. As the dailies revealed all too harshly, this particular guy didn’t bring it.
Rob Morrow?
I agree. One of the worst things I’ve ever read.
Didn’t they already do a Hawaii Five-0 redo? With one of the actors from ER? I can’t remember, cuz they cancelled it so quickly.
Did anybody attend the test screening for the JJ Abrams directed pilot episode of Undercovers? If so, how well did it go over with the audience? What did they like/ not like about it? I say this because it seems to be getting positive buzz. I heard it being described as a cross between Alias and Hart to Hart? Is that true?
It seems to me that with these recent NBC pilots that they are going in the USA Network model. Chuck, Rex Is Not Your Lawyer, Undercovers, Parenthood all sound like USA’s brand of shows. These pilots have dramedy to them, which works so well on USA. Unfortunately, Chuck and Parenthood are in the wrong timeslots. But, if they moved Parenthood to Wednesday, it might do better. Right now, it’s competing against The Good Wife which appeals to the same audience. I think it is smart for Jeff Gaspin and Angela Bromstad to be modeling NBC like USA because that is where the success story has been lately.
this comments section could have been a source of interesting and insider buzz about the shows and their prospects, but if the crappily written and spectacularly ill-disguised spin from the makers of these pilots is anything to go by, there’s some real creative mountains to climb this year.
censor yourself. for all our sakes.
What I think NBC really needs is a mult-camera camera in the vein of “Friends.” The only one out there is “THE PINK HOUSE.” I don’t know what you’re sources are but I hear THE PINK HOUSE is super funny and the cast is the best out there. Young and funny and promotable with the adorable Katherine McPhee. That’s what Friends was, young, pretty and funny. CBS knows how to make money out of their mult-cam shows. NBC needs to do the same if they want to compete. The PINK HOUSE is their best bet.
you people do know that this is all coming from agents and studios right? execs keep their mouths shut until upfronts.
Yeah but gossip is fun and who wants to wait? Which reminds me – what was the batting average for Deadline Hollywood last year? I vaguely recall it was sorta accurate…anyone bother to save last year’s posts? Presumably it also came from agents/studios.
Glad to see Rex Is Not Your Lawyer is still being considered.
Whatever happened to that Nicole Ritchie project ABC bought? Did it go to pilot?
Why is everyone complaining about how the sitcoms sound? There plain premises, like any other sitcom from the past. And what they make out of that should be judged.
Just don’t ever know when a good thing is coming one’s way.