Fall 2011-12 drama and comedy pilots: What's the next hit (and what's headed to the trash bin)

by Lynette Rice and James Hibberd - Entertainment Weekly


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After spending untold amounts of cash on hundreds of dramas and comedies — most of which will never make it to your living rooms — the five broadcast networks will begin announcing in New York next week which projects are good enough to earn a coveted fall pickup. (NBC and Fox will present their fall schedule to advertisers on Monday, followed by ABC on Tuesday, CBS on Wednesday and the CW on Thursday).

Buzz is already strong for several projects (for more on the hot ones, click here). But every year, we always wonder what diamond-in-the-rough was left on the cutting room floor because some actor may have been miscast or some writer failed to come up with a decent third act. Here’s your one last look at the fall development roster before the annual upfront presentations next week:

CBS

The Doctor (Rina Mimoun, David Nutter). A mother (Christine Lahti) reconnects with her adult children when she joins the family medical practice (drama). Also starring: Eva Amurri, Scott Foley, Michael Boatman and Kyle MacLachlan.

Hail Mary (Joel Silver, Ilene Chaiken, Brad Silberling, Jeff Wadlow). Buddy P.I. show centered on a suburban single mom (Minnie Driver) in Atlanta who teams up with a street-wise hustler (Brandon T. Jackson) to solve crimes (drama).

Ringer (Peter Traugott, Richard Shepard Eric Charmelo, Nicole Snyder). On the run from the mob, a troubled young woman (Sarah Michelle Gellar) hides out by inhabiting the life of her wealthy twin sister, until she learns that her twin’s life has a bounty on it as well. Also stars Nestor Carbonell, Kristoffer Polaha, Tara Summers. (drama).

Rookies (Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, James Mangold, Ken Sanzel, Richard Price). Six NYPD rookies balance their personal lives with learning the beat on the streets of Manhattan. Stars Judy Marte, Adam Goldberg, Leelee Sobieski, Tom Reed, Terry Kinney and Stark Sands (drama).

Untitled Redlich and Belluci (Ed Redlich, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, John Bellucci). Previously titled The Rememberer, female NYPD detective (Poppy Montgomery) possesses the special ability to remember everything –- although a gift in her job, it’s also a curse in her personal life (drama).

Untitled Susannah Grant project (Susannah Grant, Jonathan Demme, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly). Ultra-Competitive surgeon’s (Patrick Wilson) life is changed forever when his ex-wife dies (Jennifer Ehle) and begins teaching him what life is all about from the here-after. Also stars Julie Benz (drama).

Person of Interest (Jonah Nolan, JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk). Crime drama centered on an ex-CIA agent, presumed dead (Jim Caviezel), who teams up with a mysterious billionaire (Michael Emerson) to prevent violent crimes in New York City before they happen (drama).

Vince Uncensored (Pheof Sutton, Conan O’Brien, David Kissinger). After a life-changing experience, a man (Michael Chiklis) decides to take a more honest approach to his life, work and family. Multi-camera comedy (comedy).

Two Broke Girls (Michael Patrick King,Whitney Cummings). Two broke girls, one expensive city – two broke 22-year-old girls tackle life in New York City (Brooklyn, to be exact) as they try to make their dreams come true. Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs star. (comedy).

Untitled Peter Knight office comedy (Doug Robinson, Peter Knight). The untitled Peter Knight office comedy is a workplace ensemble centered around the young people who work at a high-powered venture capital firm. Stars Larry Wilmore (comedy).

How to be a Gentleman (David Hornsby, Ted Schachter). Based on the book of the same name. It’s a male buddy comedy that follows an unlikely friendship between a traditional, uptight columnist (Hornsby) and his rough-around-the-edges friend and trainer. Dave Foley also stars. (comedy).

Home Game (Warren Bell, Chris Nowak, Mark Wahlberg, Steven Levinson). About a retired NFL player who returns home to his wife and daughters. It stars Rob Riggle and Constance Zimmer (comedy).

Untitled sports radio show (Bill Martin, Mike Schiff, Eric & Kim Tannenbaum). Inspired by ESPN personality Colin Cowherd’s outspoken sports talk show and stars Eliza Dushku, Danny Comden and Damon Wayans. (comedy).

The Assistants (Tucker Cawley, Eric & Kim Tannenbaum). About a young ensemble about four assistant who work for a celebrity couple. TJ Miller and Emily Rutherfurd star (comedy).

