2011-12 pilot buzz thread

[Temis the Vorta]

With the caveat that buzz does tend to change rather abruptly, and Deadline's track record is far from perfect, here is the annual semi-pointless horse-race of pilot buzz thread.

...and they're off.

Highlights:

-NBC is in such sad shape that Chuck may get renewed!!!

-Smash looks strong (behind the scenes at a Broadway show - sounds fun.)

-Alcatraz is looking good.

-Locke & Key needs reworking so it isn't boring. (I'm rooting for this one based on premise and cast.)

-Hallelujah looks "weird" (eh, it's genre, isn't weird good?) but still a contender. This has Terry O'Quinn and therefore must be greenlt!

-Poe may make it, but if it does, I predict a train wreck unless the recast the lead and revise their ridiculous premise.

-Brave New World looking good.

-Awakenings may make it, despite having a completely stupid premise. On the CW, that is no handicap.

-Playboy is testing well with women, which is a good sign that there's something to it that goes beyond sex appeal. I think this premise could be a great basis for a series.

-The River will need so much post-production work that word on it will be delayed.

-Touch (genre-ish, with Keifer Sutherland in the lead) is likely for midseason.

[timothy]

That's great news on CHUCK. when does locke and key start and on which channel?
I just started reading locke and key graphic novels can't wait for the show to start.
as far as poe I love the author who's playing him.

[Professor Zoom]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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-Poe may make it, but if it does, I predict a train wreck unless the recast the lead and revise their ridiculous premise.

it's not that ridiculous. It's X-files meets Castle. Now, should it be on a network with higher audience expectations? Probably not.

Is it the Poe that most people know, no, it's not. But, then, it's a police procedural with Poe.

At least he's the Mulder character.

[Temis the Vorta]

Poe as Fox Mulder is ridiculous. Poe as a PI is already stretching it, but if they would have stuck with Poe's very well know persona, it could have worked okay. There's only so far you can stretch a premise, particularly when you're dealing with a real person and not a fictional character. Real people should be treated with a bit more respect than a fictional character.

Lincoln as a vampire hunter is just fine (because of the metaphor of slavery = vampires, which honors Lincoln's core values, albiet in a kooky way.) Poe as a PI would be fine if there were anything of his core persona left in the story. But there's no Poe in the show, except his name used as a label.

And frankly, we'd be lucky if they'd stop at Fox Mulder. From the description, it sounds more like Chris Pine's Kirk.

That's great news on CHUCK.

I have no idea what the Chuck writers are going to do with another year. They've been out of story for a while now.

when does locke and key start and on which channel?

This fall on FOX, hopefully!

as far as poe I love the author who's playing him.

Chris Egan, who was bland and uncharismatic as the lead on Kings. He's also young, blond and hunky, so basically he's wrong for the part in every conceivable way, except I suppose in being male and having a pulse. If they wanted to screw around with the character, make him black, female or a frakkin' vampire. (No wait, I take back the vampire part, that would just make it worse.)

[Professor Zoom]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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Poe as Fox Mulder is ridiculous. Poe as a PI is already stretching it, but if they would have stuck with Poe's very well know persona, it could have worked okay. There's only so far you can stretch a premise, particularly when you're dealing with a real person and not a fictional character. Real people should be treated with a bit more respect than a fictional character.

Lincoln as a vampire hunter is just fine (because of the metaphor of slavery = vampires, which honors Lincoln's core values, albiet in a kooky way.) Poe as a PI would be fine if there were anything of his core persona left in the story. But there's no Poe in the show, except his name used as a label.

And frankly, we'd be lucky if they'd stop at Fox Mulder. From the description, it sounds more like Chris Pine's Kirk.

Having read it, he doesn't act like Mulder, he's a believer like Mulder. He's a quirky flawed guy. Perhaps a little TO quirky. Do you remember the show Probe with Parker Stevenson? That kinda quirky.

AND I would argue, most people don't know Poe's personality.

However, those who DO, would probably be the target audience.

They might be chasing the Sherlock Holmes (as done by Downey) crowd.

It's is ridiculous, but it's THAT ridiculous. It could be a lot of fun.

[RoJoHen]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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I have no idea what the Chuck writers are going to do with another year. They've been out of story for a while now.

Bring back Bryce Larkin as an evil zombie!

[Jax]

Surprised not to hear anything about In Person of Interest, the J.J Abrams pilot featuring the return of the popular Ben Linus actor from Lost, I forget his real name . When I heard of it, I thought it could achor the Thursday 8pm slot since I would move TBBT back to mondays.

