By Danielle Turchiano - Studio System News There’s an old adage about there are only being seven unique stories in the world. Therefore every piece of media—be it film, book, or television show—stems from the same few sources and is ultimately connected and overlapped because of it. That would certainly explain why pilot season after pilot season networks greenlight new versions of the same fish out of water comedies, primetime relationship soaps, crime dramas, and supernatural (as well as these days comic book) genre shows. And while that is still true for the2014-2015 television season, times are at least a’changing when it comes to the way shows are ordered and scheduled. It has been a long time since the top five broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, and The CW) were just competing with each other for viewers. The emergence of cable networks’ own original programs shifted the quality of shows broadcast took a chance on but for years still left the model as ordering new series in May to air beginning that fall. Once online streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu started producing their own original series, officially making entertainment to a 24/7, on-demand medium, the tide started to turn, though. Earlier this year FOX announced plans to officially eschew pilot season, turning its back on a decades-long practice in order to adopt more of the cable model of developing a content, ordering it to series, and providing proper time to flesh it out and film it. Hopefully this will churn out stronger creative projects in the end, and this will also allow the network to stagger its scheduling of original programming throughout the year, making the most of their shorter two-hour primetime block of real estate. Perhaps most notably (and where other networks should take note), though, this ensures the network is sure about a project before spending money, time, effort, and talent on it. Pilots are not a cheap nor easy endeavor, and every year millions are spent on projects that never see the light of day—some of which the networks were pretty sure would never see the light of day. Yet they were greenlit anyway, creating a very costly scrap for their cutting room floor. While the other broadcast networks are a bit more reluctant to give up traditional pilot season altogether, in part citing the adjustment it would take for their advertisers, they have been dipping their toes in the waters of change with limited and event series, summer series, and series commitments based on the brands and talent attached, prior to the pilot being shot and screened for the last few years. By taking risks on big names and big concepts right from the up of the 2014-2015 television season, the landscape of what to watch next year already promises to be brighter than ever before. DIRECT TO SERIES ORDERS (BY NETWORK) The Astronaut Wives Club Network: ABC Studio(s): ABC Studios; Fake Empire; Groundswell Productions Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: 10 episodes for Summer 2014 Key ABL Players: Stephanie Savage (EP/Showrunner), Josh Schwartz (EP), Len Goldstein (EP), Nick Cassavetes (Pilot Director), JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Star) Logline: Behind every great man is an even better woman, and this 1960s period piece (based on the book by Lily Koppel) is out to tell the female-centric stories of the women who stood behind America’s biggest heroes during the height of the space race. SSN Insight: Mistresses may not have performed stellarly during Summer 2013, but the alphabet network renewed it, promising strong female-driven stories all summer long. The Astronauts Wives Club is poised to be the perfect pairing, fitting into the primetime soap genre Entertainment President Paul Lee has cultivated. The Club Network: ABC Studio(s): ABC Studios, CBS Television Studios Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: 12 episodes Key ABL Players: Susannah Grant (Creator/EP), Sarah Timberman (EP), Carl Beverly (EP), Callie Hernandez (Star) Logline: An upstairs/downstairs soap opera centered on those who run and frequent a country club. SSN Insight Entertainment President Paul Lee gets absolutely giggly over relationship dramas he calls “sticky” and delicious fun. This one spoke to that side of his sensibility. Secrets & Lies Network: ABC Studio(s): ABC Studios, Hoodlum, Capital Entertainment Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: 10 episodes Key ABL Players: Barbie Kligman (EP/Showrunner), Aaron Kaplan (EP), Tracey Robertson (EP), Nathan Mayfield (EP), Charles McDougall (Pilot Director), Ryan Phillippe (Star), Juliette Lewis (Star), KaDee Strickland (Star), Natalie Martinez (Star), Belle Shouse (Star), Clifton Collins Jr. (Star), Indiana