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| Pilot orders: ABC (w) - writer DRAMA TITLE: Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Tom Wheeler (w) SYNOPSIS: "Harry Potter" meets "Pan's Labyrinth." A young girl who finds a magical atlas that reveals a secret world underneath our world. TITLE: Castle (presentation) STUDIO: ABC Studios/ Beacon PRODUCTION TEAM: Andrew Marlowe (w), Armyan Bernstein, Laurie Zaks SYNOPSIS: A horror novelist is consulting for the NYPD homicide department. TITLE: The Unusuals (presentation) STUDIO: Sony Pictures TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Noah Hawley (w), Peter Tolan SYNOPSIS: A dramedy set at a New York police precinct. TITLE: Finnegan (presentation) STUDIO: ABC Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Trent Jones (w), Francie Calfo SYNOPSIS: It focuses on the organized crime/vice unit in Los Angeles, which is led by a tough female detective. TITLE: Untitled Dave Hemingson STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Dave Hemingson (w) SYNOPSIS: A legal ensemble dramedy about a newly minted law school grad from a blue-collar background who gets lured into the "job of a lifetime" with an outrageous Los Angeles boutique law firm. TITLE: Prince of Motor City STUDIO: ABC Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Jessica Goldberg (w), Hamish Linklater (w), Chris Brancato, Bert Salke SYNOPSIS: A Gothic family soap inspired by William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," which is set in the world of the Detroit auto industry. TITLE: Untitled Rob Thomas STUDIO: ABC Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Rob Thomas (w), John Barnett, Michael Larkin, Michael Goldstein, Bruce Cervi, John Lansing SYNOPSIS: Dramedy in which the matriarch of a family of criminals decides it is time for her brood to go straight when her husband ends up in the clink for five years; based of the New Zealand format "Outrageous Fortune." TITLE: Section 8 (6 episode order) STUDIO: ABC Studios/BermanBraun PRODUCTION TEAM: Zak Penn (w), Michael Karnow (w), Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun SYNOPSIS: Everyday people with exceptional neurological abilities recruited to work for a secret branch of a government agency TITLE: Life on Mars STUDIO: David E. Kelley Prods./20th Century Fox TV/Kudos PRODUCTION TEAM: David E. Kelley (w) SYNOPSIS: A story about a 21st century detective who, after a car crash, mysteriously finds himself working as a cop in the 1970s -- based on the BBC's sci-fi crime drama. CAST: Jason O'Mara, Colm Meaney COMEDY TITLE: Cupid STUDIO: ABC Studios TEAM: Rob Thomas (w) SYNOPSIS: Updated version of Thomas' short-lived 1990s comedy for ABC. TITLE: Never Better STUDIO: ABC Studios/Littlefield Co. TEAM: Dave Walpert (w), Warren Littlefield, John Heyman SYNOPSIS: A single-camera comedy that centers on a guy trying to be a good husband and father despite his somewhat misguided attempts. TITLE: Untitled Kristin Newman STUDIO: ABC Studios/DreamWorks TV TEAM: Kristin Newman (w), Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank SYNOPSIS: A single-camera comedy that centers on a thirtysomething woman who tries to break free of her overbearing and dysfunctional family, friends and boss. TITLE: Roman's Empire (presentation) STUDIO: Katalyst/Tiger Aspect/CBS Par TEAM: Al Higgins (w), Ashton Kutcher, Jason Goldberg, Karey Burke, Andrew Zein, Ben Cavey SYNOPSIS: A single-camera comedy that centers on a lovable guy who, after getting dumped by his girlfriend, tries but cannot extricate himself from her wealthy family and her outrageous father. TITLE: Bad Mother's Handbook STUDIO: ABC Studios TEAM: Jenni Konner (w), Ali Rushfield (w), Stu Bloomberg SYNOPSIS: A single-camera comedy about a 32-year-old woman too busy taking care of her 16 year-old daughter and 48 year-old mother. TITLE: Five Year Plan STUDIO: Universal Media Studios TEAM: Joe Port (w), Joe Wiseman (w) SYNOPSIS: A multicamera comedy revolving around a group of twenty-somethings who try to figure out the next five years and beyond. TITLE: The Goode Family STUDIO: MRC/3 Arts Entertainment TEAM: Mike Judge (w), John Altschuler (w), Dave Krinsky (w) SYNOPSIS: Animated comedy about a family obsessed with doing the "right" thing TITLE: Untitled Kohan/Mutchick STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Max Mutchnick (w), David Kohan (w) SYNOPSIS: Multi-camera comedy about two men -- one straight, one gay -- who are lifelong best friends and business partners Literary Superstars STUDIO: Sony Pictures TV/ABC Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Dottie Dartland Zicklin, Darren Star, Matthew Reilly (w) SYNOPSIS: Sexy and sassy literary publicist (Jenna Elfman) fights for the rights of her authors while balancing a busy social schedule CAST: Jenna Elfman TITLE: Untitled Cedric the Entertainer STUDIO: ABC Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Rock Reuben (w), Michael Soccio (w), Cedric, Eric Rhone, Ken Whittingham (d) SYNOPSIS: Family man (Cedric) who always has been the proud breadwinner has difficulty adjusting when his wife's (Regina Hall) hobby turns into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. CAST: Cedric the Entertainer, Regina Hall TITLE: The More Things Change STUDIO: Regency TV/Scarlet Fire/Green Hat Films PRODUCTION TEAM: Allan Loeb (w), Steven Pearl, Todd Phillips (d) SYNOPSIS: A quartet of male friends explore how male friendships endure through change. TITLE: This Might Hurt STUDIO: Guy Walks Into a Bar/20th Century Fox TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Jason Winer (w,d), Matthew Weinberg, Todd Komarnicki SYNOPSIS: A single-camera comedy set at a private medical practice owned by a fifty-something pediatrician with a great bedside manner but woefully old-fashioned methods, his brainy internist son with whom he's in constant conflict, and an OBGYN who has an inherent distrust of all men. |
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| Pilot Orders: CBS (w) = writer (d) = director DRAMA TITLE: Exit 19 (presentation) STUDIO: Paramount Network TV/ABC Studiso PRODUCTION TEAM: Jeff Bell (w), Gene Stein, Nina Wass SYNOPSIS: Geena Davis stars as a quirky homicide detective on the mean streets of Manhattan who also is a single mom to two kids in the Long Island suburbs. CAST: Geena Davis, Matthew Lillard TITLE: The Mentalist STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Bruno Heller (w), David Nutter (d) SYNOPSIS: A mentalist (Simon Baker) uses his skills of observation to solve crimes as an independent detective working with the police. CAST: Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Owain Yeoman, Shaun Toub, Amanda Righetti, Tim Kang TITLE: Ny-Lon STUDIO: ABC Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Patti Carr (w), Lara Runnels (w), Rob Pursey, Armyan Bernstein, Laurie Zaks, Chris Coelen, Larry Shaw (d) SYNOPSIS: A female New York record store clerk (Elisha Cuthbert) and a male London stock broker (Will Kemp) embark on a cross-continental romance -- based on a British series. CAST: Elisha Cuthbert, Will Kemp, Caterina Scorsone, Johnny Whitworth TITLE: Mythological Ex STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Diane Ruggiero (w), Jonathan Levin, Timothy Busfield (d) SYNOPSIS: After learning from a psychic that she already has dated the man she's supposed to marry, a woman (Elizabeth Reaser) revisits all her past relationships in the hopes of finding him; based on an Israeli format. CAST: Elizabeth Reaser, Rachel Boston TITLE: Can Openers (pilot presentation) STUDIO: Sony Pictures TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Elle Johnson (w), Jim Serpico SYNOPSIS: Centers on a twenty-something woman (Lauren Lee Smith) and her fellow residents who fight to survive the intensely competitive boys club that is the seven-year neurosurgical residency. CAST: Lauren Lee Smith, Omar Gooding, Jay Hernandez, Eion Bailey, Ben Feldman TITLE: The Meant to Be's STUDIO: CBS Paramount Network TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Glenn Gordon Caron (w) SYNOPSIS: Romantic drama about a young woman (Amy Smart) who dies, but in order to "pass over," she must return to Earth and help people improve their lives. CAST: Amy Smart, Ioan Gruffudd TITLE: Eleventh Hour STUDIO: Jerry Bruckheimer Television/Warner Bros./Granada PRODUCTION TEAM: Mick Davis (w), Jonathan Littman SYNOPSIS: A special science adviser to the government saves people from the worst abuses of science. CAST: Rufus Sewell, Marley Shelton TITLE: Flashpoint (series order) STUDIO: CTV/Avmar Entertainment/Pink Sky Entertainment PRODUCTION TEAM: Stephanie Morgenstern. Anne Marie La Traverse, Mark Ellis, Bill Mustos SYNOPSIS: A struggling artist is recruited by a secret agency to fight comic book-type villains; developed by and shared with Canada's CTV. TITLE: The Tower (presentation) STUDIO: CBS Paramount Network TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Meredith Stiehm (w), Davis Guggenheim (d) SYNOPSIS: A group of Chicago reporters treat breaking news as cases to be both investigated and solved. TITLE: Harper's Island (presentation) STUDIO: CBS Paramount Network TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Ari Schlossberg (w), Jon Turteltaub (d), Karim Zriek, Dan Shotz SYNOPSIS: A horror story unfolds over the course of a season as a group of friends meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding. CAST: Elaine Cassidy, Ryan Merriman, Samantha Noble COMEDY TITLE: Oldyweds STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Shana Goldberg-Meehan SYNOPSIS: A couple in their mid-30s get engaged and find that getting married can be more complicated when you already have a full life. TITLE: Untitled Ed Yeager STUDIO: ABC Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Ed Yeager, Ric Swartzlander SYNOPSIS: A middle-class dad tries to navigate new waters with his kids, his ex and his newfound romantic life. TITLE: Mike Birbiglia's Secret Public Journal STUDIO: CBS Paramount Network TV PRODUCTION TEAM: Mike Birbiglia, Andrew Secunda (w) SYNOPSIS: Birbiglia stars as a stand-up comedian who lives with his girlfriend in Brooklyn and struggles in his efforts to be a grown up, have a relationship, and do the right things in his daily life; based on Birbiglia's blog. TITLE: Worst Week STUDIO: Universal Media Studios, U.K.'s Hat Trick Prods. PRODUCTION TEAM: Matt Tarses (w), Marc Buckland (d), Jimmy Mulville SYNOPSIS: Young couple must navigate the politics of their soon-to-be in-laws during a family holiday -- based on the BBC series "The Worst Week of My Life." CAST: Kyle Bornheimer, Erinn Hayes, Kurtwood Smith, Nancy Lenehan TITLE: Single White Millionaire STUDIO: Warner Bros. Television PRODUCTION TEAM: Ricky Blitt (w) SYNOPSIS: Multi-camera comedy about an unassuming millionaire (Fred Savage) in his thirties who is ready to settle down. CAST: Fred Savage TITLE: My Best Friend's Girl STUDIO: Sony Pictures Television PRODUCTION TEAM: Mike Sikowitz (w) SYNOPSIS: The relationship between two male best friends becomes complicated when one starts dating the other's ex-wife. CAST: Tim Peper, Josh Cooke, Jennie Garth, Eric Ladin **"The Kingdom" and "Ex Life" are no longer going forward at CBS |
