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Pilot Watch: Privileged

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:30:01 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Privileged, a CW dramedy that will air after 90210 on Tuesdays.

What's it about? Based on the book How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls (which was also the show's original title), Privileged is the story of Megan Smith, a Yale grad who ends up personal tutor to spoiled Palm Beach heiresses Rose and Sage.

Who's in it? Joanna Garcia, Lucy Hale (who is not Nora Zehetner), Ashley Newbrough, Anne Archer, Michael Cassidy

The good: Garcia is wonderful in the lead role, a little reminiscent of Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada as she bumbles her way through various situations; she gets all of the most clever lines. Likewise, Newbrough is strong as the controlling, backstabbing Sage, and Hale turns on the sweetness to play the more delicate Rose. In fact, "sweet" is a good word for the show overall: It's very feel-good. Even the drama seems low-stakes, without the scandal of a Gossip Girl episode.

The bad: I didn't come to Privileged looking for an outstanding plot, but even at that, there were some baffling elements. The show hints that Megan has a past in Palm Beach - so why is she so surprised at the mansions and the money? And why would someone as smart as Megan supposedly is take a job as a tutor without even meeting the kids she's supposed to teach? I also can't believe this is a 9 p.m. show; it's not as family friendly as 7th Heaven or anything, but it still seems like it would appeal to a younger audience than 90210 will.

Will I watch? I'll probably check out a couple of episodes to see how the story progresses and then decide whether it's on my schedule for good.

To check out a preview and a gallery of photos, just read more.

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Photo courtesy of The CW

Pilot Watch: The Mentalist

BuzzSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:31:19 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: The Mentalist, a new CBS drama that will be sandwiched between NCIS and Without a Trace on Tuesdays.

What's it about? The Mentalist focuses on, well, a mentalist: Thomas Jane, a former faux-psychic who with something of a dark past who now uses his observational skills to solve crimes for the California Bureau of Investigation.

Who's in it? Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Amanda Righetti, Owain Yeoman

The good: Baker is an appealing leading man, and not just because he's easy on the eyes (though that helps). His character is a jerk, but he's a jerk in the same way Dr. House is a jerk: Ultimately, he wants to do the right thing, and so it's easy to root for him even at his most abrasive. There's a good twist at the end, actually a bit reminiscent of NBC's Life pilot last season, and I also enjoyed the flashback to Jane's glory days as a TV psychic. Fans of crime procedurals will probably find a lot to like.

The bad: If you're not already a fan of the crime procedural, I'm not sure this one will win you over. There are a lot of "odd (fill-in-the-blank profession) with a tortured past" shows on the air right now, and The Mentalist will have to work pretty hard to set itself apart. I didn't get much out of any of the supporting characters, though that could be because the pilot was working so hard to set up Baker as a bankable star.

Will I watch? Perhaps. I wasn't bowled over, but I'm curious to know how the show integrates the story of Baker's past with his current cases.

To check out a preview, just read more.

Photo courtesy of CBS

Pilot Watch: Do Not Disturb

BuzzSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:30:22 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Fox's Do Not Disturb, the network's only new comedy of the Fall, which will be paired with 'Til Death on Wednesdays.

What's it about? The Upstairs, Downstairs-style comedy focuses on the relationships between the employees of a ritzy hotel.

Who's in it? Niecy Nash, Jerry O'Connell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Molly Stanton, Jolene Purdy

The good: This show has a lot of funny people who are hilarious on their own and should, ideally, be funny together. I love Nash on Reno 911!, I think infinitely higher of O'Connell after his Tom Cruise parody video, and executive producer Abraham Higgenbotham was a writer on Arrested Development (fellow Arrested alum Jason Bateman directed the pilot). Nash, in particular, has a commanding presence on screen and seems like she could really do a lot with her character.

The bad: Stereotypes. Everywhere. Some of them are actually funny (there's a great sight gag with the women at the reception counter going up on their tippy-toes to please O'Connell's character, after Nash's character gets them some more-comfortable but less-skyscraping shoes), but so many of them just made me cringe. Like what? Well, the plot line of the first episode revolves around an overweight phone receptionist who wants to interact with hotel guests but isn't allowed to because of her looks. Yes, the bosses keeping her hidden come off as abhorrent - but mostly I felt like the show wanted us to point and laugh right along with them.

Will I watch? The show will have to get a lot less broad and stereotypical if it wants to keep me as a viewer.

To check out a preview and see a gallery of photos, just read more.

