more pilots news

[Mistral]

At this point, I'll check out Day One, Flash Forward and V.

Let's hope we get all three. The one I'm most interested in - V - is still pretty much up in the air.

Saw the FlashForward trailer during LOST last night-it looks like it might have good production values. Robert Sawyer is heavily involved so the writing has a chance, too. As for Day One-it's only gonna make it if a person with working knowledge of written scifi(read: a true fan) is in control. Otherwise it will be a re-hash of various After the Bomb type Hollywood B flicks, IMO. But I'll be watching either way!

 

[wamdue]

meanwhile this new Fox show Human Target, is it just me to sees a flaw in the plan, isnt the lead character kinda limited to what kind of people s/he can protect given that even if the lead is an average white male, average height, average build etc et, the show is going to seem silly if he starts blacking or dragging up every other episode.

If it has sci-fi level disguises like Mission: Impossible then it mostly solves that problem (at least as far as male clients), but if it doesn't have disguises like that then I'm not sure how it's going to play out. The series really needs a regular female cast member who works with him and takes the place of female clients.

I agree, a generic looking male agent, should be able to pass for a large % of male clients, but the show should have a team of agents to cover all types of people. It could be fun, as rather than having one set lead, each week a different character will be lead, and the others doing different jobs.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

meanwhile this new Fox show Human Target, is it just me to sees a flaw in the plan, isnt the lead character kinda limited to what kind of people s/he can protect given that even if the lead is an average white male, average height, average build etc et, the show is going to seem silly if he starts blacking or dragging up every other episode.

If it has sci-fi level disguises like Mission: Impossible then it mostly solves that problem (at least as far as male clients), but if it doesn't have disguises like that then I'm not sure how it's going to play out. The series really needs a regular female cast member who works with him and takes the place of female clients.

Doesn't the comic book have more of a sci fi explanation for his disguises? And I agree that this show isn't going to work unless it's at least at a Chuck level of plausible-but-still-out-there sci fi (if not out and out depicting the guy as a shapeshifter).

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

Doesn't the comic book have more of a sci fi explanation for his disguises? And I agree that this show isn't going to work unless it's at least at a Chuck level of plausible-but-still-out-there sci fi (if not out and out depicting the guy as a shapeshifter).

He's not a shapeshifter in the comics - just a master of disguise and mimicry. The Vertigo version of the character goes so far as to have plastic surgery to imitate his clients. Mission: Impossible-style disguises would presumably be the way to go in a TV series since they have a lead actor who is to appear throughout.

In the Vertigo comics Christopher Chance looks like the client throughout each story arc, so a straight adaptation wouldn't actually have a series lead.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

I just can't envision how that approach to Human Target can be extended beyond a few episodes without the whole concept seeming very cramped and limited, compared with how expansive it could be, if they amp up the sci fi aspect (not as far as making him a shapeshifter, but further than just costumes).

The guy can't take any jobs other than a tall, chiseled-jaw, Hollywood-leading-man style male? Eh. I guess he could change his race. Wow, do they dare show him in blackface?

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

Fox has picked up Past Life (a reincarnation drama about a team of detectives who solve mysteries by delving into people's past lives).

 

[bigdaddy]

Fox has picked up Past Life (a reincarnation drama about a team of detectives who solve mysteries by delving into people's past lives).

That show will be huge hit sadly enough.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Fox has picked up Past Life (a reincarnation drama about a team of detectives who solve mysteries by delving into people's past lives).

That show will be huge hit sadly enough.

It could be cool but it's so much more likely to be Ghost Whisperer-dumb. Even tho it's not on CBS, which would be the kiss of death, I'm not holding out much hope.

Here's a shocker: Fox to renew Dollhouse?

Word spread Friday ayem that "Dollhouse" is looking good for a 13-episode sophomore renewal and is likely to stay in its Friday night berth. The 20th Century Fox TV fantasy drama starring Eliza Dushku has delivered modest but consistent ratings on a low-trafficked night, thanks to Whedon's built-in fan base.

So 2.75 million viewers and a 1.0/ 4 demo (yep, it really is that bad) is now defined as "modest" rather than, oh, "catstrophic" is the word I might use? Shit, that's not too much higher than the demo Reaper gets, and even the CW won't stoop that low!

Man, the T:SCC fans will be pissed. Its season finale clocked in at 3.56 million viewers and 1.3/ 5, better than Dollhouse's yet it got the axe. Wow.

 

[bigdaddy]

How is losing a couple million viewers considered "consistent"? Didn't the show start off only 12 episodes earlier with around 5 million?

Stupid Fox. Stop fucking around and just renew Futurama and stick that on Fridays. It would get more viewers, and HUGE DVD sales.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Fox is insaaaaayyyyne. But what the frak, they have nothing interesting to greenlight so why not waste a timeslot on that loser show? (Darn, I was looking forward to Bitches, too.)

