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EXCLUSIVE: James Murray (Chaos) and Patrick Heusinger (Royal Pains) are set to co-star in the NBC drama pilot Beautiful People. The project, written by Michael McDonald, is set in the near future in a society where humans co-exist with mechanical androids that look like people but are treated like second-class citizens. It centers on the very wealthy Lydia whose late husband founded the firm that makes Mechanicals. Murray will play her son, a handsome and very successful attorney who’s lived a rich and privileged life but makes a name for himself by publicly suggesting that Mechanicals might have civil rights — a notion that’s largely scoffed at. Heusinger will play a family man employed as a servant in Lydia’s home who is in fact a Mechanical, but after one of his daughters is killed in a car accident, he proves to be “defective” as he’s plagued with forbidden emotions like grief and loss. The pilot, co-produced by ABC Studios and Universal TV, will be directed by Stephen Hopkins.
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Sounds like a very bad Blade Runner rip-off.
Who wrote this, Stephen Hawking? Because it’s brilliant! There should be only one take on the human/robot relationship! There should be only one take on zombie invasions!! There should be only one take on families, friends, and the workplace!!! HEY EVERYONE, THIS GUY HAS FIGURED IT OUT!!!!!!!!
Holy crap! The guy posted an opinion. You didn’t catch him in bed with your wife while sexting your mom.
Put down the Red Bull…
And what from that description would make you think that? Blade Runner is about individuals trying to they you are and why they exist. This doesn’t sound anything like Blade Runner in the least.
A “bad Blade Runner ripoff” would automatically be more interesting than anything currently on network TV. We’re talking NBC, not HBO. Cheer up, at least it’s not another cop show!
Going to be interesting to see how this pilot develops and if NBC brings it to series.
A slight scifi tinge to this drama could make it just enough to stand out and be successful.
Shaun
Go Hopkins!
Reminds me a bit of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode ‘The Measure of a Man’.
Can i be a total bastard & say the concept for this show go way over the heads of some Americans.
It *might* make you a total bastard (and also completely correct). In fact, I’m sure that you are correct.
Go ahead and say it, but it’s an irrelevant statement. The notion of “the robot who wants to be human” is far from being particularly complex or difficult to relate to. It’s just Data from Star Trek, or Pinnochio from Disney. Those character types didn’t go over anyone’s head, or if they did, it didn’t stop the creators from making tons of money off them.
If NBC has commissioned the pilot, it’s pretty safe to say that it won’t be going over *anyone’s* heads.
You can be, but you only show how ignorant you are.
Wasn’t this already done by Spielberg? It’s called A.I., minus the android advocate….
Actually, that was Kubrick. Spielberg just sat in the Director’s chair following Kubrick’s VERY detailed script/notes/musings.
Is this the best NBC can do with their pilot committments? Mechanicals? Instant failure this show is going to be like ABC’s Work It.
Androids are so 20th century.
Everyone knows it would be way more efficient to just geno-fabricate a race of clones that are cognitively medicated and behaviorally conditioned to be socially submissive and inferior to “real” humans.
Androids are too expensive.
That being said, ANY new sci-fi that actually attempts to be, well, scientific, instead of just using it as a backdrop (ex.: Terra Nova), deserves a chance.
This is an old Twilight Zone episode.
So this is basically Caprica?
Do you think the son will discover he too is a robot? Ya think?
Hey!! That’s what happens on the last page of the script!!
Irobot mixed with surrogates would have worked… Notice they both have cops. Sorry NBC not interested in watching a depressed robot, a lawyer and a ceo. points for hiring someone with the last name mcdonald, though.
Sounds like a good concept, but I worry about NBC being the network. I liked BSG, Caprica, and Terminator, and this sounds like a similar type of show, but like those shows it probably won’t bring in the numbers the network wants and will get cancelled quickly.
NBC has cold feet on everything. If it doesn’t get slamming ratings within three episodes, they’ll can it and move on. They have no cajones.
LOL at the previous comments. I instantly thought Blade Runner. I’m glad you all brought up the Star Trek, Twilight Zone, A.I., and iRobot points as well.
Truth is. There are no new stories under the sun. Just ask Joseph Campbell. The truth of the story is in the telling.
I wish them luck. I miss interesting Network TV. I’m a total cable devotee.
I’ve read this pilot, and without a doubt, it is one of the best written pilots in years. Emotional, smart and very engaging. You are going to be surprised.
You need to read more.
The way people here are bitching, you’d think there was a glut of robot-centric shows on the networks and we were all sick to death of seeing this schitck beaten into the ground.
I’m happy to see a broadcast network doing anything that reminds people of Blade Runner or Caprica. Would you rather they just spew out the usual swill of cop/lawyer/doctor shows, reality TV and sitcoms? I’m happy to see A N Y T H I N G that doesn’t fit into those templates.
Robin Williams. Bicentennial Man. ‘Nuff said.
Patrick Heusinger is a diamond in the rough. I’ve been watching him for years play small rolls in many sit coms, movies and have seen his brilliance on the stage in Spamalot,Fiddler on the roof, etc. We def. need to see more of him!! He is Awesome!!!! Give him a lead role- he will run with it!
Hm, interesting! Seems to be a knock-off/ copy of the Swedish series REAL HUMANS that has premiere at Swedish Television in January 22nd. The series is sold to Shine Int.
http://svt.se/2.161944/1.2646019/information_in_english
http://www.tbivision.com/article.php?category=9&article=2490&page=1
That’s the big “surprise” on the final page of the pilot script.
Has no one heard of Isaac Asimov?
Wasn’t this a Twilight Zone? Maybe it’s supposed to be funny? Wasn’t this guy Stuart on MADTV? Yuck!