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| Pilot Orders: Fox (w) = writer (d) = director DRAMA TITLE: Courtroom K STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV TEAM: Paul Attanasio (w) SYNOPSIS: Darkly comedic courtroom drama in the vein of "House," which is set in a Milwaukee Superior Court and revolves around a judge, a prosecutor and a public defender. TITLE: The Oaks (series commitment) STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV TEAM: David Schulner (w) , Shawn Ryan, Gina Matthews, Grant Scharbo, Michael Cuesta (w) SYNOPSIS: Follows the lives of three families, in different time periods, who all occupy the same house haunted by a restless spirit. CAST: Sienna Guillory, Matt Lanter, Shannon Lucio, Romy Rosemont, Michael Rispoli TITLE: Fringe (series commitment) STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV/Bad Robot TEAM: J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci (w), Alex Kurtzman (w) SYNOPSIS: Young, tough FBI agent is forced to confront the spread of unexplained phenomena and work with a XX scientist and his son CAST: Anna Torv, John Noble, Joshua Jackson TITLE: Queen B (series commitment) STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV TEAM: Ryan Murphy (w), Richard Levine (w), Lyn Greene (w) SYNOPSIS: Female workplace drama TITLE: Dollhouse (seven-episode order) STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV TEAM: Joss Whedon (w) SYNOPSIS: A group of men and women who are imprinted with different personalities for different assignments CAST: Eliza Dushku, Olivia Williams, Tahmoh Penikett, Fran Kranz, Dichen Lachman, Enver Gjokaj TITLE: Untitled Samuel Baum STUDIO: Imagine Television/20th Century Fox TV TEAM: Brian Grazer, David Nevins, Samuel Baum (w) SYNOPSIS: A man adept at reading facial expressions and body language to determine whether someone is telling the truth pairs up with a female clinical psychologist and together, they help solve mysteries for the police as well as their private clients. TITLE: Inseparable STUDIO: ABC Television Studios TEAM: Shaun Cassidy (ep/w) SYNOPSIS: A modern-day Jekyll and Hyde tale about a partially paralyzed forensic psychiatrist (Toby Stephens) with a split personality whose alter ego is a charismatic criminal. CAST: Toby Stephens COMEDY TITLE: The Inn STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV/Reveille/Principato-Young PRODUCTION TEAM: Abraham Higginbotham (w), Peter Principato, Paul Young, Brian Dobbins, Jason Bateman (d) SYNOPSIS: "Upstairs/Downstairs" set at a hip New York hotel CAST: Niecy Nash TITLE: Outnumbered STUDIO: MRC/Hat Trick Prods. TEAM: Larry Levin (w), Bryan Gordon (d) SYNOPSIS: Parents struggle to raise three intelligent and curious children -- based on a British series. TITLE: The Pitts (table read) STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV TEAM: Mike Scully (w), Julie Thacker-Scully (w) SYNOPSIS: Animated comedy based on Fox’s 2003 live-action comedy series about the unluckiest family in the world. CAST: Allison Janney, Dylan Baker, Lizzy Caplan, Andy Milonakis TITLE: Night Life aka Saint of Circumstance STUDIO: ABC Studios TEAM: Adam Braff (w), Zach Braff (d), Emile Levisetti SYNOPSIS: Centers on Wayne (David Denman), a man going through a midlife crisis who quits his dead-end office job to be a paramedic on the night shift CAST: David Denman, Bruno Campos TITLE: Sit Down, Shut Up STUDIO: Tantamount/Sony Pictures TV/Granada USA PRODUCTION TEAM: Mitch Hurwitz, Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum SYNOPSIS: Animated comedy about the lives of seven staff members at a high school in a small northeastern fishing town who are preoccupied with their own needs and agendas, which means the students always come second -- based on the live-action Australian series. TITLE: Spaced STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV/Wonderland Sound and Vision/Granada America TEAM: Adam Barr (w), McG, Peter Johnson, Robert Green, Charles Stone (d) SYNOPSIS: Revolves around two strangers (Sara Rue, Josh Lawson) who pose as a married couple in order to rent an apartment and become intimately involved with the other misfits in the building -- based on a British series. CAST: Sara Rue, Josh Lawson, Will Sasso, Federico Dordei, Yara Martinez TITLE: Starting Under (series commitment) STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV TEAM: Bruce Helford (w) , Andy Ackerman (d) , Deborah Oppenheimer SYNOPSIS: Multi-camera comedy focusing on a larger-than-life and opinionated man (Bernie Mac) who, after a divorce, finds himself living with and working for his introverted twenty-something son (Bert Belasco). CAST: Bernie Mac, Bert Belasco TITLE: Don't Bring Frank STUDIO: Sony Pictures Television, BBC Worldwide Prods. TEAM: Philip Stark (ep/w), Ian Moffitt (ep), Paul Telegdy (ep), SYNOPSIS: Frank Spencer is an overly energetic, under-coordinated guy whose every move precipitates havoc -- based on a British format. TITLE: Boldly Going Nowhere (pilot +five scripts; to be shot in November) STUDIO: 20th Century Fox TV, RCG, 3 Arts Entertainment PRODUCTION TEAM: Rob McElhenney (w), Charlie Day (w), Glenn Howerton (w), Adam Stein (w), Michael Rotenberg, Nick Frenkel SYNOPSIS: A high-concept comedy about what happens day to day on an intergalactic spaceship helmed by a rogue captain. |
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| Pilot Orders: CW (w) = writer DRAMA TITLE: Beverly Hills, 90210 Spinoff STUDIO: CBS Paramount Network TV TEAM: Rob Thomas (w), Mark Piznarski SYNOPSIS: Contemporary spinoff of "Beverly Hills, 90210" CAST: Dustin Milligan TITLE: Austin Golden Hour STUDIO: 19 Entertainment, CBS Paramount Network TV TEAM: Simon Fuller, Lance Gentile (w), Mal Young (w) SYNOPSIS: A real-time medical drama that follows a close-knit team of young emergency room surgeons and emergency medical technicians in Austin during the critical, adrenaline-filled 60 minutes immediately following a trauma, known as "the golden hour." The project also will focus on the personal lives and rivalries of the surgeons and EMTs. CAST: Justin Hartley TITLE: How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls STUDIO: Warner Bros. TV/Alloy Entertainment PRODUCTION TEAM: Rina Mimoun (w) , Leslie Morgenstein, Bob Levy SYNOPSIS: Yale-educated young woman (Joanna Garcia) is hired to be the live-in tutor/life coach to two rich heiresses (Lucy Hale, Ashley Newbrough) in Palm Beach; based on Alloy's book. CAST: Michael Cassidy, Joanna Garcia, Lucy Hale, Ashley Newbrough TITLE: Wrecking Ball STUDIO: Fox TV Studios PRODUCTION TEAM: Richard Hatem (w), Ross Fineman SYNOPSIS: A handsome guy from a powerful political family teams up with his female former campaign aide to use methods outside the "system" in order to to help the little guy. |
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| thank God for Joss is all I can say. |
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| TITLE: Castle (presentation) STUDIO: ABC Studios/ Beacon PRODUCTION TEAM: Andrew Marlowe (w), Armyan Bernstein, Laurie Zaks SYNOPSIS: A horror novelist is consulting for the NYPD homicide department. |
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| NBC Universal has signed a deal with Stan Rogow, Brent Friedman and Jeff Sagansky's Electric Farm Entertainment for the domestic rights to their upcoming Internet SF series Gemini Division, starring Rosario Dawson, according to The Hollywood Reporter. NBC U also has acquired the rights to Electric Farm's next scripted online series, the zombie comedy Woke Up Dead. Sony Pictures TV International has come aboard to co-produce and distribute the two series internationally on mobile, broadband and traditional TV. Under the deal with NBC Universal Digital Studio, the 50 three-minute episodes of Gemini and Dead will run on various company Web sites, including NBC.com. Gemini, eyed for a late-summer launch, stars Dawson as a New York cop who uncovers a global conspiracy involving the creation of simulated life forms that have assimilated into an unsuspecting population. Dead centers on a USC student who wakes up underwater in the bathtub one morning and suspects that he might be dead. |
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| Alan Tudyk is set to star in ABC’s untitled Kohan/Mutchnick comedy pilot, while Andrea Parker and newcomer Silvana Arias have joined Bernie Mac’s Fox series "Starting Under." Additionally, Josh Dean, Vanessa Lengies and Hayes MacArthur have been cast in ABC’s comedy pilot "This Might Hurt," The untitled Kohan/Mutchick comedy, from Warner Bros. TV, centers on two men — one straight, one gay (Tudyk) — who are lifelong best friends and business partners. Tudyk, who recently starred in NBC’s untitled Luke Reiter pilot and the features "3:10 to Yuma" and "Knocked Up," is repped by Endeavor and manager Geordie Frey. "Under," from WBTV, stars Mac as a larger-than-life man who, after a divorce, has to live with and work for his twentysomething son, Bernard (Bert Belasco). Parker is set to play Jada, a single, hard-working, blue-collar employee of Bernard’s who develops an interestingly complicated relationship with him. Arias will play Rosa, a Guadalajara native who clashes with Mac when he accuses her — accurately — of being an illegal immigrant. APA-repped Parker is best known for her roles on NBC’s "The Pretender" and ABC’s "Less Than Perfect." Silvana ("Passions") began her career in the Latin market, starring on several Telemundo shows before making the move to Los Angeles. She is repped by Sovereign Talent Agency and Gilbertson Entertainment. "Hurt," from 20th TV, is a semiscripted comedy set at a medical practice run by a fiftysomething pediatrician and his brainy internist son (Dean) and an OBGYN. Lengies will play Lily, the new receptionist at the clinic who is sweet, naive and disarmingly sincere. MacArthur ("The Game Plan") has signed on as Reid, a handsome, slightly dim-bulb nurse who runs a secret gambling operation out of his nursing station. Dean, star of Fox’s comedy "Free Ride," recently wrapped the indie film "Young People F***ing." He is repped by Gersh and manager Jerry Silverhardt. Lengies ("American Dreams") is repped by Gersh and the Burstein Co. |
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| From Zap2it.com Nathan Fillion has apparently enjoyed his time working at ABC, because he’s signed on to a pilot at the network. Alyssa Milano and Aunjanue Ellis have also joined ABC projects, while Tom Hollander is booked on a CBS dramedy. Fillion, who’s had a recurring role on "Desperate Housewives" this season as Dana Delany’s husband, will star in a presentation called "Castle," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The "Drive" and "Firefly" star will play a mystery novelist who consults with the NYPD on difficult cases. His credits also include "Waitress," "Miss Match" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Milano, meanwhile, is attached to a comedy from writer Kristin Newman ("That ’70s Show," "How I Met Your Mother"). She’ll play a woman who’s trying to break free of her dysfunctional family, toxic friends and annoying boss. The former "Charmed" star is currently in a recurring part on NBC’s "My Name Is Earl" and starring in the feature film "Pathology," which is in limited release. Also at ABC, Ellis ("Ray," "Justice") will co-star in "Prince of Motor City," a "Hamlet"-inspired drama co-written by "Old Christine’s" Hamish Linklater. She’ll play a board member of the car company at the center of the series. Over at CBS, Hollander has joined "The Meant to Be’s," about a dead woman (Amy Smart) who must return to Earth and help people get their lives back on track before she can escape limbo. Hollander ("Gosford Park," "Pirates of the Caribbean : At World’s End") will play the rule-bending head of heaven’s Fate office. |
