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 Know your fall TV pilots, Cop, doctor, lawyer, remake or new idea
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prophecy girl
Posted: Feb 10 2009, 10:47 AM


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We want a 'Mentalist'!" network executives cry.


This pilot season, broadcasters are ordering more of what's been working: close-ended procedural stories.

Cops, doctors and lawyers are in.

Serialized and complex story lines or quirky subjects are out.

About two thirds of the current crop of major network TV pilots are considered workplace procedurals. There's also several pre-branded projects such as new versions of "V" and "Witches of Eastwick" -- familiar-sounding remakes that attract networks even though they're not perfectly formulaic. Also, expect a few apocalyptic stories thrown in for good measure.

Below is a rundown of the broadcast drama pilots. Plus, what exactly makes each show supposedly different than what we've seen countless times before.


NBC

Percentage-wise, NBC has the most procedure-tastic of pilot slates. This network is clearly determined to have a doctor or cop on the air next fall (just not at 10 p.m.).



Mercy
From the people who brought you "Friday Night Lights" (Liz Heldens)
Logline: A look at three nurses and their personal and professional lives
How it’s different: They’re not doctors, they’re nurses




Trauma
From the people who brought you “Faceless,” “Hancock” (Dario Scardapane, Peter Berg)
Logline: Ensemble series where EMTs help people
How it’s different: They’re not doctors, they’re paramedics, and they move around a lot


Legally Mad
From the people who brought you “Boston Legal” (David E. Kelley)
Logline: Father and daughter lawyers work at firm with eccentric characters
How it’s different: They’re not just lawyers, they’re family members. Will there be unresolved tension from their past that spills into their professional lives?


Lost & Found
From the people who brought you “Law & Order” (Dick Wolf)
Logline: Female cop upsets superiors and is sent to her department's basement as punishment, finds items from the lost & found and uses them to solve cold cases
How it’s different: Puts Katee Sackhoff in a basement


Day One
From the people who brought you “Heroes” (Jesse Alexander)
Logline: In the aftermath of a "global event" that devastates the world's infrastructures, a small band of survivors strive to rebuild society and unravel the mysteries of why the event took place
How it’s different: Can "Jericho" protesters just pretend this is "Jericho" and stop buying ads lobbying CBS to bring back the show?



Parenthood
From the people who brought you "Friday Night Lights" and “Parenthood” (Jason Katims, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer)
Logline: A dramedy a based on Howard's 1989 feature that centered on a Midwestern family
How it’s different: Family dramedy, with a name you’ve heard before



Southland
From the people who brought you “ER” (John Wells)
Logline: A group of police officers in Los Angeles solve crimes; fast-tracked to series
How it’s different: Um...
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prophecy girl
Posted: Feb 10 2009, 10:48 AM


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Fox pilots: 'Virtuality,' 'Masterwork,' 'Human Target' ...
FOX

Surprising number of light bulbs on this page, with Fox trying some tricky stuff after scoring with procedurals "Fringe" and (so far) "Lie to Me" this season.



Masterwork
From the people who brought you “Prison Break” (Paul Scheuring)
Logline: Race against time to recover the world's most sought-after artifacts in the vein of “National Treasure” and “The Da Vinci Code”
How it’s different: This is the type of idea that you always hope will be cool and fun and live up to its premise, but it's tough to make work on a TV budget



Untitled Reincarnation Project (formerly titled "Reincarnationist")
From the people who brought you “Friday Night Lights” (David Hudgins)
Logline: Past-life investigators use reincarnation to solve mysteries
How it’s different: They’re not cops, they work outside the law



Maggie Hill
From the people who brought you “Shark” (Ian Biederman)
Logline: "Genius comes with a price." Female heart surgeon who’s also suffering from schizophrenia
How it’s different: She’s a doctor, but also kind of crazy



Virtuality
From the people who brought you “Battlestar Galactica” (Ron Moore)
Logline: Sci-fi drama set in two different worlds, outer space and a seemingly limitless virtual reality
How it’s different: Sound like “Law & Order” to you? Unfortunately odds are against this one going to series with the pilot being reworked



Eva Adams
From the people who brought you “The West Wing” (Kevin Falls)
Logline: Male chauvinist wakes up in woman’s body
How it’s different: It's an hourlong drama instead of a comedy like one might expect, so that makes it a bit different



