2009-10 TV Season Pilots

The pilots line-up has been announced in the trades. The log lines are ALWAYS made to sound boring and tired so as not to "scare away" executives with ORIGINALITY-- so it's really somewhat impossible to get excited for them based on their description, but trying my best to discern what could be good, I'll be looking out for these shows if they make it to series:

V. Re-imaging of the 1980s miniseries about an alien invasion. As with so many "remakes" it seems everyone just says "no-brainer" and churns out junk: hope this is the exception.

Untitled Ricky Blitt. Writer Ricky Blitt's pilot about a guy in his 30s who is torn between his needy best friend and the new found love of his life and her teen kids. Didn't think it sounded like much but then saw it stars Alyssa Milano.

Canned. Ensemble about a group of friends who get fired on the same day. Interesting nugget for usual 20-something shenanigans.

House Rules. Follows the freshman class of Congress as they begin their careers in Washington. Terrible title, but could be interesting.

The Fish Tank. A teenager finds himself living the dream when his parents give him the house to himself five days a week. At least its not about a single parent, right?

Legally Mad. David E. Kelley's newest ensemble legal drama about a seemingly sane woman at the center of a tumultuous law firm full of eccentric personalities including her father.

Lost & Found. With Brian Cox and Katee Sackhoff, centers on Tessa, an offbeat LAPD detective who, after butting heads with the higher-ups, is demoted to the John Doe division which finds the identities and solves the murders of anonymous victims. Love Brian Cox and if some of the John Does are accident victims and suicides (i.e. its not ENTIRELY procedural murder stuff), might have some originality over the myriad of other shows in this genre.

Other pilots on the slate include: Parenthood (Howard/Grazer adaptation of the film), Untitled Justin Adler (Mitch Hurwitz), Human Target (odd comic book-based item), Abfab (uh huh), and thank goodness! a revamp of Melrose Place.

Season Finales 2008

With Boston Legal's finale tonight, the '07-'08 TV season has wrapped up for me. Below are my comments on the shows that I watch that wrapped this month:

Family Guy: I didn't even know I was watching the season finale when it was on-- although it was a funny one (the one with Peter as a pirate). I had hoped for a Empire Strikes Back parody as the finale, now I REALLY hope this will be the September season opener. I have to say I want to see all six films done-- I loved the Star Wars episode ("Get your fat space ass back here"/ "This is Han Solo with the midnight shift"/ "Then rot in here you stuck up bitch", etc.)

30 Rock: A funny end to a terrific show-- it's getting better and better. The strike didn't tarnish it a bit. "I wolfed my teamsters sub for you."/"Wait is that an expression?"

The Office: Well, I think the strike tarnished this show a bit-- it's just a little off. But it's still pretty funny. I wish they'd skip these hour-long episodes and just stick to the thirty minute format. I'm debating whether or not I care that much to watch the summer webisodes. I really believe in a mostly TV-free summer. Time for some of that good old-fashioned sun.

SNL: Not a very good year per se. Liked the political stuff a lot though-- actually now that I think about it, the political stuff made the season decent. John McCain surely got more laughs than Steve Carrell in the season finale. One of my favorite sketches all year was the "twin" girls sketch with Kristen Wiig and Amy Adams ("I'm here to take your stupid class about garbage!")

Survivor: I wrote a whole blog entry about this. Survivor had a rocky path to a good year.

Beauty and the Geek: Not a great season. After the make-over, the geeks didn't improve much. But I think it pulled it out in the end.... only to get a cancelation notice! Kinda bummed it's over.

Rules of Engagement: I hope this comes back as a mid-season replacement in '09 as announced-- I laugh at every episode. Season finale was up-to-par; when the model announces that she's getting back together with her boyfriend and Russell immediately kicks everyone out of the apartment I cracked up!

American Idol: Was not a huge fan of the season (watching this show ever-increasingly in fast-forward). Kristy Lee Cook was so gorgeous it kept me going while she lasted. I wanted David Cook to win so I'm happy about that; when Simon "apologized" to him just before the results announcement it was so obvious he won-- Simon never ever would have done that otherwise.