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| Legendary comic-book creator and writer Stan Lee provided SCI FI Wire with details about recently announced multimedia projects. Lee, though his company POW! Entertainment, is collaborating with the Japanese anime company Studio Bones on a television series called Hero Man, with manga veteran Hiroyuki Takei on the comic book Karakuridoji Ultimo . "I have created a new character called Hero Man, who is a robot, and there's a whole cast of characters, including boys and girls and heroes and villains and incidental characters," Lee said in an interview. "I give them the basic story, and they write the script in their own style, which is a little bit different from the way we would write one. Then they send me the storyboards, and we go over them. It's really a joy to work on. ... It's a learning experience for me and I imagine for them, too." Karakuridoji Ultimo pairs Lee with Takei, who's best known for creating Shaman King. "I am so really flattered to be working with him and to get equal billing with him, because he's about the best there is," Lee said. "The things he's done have really been so successful. I can't wait until this thing is finished, because I think it's going to be great." |
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| SF Series Likely This Fall As the TV networks prepare for scaled-back upfront presentations to advertisers in New York next month, Variety speculated on which SF&F series will make the fall schedule, including Joss Whedon's Dollhouse and J.J. Abrams' Fringe on Fox. Dollhouse, starring Whedon's former Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast member Eliza Dushku, already has an episodic order, as does Fringe, which has a series commitment, the trade paper reported. Fox is also reportedly fond of the SF spoof comedy Boldy Going Nowhere, but a pilot won't be shot until long after the upfront. Hot projects at CBS are said to include the psychic drama The Mentalist and Jerry Bruckheimer's SF series 11th Hour, which is already hiring staff writers. At ABC, David E. Kelley's reboot of the U.K. time-travel drama Life on Mars is a contender for a 2008-'09 slot. |
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| Networks generous with renewals Some shows will get second chances despite ratings By James Hibberd "Shark" For broadcast series still hoping for a renewal, last week was rough sledding. CBS' "Shark" and ABC's "Women's Murder Club" returned to post about a 2.0 rating among adults 18 to 49, joining low-rated outings by fellow bubble shows "Moonlight" (CBS), "Boston Legal" (ABC) and "Reaper" (The CW). But with most scripted series struggling from a writers strike ratings hangover, the networks seem inclined to give some of the lagging shows a second chance this fall. Here's how things stand: -- "Men in Trees": Producers of ABC's drama were recently told the show will not return for a third season. Last year, the show scored a surprising early renewal, but last month averaged only about a 1.6 demo rating. -- "Boston Legal": A recent episode of "Legal" hit a series low but, then again, what show hasn't? Given a strong lead-in, "Legal" tends to hold a reliable number. It's also an Emmy darling. A likely pickup. -- "Reaper": The word on CW's cult-favorite supernatural dramedy has turned unexpectedly positive. Though recent episodes have pulled about a 1.1 rating, the CW needs a suitable Thursday night partner for "Supernatural" as next season is expected to be the last for "Smallville." Plus, after adding DVR use, "Reaper" ratings often climb a higher percentage than any other series, and CW executives are fond of the show. -- "Shark": Another network might be inclined to give this drama another chance, but CBS sets a high ratings bar for pickups and "Shark" has a tough time clearing it. Industry oddsmakers are pessimistic about a fall return. -- "The New Adventures of Old Christine": With CBS' Monday night comedy block continuing to perform strong while other returning shows crash, the network is considering opening up another night of comedy. If so, the net is going to need "Christine." As for "How I Met Your Mother," a pickup is considered a given. -- "Moonlight": Since returning post-strike, "Moonlight" remains the weakest link in CBS' Friday night lineup. Yet the vampire drama continues to win its time period. A pickup is all but certain. -- "Eli Stone": and "Women's Murder Club" The bubbliest of the bubble shows, "Stone" has split industry opinions. The season finale scored only a 2.0 rating. Yet ABC likes the show and the network has a history of giving a second chance to modestly rated freshman series ("Trees," "What About Brian"). If ABC picks up "Stone," a renewal for similarly rated "Murder Club" becomes less likely. -- "Cashmere Mafia" and "October Road": With uninspiring ratings and stars of both ABC shows posed to move to other projects, a return appears unlikely. |
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| From Hollywoodreporter.com Stability seems to be the key word for the broadcast networks’ schedules this year, as things are beginning to come into focus five days before the annual upfront presentations. ABC, which is returning the largest slate of freshman series and opted to produce most of its pilots after the upfronts, is expected to add only a couple of new series to its fall lineup. Rumored as potential new series announcements are Ashton Kutcher’s reality game "Opportunity Knocks," David E. Kelley’s drama "Life on Mars" and the NBC import "Scrubs." "Opportunity," from Katalyst and 3 Ball and hosted by 3 Balls’ JD Roth, is a game show taken to the contestants’ homes. The crew will arrive at a family’s home with stacks of cash and a semi-truck loaded with plasma TVs, furniture and other items the family members can win by answering trivia questions about their lives and about items found in and around their home. Kutcher and Roth are exec producing with Jason Goldberg, Karey Burke and Todd A. Nelson. "Mars," which had been dormant since the pilot was shot last summer, has gained momentum in the past week and appears close to a series pickup, with "October Road" creators Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg — all repped by Endeavor — in talks to come on board as exec producers and ABC Studios in talks with 20th TV to join as a co-producer. However, sources indicated that no deals can be made without the blessing of Kelley, who created the U.S. version of the British series and owns the rights to it. Kelley is currently reevaluating his involvement in the project, starring Jason O’Mara as a 21st century cop transported to the 1970s, as it goes forward. With so few new additions, ABC’s schedule is expected to remain relatively intact, including a redo of the successful freshman Wednesday lineup of "Pushing Daisies," "Private Practice" and "Dirty Sexy Money" from the fall. Over at Fox, J.J. Abrams "Fringe" looks like a lock after an enthusiastic response from the network’s brass during the weekend. Fox already has given its blessing for staffing to begin on the Warner Bros. TV-produced sci-fi drama. "Fringe," which has the scope of Abrams’ "Lost," is rumored for a fall launch as a key weapon in Fox’s effort to shake off its fourth-quarter ratings blues. It could be paired with "Prison Break" or "Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles." Fox’s other high-profile new entry, Joss Whedon’s "Dollhouse," which is still in production, is eyed for midseason. Meanwhile, the Bernie Mac starrer "Starting Under," which also was delivered to the network during the weekend, looks good to join Fox’s multicamera comedies "Back to You" and " ’Til Death." Also set to be hot at Fox are comedies "Outnumbered" and "Spaced." Generating strong buzz at CBS are dramas "The Mentalist," "Eleventh Hour," "Mythological Ex" and the untitled Geena Davis project. The biggest question marks at CBS are whether the network will make the summer moves of "Without a Trace" to 10 p.m. Tuesday and "Cold Case" to 10 p.m. Sunday permanent. That would open the desirable post-"CSI : Crime Scene Investigation" spot for the launch of a new drama. The CW is mulling keeping its new Monday lineup of "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill" intact. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" spinoff is being considered as an 8 p.m. anchor Tuesday night, to be followed by one of its drama prospects, "How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls" or "Austin Golden Hour." Wednesday is expected to be all reality, led by stalwart "America’s Next Top Model," while Friday and Sunday would be dominated by repurposed series. |
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| From Hollywoodreporter.com ABC ensemble set in L.A. law firm Morena Baccarin has landed the female lead in ABC’s untitled Dave Hemingson drama pilot, while Steve Howey and Lee Thompson Young have come aboard ABC’s comedy pilot "Five Year Plan." Additionally, Ruben Santiago-Hudson has joined ABC’s drama pilot "Castle." The Hemingson project, from 20th TV, is an ensemble about a law school grad (Matt Long) from a blue-collar background who joins a Los Angeles boutique law firm. Baccarin ("Heartland") will play another new associate at the firm, a scrupulous Beverly Hills born and bred. She is repped by ICM and the Collective. "Plan," from UMS, is a multicamera comedy revolving around a group of twentysomethings who try to figure out the next five years and beyond. Howey ("Reba") is playing Mickey, a law school grad engaged to be married. Young ("Akeelah and the Bee") is playing the roommate to Mickey’s older brother. He is repped by WMA and Rain Management. "Castle," from ABC Studios, is a comedic procedural about a famous mystery novelist (Nathan Fillion) helping the NYPD solve crimes. Santiago-Hudson ("Lackawanna Blues") will play a police chief. He is repped by Gersh and Vincent Cirrincione. |
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| From Hollywoodreporter.com ’Private Practice’ adds showrunners Robert Rovner and Jon Cowan have been tapped as executive producers/showrunners on ABC’s drama "Private Practice." The ICM-repped writers succeed Marti Noxon, who was brought on to run the show for its freshman season and is now moving on to other projects. Creator Shonda Rhimes will remain the lead creative voice of the "Grey’s Anatomy" spinoff, which was renewed for a second season. While there is little intrigue about ABC’s upfront presentation — expected to feature only a couple of new scripted entries, drama "Life on Mars" and comedy "Scrubs" — the guessing game continues about what pilots will make the cut at CBS and Fox. Dramas "Eleventh Hour" and "The Mentalist" continue to lead the pack at CBS, with "Mythological Ex" and the Geena Davis project still looking good. Gaining momentum are Meredith Stiehm’s "The Tower" as well as the Jon Turteltaub-directed serialized horror drama, which is eyed for a limited order. The untitled Ed Yeager and "Worst Week" are getting buzz on the comedy side, with "My Best Friend’s Girl" and the untitled Mike Birbiglia project also in the running. On the bubble show front, "The Unit" is said to be moving closer to a renewal. Drama "Fringe," which already is staffed, continues to be the surest bet at Fox, along with Joss Whedon’s "Dollhouse." Meanwhile, the network has passed on high-concept drama "The Oaks," which is being shopped around by 20th TV. Aside from the "Family Guy" spinoff "Cleveland," things are said to be up in the air on the comedy side, with the Bernie Mac starrer "Staring Under," "Spaced," "The Inn," as well as cartoons "Sit Down, Shut Up" and "The Pitts" under consideration. |