Human Target
From a new writer (Jon Steinberg) and the people who brought you “Chuck” (McG)
Logline: Based on the DC Comics title, Christopher Chance is a mysterious security-for-hire who assumes the identities of people in life-threatening danger, becoming the "human target" on behalf of his clients
How it’s different: If the comic book were any good, wouldn't it be three movies by now? And will it be better than ABC's 1992 version that starred Rick Springfield?
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prophecy girl
Posted: Feb 10 2009, 10:49 AM


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CBS pilots: 'NCIS' spinoff, 'Washington Field,' 'San Francisco'
CBS

Having purged itself of off-brand ideas and found validation in procedurals this fall, it should come as no surprise that CBS is sticking with what works for its viewers.



Untitled NCIS spinoff
From the people who brought you “NCIS”
Logline: Spinoff set in the “NCIS” universe
How it’s different: It might end up starring Chris O’Donnell and L.L. Cool J; other than that, it's basically another NCIS team



Untitled U.S. Attorney Project
From the people who brought you "The Unit" (Frank Military)
Logline: Legal ensemble centered around a team of federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan
How it's different: They're not lawyers, they're federal prosecutors


House Rules
From: The people who brought you "North Country" and “Grey’s Anatomy” (Michael Seitzman and Mark Gordon)
Logline: Follows the freshman class of congressmen/women as they begin their careers in Washington
How it’s different: Networks keep trying to develop a “young faces of Capitol Hill” series; maybe this will break the curse



Washington Field
Logline: Set in the elite Washington field office of the FBI that protects national interests, this team of agents is called together for only the most critical cases
How it’s different: They're not cops, they're FBI agents. And you can't bother them for just anything, you know



Three Rivers
From the people who brought you “Jericho” (Carol Barbee)
Logline: Medical show set in the world of transplants with each story told from the point of view of the doctor, the recipient and the donor.
How it’s different: They’re not just doctors, they’re organ swappers


Back
Logline: A man returns home only to discover he had been reported missing eight years earlier, following 9/11. He must learn how to reconnect with his family and a world that moved on without him
How it’s different: The combination of 9/11 and time travel you've been craving


The Good Wife
Logline: female-driven law show about a politician's wife who pursues her original career as a defense attorney
How it’s different: She's not just an attorney, she's an ex-politician



A Marriage
From the people who brought you "Once and Again" (Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick)
Logline: "Anatomy of a marriage that works"
How it’s different: That's an anatomy of a logline that doesn't work. Presumably something dramatic happens at some point
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prophecy girl
Posted: Feb 10 2009, 10:52 AM


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ABC pilots: 'V,' 'Eastwick,' 'Flash Forward' ...
ABC


Wow, look at 'em all. Eleven drama pilots with a little bit of everything -- procedurals, remakes and a few show that do not involve watching competent professionals solving mysteries. 



Untitled Jerry Bruckheimer crime drama
From the people who brought you “CSI” (Bruckheimer)
Logline: Team of amateur detectives working on cases of unidentified victims
How it’s different: They’re not just cops, they’re amateurs



Brothers & Detectives (now untitled)
From the people who brought you “Dexter” (Daniel Cerone)
Logline: Low-level detective discovers he has a brilliant 11-year-old brother who loves solving puzzles
How it’s different: He’s not a cop, he’s 11



Empire State
From Michael Seitzman
Logline: "Romeo and Juliet" love story about two families -- ironworkers and real estate tycoons -- collide in present-day Manhattan
How it’s different: You just know somebody is falling off a 60-story-high girder, and it ain't gonna be an ironworker 



Eastwick
From the people that brought you "Jack & Bobby" (Maggie Friedman)
Logline: Based on John Updike's "The Witches of Eastwick," three modern-day women discover they have magical powers
How it’s different: Magical realism on ABC is hardly new, but "Eastwick" could be interesting



Flash Forward
From the people who brought you “Threshold” (Daivd Goyer, Brannon Braga)
Logline: Everyone in the world blacks out for two minutes and has a vision of their future. Chaos ensues
How it’s different: Firmly different