Rob Schneider project (Lew Morton, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum). Schneider stars as a confirmed bachelor who has just married into a tight-knit Mexican-American family. Also starring Nadine Velazquez, Tony Plana, Lupe Ontiveros. (comedy).

Untitled Filgo project (Jackie & Jeff Filgo, Andy Ackerman). A blue-collar man wrestles with how to parent his unmarried grown daughter and her 12-year-old son while sharing a house with them, his wife and his recently widowed mother. Stars Becki Newton and Shane McRae (comedy)



ABC

Halleluah (Marc Cherry). When the Tennessee town of Hallelujah finds itself being torn apart by forces of good and evil, a stranger arrives to bring justice, peace and quite possibly restore the faith in the world that the residents so desperately need. The episodes will be punctuated by songs sung by the gospel choir, which serves as a sort of Greek chorus. Stars Jesse L. Martin, Frances O’Connor, Terry O’Quinn, Arielle Kebbel, Donal Logue, Zoey Thompson Deutch (drama)

Once Upon a Time (Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz). A young boy who is drawn into a town where the magic and mystery of fairy tales may be real. Stars Robert Carlyle as “Rumplestiltskin,” Jared Gilmore, Jamie Dornan, Josh Dallas as “Prince Charming” and Jennifer Morrison (drama)

Revenge (Mike Kelley). Emily Thorne (Emily Van Camp) has a secret. She’s new to the Hamptons and rented a beautiful house on the water for the summer and she’s welcomed into the spectacular community by her neighbors. Little do the townsfolk know, however, that every kind gesture is an invitation to their own downfall in this primetime soap. Stars Ashley Madekwe, Nick Wechsler, Gabriel Mann, Connor Paolo (drama)

The River (Oren Peli, Jason Blum). Follows the search for a famed adventurer/TV personality (Bruce Greenwood) who, along with his crew, goes missing deep in the Amazon. Stars Eloise Mumford, Joe Anderson, Paulina Gaitan, Shaun Parkes, Paul Blackthorne (drama).

Identity (John Glenn). A procedural that centers on an elite police unit formed to combat the explosion of identity-related crime. Stars Orlando Jones, Jay Paulson and Angela Bassett (drama).

Good Christian Bitches! (Robert Harling, Darren Star, Aaron Kaplan). Primetime soap is set in Dallas and asks the question – Is it possible to start over in a town that thinks they already know you? Amanda (Leslie Bibb) once the ultimate “mean girl” in high school, returns home to Dallas after her marriage ends in scandal. Humbled, Amanda is nothing like the girl she once was. But as her old classmates reacquaint themselves with the new Amanda, will these “Good Christian Bitches” give her a second chance or is this their shot to seek revenge? Jennifer Aspen, Annie Potts, Miriam Shor, Marisol Nichols (drama).

Damage Control (Rhimes, Betsy Beers). Revolves around the life and work of a professional fixer and her dysfunctional staff. The character is based on the career of Judy Smith, a crisis management consultant who has guided corporations, politicians, and public figures over the last 20 years. Stars Kerry Washington, Columbus Short, Henry Ian Cusick, Katie Lowes, Guillermo Diaz, Tony Goldwyn, Darby Stanchfield, Jeff Perry (drama).

Georgetown (Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage). A sexy soap centered around young people behind the power brokers of Washington DC. Stars Jimmy Wolk, Katie Cassidy, Daisy Betts, Joe Mazzello, Condola Rashad (drama).

Poe (Chris Hollier). Crime procedural following Edgar Allan Poe (Chris Egan) as the world’s very first detective, using unconventional methods to investigate dark mysteries in 1840s Boston. Also stars Kevin McNally, Leslie Odom and Tabrett Bethell (drama).

Pan Am (Jack Orman, Nancy Ganis, Sid Ganis, Tommy Schlamme). A sexy soap set against the jet age, focusing on the stewardesses and pilots and their glamorous world full of adventures. Stars Margot Robbie, Michael Mosley, Karine Vanasse, Christina Ricci, Kellie Garner, Jonah Lotan (drama).

Charlie’s Angels (Miles Millar, Al Gough, Leonard Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, Nancy Juvonen). Modern-day version of the classic show that will be set in Miami. Stars Annie Ilonzeh, Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor as the Angels, with Ramon Rodriguez as Bosley and Robert Wagner as the voice of Charlie (drama).

Partners (Ed Bernero). Centers on two female police detectives who are fiercely loyal to one another since they’re also secretly sisters. Stars Scottie Thompson, Kenneth Mitchell, Annie Wersching, Lawrence Gilliard, Jr., Michael Beach, Nester Serrano, Frances Fisher (drama).