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| The Fox broadcasting network gave a series order for J.J. Abrams' SF drama Fringe for the fall, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Fox's other marquee new SF series, Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, which has a seven-episode order, is expected to launch midseason, the trade paper reported. As expected, Fox canceled the midseason supernatural series New Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Fox set Peter Berg to direct and executive-produce Virtuality, a two-hour SF pilot from Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun. |
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| CBS Picks Up SF&F Pilots CBS has given series orders to three pilots with supernatural themes for the 2008 fall television season, Variety reported. The most talked-about drama property is 20th Century Fox TV's The Ex List, based on an Israeli series about a woman who is warned by a tarot card reader that she needs to get married soon to a man who she's already known in her life. Diane Ruggiero (Veronica Mars) penned the pilot, which stars Elizabeth Reaser (Grey's Anatomy). The network's schedule will include another British TV adaptation, the thriller Eleventh Hour, about a government investigator probing cases involving scientific anomalies. Rufus Sewell stars in Jerry Bruckheimer-produced series for Warner Brothers TV. British writer Mick Davis handled the U.S. adaptation. Also from Warner Brothers TV is The Mentalist, from writer Bruno Heller. It stars Simon Baker (Land of the Dead) as man who uses his innate powers of deduction to aid police. |
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| From Whedon.info Fox isn’t expected to mess with its fall schedule — but that didn’t stop it from kicking off a flurry of pickup activity over the weekend. Net is expected to continue the playbook from this past year : Keep new entries at bay until midseason, when "American Idol" can help bolster those new shows. Among the greenlights : The J.J. Abrams entry "Fringe," which follows the exploits of a young female FBI agent who tackles unexplained medical and scientific phenomena. Hour-long skein could potentially be paired with "Sarah Connor Chronicles" on Monday nights — a high-octane night for Fox, which also will bring back "24" and "Prison Break," perhaps on the same night, later this season. Also coming in midseason — and perhaps also on the night — Joss Whedon’s highly anticipated "Dollhouse," which already had an episodic order heading into the upfronts. Meanwhile, there’s a good chance Fox will opt to stick with comedies on Wednesday, with "’Til Death" returning for a third season at 8 p.m., followed by a new entry at 8:30 p.m. (now that "Back to You" has been axed by the net). "’Til Death" was originally considered a long shot for renewal, but the casting of "Curb Your Enthusiasm’s" J.B. Smoove brought new attention to the show. At 8:30, contenders include "The Inn." Multicamera comedy, starring Niecy Nash and Jerry O’Connell, is described as an "Upstairs, Downstairs"-esque vehicle set in a hip Gotham hotel. "Inn" hails from scribe Abraham Higginbotham ("Arrested Development"), 20th Century Fox TV, Reveille and Principato-Young Entertainment. Its pilot was helmed by former "Arrested" star Jason Bateman. Also on the comedy front, Fox is still mulling the fate of "Starting Under," the half-hour starring Bernie Mac about a blue-collar man who’s forced to work for his son when he business closes. It’s still uncertain whether exec producer Bruce Helford plans to depart the show, or if a new team will join him on the show — which had a 13-episode order. Net is said to still be high on Mac, who spent several years on Fox earlier this decade. Gordon Ramsay-fronted reality skein "Kitchen Nightmares" also might end up on the night. Speaking of reality, Fox isn’t expected to launch any new entries in the fall. But the net already has several up its sleeves : Besides "Nightmares," theres "Moment of Truth," "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader" and "Don’t Forget the Lyrics." (Of course, all bets are off in January, when "American Idol" returns). As for animation, beyond the "Family Guy" spinoff "The Cleveland Show," pick ups include "Class Dismissed" (previously titled "Sit Down, Shut Up") From Sony Pictures TV and 20th Century Fox TV, show is exec produced by Mitchell Hurwitz and features Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler and Nick Kroll among its voice cast. Toon vets Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein have also been recruited as exec producers. |
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| Life on Mars 'will be US series' US network ABC has decided to press ahead with a full series of time-travel drama Life on Mars, which is being remade for American TV, reports say. A pilot episode was written by Ally McBeal creator David E Kelley, who had bought the rights to the show. The Hollywood Reporter said ABC had now ordered an extended run, with Irish actor Jason O'Mara in the lead role. The programme starred John Simm and Philip Glenister when it was originally shown in the UK. O'Mara will take Simm's role as a modern-day police officer who is transported back to the 1970s. The original version of Life on Mars won a Bafta last year and the finale of the show was seen by more than seven million people in April 2007. It spawned a sequel - Ashes to Ashes, set in the 1980s - starring Glenister, who has now signed up to appear in a second series. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Producers of "How I Met Your Mother," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Rules of Engagement" and "The Unit" can stop biting their nails -- CBS has renewed all four skeins. But fans of "Moonlight" are going to be up in arms because the Eye has passed on a sophomore sesh of the vampire drama starring Alex O'Loughlin. A third-season renewal of "Mother," from 20th Century Fox TV, was never really in doubt, given its buzzworthy status and its ratings momentum during the past two months since its post-strike return. "Old Christine" was on the fence for a while, and ABC let it be known that if CBS were to pass on a third season the Julia Louis-Dreyfus starrer it would nab the Warner Bros. TV show. "Rules of Engagement," from Sony Pictures TV, was also a fence-sitter but is known to have its fans at the Eye. "The Unit," from 20th Century Fox TV, is seen as a durable performer that has done respectable business wherever it has run. In fact, the delay in the renewal of "Unit" was something of a surprise. "Moonlight," meanwhile, was done in by a combination of factors. It's understood that Eye execs were not impressed with the show's creative development, and there was much drama and turnover behind the scenes among producers and scribes. The final straw was the show's middling ratings perf during the past few weeks after its post-strike return. |
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ABC announces fall schedule ABC will launch this fall with perhaps the most stable schedule of any network in years. As expected, Alphabet web revealed a fall 2008 lineup that looks a lot like its fall 2007 sked - and that’s by design. Just two new series made it on the sked: A revised U.S. adaptation of hit BBC thriller “Life on Mars,” and Ashton Kutcher-produced reality skein “Opportunity Knocks.” Otherwise, ABC’s Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday skeds look the same, while Thursday has just one tweak, the arrival of the frosh “Mars.” "We're returning our dominant core group of shows from last fall," McPherson said. "The few openings we had we've filled with the kind of quality programming viewers have come to expect from ABC, and we have a very strong bench." Meeting with reporters Tuesday morning, McPherson revealed that “Boston Legal,” which narrowly scored a pickup, would end its run after a final, 13-episode season. “Legal” returns in part because Kelley - who owned the U.S. rights to “Mars” - agreed to let the frosh show continue without his involvement. The prolific scribe is now set to pen most of “Legal’s” remaining episodes, McPherson said. Meanwhile, “Life on Mars” will indeed go through some changes - including a few cast shuffles, and several reshot scenes. One large conceptual piece of the show will also change under new exec producers Josh Applebaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg, McPherson said. Launching in the plum post- “Grey’s Anatomy” slot, the twisty time-travel storyline on “Mars” seems even more natural given the show it will temporarily replace: The twisty time-travel adventures of “Lost,” which is back in midseason (time slot still to be determined). Also new to ABC, as expected, is "Scrubs," which just finished up its seven-year run on NBC. Show - which has been picked up for 18 episodes -- will air Tuesdays at 9 pm in the winter, when the "Dancing with the Stars" results show goes on hiatus. ABC repped a better home for “Scrubs,” McPherson said, “given that their (old) network rarely promoted them at all,” he said. “It’s a great addition for us and helps as we expand our comedy brand.” McPherson said “Scrubs” exec producer Bill Lawrence has already pitched several new plot points, including a new chief of medicine character. The entire cast will be back, including Zach Braff and Sarah Chalke. "Scrubs" will be paired with new animated half-hour "The Goode Family," from Mike Judge, John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky. Also already ordered for midseason: The untitled Tyra Banks/Ashton Kutcher pageant-themed reality show, which will air Mondays at 8 during the "Dancing" break. “According to Jim” and ABC News’ “Primetime: What Would You Do?” are on the bench as well. Beyond that, ABC still has 17 pilots that remain in contention for midseason. McPherson said the Alphabet will probably pick up additional shows in two cycles: Comedies may be ordered by August, with dramas picked up in September. That would allow for some additional half-hours to be in the mix and ready to go as soon as November, if needed. Shows not returning include “Oprah’s Big Give,” which McPherson said was “not something (Oprah Winfrey) wanted to continue.” Also not returning: “Big Shots,” “Carpoolers,” “Cashmere Mafia,” “Cavemen,” “Men In Trees,” “Miss/Guided,” “Notes from the Underbelly,” “October Road” and “Women’s Murder Club.” Alphabet went into the upfronts with most of its major freshman entries renewed for next year. What’s more, most