Happy Town
From the people who brought you "October Road" (Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Scott Rosenberg)
Logline: Mystery in a small town that had enjoyed a seven-year peace after a series of kidnappings until it is hit by another crime
How it’s different: They’re not cops, they’re townsfolk



I, Claudia
From the people who brought you “The Days” (John Scott Shepherd)
Logline: Young female attorney who will one day be a contender for president of the United States
How it’s different: She’s not just an attorney, she’s the future leader of the free world



Inside the Box
From the people who brought you “Grey’s Anatomy” (Shonda Rhimes)
Logline: Ensemble female-centric drama set in a Washington network news bureau
How it’s different: They're reporters. Always dicey since, unlike cop-lawyer-doctors, the process of reporting tends to lack big victories and dramatic happy endings (sniff)  



Untitled Dave Hemingson
From the people who brought you “How I Met Your Mother” (Hemingson)
Logline: Blue-collar kid gets job as attorney at powerful L.A. entertainment firm. " 'Entourage' meets 'Melrose Place' meets 'L.A. Law' "
How it’s different: They’re really attractive lawyers and, hey look, a celebrity



Limelight
From the people who brought you "Chuck" and "Gossip Girl" (McG, K.J. Steinberg)
Logline: Teachers and students at performing arts college in New York
How it’s different: From what? From "Fame"? Um, quicker editing? Tighter leotards?



  V
Logline: Based on the 1983 miniseries, "V" chronicles human resistance fighters battling aliens.
From the people that brought you "The 4400" (Scott Peters)
How it’s different: Who doesn't like an alien invasion? It's after they invade that the storytelling gets tricky



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prophecy girl
Posted: Feb 13 2009, 06:24 PM


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2009-10 Pilot Orders: CW



TITLE: Gossip Girl spinoff (backdoor pilot)
STUDIO: WBTV/CBS Par/College Hill Pictures/Alloy
TEAM: Josh Schwartz (w), Stephanie Savage (w), Les Morgenstein, Bob Levy, Mark Piznarski (d)
SYNOPSIS: Chronicles the wild teen years of Lily van der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford) in Los Angeles in the 1980s.


TITLE: Melrose Place
STUDIO: CBS Par
TEAM: Darren Swimmer (w), Todd Slavkin (w)
SYNOPSIS: A new take on the 1990s Fox series.



TITLE: Vampire Diaries
STUDIO: WBTV/Alloy
TEAM: Kevin Williamson (w), Julie Plec (w), Les Morgenstein, Bob Levy
SYNOPSIS: Centers on a tragic young heroine who is the object of passion for two vampire brothers -- one good, one evil -- who are at war for her soul and for the souls of her friends, family and other residents of the small town in which she resides; based on Alloy's series of novels.



TITLE: Body Politic
STUDIO: CBS Par
TEAM: Jason Rothenberg (w), Bill Robinson (w), Peter Horton
SYNOPSIS: A look at D.C. politics through the eyes of optimistic young staffers, focusing on a young woman who moves to D.C. to work for a Senator and the other eager up-and-comers with whom she becomes friends.



TITLE: Light Years
STUDIO: CBS Par
TEAM: Liz Tigelaar (w), Gary Fleder (d)
SYNOPSIS: Centers on foster kid Lux (Brittany Robertson) who, on her 16th birthday, tracks down her slacker biological father, bar owner Nick "Baze" Basile (Kristoffer Polaha), and her mother, morning radio host Cate Campbell (Shiri Appleby), who haven't spoken since high school when their one-night stand resulted in pregnancy.
CAST: Brittany Robertson, Shiri Appleby, Kristoffer Polaha, Kerr Smith



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prophecy girl
Posted: Apr 5 2009, 05:08 PM


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Televisionwithoutpity.com

10 Shows That Should Return Next Fall


We’ve already put out our plea for bubble show Chuck to return next fall, but plenty more of our favorites are in danger of falling through the network programming cracks. Here’s nine more series that deserve another season, but may not get one. We know, we know, wishin’ and hopin’ didn’t do Pushing Daisies any good, but we’re sending out a prayer to the TV powers-that-be anyway : when upfront time rolls around in a month or so, please let at least some of these shows reappear on your schedules.