Boston Legal: Season finale was just fine, but the episodes leading up to it were top-notch: the Supreme Court one and Shirley's nephew one in particular. Sucks that ABC has announced that next season-- season five-- will be the show's last. It really deserved the 7 season gold standard. Maybe a reprieve will occur (but I doubt it: Stephen McPherson made the announcement and he's turning into a Leslie Moonves). TVseriesfinales.com has reported on this.

2008-09 TV Season Pilots

The pilots line-up has been announced in the trades. Here's what looks good to me:

Cleveland (FOX): "Family Guy spinoff centered on Cleveland Brown (Mike Henry)."— C'mon, it's gotta be good!

Boldly Going Nowhere (FOX): "High-concept comedy about what happens day-to-day on an intergalactic spaceship."— From the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia crew!

Courtroom K (FOX): "Darly comedic courtroom drama in the vein of House, which is set in a Milwaukee Superior Court; jonathan Sadowski and Michael Landes co-star."— Sounds intriguing and with a good pedigree: Oscar-nominated writer Paul Attanasio (Donnie Brasco) and directors Anthony and Joe Russo (Arrested Development).

Life on Mars (ABC): "21st century detective Jason O'Mara finds himself working as a cop in the 1970s; based on the BBC series."— This is from David E. Kelley and Thomas Schlamme, and seems just odd enough to pan out.

The Office spinoff (NBC): No details on this, and I think it's too soon for a spinoff, but then again...

Sit Down, Shut Up (FOX): "Seven staff members at a high school are preoccupied with their own needs and agendas; this animated series is based on the live-action Australian series; with Jason Bateman, Cheri Oteri, Will Forte."— From Arrested Development's Mitch Hurwitz and Two and a Half Men's Eric and Kim Tannenbaum.

Austin Golden Hour (CW): "A real-time medical drama that follows a close-knit team of young emergency room surgeons and emergency medical technicians in Austin during the critical, adrenaline-filled 60 minutes immediately following a truma, known as 'the golden hour'; Justin Hartley and Michael Trevino co-star."— From ER medical consultant (and Emmy-winning writer) Lance Gentile and UK TV veteran Mal Young.

Cedric (ABC): "Guy (Cedric the Entertainer) copes with his wife's (Regina Hall) hobby becoming a big enterprise."— Hate the lame title, but I like Cedric the Entertainer, and the Honeymooners-like premise could be fun for a while.

The Mentalist (CBS): "A mentalist (Simon Baker) uses his skills of observation to solve crimes as an independent detective working with the police."— A much-needed mystery-like show; from Bruno Heller (Rome) and David Nutter (The X-Files).

Merlin (NBC): "BBC fantasy series set in Camelot, which chronicles the early lives of Merlin (Colin Morgan) and Arthur (Bradley James). Anthony Head, Richard Wilson, Angel Coulby and Katie McGrath also star."— Could be fun.

Virtuality (FOX): "The human condition is tested during a long range NASA mission."— Sounds cool; Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) directs two-hour pilot.

Castle (ABC): "Comedic procedural about a famous mystery novelist helping the NYPD solve crimes."— Again, haven't had a true mystery series in a while (outside of Monk); admittedly the production team of Andrew Marlowe (Hollow Man) and Armyan Bernstein (The Hurricane) don't exactly add up to "funny mystery TV show."

Then there's a new Mike Judge animated series, a couple of series from the producers of How I Met Your Mother, an X-Men-like series called Section 8 from X-Men screenwriter Zak Penn, a Glenn Gordon Caron romantic drama with Amy Smart (lame premise about a dead woman who has to help others in order to "pass over"; but Caron did do Moonlighting so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt), a Joss Whedon series, a J. J. Abrams series, a remake of Knight Rider, and (lucky us!) a Beverly Hills 90210 spinoff.