of the Alphabet net’s pilots have yet to be shot - and McPherson made it clear that he wouldn’t schedule any new shows without first seeing some tape. “I’m a huge believer in the R&D of this business,” McPherson said. ABC’s decision to stick with a mostly stable sked is also recognition that the net was performing well in the fall - until the writers strike, and of course “American Idol,” halted that momentum. “We were winning until the strike,” McPherson said. “Then ‘Idol’ comes on... there were a few openings we wanted to improve upon.” McPherson said ABC will launch its fall schedule during the traditional premiere week, which this year starts Sept. 22. Net isn’t planning any stunts opposite the Summer Olympics, he said. As for the possibility that actors might stage a strike this summer, McPherson said the network is already putting together contingency plans. Some shows have already been banking episodes in the event of another work stoppage. “I hope cooler heads prevail,” he said. “It would be a catastrophe. I think we saw that there are no winners in a strike.” On the thesp front, McPherson confirmed that both Dana Delaney and Nicolette Sheridan will be back on “Desperate Housewives” - even though Sheridan’s character apparently departed the series in its season finale. Also, Rebecca Romijn has left “Ugly Betty” as a regular castmember, but could return for guest stints. Network announces its fall sked to advertisers at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall on Tuesday afternoon. ABC sales topper Mike Shaw is set to unveil a new measurement tool, dubbed the “Advertiser Value Index,” which he said combines as many as 25 different factors to provide more detailed info on viewers. “It’s a significant step forward,” he said. “It further defines in a much more complete way the audience you’re actually delivering.” |
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| From Scifi.com FOX will announce its 2008-09 schedule at its upfront presentation to advertisers on Thursday (May 15), but fans have already been anticipating Dollhouse and Fringe for months. Created by J.J. Abrams with frequent cohorts Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, Fringe is expected to have a place on the fall schedule, launching with a two-hour pilot believed to be budgeted in the $10-million range and directed by Alex Graves (Journeyman). The cast of the X-Files-esque drama is led by relative newcomer Anna Torv — hoping to catch a little of the magic Abrams gave to Keri Russell, Jennifer Garner and Evangeline Lilly — but includes familiar faces including Joshua Jackson (Pacey !!!), John Noble (Denethor !!!) and Lance Reddick. Viewers will likely have to wait a little longer for Dollhouse, which seems destined for midseason. Joss Whedon is writing and directing the pilot, which brings Eliza Dushku back to primetime. I’ve read the script for each pilot. Keeping in mind that between rewrites, casting and directing choices original pilot scripts can be as different from the eventual pilot as night and day, here are a few first impressions : Dollhouse Written by Joss Whedon What It’s About : Echo (Dushku) is a Doll. She’s a young woman imprinted by a group of shady scientists as a blank-slate-for-hire. Depending on how she’s programmed, she can be a glorified prostitute, the ideal wedding date to make your ex-girlfriend jealous, a butt-kicking bodyguard or a sympathetic confidante. She can be anything you want. And she’s not the only Doll in the Dollhouse, a vast holding facility overseen by Adelle DeWitt (Olivia Williams). When Echo hasn’t been imprinted by programmer Topher (Fran Kranz), she’s supposed to be a blank slate, but Topher and Dr. Claire Saunders (Amy Acker) are beginning to notice signs of learned behavior from Echo, signs of memory. If Echo’s becoming self-aware, that might be the break to help Paul (Tahmoh Penikett), a federal agent trying to get to the bottom of the Dollhouse urban legend. How It Reads : A good pilot should do one of two things : It should either lay out the blueprint for the rest of the series or it should intrigue you so much that you can’t wait for the second episode. Fringe falls into the first category. It leaves almost nothing to the imagination in terms of what’s coming next. Dollhouse falls into the second category. Whedon’s script builds into a mystery that’s as much philosophical as science fiction. The introduction to the show’s universe is immediately disorienting, but also enthralling, as Whedon mixes elements of the conspiracy thriller with what threatens to become a profound meditation on identity. Dollhouse comes across as darker in tone and slower in pace than anything Whedon has previously attempted and while there’s humor sprinkled throughout, the sensation at the end is one of overarching menace and also sadness. The pilot script concentrates on only three or four main characters, though several others are introduced in passing, and it offers no stand-alone elements. After reading the pilot, I’m ready to go on the journey with Whedon even though I can’t figure out what the week-to-week plot of the show is going to be. How It Might Play : Since Desperate Housewives and Lost made the major networks want to dive back into the serialized drama business, viewers have made it clear that they’re cautious about starting a show that might get cancelled mid-story. Dollhouse feels like the sort of show that might have been better suited for FX or HBO or Showtime, where Whedon’s devoted audience could make a show a hit. But Dushku had a talent deal at 20th Century Fox TV and with FOX and this is totally her vehicle, the sort of role that most young actresses would kill for. Since Echo is constantly being other people, Dushku is in position to go from action star to sex kitten to child-like innocent in the course of a dozen pages. It’s Dushku’s show, but the pilot suggests potentially meaty roles for Williams, Kranz, Acker, Penikett and Harry Lennix, as Echo’s trainer. While recognizably Whedonesque, Dollhouse finds Joss going in different direction, one that may be less quippy and less plot-driven than some might expect. The fans will still love it, I suspect, but will Dollhouse be able to find an audience beyond the Whedonverse ? I’m not sure. So this could be one of those "Enjoy it while you’ve got it" gems. Fringe Written by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman What It’s About : When something disturbing, unexplainable and just a bit icky happens to the passengers on an international flight, FBI Agent Olivia Warren (Torv) begins an investigation that leads her to Dr. Walter Bishop (Noble), a renegade scientist whose unorthodox experiments into fringe phenomena led arrests and eventually institutionalization. Warren can only get Bishop out with the help of his estranged son Peter (Jackson), a young man with a genius IQ, but questionable morals and motivation. The son isn’t ready to reconcile with his father, the father isn’t ready to be reintegrated into the outside world and Olivia isn’t ready to serve as babysitter, but the form an unlikely team. How does the airplane tragedy relate to The Pattern, a race of unexplained occurrences sweeping the world ? And what does any of this have to do with the mysterious Prometheus Corporation, one of the world’s most forward-thinking companies ? And what do we make of Broyles (Reddick), the head of the Homeland Security’s newly formed Fringe Division ? How It Reads : The script I read feels like an early draft. It’s rife with typos and comes in at more than 110 pages, far longer than any two-hour pilot could handle. Once 20 pages of the script are trimmed, I’m assuming the pilot will play far better. The script has an X-Files meets Altered States meets Alias vibe that’s immediately familiar and comfortable. The actual plot of the pilot could probably have fit into a standard hour, but Abrams and Company are making the effort to give the material a global scale and the script plants at least a half-dozen potential running mysteries that will allow Fringe to have both serialized elements and also freak-of-the-week plots. The set-up of these three individuals against a vast corporate/government conspiracy has been fruitful for Abrams in the past and there’s no reason to believe that it won’t work here. While Abrams has always been able to write carefully delineated female characters, Olivia is initially the weakest link in the show’s core trio, another strong, career-minded female whose personal life threatens to undermine her professional prospects. The inevitability of strained will-they/won’t-they romance between Olivia and Peter already has me rooting for an expanded role for Astrid, the FBI underling to be played by Jasika Nicole. How It Might Play : For FOX, the best thing about Fringe — other than getting into the J.J. Abrams business, of course — is that the series has the potential to partner with almost any established show on its schedule, depending on how they spin it. It’s the story of two bickering partners solving crimes and flirting ? Team it with Bones. It’s the story of a brilliant and eccentric man with limited social skills ? Let’s match it with House. It’s about a strong, single woman doing whatever she has to do to save the world ? Sounds like a match with Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles. While I can’t speak for Torv, the other lead roles seem perfectly cast, though Fringe isn’t going to be sold as a star-driven show. It’s going to be sold as FOX’s attempt to reclaim the X-Files demo that the network has jeopardized with the swift cancellation of too many shows from folks like Whedon and Tim Minear. The script lends itself to a large-scale pilot and it should leave viewers knowing exactly what to expect in the episodes to come, which is more than can be said for... |
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| CW announces fall lineup The network is leaving Monday and Thursday nights intact, while adding only three new series to its weeknight schedule: the "Beverly Hills, 90210" spinoff, dubbed "90210"; drama "Surviving the Filthy Rich" (formerly "How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls"); and reality show "Stylista." "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill" will keep their Monday perches at 8 and 9 p.m., respectively, while "Smallville" will continue to lead in to "Supernatural" on Thursday nights. Tuesday night will feature the all-new lineup of "90210" at 8 p.m., leading into "Filthy Rich." On Wednesdays, "Ameica's Next Top Model" is staying put at 8 p.m., followed by "Stylista," a reality show from the creators of "Model" and "Project Runway" that will feature contestants competing for an editorial job with Elle magazine. Comedies "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game" will relocate from Sundays to Fridays, filling part of the void that will be left after "SmackDown's" move to MyNetworkTV. The comedies will air from 8-9 p.m., followed by a repeat of "Model." The move is being called a "counterprogramming makeover" by the CW, which pointed out that it will offer the "only comedy option" of the night. "Our new lineup has the best Monday-Friday schedule flow we have ever had at the CW," president of entertainment Dawn Ostroff said. "We are zeroed in on our target demo of young women 18-34 with both new and returning series, and each programming block provides a strong promotional platform for the following night." As previously announced, the CW has partnered up with Media Rights Capital to program its Sunday primetime programming block next season. Details are yet to be announced. Meanwhile, "Reaper" will return at midseason. "90210," from CBS Paramount, features an ensemble cast that includes original "90210" star Jennie Garth reprising her character Kelly Taylor in a guest-starring role as well as Lori Loughlin, Jessica Walter, Shenae Grimes and Tristan Wilds. Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah are the exec producers. "Filthy Rich," from Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros. TV and CBS Paramount, stars Joanna Garcia as a Yale-educated young woman hired to be the live-in tutor to two wild and rich heiresses (Lucy Kate Hale and Ashley Newbrough) in Palm Beach. The series, based on the Alloy book by Zoey Dean, is exec produced by Rina Mimoun, Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein. "Stylista" is from 10 by 10 Entertainment and Bankable Inc. in association with Magic Molehill Prods. and Warner Horizon TV. The exec producers are Tyra Banks, Ken Mok, Eli Holzman, Desiree Gruber and Jane Cha. The CW's 2008-09 schedule launches Sept. 1. |
