29/01/12 - TV News Weekly Review #53 - Citizen Knope

Since there aren't any news in the Renewed/Canceled area, I thought about posting a quick report on the pilots ordered this season instead:

- ABC:

1. How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life - a multi-camera/hybrid comedy produced by 20th Century Fox TV and studio-based Imagine Television, It centers on Polly, a recently divorced, single mom, who moves in with her eccentric parents, Elaine and Max, a couple who’s full of life but knows no boundaries. (comedy)

2. The untitled Adam Sztykiel project, has received a showrunner-contingent order. Based on Sztykiel’s own experiences in a long-distance relationship, the show follows a group of 24-year-old guys who move to a new city, one of them choosing to stay in relationship even though his girlfriend is now 2,000 miles away. (comedy)

3. And Only Fools And Horses - from ABC Studios, is based on the British format. It follows the misadventures of two streetwise brothers who scrape by selling unreliable goods believing that at any moment they could become millionaires. (comedy)

4. Beauty and the Beast - Penned and to be executive-produced by Jon Steinberg (Human Target, Jericho), ABC’s Beast promises “a fantastical reimagining of the classic fairy tale, set in a mythical, dangerous world wherein a beautiful and tough Princess discovers an unlikely connection with a mysterious beast.”  (drama)

5. Americana - from North Country scribe Michael Seitzman and is described as a soap revolving around a legendary fashion designer and his family business. (drama)

6. Nashville - hails from Thelma & Louise writer Callie Khouri, who will exec produce alongside RJ Cutler, who will direct. The project, also a soap, is set against the backdrop of the Nashville music scene and revolves around one star at her peak and another on the rise.  (drama)

7. 666 Park Ave. - an hourlong drama from Alloy Entertainment, the producers of The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle and Gossip Girl. From Warner Bros. Television and Alloy, 666 Park is based on the book series by Gabriella Pierce. Like the books, the drama centers on an innocent couple from the midwest that moves to New York and gets hired to be resident managers of a building on the Upper East Side. There, unbeknownst to the couple, the residents have all unwittingly made deals with the Devil to have their deepest needs, ambitions and desires fulfilled. (drama)

8. Last Resort is a thriller set in the near future when the country is very fractured and revolves around the crew of a U.S. nuclear submarine who become hunted fugitives after ignoring an order to fire nuclear missiles. They escape to a NATO listening outpost where they publicly declare themselves to be the world’s smallest nuclear nation with 24 nuclear warheads. (drama)

- CBS:

1. Partners, from Will & Grace creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick is a personal story of two lifelong friends and business partners. Architects Charlie and Louis’ friendship has lasted longer than either of their romantic relationships and almost seems like a weird marriage. (comedy)

2. Friend Me, also written by a team, Alan Kirschenbaum and Ajay Sahgal, centers on twenty-something best friends, Evan and Rob, who move from their hometown of Bloomington, Indiana to Los Angeles to begin their exciting new lives working at Groupon. (comedy)

3. Untitled Malins/Berlanti project. From Greg Malins and Greg Berlanti, centers on Nick who has a health scare and realizes Wendy, his best friend and business partner of 15 years, is ‘the one’. Now he has to figure out how to break it to her. (comedy)

4. Super Fun Night - CBS just ordered a comedy pilot that will star Rebel Wilson comedic actress called that’s produced by none other than Conan O’Brien. Wilson will also write and co-executive produce the project that follows three nerdy female friends on their ‘funcomfortable’ quest to have SUPER FUN every Friday night. (comedy)

5. Applebaum - Based on Ayelet Waldman’s Mommy Track Mysteries series of books, Applebaum, from CBS Studios, centers on a former public defender who becomes a private investigator to keep from being bored to death as a stay-at-home mom. (drama)

6. Untitled Ralph Lamb project, from Goodfellas writer Nicholas Pileggi and CBS TV Studios, is set in the 1960s and is based on the true story of Ralph Lamb – rodeo cowboy turned longtime Sheriff of Las Vegas. (drama)

7. Quean- Ilene Chaiken/Joel Silver character-driven procedural, centers on an edgy and independent Millennial hacker girl who teams up with an Oakland police detective to solve crimes.. Chaiken and Silver executive produce for Warner Bros. (drama)

8. Widow Detective - evolves around a decorated police officer who, after losing three partners in the line of duty, becomes a surrogate husband, lover and father to their families. David Hubbard penned the script and will serve as an exec producer along with Carol Mendelsohn. (drama)

- FOX:

1. Like Father - a single-camera family comedy written, directed and executive produced by Scrubs creator and Cougar Town co-creator Bill Lawrence. Inspired by Lawrence’s real-life experiences, it centers on a father-son relationship. (comedy)

2. Prodigy Bully, a half-hour comedy written by Glee co-star Mike O’Malley and executive produced by John Wells. Centers on a young boy genius who uses his brains and brawn to get whatever he wants. (comedy)

3. Living Loaded based on the book of the same name by Dan Dunn. It centers on a loose partying blogger forced to change his career plans when he becomes a radio host.  (comedy)

4. Untitled Kevin Williamson project - described as an edge-of-the-seat thriller about a diabolical serial killer who uses technology to create a cult of serial killers, and the FBI agent who finds himself in the middle of it. (drama)

5. Guilty - centers on a brilliant, morally questionable defense attorney who, after being falsely convicted of fraud and stripped of his legal license, uses his unorthodox methods to solve the cases he’s been prohibited from handling and to ultimately exact revenge on the men who set him up. (drama)

