A real one this time, with fewer smoke monsters and a lot more tourists: Alcatraz! Doesn't sound sf/f, but it might have light genre elements. Is it going to be a historical drama set when the prison was running, or a contemporary drama about the island as a national monument? If the latter, they'll definitely have to amp up the ghostly balderdash. It's not a very big island and frankly my dears, it's not even very interesting. The best thing about it is the incredible views since you're right in the middle of the bay. I think they should just bulldoze those crumbling, ugly-ass buildings and turn it into a lovely park but I know they make boatloads of money from tourists so forget about that.
It might switch off between something like a gangster drama in the 30s where someone gets murdered by their cellmate, and the present-day when their ghost is running around scaring tourists. Hopefully it won't be as silly in execution as I'm making it sound.
The Rock has been taken over by terrorists, and the only man who's ever successfully broken out must break back in -- Andy Dufresne!
Titus Welliver would be perfect for this. Watched him on the Kevin Pollack Chat show, he does an amazing Christopher Walken and Al Pacino.
The last time JJ came out with a new show, it was also compared (unfavorably) to Lost. There was an airplane, a crash, "mysterious elements" and the like, and was something like 10 million bucks for the pilot episode. That show, Fringe, is now going into its third season. Beyond the superficial elements in the pilot, it has nothing to do with Lost. I somehow don't think he's a one-trick pony.
I agree, Felicity to Lost to Fringe to the upcoming Undercovers to Alcatraz and there was another one in the works but I forget the premise, but all appear to be real different from each other. Abrams got range, I'm sure he'll stick around first season to get things started and hand over the reigns and take off like he usually does. To say he's this generations Speilberg in terms of range from project to project, would that be a stretch?
HBO medical drama Anatomy of Hope, perhaps? Abrams certainly is prolific and most of his output is of quality, though I'm not sure I'd agree with that statement (to be honest, I'm not all that big on Spielberg). In any event, some critics have also made this comparison and Abrams certainly remains a name to watch in television and film.
Have you seen those comedy videos he made with Mark Pellegrino? Those guys are both incredibly talented and funny!
Danny Cannon to direct the pilot November 12, 2010 http://www.deadline.com/2010/11/several-television-pilots-land-directors / 'Alcatraz' Drama Picked Up To Pilot At Fox
^ Fox has no room though? I can't even fit the shows they already have + new ones already confirmed to come on there 2011-2012 lineup. Fox picking up a new J.J show would kill Fringe IMO.