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| CBS Favors Fantasy, Supernatural CBS on May 14 unveiled a 2008-'09 programming slate that featured a heavy dose of new and returning supernatural and fantasy series--including the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Eleventh Hour and The Mentalist--but put a stake in its on-the-bubble vampire series Moonlight. The announcements came during CBS' upfront presentation to advertisers in New York. The new shows include the highly touted drama The Ex List, which is based on an Israeli series and stars Elizabeth Reaser as a woman who's told by a tarot card reader that she must soon marry a man--a man she's already met. As a result, she reconnects with her exes in a search for her destined Mr. Right. The other new shows include Eleventh Hour, an adaptation of a British TV series of the same name, which starred Patrick Stewart. Rufus Sewell stars as a brilliant biophysicist and government investigator delving into cases involving scientific anomalies. The Mentalist stars Simon Baker as a man who uses his innate powers of deduction to assist the police. Among the network's returning shows is Ghost Whisperer, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Explaining the cancellation of Moonlight to reporters, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler confirmed that the network's experience with Jericho, which lost viewers after it was renewed for a second season, affected the decision regarding Moonlight. "We had a very passionate fan base, and that's a good thing," Tassler said. "We just had to make a lot of tough calls." Tassler also stated that Moonlight would not resurface on sister network The CW. Ghost Whisperer and The Ex List will air back-to-back on Friday nights in the fall, aimed at a similar audience of advertiser-desirable women. "Women drive network television," , Tassler said. "Women watch our procedurals and comedies, and we wanted to build on that. We've added more female faces to the network." - |
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| Fox Unveils New SF Strategy Fringe and Dollhouse, the two new genre shows that Fox will add to its schedule during the 2008-'09 season, will be the beneficiaries of an experimental strategy called "Remote-Free TV," the network announced during its upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on May 15. Fringe, the J.J. Abrams-produced series set to kick off with a two-hour premiere on Aug. 26, and Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, which will debut in midseason, will both air with fewer commercials and fewer promotional spots for other Fox shows. "It's a simple concept and potentially revolutionary," Fox entertainment chairman Peter Liguori said during the presentation. "We're going to have less commercials, less promotional time and less reason for viewers to use the remote. We're going to redefine the viewing experience." Liguori added: "Some people might think this is a scary financial prospect. We really see it as an investment. We need to give viewers a new reason to come to broadcast TV.” Additionally, Fox revealed that Fringe will be filmed in New York and announced that it will air on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following House, in the fall. In early 2009, it will follow the juggernaut American Idol. Also on the fall schedule is the returning SF series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which will air on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. When it premieres early next year, Dollhouse will take over the Terminator timeslot. The network briefly mentioned Boldly Going Nowhere, an SF sitcom spoof that is in development from the team behind It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. No pilot has been filmed yet. The network made no mention of Virtuality, an SF pilot that Ronald D. Moore and Michael Taylor (SCI FI Channel's Battlestar Galactica) are developing. |
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| From Variety.com Fox announces primetime slate Schedule includes ’Fringe,’ ’Dollhouse’ Fox’s keeping things simple this fall, launching just two new shows - and both behind established players. J.J. Abrams is the big winner on the fall sked : His new entry “Fringe” will air Tuesdays at 9 p.m., in a plum slot behind hit drama “House.” Net’s other new series, the comedy “Do Not Disturb” (formerly known as “The Inn”), will air behind “‘Til Death,” as expected. But Fox has shifted its Wednesday comedy hour to 9 p.m. - perhaps to get out of the way of CBS’ recently announced 8 p.m. lineup. Like last fall, Fox will stick with scripted fare on Mondays through Wednesdays, with reality on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and its animated staples on Sundays. “We’re going to make plenty of noise and yet potentially have more stability and success than we’ve had historically in the fourth quarter,” said Fox Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly. “We’ll be focused in the fall with two new series - one comedy and one drama - and then use our big assets in January to launch an even more powerful second season.” Fox is set to launch its sked earlier than its competitors, returning the week of Aug. 25. Premiere events include a two-hour “Prison Break” seg on Monday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. ; the two-hour bow of “Fringe” on Aug. 26 ; a two-hour “Bones” on Aug. 27 ; and a two-hour edition of “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader” on Aug. 29. For fall, the net has made some tweaks, turning last year’s sked on its head : In some cases, 8 p.m. shows have moved to 9 p.m., and 9 p.m. shows have moved down to 8 p.m. To make room for “Fringe,” for example, Fox is taking the unusual step of moving “House” - long a 9 p.m. tentpole — down to 8 p.m. “Bones,” which last year bowed on Wednesdays at 9 p.m., also moves down to 8 this fall to make room for the comedy block at 9. On the flip side, “Prison Break,” which aired on Mondays at 8 last year, will return this fall at 9. Meanwhile, Fox is holding back on much of its new fare until midseason, allowing it time to continue development and keep things relatively steady until “American Idol” and “24” return. New entries include the highly anticipated Joss Whedon creation “Dollhouse,” as well as new reality entry “Secret Millionaire.” New animated entries “Sit Down, Shut Up” and “Family Guy” spin-off “The Cleveland Show” will also be ready. Fox has tentatively skedded “Dollhouse” on Mondays at 8 p.m., in front of “24,” while “Secret Milionaire” is right now slated for Thursdays at 9 p.m. On Sundays, “Cleveland” will bow at 9:30 behind “Family Guy,” while “Sit Down, Shut Up” will air behind “The Simpsons” at 8:30 p.m. Gone are “Back to You,” “Canterbury’s Law,” “K-Ville,” “Nashville,” “New Amsterdam,” “The Next Great American Band,” “The Return of Jezebel James” and “Unhitched.” |
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| Craig Horner and Bridget Regan have been tapped to star in Sam Raimi's syndicated TV series Wizard's First Rule, which launches in the fall, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The scripted series, an hour-long weekly fantasy drama from Disney-ABC Domestic Television and ABC Studios, is based on Terry Goodkind's book Wizard's First Rule and his epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. Horner will star as woodsman Richard Cypher, who transforms into a magical leader and joins with a mysterious woman named Kahlan (Regan) to stop a bloodthirsty, sinister tyrant. Wizard's has been cleared in 95 percent of the country for its fall launch. Production on the 22 episodes begins this month in New Zealand. Raimi is executive producing with Robert Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and John Shiban. |
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CASTLE (ABC) DEVELOPMENT HISTORY: 3/28/08 - 5/8/08 STATUS: currently in development (2008-2009 season) DEVELOPMENT STAGE: ordered to pilot ADDITIONAL NOTES: midseason 2009/14-20 minute presentation DESCRIPTION: (from ABC's press release) Cross a mystery novelist with a rock star and you would get Nick Castle. He's got Jagger's swagger and James Bond's way with the ladies. Although the handsome writer seems to have everything—fame, fans, and females—he's grown weary of it all. In fact, he's just killed off the legendary character who's sold millions of books for him. But when a real-world copycat murderer starts staging murder scenes from Nick's novels and NYPD Detective Beckett asks him for help, Nick feels the old blood pumping in his veins again. Is it the thrill of the chase—or the fact that Beckett is a strikingly beautiful woman? When Nick's freewheeler detective style clashes with Beckett's conservative approach, the sparks certainly fly—leading to both danger and a hint of romance. Keeping him grounded are his washed-up Broadway diva mother and his quick-witted teenage daughter; his poker playing buddies James Patterson, Sue Grafton, and Stephen King; and his long-suffering ex-wife Gina, who also happens to be his editor. From producer Armyan Bernstein (Spy Game, The Guardian, Children of Men) comes a comedic crime procedural centered around smooth yet self-effacing literary phenomenon Nick Castle. If it was a book, you wouldn't be able to put it down. PRINCIPAL CAST INFORMATION: · ??? as Detective Kate Beckett · ??? as Gina · ??? as Martha Heath · Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle · Nathan Fillion as Nick Castle · Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Captain Montgomery CREW INFORMATION: · Andrew Marlowe as CRTR/EP · Armyan Bernstein as EP · Laurie Zaks as EP · Rob Bowman as DIR (Pilot) GENRE(S): · drama STUDIO INFORMATION: · ABC Studios · Beacon Television |
