Both THR and Deadline.com have posted updated tallies of how certain pilots are doing, including a few that are being covered here at KSiteTV.
At NBC, both say The Rockford Files has good chances, although Deadline says that the network has not seen the pilot yet. It sounds like J.J. Abrams’ Undercovers will definitely be on the air this Fall. Chances sound good for David E. Kelley’s pilot Kindreds, although there are some pilots NBC is more excited about.
THR says nothing about The Cape, but Deadline is saying that it seems like it’s between The Cape and The Event for a spot on the NBC schedule, with The Cape flying in slightly ahead right now.
David Tennant’s Rex Is Not Your Lawyer has had a reworked pilot which has “tested well” according to Deadline. THR didn’t mention it.
NBC also has some sitcoms that have been received well at the network. Those include This Little Piggy, Friends With Benefits, Perfect Couples, and Outsourced.
THR says the CBS Hawaii Five-O pilot screening “went great,” and the Jim Belushi drama The Defenders is also looking good. William Shatner apparently “nailed” the taping for the sitcom Bleep My Dad Says, and Chuck Lorre’s Mike & Molly apparently had a “great taping.”
Apparently FOX really likes the Texas con-man drama Midland, which is directed by future Spider-Man director Marc Webb. Terra Nova sounds like it’s a done deal for a 13-episode order. A new sitcom from My Name Is Earl creator Greg Garcia, titled Keep Hope Alive, is showing promise.
Deadline is listing most of ABC’s dramas as “looking good, sight unssen.” THR, however, calls No Ordinary Family a “stand out” and says 187 Detroit and Off The Map (the latter from Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes) are looking strong.
The Matthew Perry-starring comedy Mr. Sunshine and Debra Messing’s Wright vs. Wrong seem to also be doing well.
Deadline says The CW’s Nikita and Hellcats are “very strong” and “very on-brand” which is interesting considering Hellcats isn’t even finished yet. They say Betwixt is “cooling off,” though what exactly it is cooling off from is vague. They also have good things to say about Nomads, though they worry it might not fit the network brand. Some early script reviews for Nomads have also come in very good.
THR, on the other hand, gives props to Nikita and says the network is “also excited” about Betwixt, without mentioning the other programs.
Here’s the current schedule for when we will know the networks’ Fall line-ups. Generally, though, the schedules often leak a day or two earlier:
Monday, May 17
NBC (Morning)
FOX (Afternoon)
Tuesday, May 18
ABC (Afternoon)
Wednesday, May 19
CBS (Afternoon)
Thursday, May 20
The CW (Morning)
3 Comments
Didn’t we hear “cooling off” last year with the “Gossip Girl” spin-off? I’m most interested in “Nikita,” “Nomads,” and “Betwixt” on The CW, though, I’d probably watch their other shows, or at least check them out.
If it comes down to “The Cape” or “The Event,” I hope “The Cape” gets picked up. It sounds more interesting. I can’t wait for “Undercovers.”
I wish pilots would get posted online via iTunes or YouTube, they seriously should start doing that. Or even air them in May before Upfronts. Let viewers decide what they want. Look at “Glee,” we got a sneak preview in May, we loved it and it’s now a hit.
Thomas,
I agree with you, especially since fans often find their own, somewhat illegal ways to see pilots early, and if not that, they screen them at Comic-Con early to generate buzz, so it’s not as though they don’t want it.
Also agree regarding Glee. They had their pilot and then people had the whole summer to talk about it and grow a hit.
I should look and see what was said about pilots this time last year. That’d be interesting to read.
I definitely am behind The Cape, but a big part of that is because I love super-hero stuff. And I love Summer Glau. It’s a good mix.
CW would be pretty foolish not to add Betwixt to the lineup, as the network seems to do a good job with supernatural series and could possibly lose two (SV and SN) after next season. Time to capitalize on the strength and momentum that Vampire Diaries has brought to CW.
Also, it’s time to be aggressive and give viewers as much product as possible (both OTH and LUX, for instance). Can’t afford to alienate ANY viewers at this point. And please, please ditch the encore of Top Model on Friday. It’s useless, pointless, a waste of prime time.