[Temis the Vorta]

It's is ridiculous, but it's THAT ridiculous. It could be a lot of fun.

With the right actor, maybe it could work. The bigger problem is Chris Egan. He couldn't even pull off a standard, square-jawed hero role in Kings without putting the audience to sleep. He shouldn't be the lead of any series, well maybe one of those cookie-cutter CSI's but certainly not a series that is weird or problematic in any way and is going to depend heavily on a riveting lead actor.

I hope Poe does go to series. Watching a train wreck is fun! This one and Terra Nova are my two picks for the Disasters of the Year. Oh yeah, and Awakenings, if that goes to series...ugh! But it's on the CW, so all bets are off what will live or die there.

Surprised not to hear anything about In Person of Interest, the J.J Abrams pilot featuring the return of the popular Ben Linus actor from Lost, I forget his real name.

Michael Emerson. A lot of shows haven't been mentioned yet - 17th Precinct for instance. I'm also waiting to hear about REM.

And speaking of Michael Emerson, if a studio wanted to make the Poe idea work, he's the kind of actor they should have gone for.

[Professor Zoom]

Temis the Vorta wrote:

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With the right actor, maybe it could work. The bigger problem is Chris Egan. He couldn't even pull off a standard, square-jawed hero role in Kings without putting the audience to sleep. He shouldn't be the lead of any series, well maybe one of those cookie-cutter CSI's but certainly not a series that is weird or problematic in any way and is going to depend heavily on a riveting lead actor.

I hope Poe does go to series. Watching a train wreck is fun! This one and Terra Nova are my two picks for the Disasters of the Year. Oh yeah, and Awakenings, if that goes to series...ugh! But it's on the CW, so all bets are off what will live or die there.

What if it's not a train wreck? I guess I don't get the motivation to see train wrecks.

[bigdaddy]

We can't say shit, but two ABC shows with bitch in the title?

As I think NBC will renew Parenthood, SVU and Harry's Law. Not as dreadful as the article seems.

I'm hoping for good dramas, but I don't have cable so I might be out of luck.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Any news about Alphas?

[Temis the Vorta]

I guess I don't get the motivation to see train wrecks.

I can't be enthusiastic about everything!!! Variety is important. (It also helps keep threads alive; several of my attempts at pilot news threads have flopped ingloriously although this one seems to be doing a bit better.)

ObiWanShinobi wrote:

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Any news about Alphas?

It's already on skiffy's schedule for July 11. However I recently read an interview with a producer that sounded pretty worrying, since the guy is totally off the mark about "why superhero shows flop."

In the first place, he doesn't even mention that notable flop, Smallville. And S2-4 of Heroes wouldn't have been any better if we'd learned more about the bathroom habits of Sylar.

[Temis the Vorta]

If the NFL lockout happens this summer, Chuck may be a shoo-in for renewal simply because NBC will be scrambling to fill an already swiss-cheese-like schedule. How dire things are for NBC.

Sure things: Wonder Woman, Smash. I'm looking forward to the latter.

Playboy sounds worthwhile - a tamed down take on Mad Men.

Brave New World has been getting consistently good buzz and it fits in well with NBC's workplace comedies.

NBC also has a glut of genre-skewing pilots. They could end up with more watchable sf/f than skiffy has (it's hard not to beat zero):

17th Precinct and REM look the most solid.

Reconstruction (a historical drama with possible supernatural elements) sounds bizarre and probably a misfire but I want to see Robert Knepper playing a feral, sinister and very unreconstructed Confederate (the role he was clearly born to play).

If NBC is desperate enough to pick up Grimm as well as 17th Precinct despite their similarities, I'll be happy to check that one out too. If they have the timeslots, they should pick up both and see which one survives. 17th Precinct has RDM and an amazing cast, but Grimm has a few gems in the cast as well, and I think the premise may be more relatable for a network audience.

Like NBC, ABC has a lot of slots to fill, and the dramas sound better than the comedies overall. Charlie's Angels is the big guaranteed pickup for ABC. I'm most enthused about Grace and Hallelujah. The River is getting big buzz, but I've been burned one time too many getting hopeful for Lost wannabees.

I looked up Person of Interest, which I would like to see, too. Sadly it's on CBS, which is the toughest place for a new show to get picked up or to survive. That's the only show on CBS that even remotely interests me.

Maybe NBC will give The Cape a second chance.

[Temis the Vorta]

Jetfire wrote:

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Maybe NBC will give The Cape a second chance.

I was actually wondering that!

No, wait wait I got it...bring back Heroes!!!