1. Chuck

As mentioned, we already wrote up our seven reasons that Chuck deserves to get a third season, but in short, it is clever, all-around fun, with a great cast, stellar writing and lots and lots of heart.

2. Life

Charlie Crews, the fruit-loving L.A. detective with a Zen attitude, has become one of our favorite TV cops ever in just under two years, thanks to Damian Lewis’ deceptively placid, quirky charisma. This season, the weekly cases got more creative, the supporting cast got stronger (partly due to the addition of Donal Logue and Gabrielle Union) and the underlying conspiracy plot got twistier. Best of all, Crews’ relationship with partner Dani Reese managed to deepen without any lame manufactured sexual tension. We need this life journey to continue.

3. Fringe

We tuned in because of Joshua Jackson, stuck around despite a slightly sluggish start, and were finally rewarded with some fun science fiction. We’re just getting to the interesting mythology, and we’re finally warming up to Anna Torv, mostly because she kicks butt. It’s a little bit of Alias and a little bit of X-Files, with some really gross/awesome monsters of the week, and what’s turning out to be a pretty enjoyable action series.

4. Better Off Ted

We need a good workplace comedy to make us laugh again, since The Office has been disappointing us lately. This one is more akin to Andy Richter Controls the Universe and is filled with that quirk and innate silliness that turns off the general public who prefer the more straight-forward sitcoms like Rules of Engagement. So, with low ratings, we’re sure it’s not long for the world, but we can dream, can’t we ? Or at least hope that they can put the show into a cryogenic chamber until a time when the masses will appreciate it ?

5. Dollhouse

We’re still iffy on this show, but it took a while for Angel to really hit its stride, too. Even Buffy had some less-than-stellar first season episodes. Perhaps that’s just part of Joss Whedon’s style. It seems like Joss and Co. are making an active effort to work out the kinks (while making nice with the network at the same time) to really get this series to meet the high standards his fans hold him to. It’s getting there, but without a second season, we may never get to see that vision realized because the likelihood of there ever being a Dollhouse movie (like Serenity) is slim to none.

6. Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles

We’ve already lost one show with robots this season with the end of BSG. Don’t take our other one away from us. We need some badass robots kicking butt to really round out our weekly TV viewing. Seriously though, we love the idea of this show and every time it starts to wear our patience thin with family drama, they hook us again with more cool Terminator technology.

7. Kings

This ambitious series is bringing a whole world to life, and the twisted tale just started to get really juicy, with backstabbing and dirty deals. It may be based in history, but this tale of a rich, powerful, corrupt monarchy has an epic feel about it that shouldn’t be confined to just a few episodes. Plus, we’re so grateful to have Ian McShane back in a starring role again ; to take the show away now would just reopen our old Deadwood wounds.

8. Rock of Love

Sure, Bret said that this Bus installment was his last chance at finding love, but we’re not sure we love, or even like, any of the girls that are left. He can do better than that, for sure. And even if he can’t, it would be great for us to see him try, because there’s something disgustingly engrossing about his sweet nature and the skanky girls who compete for him. It’s our weekly exposure to this trashy world and we’d be a little lost without it.

9. Celebrity Apprentice

The Apprentice was getting to be a tired format. The addition of celebrities makes it infinitely more interesting, and these last two seasons have succeeded in making us actually enjoy this franchise again. But apparently we’re in the minority, since the ratings are shrinking. Perhaps the problem is that they need a higher profile of celebrities to draw more viewers in the future, although the C-listers and sports stars (aside from Dennis Rodman) seem to be a scrappier bunch, willing to do what it takes to get 15 more minutes of fame. Maybe if they renewed it they could mix it up a little more.

10. Southland/The Unusuals

Neither of these shows have even premiered yet, but while they both have promising pilots that have us hooked, it is unlikely that they’ll actually last. Unusuals has police cases with a healthy dose of comedy, which might be a little too oddball for the general public. And Southland is twisted and gritty, but with NBC’s new schedule next fall, there’s not really a lot of space for this show that needs to be in the 10 PM hour. We like them, but we’re worried that they’re doomed before they started.