Grace (Krista Vernoff, Carrie Ann Inaba). Focuses on a dysfunctional family set in the world of professional dance. Stars Eric Roberts, Chantz Simpson, Will Kemp, Abigail Spencer, Eion Bailey, Sherri Saum, Chris Carmack, Robert Hoffman, Anabelle Acosta, Debbie Allen (drama).

Other People’s Kids (Stacy Traub, Peter Traugott, Hunter Covington). A 32-year-old guy (Jesse Bradford) with no responsibilities finds himself with an insta-family when he falls in love with an older woman (Bonnie Somerville) who has two kids, an ex-husband, and ex-in-laws. Also stars Malcolm Barrett, Claire Engler, Johnny Sneed, Judith Light (comedy).

Untitled Tim Allen (Jack Burditt). Even though the world around him has declared the traditional male an ‘endangered species,’ Tim Fitzgerald (Allen) is fighting for his manhood in a world that is being increasingly dominated by women (comedy).

Lost and Found (Marisa Coughlan). A narcissistic New York City bartender and party girl has her life turned upside down when the conservative 18-year-old son she gave up for adoption shows up on her doorstep. Stars Diana Maria Riva, Gary Clayton, Josh Casaubon. (comedy).

Work it (Andrew Reich, Ted Cohen). Two out-of-work salesmen realize that it is now a woman’s world and decide that in order to find work and succeed, they are going to have to dress as women to get jobs as pharmaceutical reps. Stars Amaury Nolasco, John Caparulo, Rebecca Mader, Ben Koldyke, Kirstin Eggers (comedy).

Man Up (Chris Moynihan, Ron West, Kelly Kulchak). A look at what it takes to survive as a modern man, as told through the eyes of three best friends and the women in their lives. Stars Christopher Moynihan, Mather Zickel, Teri Polo, Amanda Detmer, Jake Johnson, Henry Simmons, Dan Fogler (comedy).

Smothered (Andrew Rech, Ted Cohen). A young couple finds themselves smothered by their two very different sets of parents. Stars Kyle Howard, Julie White, Marcia Gay Harden, Brooke D’Orsay (comedy).

Apartment 23 (Nahnatchka Khan, David Hemingson). The story is about a naive young woman (Dreama Walker) who comes to New York City and ends up with a trouble-making party-girl roommate (Krysten Ritter). Also stars James Van Der Beek as himself. (comedy).

Suburgatory (Emily Kapnek). In this satirical look at life in the suburbs, a quintessentially New York City girl moves to a cookie-cutter community only to discover that life in the ‘burbs is more frightening than any horror movie that she’s ever seen. Tonally, this is a heightened view of suburbia with a cinematic quality that evokes the scope and horror of perfection. Stars Jane Levy, Jeremy Sisto, Allie Grant, Carly Chaikin, Alan Tudyk, Cheryl Hines (comedy).

My Frickin’ Family (Erica Rivinoja, Peter Traugott). Two young parents’ lives change after they have a baby and the four grandparents butt in. Stars Harish Patel, Chris Rich, Ellen Woglom, Ravi Patel, Mo Gaffney (comedy).

Bad Mom (Sharon Horgan, Aaron Kaplan). Ever since her kids were born, Julia Lacey (Jenna Elfman) has made sure her son and daughter were brought up exactly as she was – by her mother Marian. Julia’s mother however, wants her life back. So Julia is going to have to go it alone. This is her transition from having the best mom in the world, to being the best mom in the world. Also stars Sharon Horgan (comedy).

Fox

Alcatraz (J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Liz Sarnoff). Revolves around Alcatraz Island and notorious criminals housed there. Stars Same Neill, Jorge Garcia and Robert Forster (drama).

The Finder (aka Bones spinoff): Based on The Locator books by Richard Greener, about a former military policeman who can find anything. Geoff Stults stars along with Saffron Burrows and Michael Clarke Duncan (drama)

Locke & Key (Alex Kurtzman, Robert Orci, Joe Hill): Based on Hill’s graphic novel, a supernatural drama about the adventures of the Locke family in home with portals to other places. Stars Miranda Otto, Nick Stahl, Jesse McCartney and Sarah Bolger (drama)

Exit Strategy (Antoine Fuqua): Stars Ethan Hawke as the leader of a team of experts who help the CIA with extractions. Also features Tom Sizemore and Megan Dodos (drama).