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| US TV 2008-2009 season preview: what new shows could be heading for the UK? US TV will be serving up new shows from Joss Whedon, JJ Abrams, Alan Ball and David Milch from this autumn. With stars including Christian Slater, Val Kilmer, Ian McShane, Colm Meaney, Eliza Dushku, Selma Blair and Saffron Burrows. What's not to like? May 23, 2008 1:30 PM Another year, another set of US TV upfronts. This year's events where the US networks present their fall schedules to advertisers might have been more subdued than previously, with fewer pilots than usual because of the writers' strike. But there's still plenty to sort through in the new crop of US shows, from the good to the bad and the thoroughly indifferent... The ones that could be cult viewing Dollhouse - Fox What's it about? Joss Whedon returns to the small screen with this Attack of the Clones-style drama starring Eliza "Faith" Dushku. Why might it work? It's Joss Whedon. And Eliza Dushku. Plus it involves clones and wiped personalities and secret missions. For many people it's the most eagerly awaited new drama of the season. What could go wrong? Whedon's dramas often start slowly - Buffy and Angel didn't hit their stride until season 2, Firefly was just getting good as it got cancelled after a handful of episodes. The concern is that Fox won't have the patience to nurture the show. True Blood - HBO What's it about? Alan "Six Feet Under" Ball returns with this tale of vampires and humans in the American South, adapted from Charlaine Harris's best-selling novel. Why might it work? Ball has a nicely sardonic vision and could bring new blood to old vampire clichés (sorry). It's a solid cast albeit one without any major names - Anna Paquin is the lead. It's HBO's main autumn drama so they obviously believe in it. What could go wrong? Vampires aren't to everyone's taste, so to speak. Harris's books are fun but fluffy. HBO might be backing it but they backed John From Cincinnati last year and we all know how that turned out... The ones that want to be the new Lost Fringe - Fox What's it about? Where do we begin? It's an insanely complicated conspiracy theory drama involving a series of grisly unexplained deaths, an FBI agent, an institutionalised scientist and his estranged son. It's Lost crossed with The Bourne Identity with a sprinkling of A Beautiful Mind. Which can mean only one thing - yes, it's the latest from JJ Abrams. Why might it work? It's J J Abrams - when he gets it right, he gets it very right. It marks the return of Joshua "Pacey" Jackson to the small screen (hurrah). It has a typically Abrams kickass female role a la Alias's Sydney Bristow, which also in typically Abrams style is played by a newcomer, this time Anna Torv. What could go wrong? Even Abrams is not impervious to failure - Cloverfield was more miss than hit, TV series Six Degrees was a notable flop. It sounds incredibly convoluted. People already watch Lost - do they really have the time to dedicate another 22 weeks of their lives to another overly complicated show? Harper's Island - CBS What's it about? A murder mystery/horror unfolds during a week-long wedding on an island off the Seattle coast. Why might it work? It's Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None updated for a new generation and with a bit of Scream thrown in. Personally I can't resist murder mysteries set in enclosed spaces where no one can hear you scream... What could go wrong? It's CBS and my confidence in them is at an all time low - last year they failed to support Moonlight and Cane, their most interesting dramas, so is there really any point in watching something that probably won't get the support it needs? Plus they've already replaced most of the cast and rejigged the show, which is never a good sign. My Own Worst Enemy - NBC What's it about? Christian Slater stars as a man who has a double life, literally, as two very different men who share the same body in this sci-fi meets 24 drama, which also stars Saffron Burrows. Why might it work? It's a great cast - Christian Slater on the small screen is to be celebrated. What could go wrong? It seems a little too high concept to really work and, as with Fringe, it's hard to shake the feeling that there are a few too many unnecessarily complex shows out there for us to embrace yet another. The ones we just might have seen somewhere before... Life on Mars - ABC What's it about? Cop finds himself in the seventies, has he gone back in time or is he in a coma? Yes, it's a remake of Kudos' BBC hit. Why might it work? Five words: Colm Meaney as Gene Hunt. Let's all think about that for a second. Many of the behind-the-scenes guys from the British version are involved with the remake, including Ashley Pharoah and Tony Jordan. What could go wrong? Two words: Viva Laughlin. For some reason UK to US remakes never work that well - The Office is an honourable exception. Plus there's a feeling that while this might work in the US and for all Meaney's genius, we might be somewhat Gene Hunted out in the UK. And we already know the ending... Worst Week - CBS What's it about? Sam Briggs is an Entertainment Magazine editor whose about to get married. Unfortunately he has a slight foot in the mouth problem where his bride to be's parents are concerned. Yes, it's a remake of the BBC Ben Miller comedy, My Worst Week. Why might it work? Er... that's a good question. The original's quite sweet and mildly amusing so I suppose this might be the same. What could go wrong? You do have to wonder what's going on at CBS. It's not that Worst Week is a terrible idea, it's just that it's a meh one. Kath and Kim - NBC What's it about? A dysfunctional mother and daughter duo live, love and, most of all, quarrel in the suburbs. Yes, it's a remake of the hit Oz show. Why might it work? It stars Saturday Night Live's Molly Shannon in the Kath role, Freak and Geek's Paul Feig directs. What could go wrong? Yes, the original is funny but it's largely funny because of its sheer Australian-ness - it's hard to see what's gained by transplanting it to the US. Selma Blair is odd casting as Kim: she has good comic timing - see Cruel Intentions - but is best known these days as a rail thin friend of Lohan. The ones that want you to take them seriously The Last of the Ninth - HBO What's it about? David Milch gets another chance to redeem himself following the mess that was John From Cincinnati and his premature cancelling of Deadwood, with this dark look at police corruption in New York in the seventies. Why might it work? It's a great period of history. We know from NYPD Blue that Milch does cops well. The potential is there for a dark, moody, cynical classic and I have to admit this is the series that I'm most excited about. What could go wrong? Seventies NYPD corruption is not the most original of subjects and there's possibly a feeling that post Serpico and American Gangster this is something that's been done to death. Milch, while undoubtedly a great writer, is always in danger of disappearing up his own fundament. Sons of Anarchy - FX What's it about? It's a drama about a local Hell Angel's style motorcycle club. Seriously. Why might it work? FX has a good recent track record - Damages, The Riches. The Sopranos' Drea de Matteo gets the chance to bounce back from Joey and the whole thing's so outlandish that it just might work. What could go wrong? The main character is played by Charlie "I am incapable of losing my Geordie accent" Hunnam, who has, despite giving us the world's least believable football hooligan in Green Street, now been cast as probably the least believable member of a motorcycle gang ever. Kings - NBC What's it about? A modern day updating of the David and Goliath story from the makers of Heroes and I Am Legend. Why might it work? It stars Ian McShane in his first big post-Deadwood role. It's an interesting premise with a strong past and a good pedigree. What could go wrong? It's the sort of thing people either love or loathe. Although it's a modern day updating McShane still plays a king and in blockbuster terms it might prove more Troy than Gladiator. The ones you'll watch even though you claim you don't want to 90210 - CW What's it about? Aaron Spelling's teen soap masterwork gets a 21st century makeover. Why might it work? It's 90210, baby. If you're from the generation that grew up with Brandon, Brenda et al then there's a certain camp appeal to finding out just how Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah - aka the supervising producers of the brilliant but very different Freaks & Geeks - handle things. Plus the casting's interesting - the lead male role goes to the excellent Tristan Wilds, aka The Wire's haunted and haunting Michael. What could go wrong? It's a remake of the campest teen show ever to air, getting the tone right will be everything. Sadly Rob Thomas, Veronica Mars' head honcho, is no longer directly involved. And while Gossip Girl's Mark Piznarski, who oversees the first episode, has a certain sly style, he lacks Thomas's charm. Knight Rider - NBC What's it about? A talking car and the man who drives it Why might it work? It did before. In a remake heavy season, this one has the big hit pedigree. It's produced by Doug "Swingers/Bourne Identity" Liman and an introductory television film drew 13 millions viewers this year. Plus Val Kilmer brings a certain panache to the voice of Kitt. What could go wrong? Did we hear the words 'Bionic Woman'? Like last year's big NBC flop, Knight Rider might prove more of a curiosity than a stayer. And like 90210 the tone will be everything. It's not as easy as it looks being David Hasselhoff, you know... The one that wants to be Sex and the City, again... The Ex List - CBS What's it about? After visiting a psychic single 30something Bella Bloom trawls through her old boyfriends to find her promised soulmate. Why might it work? Elizabeth Reaser who plays Bella is an attractive presence and deserving of a lead role. Veronica Mars's Diane Ruggerio is the producer. What could go wrong? Surely SATC: The Movie has brought closure to this sort of thing? CBS claim they want to attract more female viewers yet they cancelled Moonlight, a show with a predominantly female audience, for this very ordinary fare. |
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| Serialized horror drama from CBS Paramount Jeffrey Bell has been tapped executive producer/showrunner on CBS' midseason series "Harper's Island," which is being retooled. The serialized horror drama, from CBS Paramount, is described as "Scream" meets "10 Little Indians" and revolves around a group of friends who are terrorized when they meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding. Ari Schlossberg penned the pilot presentation, which was directed by Jon Turteltaub. Bell will now write the first episode and run the series. He will executive produce alongside Turteltaub. Schlossberg, Karim Zriek and Dan Shotz serve as co-exec producers. Recasting on the project is expected. Post-upfront tweaks are common practice, especially when a project was shot as a presentation and requires the filming of a new first episode. Last year, another new CBS drama series picked up from a presentation, "Moonlight," also was retooled, and all principal actors from the presentation were recast except the lead, Alex O'Loughlin. |