Your thoughts ? What would you like to see back in the fall ?
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prophecy girl
Posted: Apr 23 2009, 08:12 AM


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Which sci-fi TV pilots will live and which will die? We take a look


It's been a long hard winter, but spring is finally here bringing with it budding flowers, warm weather and the national pastime of trying to figure out which television pilots might be picked up by the networks next month.

The broadcast television networks will announce their fall 2009 television schedules soon, and we'll then have an entire summer to stew about it, hoping another Lost or Heroes will invade our homes.

Among the potential new series are plenty of sci-fi and fantasy possibilities. While 71 pilots are being developed, only a few will make it onto the fall schedule. After the jump, our list of the hopefuls and how they stack up. (This is part one of a two-part article covering pilots from ABC, CBS and NBC)


ABC

Flash Forward For 2 minutes and 17 seconds, everyone in the entire world blacks out and has mysterious visions of their future. They wake up to chaos. An FBI agent desperately attempts to figure out why this has happened to stop a future he can't bear to face. Based on the novel by Robert J. Sawyer. Flash Forward comes from executive producers David Goyer and Brannon Braga, the creators of the short-lived Threshold, and stars Joseph Fiennes, Sonya Walger, John Cho, Christine Woods, Courtney Vance, Brian O'Byrne, Jack Davenport, Payton List and Zachary Knighton.

Does our vision Flash Forward to the future? It does. Despite the loss of such imaginative endeavors as Pushing Daisies and Eli Stone, ABC continues to push the creative envelope. This isn't like anything else on television.

Which means ... It may be a tough sell to the audience, but the network is sold. Flash Forward already has a series commitment.





Eastwick This dramedy mixes Desperate Housewives with a little devilish fun when three modern-day women discover they have magical powers. Based on John Updike's novel and the 1987 film, The Witches of Eastwick. Eastwick was written by Maggie Friedman (Jack & Bobby) and directed by the amazing David Nutter, who has helmed an astonishing number of pilots that made it to series. It stars Rebecca Romijn, Lindsay Price, Jaime Ray Newman, Sara Rue and Veronica Cartwright.

Will Eastwick cast a spell? It's looking good. Eastwick is the women of Wisteria Lane with magic. What's not to love?

But ... What worked as a movie with an all-star cast might not work on television. Still, this incarnation of Updike's novel has a good chance of getting a time slot come fall.





V Alien visitors come to Earth with promises of peace and technological advancements. Unfortunately, they are liars. And that's one of their better qualities. When a human agent discovers that the visitors have sinister motives, it leads her to join the growing human resistance movement. Based on the 1983 miniseries, V. This re-imaging comes from Scott Peters, the creator of The 4400, and stars Firefly's Morena Baccarin, Scott Wolf, Elizabeth Mitchell, 4400's Joel Gretsch, Morris Chestnut and Smallville's Laura Vandervoort.

Will V invade our television sets? Possibly. The miniseries was a blast, with fun alien bad guys whose humanity only ran skin deep. If this V can hang on to some of that fun factor—remember those live-mouse snacks?—it has potential.

Unfortunately ... We remember the 1984 television series that came after the miniseries. It was bad.





Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas A 13-year-old girl named Gwen discovers a magical atlas that unlocks a fantastical world of adventure and magic that exists right beside our own, leading to amazing and sometimes terrifying adventures. Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas comes from writer Tom Wheeler and was directed by Emmy winner Thomas Schlamme (The West Wing). Jodelle Ferland takes on the role of Gwen, with West Wing's Janel Moloney and Patrick Breen playing her parents.

Will Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas fly? It's iffy at best. This fantasy pilot was actually created for last season but was put on hold until now. It's supposed to be Harry Potter meets Pan's Labyrinth, with a dab of Nim's Island. With the new Harry Potter movie headed our way, the timing might be perfect.

But .... It's gonna be expensive to maintain. Really expensive.





No Heroics Based on the British series, this sitcom explores the lives of a group of superheroes who aren't so super. These less-than-formidable, not-so-heroic heroes like to hang out at a bar. No Heroics stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Arielle Kebbel, Paul Campbell and Eliza Coupe.

Chances No Heroics will live to fight another day? Not good. Yes, it's Cheers meets Mystery Men, but is ABC ready to give No Heroics a shot when the hysterically funny The Tick couldn't survive?

Still ... Considering ABC took on Cavemen as a sitcom, anything is possible.