ABC is the only network that still has a couple interesting shows in contention and they just greenlighted both of them!!!

ABC has greenlighted the murder mystery pilot "Happy Town" and an untitled legal ensembler from scribe Dave Hemingson. It's also given the nod to the remake of sci-fi drama "V" as a limited series property, according to industry insiders.

Okay, I've got my two shows now. Thank you, ABC, for being The Network With Their Head the Least Far Up Their Behinds. Of course your competition gets most of the credit.

 

[Angel4576]

^^ A legal ensemble? Great, just what we need. Is this ABC's way of saying "Yes, we know we fcuked up in canning Boston Legal....."?

Still, good news on V and Happy Town. Next season isn't shaping up too badly. I think all the shows that I thought might be interesting are getting orders; Flash Forward, Day One, V, Happy Town etc.

Oh, and another vote for bringing Futurama back.

 

[wamdue]

despite a fairly solid schedule most of which they renewed, ABC is ordering alot of new shows, I wonder how much they are planning for mid season.

 

[bigdaddy]

ABC needs a lot of new shows because they have nothing. However do they really think Happy Town is going to make it?

 

[bigdaddy]

I'll post it here... but what the fuck are the networks thinking? They don't give good shows a chance, however they give shit shows with horribly low ratings a chance?

ABC renewed Castle, Better of Ted (WTF?) and Scrubs!!!

Yet they cancel Eli Stone, which I didn't like, but it was most likely cheap and had 7+ million viewers. I don't get what the networks are doing at all anymore.

 

[wamdue]

yes I have mentioned before how I dont understand why networks are giving long running but low rating shows another season, or just taking shows other networks have axed.

 

[bigdaddy]

TVbythenumbers guy is like "After we get all the info in we will be doing a lot of reporting on what is going on this spring". Should be interesting.

I know some shows cost more than others, like Boston Legal, however Eli Stone was cheap, not a lot of famous people. Pushing Daisies was rumoured that ABC really wanted it but someone else (The WB Studios???) didn't. The whole thing is bullshit.

The reason why According to Jim and Scrubs won't die is because of reruns. They get shitloads of money from them in reruns so even if no one watches them as new, the reruns will pay for them. It's also why Scrubs will keep it's name and not be renamed Interns or something, it's all rerun money!

 

[wamdue]

did According to Jim not even this season?

 

[bigdaddy]

I'll figure you mean end and not even.

It "ends" every season for the past 3-4. It's most likely still not dead.

Plus I never really see the reruns for it on the air anyways, Scrubs all the time, but not Jim.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

ABC needs a lot of new shows because they have nothing. However do they really think Happy Town is going to make it?

Happy Town is a good old fashioned murder mystery. I'm hoping for some Twin Peaks-ish style and maybe some sf/f content, but even if that doesn't pan out, they've already got a durable genre there, and it strikes me as one of the more likely-to-succeed offerings on their schedule.

Eastwick also looks promising - it's Desperate Housewives with witches. Remember, ABC's target market skews female and believe me, both those concepts will appeal to women pretty well.

Make sure there are smart female characters to figure out the mysteries (Amy Acker, Lauren German) or be bitchy and witty (Veronica Cartwright, Jamie Ray Newmann) and hot guys to take their shirts off (Geoff Stultz, Paul Gross), and you're solid.

The one I think will flop: Flash Forward. ABC is pinning a lot of hope on this being their new Lost, but Lost is just too unique to mimic. The nets have tried and tried for years. Once the gimmick fades, the audience will get bored with waiting for the big reveal. The thing that could keep them watching is the cast - the actors being intrinsically appealing is a big reason why Lost still has quite a few viewers left after years of making us waaaaait for answers.

yes I have mentioned before how I dont understand why networks are giving long running but low rating shows another season, or just taking shows other networks have axed.

We're not privvy to all the financial details. Dollhouse was probably renewed by some combo of reduced budget, download and DVD sales revenues, Fox giving up on the idea of scheduling anything successful on Friday anyway, and maybe wanting to maintain a relationship with Whedon. If the numbers can be re-jiggered to make it work and there's nothing more promising to take its place, why not renew?

TVbythenumbers guy is like "After we get all the info in we will be doing a lot of reporting on what is going on this spring". Should be interesting.

They've developed a good basic formula for predicting renewals and cancellations but now the factors are changing so fast and chaotically that they're going to have to add layers of complication to that formula to keep it anything like accurate. I don't envy them but if they're statistics freaks, which I guess they'd have to be, they must be happy as hogs in mud.

 

[Angel4576]

ABC renewed Castle, Better of Ted (WTF?) and Scrubs!!!

Castle's getting decent enough numbers isn't it? Scrubs? Well that just absolutley will NOT fcuking die! AARRGGHH!