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Photos courtesy of Fox

Pilot Watch: Fringe

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:30:54 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: Fox's Fringe, which will air Tuesdays this Fall after House.

What's it about? After a creepy incident on an airplane (creator JJ Abrams seems to like those), an FBI agent ends up getting sucked into the world of fringe science, which essentially uses humankind as one large laboratory for exploring cloning, mind reading, and the like.

Who's in it? Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown

The good: The first episode does quick work of establishing the premise, the characters, and their central conflicts while also dropping some hints as to the mythology (and cool science-y plot twists) that will likely develop later. Jackson and Noble are great as a dysfunctional father-son team, grudgingly interacting again after years of silence. Two actors in relatively smaller roles - Lance Reddick as a Department of Homeland Security agent and Blair Brown as the head of science corporation Massive Dynamic - carry a lot of the weight of setting up the series' framework and do an outstanding job with it.

The bad: The pilot is super-sized (just under 90 minutes), and I'm not sure it needed to be. Some of the middle section dragged, which prevented me from being as completely wowed by the show as I'd hoped. I'm still not sure I completely understand Noble's character (he was borderline deranged at the start, then just kind of quirky by show's end), but that could have been intentional, since part of the premise is that he is a bit of a wild card.

Will I watch? Absolutely. A lot goes down in the final 15 minutes, and it was enough to make me want to see where the story leads.

To check out a preview and see a gallery of photos, just read more.

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Photos courtesy of Fox

Pilot Watch: Worst Week

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:30:34 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: CBS's Worst Week, which is set to anchor the Monday night comedy lineup.

What's it about? A guy, Sam, turns into a bumbling idiot anytime he's around his girlfriend's parents.

Who's in it? Kyle Bornheimer, Erinn Hayes, Kurtwood Smith, Nancy Lenehan

The good: It's interesting to see the most traditional network try a half-hour comedy without a laugh track. If you like slapstick, there's a lot of physical comedy in this episode. The actors do their best to sell some ridiculous situations, and there's a great cameo from Aziz Ansari, who was recently cast in The Office spinoff.

The bad: The funniest moment in your pilot shouldn't come from a guest star. It's hard to feel sorry for Sam when he does so many idiotic things; I like the idea of a guy becoming a human disaster around the people he's trying hardest to impress, but Sam chooses the least-logical option time and time again. I wanted to slap him, not laugh at him. The chain of disasters is assembled well, but it's also pretty predictable. I can't see the show being anything but that, week after week - and considering it's called Worst Week (as opposed to, say, month or year), it's as though CBS already knows its limitations.

Will I watch? Doubtful. I'm curious to see if later episodes change the format, though.

To see a gallery of photos and watch a preview, just read more.

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Photos and video courtesy of CBS

Pilot Watch: The Ex List

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:30:36 -0700

The networks have announced their Fall schedules, but which of the series will actually be worth watching? This Summer, as the networks release their pilots, I'll be posting my first impressions. A lot can change before a show makes it to air - especially this year, when the writers' strike severely gummed up the production of pilots - so consider these just some quick thoughts on how the shows look now. Today's installment: CBS's The Ex List, which is slated to air on Friday nights.

What's it about? A 30-something woman named Bella learns from a psychic that her soulmate is one of the many men she's dated previously in her life - and if she doesn't find him and marry him within the year, she'll be single forever.

Who's in it? Elizabeth Reaser, Rachel Boston, Alexandra Breckenridge, Adam Rothenberg, Amir Talai

The good: I'm only familiar with Reaser from her role as Rebecca/Ava on Grey's Anatomy, so it's good to see that she's also an appealing lead actress (not to mention one with arms to die for - I nearly dropped to the floor for some push-ups in the middle of one of her scenes). There's a good dynamic between Bella and her roommates, whose slacker-ish delayed adulthood seems symbolized by the plastic kiddie pool they lounge in. The show's executive producer hails from Veronica Mars, and that background shows through in some of the snappy dialogue.

The bad: I'm not sure how the premise will hold up long-term. Will there be an ex of the week who's reintroduced and disposed of within a single episode (as in the pilot)? Will there be weeks with multiple guys and weeks with no guys at all? Also, something about the tone seems off for CBS - essentially, it feels more like an ABC dramedy than anything on CBS right now, and I don't see even the tamer sex jokes going over well with the Ghost Whisperer crowd. Reaser gets stuck with a couple of clunky lines ("holy hotness, Batman") and doesn't sell them particularly well.