CBS



I Witness Not actually sci-fi, but it may be of interest to sci-fi audiences. It sounds like there's more than a little Bones going on when a detective/professor utilizes her psycho-physiological skills to solve crimes. From writers Pam Veasey and Trey Callaway, who produced CSI: NY.

Will we get a chance to witness I Witness? Unlikely. No cast has been announced yet, and there's not much buzz about this one.

Nevertheless ... It does seem like a perfect fit for CBS.






NBC



Day One After a "global event" devastates the Earth's infrastructures, a group of survivors attempts to rebuild society and figure out what happened.Heroes' Jesse Alexander wrote the pilot, which was directed by Alex Graves (Fringe). Day One stars Julie Gonzalo, David Lyons, Carly Pope, Adam Campbell, Thekla Reuten, Derek Mio, Addison Timlin and Catherine Dent.

Will Day One get a day two? Chances are promising. Day One was specifically announced by NBC as a possibility to take over Heroes' Monday timeslot.

But don't forget ... That pesky Jay Leno will be taking over five prime-time hours a week come fall, and there's only a handful of dramas are going to make it onto the schedule. And one other little tidbit ... This sounds an awfully lot like Jericho.


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prophecy girl
Posted: Apr 24 2009, 09:18 AM


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Sci-fi TV pilots, part two: The CW and Fox shows that will live or die


TV pilots, the sequel. Today it's on to The CW and Fox to see what sci-fi pilots have a chance at going to series.




The CW



Vampire Diaries High school girl Elena falls for a 200-year-old vampire named Stefan and becomes caught between Stefan and his brother, Damon, as they struggle to claim her soul. Based on the novel series by L.J. Smith. Vampire Diaries comes from writers Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek) and Julie Plec (Kyle XY). Nina Dobrev plays Elena, with Paul Wesley taking on the role of Stefan and Lost's Ian Somerhalder playing Damon.

Will Vampire Diaries stake out a spot on The CW's schedule? It's got a chance. While Twilight may have made the whole teenage-girl-meets-and-falls-in-love-with-a-vampire-hottie angst thing popular, the Vampire Diaries novel series actually was published first. Nobody cares about that. Except The CW, which cares a lot about all the teenage girls who might tune in.

But ... The CW already has announced pickups for Supernatural and Smallville, along with several other series. There's not a lot of room on the schedule, and the competition is fierce among the network's six pilots.





Fox



Human Target Christopher Chance offers a special security service: He hires himself out to people in danger and assumes their identities, becoming a human target. Based on the DC Comic, Human Target comes from new writer Jon Steinberg, executive producer McG (Chuck, Supernatural) and director Simon West. Mark Valley (Fringe) takes on the lead role, with Chi McBride and Watchmen's Jackie Earle Haley also cast.

Can Human Target hit the mark? It's a sure thing. Anything based on a comic book these days is gold, and Fox is in love with this pilot.

So ... Why does it sound so familiar? Could it be because ABC had a version starring Rick Springfield in 1992? And didn't that one last only seven episodes? Yes, it did.





Masterwork This globe-hopping National Treasure-meets-The Da Vinci Code—with a bit of The Librarian tossed in—lumps an FBI agent and an MI5 agent together for a mission in a race to recover the world's most cherished artwork and artifacts. From creator Paul Scheuring (Prison Break). Masterwork stars Matt Passmore, Scott Porter (pictured above), Natalie Dormer and Tom Ellis.

Will Masterwork unearth a series? It's not a front-runner. This pilot sounds like it could be fun, especially with the new Angels & Demons movie coming soon.

Unfortunately ... Masterwork sounds like it would be a pretty pricey series to make, and these days an expensive series is one that doesn't get made.





Eva Adams When a chauvinistic womanizing sports agent crosses a witch, she casts a spell and transforms him into a woman so he can suffer the same type of harassment he's been doling out. Based on the Argentinean telenovela Lalola. Eva Adams was written by The West Wing's Kevin Falls and stars Rhea Seehorn (pictured) in the title role. The cast includes James Van Der Beek, David Denman, Kat Foster, Steve Harris and Alex Borstein.