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| James D'Arcy (An American Haunting) has been tapped as the lead in Virtuality, Fox's two-hour backdoor SF pilot from Ronald D. Moore, who rebooted Battlestar Galactica for SCI FI Channel, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun are producing the pilot The SF pilot, to be directed by Peter Berg, is set aboard the Phaeton, Earth's first starship, on a 10-year journey to explore a distant solar system. To help the crew endure the long trip, NASA equips the ship with advanced virtual-reality modules, allowing them to assume adventurous identities and go anyplace they want. The British D'Arcy will play the ship's psych officer, who produces the virtual-reality shows. Last year, D'Arcy starred in another Fox SF pilot, Them, which was co-created by Moore's Battlestar partner, David Eick (NBC's Bionic Woman). |
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| MRC unveils CW's Sunday slate Night of programming set to launch Sept. 14 By MICHAEL SCHNEIDERMedia Rights Capital has put the finishing touches on its first-ever Sunday night schedule for the CW, lining up two dramas, a comedy and a reality skein. MRC has worked quickly to program the night, following CW's decision earlier this month to outsource Sundays to the shingle (Daily Variety, May 9). In one case, an exec producer was informed just two weeks ago that his long-shelved script had suddenly been commissioned as a series. Projects include "In Harm's Way," from reality vet Craig Piligian ("Dirtiest Jobs"); the family laffer "Surviving Suburbia," from Kevin Abbott ("Reba"); romantic dramedy "Valentine, Inc.," from Kevin Murphy ("Reaper"); and "Easy Money," a sudsy drama about loan sharks, from Andy Schneider and Diane Frolov ("The Sopranos"). Night is scheduled to launch Sept. 14. The series all target a slightly older adults 18-49 aud than the rest of CW's sked -- in response to a request made by Tribune, which owns the CW's major market affils and is looking for better late-news lead-ins. And because it's going up against "Sunday Night Football" in the fall, the shows all come with a slight female bent. "We got people who are proven successes, not only previously in this demo but also on this night," said MRC's Modi Wiczyk, who runs the company with Asif Satchu. Nonetheless, MRC TV prexy Keith Samples said he knows the Sunday block faces an uphill battle against established competish. "We are cognizant that NBC is running football, and we have no anticipation on our part that we'll knock off 'Desperate Housewives,' " he said. "Plus, HBO will have their Sunday block loaded up again. It's a tough, competitive night." MRC rapidly grew its TV division over the past year and had already lined up a slew of series commitments and pilots for broadcast and cable nets when the CW deal materialized. As a result, Samples was able to dive in and quickly identify several projects that would fit the block. "Once this thing looked like it might happen, we looked at what kind of things we could do or might be able to do," said MRC TV prexy Keith Samples. "Over the last six months, we've seen so much material. This is an opportunity to try something different and not just replicate what's being done (on the rest of the CW schedule). It wouldn't make sense to compete against what they're doing." For this first batch, Samples centered on auspices he'd worked with in the past -- as a director, he's helmed segs in the past for Abbott and Murphy -- and said he felt confident he could deliver, given the quick turnaround. "In Harm's Way" secured a 10-episode order from MRC, while the shingle is producing 13 segs of the scripted series. The block will still be branded "CW Sunday night" and receive promotions throughout the week on the net. In exchange, the Sunday-night block will include promos for other CW fare. MRC has gone immediately into production on all four series, bypassing the pilot process to ensure that the series are ready for a fall launch. "Unless you have the luxury of looking at a lot of pilots, I'm not sure producing these as pilots would gain us a significant advantage," Samples said. "The piloting process can tell you a lot, but at the same time, I think you have to look at other ways to do things in the current environment." Some of MRC's CW series will shoot two episodes at once with the same director, while others have already scheduled reshoot days with the understanding that they may not get it right the first time. Samples also notes that going pilotless allows productions to bank five or six scripts before turning the cameras on. Samples said he plans to gather the showrunners this week for a meeting with advertisers and media buyers about potential sponsor integration, but he stressed that producers will decide for themselves what works for their show. "It's just good business: Put them in a room, and let the advertisers hear from the men and women who are going to make these shows," he said. "It makes for better communication. They'll hear any concerns about integration or placements and where the shows are going." Samples said the shows have budgets "comparable" to those of other mid-range network series. "It's not going to be in the 'Heroes'/'Lost'/'Fringe' range, but we're also not making those kinds of shows," he said. "I told Kevin (Murphy) that he could blow up a plane, but it has to be a Cessna." In an unusual move, MRC has also decided to start the evening at 6:30 p.m., rather than the usual 7 p.m. start for Sunday primetime. MRC can do so because it has also taken over CW's 5-7 p.m. Sunday afternoon block, which the weblet previously programmed with repeats. (MRC is still mulling what to do with the 5-6:30 p.m. slot). MRC had originally planned to air two half-hour comedies in the 7 p.m. hour -- "Surviving Suburbia" and "Book of Murphy." Samples decided that "Murphy" wouldn't be ready in time for fall, but the show will continue to be developed for midseason. Samples said he expected to pick up at least two more shows for the Sunday block later on. MRC probably won't pick up canceled shows or busted pilots just yet -- and said it didn't make sense to take on shows like CBS' recently axed "Moonlight" (something that was pitched to them) in the first go-round. "It just didn't seem in the end that it was the right thing to do at this moment in time," he said. "We're going down a new path here, I'll be the first to admit. Things will come up on this road we didn't foresee, and we will evolve." The MRC shows: "In Harm's Way," an hourlong reality skein that airs at 6:30 p.m., will follow the stories of people who work for the benefit of society in dangerous jobs: avalanche hunters, subway tunnel diggers and hurricane chasers, for example. Show, currently in pre-production, is still scouting for a host. Piligian and MRC had originally been shopping another show to networks, but Samples asked Piligian to come up with "In Harm's Way" after the CW deal was inked. "Surviving Suburbia" will follow at 7:30 p.m. Half-hour comedy, which scored a 13-episode pickup, was originally written several years ago by Abbott, who then tucked the project away and forgot about it. Abbott's "Reba" exec producer partners Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel alerted Samples to the comedy. (It's unclear whether Schultheis and Hanel will be further involved). "It was just a bolt from the blue," Abbott said. "In this marketplace, with no comedy going on, to get a call like that." Project is based on Abbott's own experience as a grumpy dad -- Abbott, who worked on "Roseanne," said it's in the mode of that blue-collar laffer but told from the husband's perspective. "Valentine, Inc.," which will air at 8 p.m., is based on a feature spec script that Murphy (who's no longer with "Reaper") is adapting for the smallscreen. High-concept romantic comedy centers on the premise that the Greek gods live among us, and that Aphrodite and son Eros are running a matchmaking business. "Easy Money," at 9 p.m., about a family of loan sharks, centers on the matriarch who runs the biz and her middle son, who's great at it but ambivalent about this predatory line of work. Project, which will be shot in New Mexico, is based loosely on a concept that U.K. producer Hat Trick is also developing for British auds. |
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| SCI FI Premiere Dates Unveiled SCI FI Channel announced summer premiere dates for new and returning series, including Stargate Atlantis, Eureka and a new version of Scare Tactics. The new third season of Scare Tactics kicks off July 9 . New host Tracy Morgan (NBC's 30 Rock) joins the show. Stargate Atlantis's 20-episode fifth season begins July 11. The new season introduces a powerful new race and will feature the show's 100th episode. Robert Picardo joins the regular cast as Richard Woolsey, and fan favorite Paul McGillion returns for five episodes as Dr. Carson Beckett. Amanda Tapping (Col. Samantha Carter) and Stargate SG-1 star Michael Shanks (Daniel Jackson) will also appear as special guest stars this season. Eureka's third season premieres July 29. Season three delves deeper into the classified inner workings of Global Dynamics and will feature new characters, including Eva Thorne, aka "The Fixer" (Frances Fisher), whose mission is to clean up Global Dynamics. |
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| Abrams' SF Fringe Previewed Fox previewed Fringe to a group of TV writers on May 29, offering a look at a rough cut of the SF show's two-hour pilot and releasing new details about the series, which comes from J.J. Abrams (Lost). (Major spoilers ahead!) Fox also released a new description of the series with more details about the show's casting. "When an international flight lands at Boston's Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI special agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) is called in to investigate," the description read. "After her partner, special agent John Scott (Mark Valley), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), our generation's Einstein. There's only one catch: He's been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son, Peter (Joshua Jackson), in to help." SCI FI Wire viewed the entire pilot, which mixes elements of Abrams' previous series Alias and Lost with bits of The X-Files and even outright homages to the 1980 SF movie Altered States (that film's star, Blair Brown, is a Fringe cast member, playing a manipulative corporate executive). The show, which begins very darkly and features a fair share of grisly visual effects, is also liberally dosed with Abrams' trademark quirky humor. The title refers to "fringe science"--mind control, teleportation, astral projection, reanimation--which Dunham begins to uncover in the course of her investigation. Torv, a relative newcomer and native of Australia, is the show's center, whose character is a mix of Dana Scully, Sydney Bristow and Kate Austin and who recalls Without A Trace's Poppy Montgomery, a fellow Aussie who also plays an FBI agent. The show's cast also includes Lance Reddick (The Wire), as head FBI agent Phillip Broyles, and Kirk Acevedo and Jasika Nicole as other FBI agents. The show's executive producers are Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (writers of Transformers and Abrams' own Mission: Impossible III and Star Trek), Bryan Burk, Jeff Pinkner and Alex Graves. Fringe, which a Fox spokesman said is a "tentpole" for the TV network, premieres Aug. 26 |