Evans (Star) Logline: Based on an upcoming Australian series, a young father becomes the prime suspect when he finds the body of a murdered young boy. SSN Insight: Over the past two pilot seasons, ABC has ordered and aired short-run event series with crime elements (Red Widow,Betrayal), but this shows the network going all out with a commitment to complex but still concise character-driven stories that come with a mystery. And hopefully a Whoreallydunnit? answer at the end. Battle Creek Network: CBS Studio(s): CBS Television Studios, Sony Pictures Television Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: 13 episodes Key ABL Players: Vince Gilligan (Writer/EP), David Shore (Showrunner), Mark Johnson (EP), Janet McTeer (Star), Kal Penn (Star), Liza Lapira (Star), Damon Herriman (Star) Logline: Two detectives with very different world views are teamed up to determine what will clean up the mean streets of Battle Creek, Michigan: cynicism, guile, and deception or naivete, trust, and resources? SSN Insight: Coming off of Breaking Bad, any network would be lucky to snatch up Vince Gilligan, and CBS saw their chance with the Writer/Producer’s 2002 spec script. CBS has gradually been trying to diversify out from crime procedurals into more event-based serialized dramas (though many are still crime-based), and this offers them another opportunity to do so, as well. Backstrom Network: FOX Studio(s): 20th Century Fox Television Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: 13 episodes Key ABL Players: Hart Hanson (Writer/EP), Leif G.W. Persson (EP), Niclas Salomonsson (EP), Mark Mylod (EP, Pilot Director), Rainn Wilson (Producer/Star), Kristoffer Polaha (Star), Dennis Haysbert (Star), Thomas Dekker (Star), Page Kennedy (Star), Genevieve Angelson (Star), Beatrice Rosen (Star) Logline: Based on Persson’s crime books, an irrascible detective tries and fails to change his self-destructive behavior as he juggles colorful relationships on the job. SSN Insight: CBS passed on Backstrom for the2013-2014 pilot season, and though it was in contention at NBC for a spot, the peacock network ultimately passed, too. FOX has a great partnership with Hanson on Bones, and they proved they wanted to keep him happy and in the family with this order. Cabot College Network: FOX Studio(s): Universal Television, Little Stranger Genre/Format: Half-Hour Multicamera Comedy Commitment: Series commitment, no specification yet Key ABL Players: Matt Hubbard (Writer/EP), Tina Fey (EP), Robert Carlock (EP), David Miner (EP), Pamela Fryman (EP/Pilot Director), Margaret Cho (Star), Brandon Jones (Star), Bonnie Dennison (Star), Jack Cutmore-Scott (Star), Fortune Feimster (Star), Ely Henry (Star), Asif Ali (Star) Logline: A traditional women’s college opens its doors to male students for the first time ever. SSN Insight: Fey and Carlock’s involvement certainly paved the way for this project’s quick purchase, despite it being a different format and sentiment than what viewers have come to expect from them. Gotham Network: FOX Studio(s): Warner Bros. Television, DC Entertainment, Primrose Hill Productions Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: Series commitment, no specification yet Key ABL Players: Bruno Heller (Writer/EP), Danny Cannon (Pilot Director), Ben McKenzie (Star), Jada Pinkett-Smith (Star), Donal Logue (Star), Robin Lord Taylor (Star), Zabryna Guevara (Star), Sean Pertwee (Star), Erin Richards (Star) Logline: An origin story for Commissioner James Gordon and the villains that made Gotham City famous in the DC comic book universe. SSN Insight: Comics on TV have become the new cool, but with the Batman story, there is also guaranteed rich, dark drama. While The CW has Oliver Queen and ABC has Marvel’s Agent Coulson, it’s no wonder FOX wanted to get in the comic book game with a BIG name. Hieroglyph Network: FOX Studio(s): 20th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: 13 episodes Key ABL Players: Travis Beacham (Writer/EP), Peter Chernin (EP), Katherine Pope, (EP), Miguel Sapochnik (EP/Pilot Director), Jonathan Rhys-Davis (Star), Reece Ritchie (Star), Condola Rashad (Star), Kelsey Chow (Star), Caroline Ford (Star), Antony Bunsee (Star), Max Brown (Star) Logline: Set in ancient Egypt and centering on a notorious thief who is plucked from prison to serve the Pharaoh and navigate palace intrigue, seductive concubines, criminal underbellies, and even a few divine sorcerers, this is a high concept, action-packed fantasy period piece. SSN Insight: The drive for event series is strong for all networks, namely FOX which has done away with traditional pilot season proceedings, and the scale of this particular project screams event more than anything else they had in contention. The Last Man on Earth Network: FOX Studio(s): 20th Century Fox Television Genre/Format: Half-Hour Single Camera Comedy Commitment: Series commitment, no specification yet Key ABL Players: Will Forte (Writer/EP/Star), Phil Lord (Writer/EP/Pilot Director), Chris Miller (EP), Seth Cohen (EP) Logline: A comic look at the journey and tribulations of the last man on Earth and a star vehicle for Forte himself. SSN Insight: Will Forte’s specific comic sensibility is something that will fit well with FOX’s off beat comedies—and fit with the network’s trend of poaching NBC/SNL talent. Lord and Miller’s hot streak after their recentLego Movie success doesn’t hurt either. Mulaney Network: FOX Studio(s): Universal Television, Broadway Video, 3 Arts Genre/Format: Half-Hour Multicamera Comedy Commitment: 6 episodes Key ABL Players: John Mulaney (Writer/EP/Star), Lorne Michaels (EP), Dave Becky (EP), Andrew Singer (EP), Andy Ackerman (Pilot Director), Martin Short (Star), Nasim Pedrad (Star), Elliott Gould (Star), Seaton Smith (Star), Zack Pearlman (Star) Logline: In this semi-autobiographical comedy (and star vehicle for Mulaney), an aspiring comedian comes of age under the influence of his boss, friends, and cohabitators. SSN Insight: Like Forte before him, Mulaney’s brand of comedy fits well with the Andy Sambergs (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and post-SNLsitcom vibe that FOX seems to be cultivating. Weird Loners Network: FOX Studio(s): 20th Century Fox Television Genre/Format: Half-Hour Single Camera Comedy Commitment: 6 episodes Key ABL Players: Michael Weithorn (Writer/EP), Jake Kasdan (EP), Zachary Knighton (Star), Becki Newton (Star), Nate Torrence (Star) Logline: Four relationship-phobic people are unexpectedly thrust into each other’s lives and form an unlikely bond in a New York townhouse. SSN Insight: The humor on the page of Weird Loners may make it seem like a nice companion for the equally quirky New Girl, but by snatching up some of the best but still underrated comedy players, FOX has certainly stacked the deck. Emerald City Network: NBC Studio(s): Universal Television Genre/Format: Hour Drama Commitment: 10 episodes Key ABL Players: Matt Arnold (Writer/EP), Josh Friedman (Writer/EP) Logline: A reimagining of the classic Frank L. Baum books in which this Dorothy is unwittingly sent on an eye-opening journey that thrusts her into the center of an epic and bloody battle for the control of Oz. SSN Insight: Oz is a slightly darker, more twisted fairytale than those you may find on ABC, but the world is still rich enough– and large enough in scope– to offer hundreds of high concept stories and unique visuals that only today’s advances in technology can properly pull off. Mr. Robinson Network: NBC Studio(s): Universal Television, 3 Arts Genre/Format: Half-Hour Single Camera Comedy Commitment: 6 episodes Key ABL Players: Mark and Robb Cullen (Writers/EPs), Howard Klein (EP), Mark Schulman (EP), Craig Robinson (Star) Logline: While teaching the kids everything from rock to the blues, a musician-turned-teacher simultaneously learns how to put the school’s rules to the test. SSN Insight: Robinson developed a strong relationship with NBC during his time on The Office, making him one the network wanted to keep in their family. Tooken Network: NBC Studio(s): Universal Television, Little Stranger Genre/Format: Half-Hour Single Camera Comedy Commitment: Series commitment, no specification yet Key ABL Players: Tina Fey (Writer/EP), Robert Carlock (Writer/EP/Showrunner), David Miner (EP), Tristram Shapeero (Pilot Director), Ellie Kemper (Star), Logline: A young woman moves to New York City to start her life for the first real time after being rescued from a cultish man’s imprisonment. SSN Insight: There really should have been no doubt that NBC would snatch up another comedy from Fey, hot off the heels of her 30 Rock success. The fact that this one just happens to feature one of their darlings fromThe Office is just the cherry on top. Working the Engels Network: NBC Studio(s): NBC, Halfire-CORE Entertainment, Shaw Media Genre/Format: Half-Hour Single Camera Comedy Commitment: Series commitment, no specification yet Key ABL Players: Katie Ford (Writer/EP), Jane Ford (Writer/EP), Howard Busgang (EP), Tom Nursall (EP), Noreen Halpern (EP), Andrea Martin (Star), Kacey Roh (Star), Azura Skye (Star), Benjamin Arthur (Star) Logline: The loss of a family’s patriarch leads them all to band together and take over his storefront lawfirm– even though they’re not all lawyers. SSN Insight: NBC hasn’t had the best luck lately with family comedies (see: Sean Saves The World, The Michael J. Fox Show), but they’re trying again with one that is admittedly a bit quirkier.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 20:05:21 +0000