Can Eva Adams transform from pilot into series? It seems unlikely. A What Women Want-meets-Switch-style series sounds like it might have potential. The big challenge with Eva Adams looks to be doing this type of material without comedy.

Which means ... This pilot's a drama.





Virtuality When the Earth's first starship, the Phaeton, heads off on a journey to explore a distant solar system, the people on board have to do something. Luckily they've got virtuality, which means the ability to embrace the limitless possibilities of a virtual-reality world. From creators Michael Taylor and Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, pictured). Peter Berg directed the two-hour pilot. The cast includes New Amsterdam's Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, James D'Arcy, Jimmi Simpson, Joy Bryant, Kerry Bishe, Nelson Lee, Omar Metwally, Richie Coster and Sienna Guillory.

Does Virtuality have a shot at reality? No. We knew the stars were obviously not in alignment when Fox ordered the two-hour pilot cut down to one hour because it was considered too dense.

At least ... Ron Moore won't be out of a job. He has SCI FI's upcoming series Caprica.





Untitled Reincarnation Project Why hasn't anyone thought of this one before? A group of past-life investigators attempt to solve their client's present mysteries by digging into their past lives. Created by David Hudgins (Friday Night Lights). The pilot stars Kelli Giddish (pictured), Nick Bishop, Ravi Patel and Richard Schiff.

Can this pilot reincarnate into a series? No way. This ever-so-low-concept idea with no decent title and a silly premise means that Fox won't take a chance on this one.

Nevertheless ... with the working title, Reincarnationist, it'd be fun to see how Fox would market this one.


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prophecy girl
Posted: May 10 2009, 04:35 PM


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As expected, ABC picked up the sci-fi drama Flash Forward for a series late Friday, giving a green light to the fall series, Variety reported.

The news wasn't a surprise: The network has already been teasing the show via a series of viral marketing spots during Lost.


ABC Studios is behind "Flash Forward," which centers on what happens when everyone on Earth briefly falls unconscious at the same time for 2 minutes and 17 seconds. During those moments, people see what happens to their lives six months in the future.

The show is based on Robert Sawyer's SF novel Flashforward. David Goyer and Brannon Braga wrote the pilot, which Goyer also directed. Goyer, Braga, Vince Gerardis, Jessika Goyer, Marc Guggenheim and Ralph Vicinanza are executive producers; Guggenheim and Goyer will serve as show runners.

The show stars Joseph Fiennes, Courtney B. Vance, Jack Davenport, Sonya Walger, John Cho, Brian O'Byrne, Zachary Knighton, Peyton List and Christine Woods.
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prophecy girl
Posted: May 19 2009, 09:25 AM


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QUOTE
Fox Prime-Time Schedule: Fall 2009
(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM LIE TO ME

TUESDAY
8:00-10:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Performance Show

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

FRIDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM 'TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM THE OT (NFL post-game)
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

Fox Prime-Time Schedule Midseason 2010
(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE
9:00-10:00 PM 24

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Performance Show
9:00-10:00 PM PAST LIFE

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL Results Show
9:00-10:00 PM HUMAN TARGET (January) / GLEE (spring)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE

FRIDAY
8:00-8:30 PM BROTHERS
8:30-9:00 PM 'TIL DEATH
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA'S MOST WANTED
11:00 PM-Midnight THE WANDA SYKES SHOW (working title)
Midnight-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM ANIMATION DOMINATION ENCORES
7:30-8:00 PM AMERICAN DAD
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM SONS OF TUCSON
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW


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prophecy girl
Posted: May 20 2009, 09:55 AM


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ABC's new schedule: V, Flash Forward, Eastwick and end of Lost

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prophecy girl
Posted: May 20 2009, 10:00 AM


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NBC picks up Chuck and Day One


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prophecy girl
Posted: May 20 2009, 10:09 AM


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First look at clips for ABC's V and Flash Forward


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prophecy girl
Posted: May 20 2009, 10:19 AM


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Tvworthwatching.com

Great News for Quality TV : "Dollhouse," Others Get Fall Renewals

The broadcast networks unveil their 2009-10 TV schedules officially this week, but word already is leaking out about some of the survivors and casualties. The most pleasant surprise of all : Fox has renewed Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse for a second season.

Adding to the good news : Most of the best broadcast series from the just-ending season, whether freshmen entries or veterans, apparently will live to fight, and delight, another day...