Will I watch? Fridays are tough, and I don't know that there was enough here to hook me as a regular viewer - but if I happened to be home, I wouldn't be sorry to watch it.

To watch a preview, just read more.

Troubled Life on Mars Adaptation Could Have Life on ABC

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:33:53 -0700

One of the pilots I've been curious about for more than a year now is ABC's remake of the BBC series Life on Mars, which followed a police officer who found himself somehow transported to 1973. The remake, which David E. Kelley was writing and producing, was originally expected to be considered for the current TV season - but Kelley had trouble finding a man to play his lead character, so the pilot was never made.

Fast-forward a year. Jason O'Mara (at left), most recently seen as the brain tumor/bear attack guy on Grey's Anatomy, has been cast as officer Sam Tyler, the pilot has been filmed, and all is going well. In fact, ABC is reportedly close to giving the show a spot on its schedule ahead of next week's upfronts.

Oh, except there's one more problem: Now Kelley might leave, and since he owns the U.S. rights to the show, its future is mostly up to him. One option has the October Road team coming on to run the show, which makes my stomach feel a bit queasy; I've seen several episodes of the original Life on Mars, and while Kelley might not be the perfect fit to write a remake, I think he's closer than the Road folks.

After all of this, I'm wondering if Life on Mars is even a show people want to see. I wasn't familiar with O'Mara until his recent Grey's arc, and he bugged me there - but that could have been the character's fault, not his. Would you want to watch more of him? Does the concept interest you? And, if you've seen the original, do you think the show could work in the U.S.? To watch the BBC's original trailer, just read more.

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When Do You Start Caring About TV Pilots?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:37:54 -0700

TV pilot season was slow to start up because of the strike this year, but now it's definitely in full swing. It seems like you can't look at the Internet without seeing news of another casting for the 90210 spinoff - today's is the totally adorable Jessica Stroup of Reaper and Prom Night, who will play video blogger Daphne Silver - and Joss Whedon's highly anticipated Dollhouse already has its own fully functional fan community. Things will probably only get crazier in a couple of weeks, once the networks hold their Upfronts and announce which Fall pilots are a go.

Some people are early adopters who become interested in TV projects based on concepts and cast alone; others have to wait until the show is actually on the air to start caring. So, where do you fall?

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Alicia Silverstone to Play a Mother - to Maeby! - for ABC

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:30:57 -0700

Alicia Silverstone raised some suspicion that she was the mother after being courted by How I Met Your Mother earlier this year - but then there was that whole Britney Spears dustup, and Sarah Chalke stepped in instead. Now, it turns out Silverstone will be playing a mom - just not, you know, that one - in a new ABC comedy pilot.

Silverstone has been cast in the lead in Bad Mother's Handbook. But that's not all: Alia Shawkat, best known to me as Maeby from Arrested Development, will be playing her daughter. Silverstone's character is Karen, a 32-year-old woman overwhelmed by the demands of caring for her 16-year-old daughter and her 48-year-old mother. (Um, here's hoping Shawkat's character doesn't get pregnant at 16, too?)

Could you see Silverstone and Shawkat as mother and daughter? I'm a little worried that nothing will ever match the dysfunction of the Maeby/Lindsay Bluth dynamic, but I'm just so happy to see Shawkat back on TV that I'd be happy to watch them try! Silverstone hasn't had a great run in the sitcom world lately (her last project, The Singles Table, never aired - and remember Miss Match?), but maybe this one will be better. Your thoughts?

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Battlestar Galactica Producer Imagines Sci Fi Show for Fox

BuzzSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:30:13 -0700

Ron Moore is his name, science fiction is his game.
Moore, a former Star Trek writer and one of the folks behind Sci Fi's version of Battlestar Galactica, is at it again: He's cooked up a new sci fi pilot called Virtuality that looks like it could land on the Fox schedule next Spring.

What's the story?
The series follows a dozen astronauts who are sent on a mission to find a distant solar system. To keep the astronauts from getting bored during the 10-year voyage, their shuttle is equipped with virtual reality modules that let the astronauts assume different identities and travel to far-off lands. But then a bug is discovered in the system - and one of the astronauts could be responsible.

"Too sci fi" for NBC?
That's the buzz from industry insiders, who say NBC didn't think the show fit its brand. Fox bought it almost immediately, though.

Fox sure is into the sci-fi stuff these days.
The network is also developing Joss Whedon's Dollhouse, JJ Abrams' Fringe, and a comedy called Boldly Going Nowhere about life on a spaceship.

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