Pilot Season 2010-2011

[BillBrasky]

I've been reading several people saying this on the Deadline site and elsewhere, but I really don't think people in this economy want to watch a show about an outsourced company in India. If you've just lost your job, I think the last thing you want to do is come home and watch a show about the bad state our workforce is in right now. I personally work in a call center, and I kind of don't want to watch a show that takes place in a call center, no matter how funny it may be (and people who have seen the pilot claim that it is funny).

Honestly, I'm kind of sick of "The Office", and that's a show I liked at one point. I guess you could argue "Parks and Recreation" takes place in a boring location too, but they've taken it in so many crazy directions that it really doesn't have much to do with local government anymore. Hopefully they can do the same with "Outsourced" (although I have my doubts; Ken Kwapis has directed some episodes of "The Office", but his resume's also littered with a lot of crap).

Regardless, they definitely shouldn't disrupt their Thursday night line-up for any new show.

[DiscoInferiorityComplex]

Ken Kwapis has directed some episodes of "The Office", but his resume's also littered with a lot of crap).

When the director of "The Beautician and the Beast" and "Dunston Checks In" takes such a vested interest in a project, Hollywood takes notice.

[BillBrasky]

Another Deadline update

This one's a little more promising. It says that "Wilde Kingdom" has "emerged as a frontrunner" at FOX, describes "Beach Lane" as being "in contention", and says a pickup for "Team Spitz" is likely. Nothing about "The Strip", however

[BillBrasky]

Groan...

It looks like NBC has gone in the lamest possible direction. "Perfect Couples" has been authorized to hire writers, and "Friends with Benefits" is looking for a showrunner. Way to blow your good track record with comedies, NBC.

The full schedule will be released Sunday, one day before the official upfront presentation.

[Gern Blanston]

Groan...

It looks like NBC has gone in the lamest possible direction. "Perfect Couples" has been authorized to hire writers, and "Friends with Benefits" is looking for a showrunner. Way to blow your good track record with comedies, NBC.

The full schedule will be released Sunday, one day before the official upfront presentation.

Yeah, it really does suck. I guess the one good thing about Perfect Couples is that one of the co-creators, Jon Pollack, has a pretty great track record (writer on 30 Rock, Community, consulting producer on Andy Barker, P.I.). It's just a shame they cast no one funny in it.

That's one of the things I found so appealing about The Strip, beyond it being created by Lennon/Garant. They cast actual comedians in the roles, and not actors trying to be funny. I'm really rooting for The Strip, because i'd love to see all those people (Lennon, Garant, Holmes, Leggero, Savage, etc) have higher profiles, and I know Lennon/Garant are capable of delivering a great show.

[BillBrasky]

I wonder if NBC passes on The Strip, whether they'd be able to take the show elsewhere? Like F/X, or Spike, or even Comedy Central. Probably not, but some shows have switched networks before (i.e. Medium, Scrubs). Dave, if you have any insight on that, please feel free to chip in.

[funxnotdead]

Reno 911 started as a failed Fox pilot also.

[BillBrasky]

Fox picks up "Traffic Light", "Keep Hope Alive"

This has been an unusually horrible pilot season so far.

[Gern Blanston]

The thing that has made this all the more disappointing is that, developmentally wise, this year looked really great. I was really looking forward to FOX's series created by Brent Forrester (who has a nearly-golden track record of comedy writing) and starring David Krumholtz, Martin Short, Judy Greer, Kerri Kenney, etc. But, of course, you hear nothing about it anymore. Same goes with a pilot that Larry Charles had with NBC.


I mean, David Wain directed a pilot!! I understand that means nothing to an out-of-touch exec at FOX, but you think someone who last directed a hit major studio comedy (and produced by Ben Stiller!) would be someone FOX would want to be in business with. But, wait! The creator of Yes, Dear has a new show??? Sign me up! Yuck.

[CarolineEAnd]

Let's all wish and pray super hard that NBC will buy The Strip. Our joint energy must have at least some kind of power.

[BillBrasky]

To make matters worse, "Keep Hope Alive" at one point had Kate Micucci in it, but she was replaced when the pilot was reshot, so it doesn't even have that going for it. And "Traffic Light" actually sounds like a parody of a bad network sitcom that you would see in a movie like "The TV Set" or something.

Network executives really appear to be clueless. I have read so many articles about how "Modern Family" and "Glee" have signalled a resurgence in comedy on network television. And "Community" and "Parks and Recreation", while not huge ratings successes, are talked about constantly online and in entertainment magazines and are extremely well-regarded critically. I know "2 and a Half Men" is the highest rated show on network TV, but do you ever hear anyone talking about it?

So why given this would networks want to go with the blandest, least interesting sounding shows available? Hardly anyone is watching network TV anymore as it is, and this crop of duds don't sound like the shows that are going to bring people back.

I hope at least some of the pilots like "The Strip" and "The Station" and "Tax Man" leak out on the Internet so we get to see them anyway.

[Gern Blanston]

So, not only did NBC pick up Perfect Couples, but Beach Lane is said to be dead. Ugh.

I have to wonder if a lot of this is just a knee-jerk reaction against multi-camera comedies? All the comedies that NBC has picked up (and rumored to) are single camera, while the multi-camera shows are the ones in trouble. It seems a bit dumb, because there have been plenty of shitty single camera shows. Just because you do it in that style doesn't mean you automatically have Community or Arrested Development. It reminds me of the similar knee-jerk reaction that Lucky Louie got for filming it in that way, even though it was a very funny series.

I hope NBC takes a chance with The Strip, even though they have no other multi-camera shows currently, because it would remind people you can do really funny stuff in that style.

[BillBrasky]

Some good news!

Fox picks up "Wilde Kingdom" (Now called "Running Wilde")

Yay!

[Gern Blanston]

Yes!!!! That's really great news. Very happy to have another Mitch Hurwitz series on the air, especially one with Will Arnett in the lead.

[BillBrasky]

Very glad that FOX finally did something smart, but NBC can officially eat a hot bowl of dicks (Copyright 2010, Ice-T)

[Gern Blanston]

Not that this was a surprise, but it still sucks to hear it:


@RedHourBen I like to produce a failed pilot for Fox about once every ten years. Latest was the Station. Written directed and acted by a great group.

[BillBrasky]

"Tax Man" and "Most Likely to Succeed" are also dead.

Over at ABC, it looks like their 3 comedy pickups will be "Mr. Sunshine", "Happy Endings", and "Untitled Couples Project" (great title).
Oh well, at least Casey Wilson will have work.

[mueXog]

From what I've heard, "Happy Endings" sounds like it will be good. Besides Casey, they have some other UCB performers in the cast like Eliza Coupe and Adam Pally. I think the Russo Brothers ("Community" & "Arrested Development") directed it as well.

Has anyone heard anything about NBC's "Our Show", that pilot was supposed to be good too. It had some funny people in that main cast like Dan Bakkedahl and Lauren Weedman. Deadline hasn't mentioned that one in any of their updates, so I guess it might be dead.

Really glad to hear FOX is picking up Will Arnett's show.

Oh yeah, and NBC can suck it. Maybe Tom & Ben can take "The Strip" to another channel?

[Gern Blanston]

Wow, Happy Endings does look like it has a great creative team on board. Jonathan Groff, who was a co-creator on Andy Barker, P.I. along with COB, is an exec producer on it as well. Consider me interested.

[YoungAmerican]

Any word on the Carolla show? When he was over on Tuesday he said they had no idea.