2010-11 pilot pickups

[Bob The Skutter]

It's actually on MTV, which is probably worse.

It's different in that, while there's a sense of heightened reality to it, it's one of the more realistic and graphic teen dramas out there, and it's an actual proper drama, not dumbed down cos that's what the kids want... although I wouldn't expect that from MTV (or The CW for that matter).

Each episode mostly focuses on a different member of the group, and so far the second series has been the best, the most serious stories, the strongest writing.

I preferred the first two seasons of Skins with the original cast to the new group mainly because the whole Effy/Cook/Freddie triangle is really annoying and Cook is probably the most irritating and stupid character the show has created yet. How hard is it to write the character? Just have him mumble something and try to sound badass and then shout IM COOK!

The only saving grace of the 3rd series going into 4th is the whole Emily/Naomi relationship and how it develops. I also like that they have an autistic character who isn't treated like a complete outcast by everyone else.

Yeah, series 3 was pretty hit and miss with the new characters. They all seemed very try-hard at first. I like Pandora, Naomi, Emily and JJ though. Did seem like they split the group too much, and the stories suffered for it.
I guess the first 2 series you were coming in to a group of established friends, whereas series 3 it was the group coming together. I think it showed that they'd gone with a young group of writers though, I read that most of the writers were under 20.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

It does read fairly bland or stereotypical, but actually works really well in the tone of the show.

I guess if you say so. But the content doesn’t sound very “shocking” compared with what I’ve seen elsewhere. Then again, how can anybody ever hope to top Deadwood and Oz?

back to the bitterness fiesta…

Geezus! A comedy about the IRS? This just gets worse and worse.

CW remake of La Femme Nikita – we’re getting spy overload now…

Family comedy about adult siblings who are rocked by their parents' divorce – who cares…

Family drama on a Wyoming horse farm. I'm too depressed to even comment on this...

My prediction for next season – the bloodbath will be worse than ever. There is way too much samey-same stuff fighting for the same audience, and very little is memorable or attention-grabbing. This is the worst pilot season I've ever seen. I can understand if the networks have just given up, but cable at least has a growing audience. Shouldn't they be stepping up their games?

 

[Hermiod]

CW remake of La Femme Nikita – we’re getting spy overload now…

Oh dear lord.

Can we please not have any sex scenes where the pair of them keep their boots on ?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

It does read fairly bland or stereotypical, but actually works really well in the tone of the show.

I guess if you say so. But the content doesn’t sound very “shocking” compared with what I’ve seen elsewhere. Then again, how can anybody ever hope to top Deadwood and Oz?

I know what you mean, I avoided it for 6 years thinking it was stereotypical crap. But I just watched it all over the last 2 months and I've really enjoyed it.

As for "Shocking" I tend to think that things are shocking within a context of a show rather than out of. I mean some shows you hear so much swearing that fuck or cunt are just like any other word but if all of a sudden someone comes out with something very mild, but heartfelt, that can shock you.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The good news is, a sci fi show has been picked up.

The bad news is...it's this one:

"Cape" is a light drama with a comic book sensibility. Set in a fictionalized version of Los Angeles, it centers on a former cop framed for a crime who becomes the Cape, a masked hero, to clear his name and reunite with his son.

"Fictionalized" version of Los Angeles? Isn't that a redundancy?

Okay I won't be a grump. If they take a page from Chuck and cast the lead role well, this might actually be kinda fun.

Oh and this sounds like a beaut:

"Outsourced" is single-camera office comedy centered on a recently demoted manager of a novelties company who is shipped off to India to manage a ragtag group of customer service reps.

Also, from HBO - Mind Hunter - cops hunt serial killers - bah, on premium cable, I expect something a bit more out of the box than that.

And I guess we don't have quite enough lawyer shows, yet...

THE WHOLE TRUTH (ABC) - drama pilot "chronicles the building of a case from the perspective of both the defense and prosecution."

Whoopie!

 

[Christopher]

Actually, Cape could be interesting if done well. No superpowers, just an ordinary guy who decides to adopt a superhero persona. If it explored that premise in a naturalistic way, it could be worthwhile. Especially since there is something of a burgeoning "real-life superhero" movement emerging over the past couple of years.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

My hunch is that Cape was picked up as a lead-in or lead-out for Chuck. If they manage to hit a similar tone and quality (very good writing within the constraints of the premise, and some good comic actors), they could have a nice show that picks up Chuck's audience without much trouble.

More fun.

How to Be a Better American (ABC) - The show centers on a father who, in this case, embarks on a journey to be a better person and drags his family kicking and screaming along.

With the right casting, that one could be pretty fun. First comedy premise I've seen this season that interests me in the least.

Glory Daze (TBS) - revolves around the lives of four incoming freshman in the 1980s who pledge a fraternity at a Wisconsin college.

Pass.

Here's the best title of the season so far.

EMERGENCY SEX (HBO) - Maria Bello stars in a drama about the larger-than-life exploits of expatriate nongovernment-organization workers who find their sanity tested in the face of atrocities, loneliness and primal desires.

The only thing that could beat it is CSI: Sex.

And, another boring one:

UNTITLED DANA GOULD PROJECT (ABC) - revolves around a guidance counselor at a local high school and father to two young children, who is caught between his father's old school parenting beliefs and his wife's very progressive ideals.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Another day, another crop of mostly junk. Only The Mountain (or whatever they end up calling it) sounds like it might have something going for it.

BEACH LANE (NBC) - Matthew Broderick in a lead role as "a celebrity author hired by an irresponsible millionaire heir to run his struggling small-town newspaper in the Hamptons."


IT TAKES A VILLAGE (ABC) - about "two exes - one of whom is a gay father - and their new significant others as they join forces to raise their 15-year-old boy."


MIKE & MOLLY (CBS) - multi-camera comedy pilot, about "Mike Biggs, an overweight charming police officer, and Molly Flynn, a pretty and plump woman, who meet at Overeaters Anonymous."


PERFECT COUPLES (NBC) - half-hour revolves around "three couples at various stages of their relationships."


REAGAN'S LAW (CBS) - multi-generational family of New York-based cops.


SECRETS OF THE MOUNTAIN (A.K.A. THE MOUNTAIN) (NBC) - two-hour backdoor pilot will air Friday, April 16 at 8:00/7:00c. Barry Bostwick and Paige Turco co-star in the project, about "a single mom (Turco) with three kids who inherits a remote mountain cabin from a supposedly dead uncle (Bostwick) who turns out to be very much alive, and they set out to keep an evil buyer from gaining access to the mountain that holds secrets and treasures."


UNTITLED ADAM CAROLLA PROJECT (NBC) - stars Carolla "as a contractor who embarks on rebuilding his life after a divorce."


UNTITLED HANNAH SHAKESPEARE PROJECT (CBS) - drama about "a roaming medical team that travels the U.S. helping those less fortunate get through life-or-death medical crises."