At CBS, the best new show of the season has been The Mentalist, which also happens to be the most popular new show of the season. Its renewal was guaranteed long ago, but it’s still nice to know that quality TV can thrive as well as survive.

That isn’t always the case, of course. At NBC, Life never got the support it deserved, and that wonderful cop series isn’t likely to stay on Life support any longer. On the other hand, NBC found a way to extend its deal with DirecTV, which in turn extends the life of Friday Night Lights — a drama so good, its survival is a victory for all TV Worth Watching enthusiasts.

Not sure if anyone watches, but edited to hide Friday Night Lights finale spoilers:

That show, like many borderline shows jockeying for survival, ended their seasons with a cliffhanger that tantalized with hints of things to come. On Friday Night Lights, Coach Taylor was forced out of his job teaching the Panthers, and ended the TV year taking wife Tami on a tour of his new football field at a much lower-rent high-school facility. Can’t wait to see the new team, the new challenges, and the new dynamics.

Fringe, on Fox, joins The Mentalist and Dollhouse as one of the three best new shows of the season. Fringe, too, is coming back, as is, according to reports, Lie to Me. The only Fox vanishing act is that of Terminator : the Sarah Connor Chronicles, despite the tie-in possibilities with the imminent theatrical Terminator reboot.

Edited to hide Fringe finale spoilers

Fringe ended with its season with a dual stunner : Olivia coming face to face with William Bell (played by guest star Leonard Nimoy), who was very much not dead, and Olivia realizing the office in which they were meeting was on one of the top floors of the still-standing World Trade Center. Welcome to an alternate reality — but how ? Where ? Why ?

Edited to hide Dollhouse finale spoilers

Finally, there’s Dollhouse, the Fox season finale of which (not counting the missing episode held back from telecast) made my jaw drop. Among the gasp-worthy revelations : Amy Acker’s Dr. Saunders, who administers to the blank-slate dolls in the Dollhouse, was shown in flashbacks to be a reprogrammable doll herself : Whiskey, seen in this case adopting the identity of a murderous vixen named Crystal.

I desperately wanted to see more. Now, thanks to Fox, I can.

ABC, for its part, is said to be dumping The Unusuals, but bringing back newcomers Better Off Ted and Castle, both of which are fun.

And in more surprising good news, the veteran, never-say-die comedy series Scrubs, which moved from NBC to ABC this season, will be back for one more year — though in what form, and with which cast members, has yet to be determined.

Start the week with a smile. Scrubs, Dollhouse and Friday Night Lights are coming back, and Fringe and The Mentalist aren’t going anywhere at all. I’ll miss Life, a lot. And I hope Whedon grabs his old Firefly cast member Summer Glau, now that she’s freed from Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and slips her into Dollhouse.

But with this high a battling average for quality TV, I have no complaints. Most seasons, a good TV year is defined as much by the good old shows that survive as it is by the good new shows that premiere. Next season looks to be a good year already, for the old returnees — and this week, as the networks roll out their new schedules, we’ll see what brand new quality programs may be joining them.


This post has been edited by prophecy girl on May 20 2009, 04:37 PM
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prophecy girl
Posted: May 21 2009, 09:20 AM


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CBS schedule: Medium lives, Ghost Whisperer gets season 5


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prophecy girl
Posted: May 21 2009, 09:33 AM


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clips from Fox's upcoming Human Target


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prophecy girl
Posted: May 21 2009, 09:34 AM


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TNT has ordered a pilot for an untitled alien invasion TV series from DreamWorks TV and executive producers Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank and Robert Rodat, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The series would be set six months after a worldwide alien invasion. Saving Private Ryan writer Rodat is penning the pilot based on an idea he conceived with Spielberg.

Spielberg has dealt with alien material on TV before, notably with SCI FI Channel's Emmy-winning 2002 miniseries Taken.
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prophecy girl
Posted: May 22 2009, 08:39 AM


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CW schedule

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prophecy girl
Posted: May 22 2009, 08:51 AM


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trailer for The CW's Vampire Diaries


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prophecy girl
Posted: May 22 2009, 09:00 AM


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promos for ABC's Eastwick and Fox's Past Life

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