6. Ben Fox Is My Manny , a single-camera comedy from feature writer Dana Fox (Couples Retreat, What Happens in Vegas). The project, produced by Chernin Entertainment and 20th Century Fox TV, centers on a single mom whose aimless brother moves in to help her raise her baby.  (comedy)

7. The Asset is an action show with a female lead. It is described as a character-driven drama set in the New York office of the CIA, which centers on a female agent. (drama)

- NBC:

1. The New Normal, a single-camera project co-written by Glee co-creator Murphy and Adler and to be directed by Murphy, which might be the last half-hour to snag a pickup at NBC this season. (comedy)

2. Dwight Schrute Spin-Off - NBC is giving consideration to a new family comedy that would feature The Office character Dwight Schrute as a farmer. A backdoor pilot would air later this season and take place at the Schrute Farms. If picked up to series, the show would likely air as part of NBC’s midseason lineup in 2013. (comedy)

3. Go On, a single-camera comedy from former Friends writer Scott Silveri about an irreverent yet charming sportscaster trying to move on from loss.  (comedy)

4. Animal Kingdom, a single-camera office comedy centered on a House-like veterinarian, who loves animals but usually hates their owners.  (comedy)

5. Friday Night Dinner, a single-camera comedy (based on UK series) about a quirky family that has dinner together every Friday night from Office EP Greg Daniels.  (comedy)

6. Untitled Jimmy Fallon, a multi-cam comedy produced by Fallon that centers on three thirtysomething guys who enjoy the adventures of parenting despite the fact they haven’t grown up themselves.  (comedy)

7. Next Caller Please, a single-camera gender comedy focusing on a brash alpha male DJ and his new, plucky, feminist co-host set in the offices of a satellite radio station.  (comedy)

8. Untitled Hilary Winston, from Community scribe Winston comes a comedy about a a shy, focused woman who leans on her co-workers to help her come out of her shell and plot her revenge on the fiance who dumped her.  (comedy)

9. Daddy’s Girls, a comedy about a young woman who returns home from overseas to find her father is seriously dating the “mean girl” from her high school.  (comedy)

10. County - an hour-long drama starring former Event leading man (and current Parenthood guest star) Jason Ritter about a group of doctors, nurses and administrators who work in a struggling hospital in Los Angeles. (drama)

11. Chicago Fire - a firefighter drama from Law & Order boss Dick Wolf. (drama)

12. Downwardly Mobile, a sitcom starring Roseanne Barr as the proprietor of a mobile home park and surrogate mother to all of the unique people who live there in a challenging economy. (comedy)

- The CW:

1. The Carrie Diaries based on Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell’s novel following young Carrie Bradshaw. The story tells of Bradshaw coming of age in the 1980s, “asking her first questions about love, sex, friendship and family, while exploring the worlds of high school and Manhattan. (drama)

2. Beauty and the Beast - It’s loosely based on the 1987 CBS series and billed as “a modern day romantic love story with a procedural twist.” Jennifer Levin (Felicity) and Sherri Cooper (Brothers and Sisters) are the writers. Paul J. Witt and C. Anthony Thomas, Ron Koslow, Bill Haber are the executive producers. (drama)

3. Cult - a one-hour drama from Schwartz, Savage and fellow exec producer Len Goldstein that centers on a series of mysterious disappearances that are linked to a TV series called (yep, you guessed it) Cult. (drama)

4. First Cut centers on a brand new doctor who, glad to leave her nerdy past behind for a fresh start in the adult professional world, discovers that, sadly and comically, life at the hospital where she works is no different than high school. (drama)

- Casting news:

- Nadia Dajani, Christian Camargo and Morena Baccarin will guest star on The Good Wife.
(Source 1, 2, 3)
- Sean Hayes landed a guest-starring spot on Parks and Recreation. (Source)
- Teri Polo will appear in an upcoming episode of Criminal Minds. (Source)
- James Purefoy and Courtney B. Vance joined the cast of Revenge. (Source 1, 2)
- Sons of Anarchy‘s Theo Rossi has booked a guest spot on Fox’s freshman thriller, Alcatraz. (Source)
- Steve Buscemi will reprise his role as private detective Len Wosniak on 30 Rock. (Source)
- Victor Garber has landed a guest spot in the upcoming third season of the Showtime dramedy The Big C. (Source)
- Producers of Fox’s The Finder have tapped the Geoff Stults's real-life sibling George Stults, to guest star as Langston Sherman, Walter’s musician brother. (Source)
Summer Glau will guest star in an upcoming episode of Grey’s Anatomy. (Source)
- Kristin Chenoweth will appear in an episode of Hot In Cleveland. (Source)
- Colin Hanks will guest star as a new celebrity friend of Dave on Happy Endings. (Source)
- Margaret Colin will guest star in a March episode of Blue Bloods as a love interest for Selleck’s Frank. (Source)
- Frances Fisher will guest star on A Gifted Man. (Source)
- David Arquette will guest-star on this year's season finale of Cougar Town. (Source)
- Matt Lauria is set to guest-star on CBS’ Person of Interest. (Source)
- Sarah Jane Morris and Taylor Kinney will both guest star in 4x17 of Castle. (Source)
- David Krumholtz and Mary Birdsong are set to guest star on Raising Hope. (Source)
- Shiri Appleby has booked a multi-ep arc in Season 2 of TNT’s Franklin & Bash. (Source)
- Kevin Weisman joined the cast of Awake. (Source)
- Joe Manganiello guest-stars opposite his real-life friend, Matt Bomer on USA Network’s White Collar next Tuesday. (Source)

Weekly Recommendation:

Spyder is recommending FX comedy

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia