It’s Rabbit Season, It’s Duck Season, It’s Pilot Season! A Detailed Second Look at NBC’s Pilots

Comedies
 
I’m leaving MJFoff the list since it’s already been picked up for 22 episodes.  We can now debate where MJF will be worked into the schedule.  I’m predicting it gets the time slot of the departing The Office.  Now…the rest

• About A Boy
  • Casting:  Minnie Driver, David Walton, Al Madrigal, Anjelah N.Johnson, Benjamin, Stockham, Leslie Bibb, Suzanne Whang
  • New Info:  This is based on the Nick Hornsby novel, which was already made into the movie starring Hugh Grant. 
  • Confidence level: Very high.  Jon Favreau is directing this pilot.  Jason Katims is the creator and man in charge.  Tribeca is one of the production companies, and that’s founded by Robert DeNiro.  Hard to say no to those guys.  The original film came out in 2002, but hey, a much longer gap happened with Parenthood the film and Parenthood the series, so Katims is in his wheelhouse.
• Brenda Forever
  • Casting: Ellie Kemper, Daija Owens, Da’vine Joy Randolph, Stephnie Wier
  • New info:  This is being called “high concept” even if the premise seems simple enough.  Here’s the updated series summary according to Deadline: “It blends stories from Brenda Miller’s (Kemper) past and present to give a unique portrait of how a chubby, awkward but incredibly confident 13-year-old girl grew up to be a 31-year-old who still marches to the beat of her own drum.”
  • Confidence level:  Neutral.  I’m still not seeing how this stands out among 15 other candidates, but it could.
• Gates
  • Casting:  Christina Kirk, Diana Maria Riva, Echo Kellum, Greg Germann, John Grisetti, Justin Chon, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Ken Marino, Stephen Guarino                          
  • New info:  There was one table read, and Greg Germann was brought in to replace Aasif Mandvi.  Considering I love Greg Germann from Ally McBeal, this could be a good thing.  Germann’s character is a Yale educated super competitive jerk that pushes his kids too hard.  Other than that, I got nothing.
  • Confidence level:  Undecided.  This will either be very funny, or it will suck.  There’s no in between with NBC!
• Girlfriend in a Coma
  • Casting:  Christina Ricci, Daniel Stern, Miranda Cosgrove, Ann Cusak.
  • New info:  I already was pretty excited that Christina Ricci was cast, but Miranda Cosgrove is awesome.  You do realize that iCarly was the only watchable tween show on cable? (Trust me, as a mother of tweens, you see everything)  She’s very funny, and she has snagged the key role as the girl who can’t escape her legacy as the 17 year old daughter of “Coma lady.”  She’s perfect for that role. 
  • Confidence level:  Super high.  Considering NBC titan Dick Wolf has attached his name to this project, and the casting is stellar, I just can’t see NBC coming up with better.  Updated – Christina Ricci has left the series!  She did one table read and she left.  NBC is still very high on this project, but this changes things.  For one, production may now not move to New York from LA since they were doing that for Ricci’s benefit.  Two, NBC is really having a hard time this season with casting in their pilots.  They need to find a good replacement soon, or at best you’re looking at a midseason series.  Stay tuned! 
• Happiness
  • Casting:  Sean Hayes, Linda Lavin, Thomas Lennon, Echo Kellum, Lindsay Sloane, Samantha Isler
  • New info:  Other than the title may change?  Nothing really.  It’s still about a dude trying to handle a teenage daughter that just moved in and his temperamental boss. 
  • Confidence level:  High.  Thomas Lennon is the temperamental boss?  Lindsay Sloane as the BFF?  I’m loving these casting decisions.  Lennon was hilarious on Reno 911 and I could see him steal scenes in that role.  That’s on top of very reliable sitcom veterans Hayes and Lavin.  Plus it’s from the creators of Better Off Ted, which was a great show.  This is looking good. 
• Assistance
  • Casting: Krysten Ritter, Peter Cambor, Vinette Robinson, Zach Cregger , maybe Alfred Molina (in talks).
  • New Info:  None really, except this sort of sounds like the female version of Happiness.  The only difference is she’s juggling a boyfriend and boss.  Oh, and she’s a hyperactive workaholic.  Go figure.  
  • Confidence level: Somewhat poor.  Krysten Ritter is just coming off of cancelled Don’t Trust The B- In Apartment 23.  So a failed ABC sitcom actress is casting gold for NBC?  She’s an acquired taste, and a risk. 
• The Donor Party
  • Casting:  N/A
  • New Info:  This isn’t a good sign.  The pilot has been put on hold because they can’t find a lead.  Rumor has it this role was offered to both Rainn Wilson and Sean William Scott, and they both passed.  When top notch supporting comedic actors pass on a lead role, that doesn’t speak much for the material or concept of this series.
  • Confidence level:  DOA.  I’d be stunned if this ever made it past pilot production.  NBC has enough baggage.
• Holding Patterns
  • Casting:  Chyler Leigh, Humphrey Ker, Kate Lang Johnson, Robert Buckley
  • New info:  Everyone’s lives change because of a plane crash. 
  • Confidence level:   Low.  Still trying to figure out why this is a comedy.
• Joe, Joe, and Jane
  • Casting:  Asif Ali, Dave Annable, Larry Wilmore, Lauren Lapkus, Sally Pressman, Will Greenberg
  • New info:  This is based on the real life of Joe Wiseman, who is caught in the middle of his manipulative wife and best friend, who’s name is also Joe. 
  • Confidence level:  Shaky.  Honest, I’d feel better about this project if it had a stronger cast.  NBC really seems to be scraping for actors in a lot of these pilots, don’t you think?  Curse of a fifth place network. 
• Undateable
  • Casting:  Brent Morin, Chris D’Elia, Rick Glassman, Ron Funches
  • New info:  It’s still about two guys who have trouble dating, but one (D’Elia) is confident and attractive and the other (Morin) is hapless with the babes. 
  • Confidence level:  Puzzled.  I’ve never got this whole concept of an actor signing on for a lead role for a show if his other one hasn’t been cancelled.  What does Chris D’Elia do if Whitney gets renewed?  Odds are it won’t, but heck, it got renewed last year in a surprise.  History says they recast and reshoot.  Isn’t that a bit of a waste?  Anyway, it’s from Bill Lawrence, but this guy has a rather shaky relationship with NBC.  I think it stemmed from the network’s poor treatment of Scrubs and Lawrence’s open declaration that this network was moronic.  This is going to have to be really good.  Ha, what am I saying, this is NBC.  It has to appeal to cattle. 
• Untitled Craig Robinson Project
  • Casting:  Jane Adams, Amanda Lund, Amandla Stenberg, Craig Robinson, Larenz Tate
  • New Info:  The main character, Craig Robinson, is still a middle school teacher, dealing with talented kids, school politics, and single mothers, but I love the description of Jane Adams’ character.  According to The Hollywood Reporter,  “Adams will play Jeanette, a stressed-out junior high principal who’s almost always in damage control mode. Once an idealistic teacher, she’s now overwhelmed by the problems of her students, parents and teachers and now spends most of her time trying to put out fires and save her job. She’s a thoughtful principal but cynical and jaded after-hours and marries to a guy whose hotness she still talks about — a lot.” 
  • Confidence level:  Good.  This sounds like a fun project.  NBC needs fun, and I can actually picture myself watching this after Go On.
• Untitled Robert Padnick Project
  • Casting: Adhir Kalyan, Ellen Woglom, Eric Andre
  • New info:   It’s about four people in the city and their endless romantic entanglements.  In other words, its NBC’s version of “How I Met Your Mother,” minus Barney.
  • Confidence level:  Poor.  It’s getting late in pilot season and NBC has had yet another casting snafu.  Comedian Josh Rabinowitz was cast as the lead, did one table read, and he was done.  If NBC announces putting this one on “hold,” it’s done. 
• …Then Came Elvis
  • Casting:  Ava Deluca-Verley, Eli Baker, Harold Perrineau, J.K. Simmons, Parker Posey 
  • New info:  It’s still NBC’s version of The Wonder Years, set in the 80’s. 
  • Confidence level:  No clue.  Right now, it could work.  It could not.  There’s been no buzz either way.
• The John Mulaney Show
  • Casting:  John Mulaney, Martin Short, Elliott Gould
  • New info:  This gets interesting.  From Deadline:  “Elliott Gould and Martin Short are set to co-star opposite Mulaney in his untitled multi-camera comedy, from Lorne Michaels, 3 Arts and Universal TV. Written/exec produced by Mulaney and exec produced by 30 Rock‘s Robert Carlock, the project  is a young ensemble loosely based on Mulaney’s life. It centers on John (Mulaney), whose naïve, and often pointless, desire to “be a good person” challenges his friendship with his roommates Jane and Seymour. APA-repped Gould plays John’s gay neighbor. WME-repped Short plays Lou, a game show host John writes jokes for.”
  • Confidence level:  Uncertain, but positive.  John Mulaney is a well reputed comedy writer and funny guy.  This cast is amazing.  It’s also older.  While there is a potentially large target market out there for older actors like Gould and Short, I do recall NBC cancelled a high rated show, Harry’s Law, because it didn’t get a youthful enough demo.  I don’t see NBC taking on this project to be righting some old wrongs though that there’s probably a broader appeal with this show, kind of like 30 Rock.  I think if you’re NBC and desperate for attention, attaching Lorne Michaels’ name to a project will give them something to tout.  Especially when Saturday Night Live is their top rated show right now (yes, really). 
• Welcome to the Family 
  • Casting: Mary McCormack, Mike O’Malley, Ricard Chavira, Aramis Knight, Ella Rae Peck, Joey Haro, Justina Machado
  • New Info:  The two “cultures collide” families are latino and white.  The latino father is an ex-convict that is turning his life around. 
  • Confidence level:  Mild.  There’s a definite “odd couple” potential here with O’Malley and Chavira, especially if the material is right.  The best comedies out there are the quirky family based ones.  Still, these multi-cultural series get stale with the jokes usually by episode 3. Up next, CBS, who like Fox aren’t exactly timeslot rich.  Their pilots are going to have to be outstanding.  We’ll try to figure out which ones are. 
     

Coming up next, CBS, who just like Fox is very time slot strapped for all their pilots.  They’re going to have to be exceptional.