Weekends at Bellevue (Lisa Zwerling, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun, Gene Stein). Drama based on the book by Julie Holland, MD; drama that centers on a psychiatrist in charge of the weekend shift of Bellevue Hospital psychiatric unit. Stars Janet McTeer, Laurne Ambrose, Amber Stevens, Eric Winter (drama)

Touch (Tim Kring, Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope). A man played by Kiefer Sutherland discovers his mute, autistic son can predict the future (drama).

I Hate My Teenager Daughter (Sherry Bilsing-Graham, Ellen Kreamer). Two women who were tormented by mean girls when they were younger, and are now appalled to realize their daughters are turning into the same type of girls they never liked (comedy).

Tagged (David Guarascio, Moses Port). A workplace ensemble set at the Baltimore County coroner’s office. Starring Gary Cole, Robin Givens (comedy).

Iceland (Andrew Bobrow). Centers around a group of friends who are reunited and nurture each other after the death of one of their own. Cast includes Zach Gilford, Kerry Bishe (comedy).

Family Album. Told in the vein of 24, A family takes an extended vacation. Cast includes Rob Huebel, Mike O’Malley, Rachael Harris (comedy).

Little in Common (Rob Thomas). About three families united through their kids little league sports. Cast includes Rob Corddry, Paula Marshall (comed).

The Council of Dads. Based on the memoir about a man with cancer who lures a group of friends to supervise his daughters if he dies. Stars Kyle Bornheimer, Patrick Breen (comedy).

No Strings Attached (Liz Meriwether, Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope). Focuses on sexual politics of men and women. Stars Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson (comedy).

NBC

17th Precinct (Ron Moore). World ruled by magic, not science. Stars Stockard Channing, Jamie Bamber, Kristin Kreuk, Easi Morales (drama).

Playboy (Chad Hodge). Set in the 1960s, the drama takes a look at the lives of Playboy bunnies. Stars Amber Heard, David Krumholtz, Eddie Cibrian (drama).

Smash (Steven Spielberg, Neil Meron, Craig Zadan, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Theresa Rebeck). Follows a cross-section of characters who come together for the exhilarating ride of putting on a Broadway musical. Stars Debra Messing, Katharine McPhee, Jack Davenport, Anjelica Huston (drama).

Wonder Woman (David E. Kelley). A reboot of the superhero tale that’s a serious, non-campy take on the DC Comics character. Stars Adrianne Palicki, Cary Elwes, Elizabeth Hurley (drama).

A Mann’s World (Michael Patrick King, John Melfi). Follows the complicated life of Allan Mann, a celebrity hair stylist in glamorous Los Angeles as he navigates the complexities of his business, his family life, and his goal to stay relevant in a world that moves quickly. Stars Don Johnson, Ellen Barkin, Caitlin Crosby (drama).

Special investigations L.A. (Stephen Gaghan, Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope). In the style of Traffic, the drama is set in the world of crime, law enforcement, and politics in modern-day L.A. Stars Jimmy Smits, Danny Pino, Madchen Amic, Noah Emmerich (drama).

Grimm (Jim Kouf, David Greenwalt). Dark but fantastical cop drama about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm’s Fairy Tales exist. Stars David Giuntoli, Bitsie Tulloch, Kate Burton (drama).

Prime Suspect (Alexandra Cunningham, Sarah Aubrey, Peter Berg). Series adaptation of the British miniseries. Stars Maria Bello, Kirk Acevedo, Aidan Quinn, Peter Gerety. (drama).

REM (Kyle Killen). A procedural hybrid which follows the simultaneous and parallel lives of a detective who can not let go of any aspect of his fractured family after a horrible car accident. Stars Jason Isaacs, Wilmer Valderrama, Steve Harris (drama).

The Crossing (Josh Brand, Peter Horton, Aaron Kaplan). In the aftermath of a difficult war, a Civil War soldier crosses the country and settles into a complicated town where he is welcomed as its savior — whether he likes it or not. Stars Robert Knepper, Emma Bell, Claire Wellin, Bill Sage (drama).

Kari Lizer project (Kari Lizer). A multi-camera workplace comedy about a relationship-challenged woman who, with the help of her co-workers, guides people through unexpected career transitions and downsizing. Stars Sarah Paulsen (comedy).

Free Agents (John Enbom, Karey Burke, Todd Holland). Based on the UK format, this single camera comedy looks at the attraction between two quirky co-workers who are both on the rebound. Stars Hank Azaria (comedy).

Dan Goor project (Dan Goor, Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun). A young doctor joins his parents’ medical practice and spends as much time tending to his family as to his patients. Stars Jean Smart, Andrew West, Brad Morris (comedy).

Lovelives (Chris Sheridan, Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope). A sophisticated multi-camera comedy about two couples and their challenges of love and infidelity. Stars Ryan Hansen, Amanda Loncar, Sean Maguire (comedy).

I Hate that I Love You (Jhoni Marchinko). Focuses on a straight couple that introduces two of its lesbian friends to one another – which results in instant attraction and a pregnancy. Stars Anna Camp and Nick Thune (comedy).

Are you there, Vodka? It’s me, Chelsea (Chelsea Handler, Tom Werner, Dottie Dartland Zicklin, Julie Larsen). Inspired by Handler’s best-selling memoir that will focus on the lives of a group of 20-somethings who live and work together with a very outspoken young woman. Stars Handler, Laura Prepon, Lenny Clarke. (comedy).

Brave New World (Peter Tolan, Michael Wimer). This single-camera workplace comedy follows a group of unusual characters at Pilgrim Village, a theme park that specializes in recreations of New England in 1647. Stars Ed Begley, Jr, Robby Benson, Nick Braun (comedy).

My Life as an Experiment (Cathy Yuspa, Josh Goldsmith, Jack Black). A single-camera comedy about a magazine writer who immerses himself and his family in his unusual situations for his stories, which always reflect back on his marriage. It’s based on the book by (former EW writer!) A.J. Jacobs. Stars Paget Brewster, Donald Sutherland, Jon Dore (comedy).

St. Claire project (Lennon Parham, Jessica St. Clair). A woman and her new live-in boyfriend find themselves taking in her distraught and pushy best girlfriend who ends up on their doorstep after a divorce. Stars Stephen Schneider (comedy).

Bent (Ted Quill). Single-camera comedy about a recently divorced Type A single mom who tries hard not to fall for the sexy surfer dude contractor she hires to re-do her kitchen. Stars Amanda Peet, Jeffrey Tambor, David Walton (comedy).

Untitled Whitney Cummings Project (Whitney Cummings, Betsy Thomas). Starring and based on the comedy of Whitney Cummings, this multi-camera comedy focuses on a young couple and the ups and downs of a committed relationship in today’s complicated world. Also stars Chris D’Elia, Beverly D’Angelo (comedy).

Untitled Emily Spivey project (Emily Spivey). A cast-contingent project about parenthood through the POV of an acerbic working mom. Stars Christina Applegate (comedy).

The CW

Danni Lowinski (Executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman): A young female law school grad who can’t find a job decides to open her own law office – in a kiosk at the local mall. Cast: Amanda Walsh, Carla Gallo, Neal Bledsoe, George Dzundza, Utkarsh Ambudkar

Awakening (William Laurin & Glenn Davis, Howard T. Owens, Carolyn Bernstein, Todd Cohen): Two sisters come of age and face off against one another amidst the beginning of a zombie uprising. Cast: Lucy Griffiths, Meredith Hagner, Brian Hallisay

Hart of Dixie (Leila Gerstein, Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage, Len Goldstein): Culture shock awaits a young New York City doctor after she inherits a medical practice in a small Southern town inhabited by an eclectic and eccentric group of characters in this comedic drama. Cast: Rachel Bilson, Jamie King, Wilson Bethel, Cress Williams

Cooper and Stone (Laurie Arent): A contemporary and genuine drama centered on two young women, who are the best of friends, facing the same personal and professional struggles as any other women their age. Despite having their own individual styles and very different backgrounds, they share a unique bond: They’re partnered as two of Chicago’s best homicide detectives. Cast: Alexandra Breckenridge, Riley Smith

Heavenly (Richard Hatem, Rob Doherty, Ross Fineman, Mimi Leder): A dedicated young female attorney and a former angel team up to tackle cases at her legal aid clinic. She comes to the rescue of her clients… while he saves their souls. Cast: Ben Aldridge, Elizabeth Ho

Secret Circle (Andrew Miller, Kevin Williamson, Elizabeth Craft, Sarah Fain, Leslie Morgenstein, Gina Girolamo, Liz Friedlander): Based upon the book series by L.J. Smith (author of The Vampire Diaries book series), the story of a young woman who moves to a new town and discovers that not only is she a witch and part of a secret coven, but she’s also the key that will unlock a centuries-old battle of good versus evil. Cast: Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker