Comedies
I’m stunned by the number of single camera comedies on this list this year. This isn’t exactly CBS’ wheelhouse. I applaud them for trying to be bold, but some of these just don’t fly.
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Mom
- Casting: Anna Faris, Allison Janney, French Steward, Nate Corddry, Spencer Daniels, Blake Garrett Rosenthal, Matt Jones, Sadie Calvano
- New information: None. Still a multi-camera, single mom looking to pull her life back together in the Napa Valley premise.
- Confidence level: Good as picked up. I don’t know how this one can lose, considering it’s a Chuck Lorre project. I’m sure it’s already been penciled in by CBS.
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The Crazy Ones
- Casting: Robin Williams, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Amanda Setton, Hamish Linklater, James Wolk
- New information: This is a single camera (new territory for CBS) about an ad agency run by a father and daughter.
- Confidence level: Through the roof high! The pilot is being written by David E. Kelley, who’s also the producer. The big name casting alone assures pickup. I’m actually interested in seeing Gellar in a comedy, but I think she can do the single camera premise nicely.
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Ex Men
- Casting: Jerry O’Connell, Kal Penn, Tony Shalhoub, Rebecca Breeds, Christopher Nicholas Smith
- New information: A dumped man at the altar (Smith) moves into a housing complex and is befriended by a group of divorced men.
- Confidence level: Okay. This project has been sitting around, waiting for pilot season since mid 2012. I’m not sure what kind of buzz a seven month old project can keep generating, but given the cast and How I Met Your Mother’s EP Rob Greenberg running the project, it’s got to have something to it.
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Jacked Up
- Casting: Patrick Warbutron, Ziah Colon
- New information: Other than it’s looking like Rules of Engagement is done? (Fine, that’s not new since David Spade booked a pilot at ABC). None really. The pilot is already in production.
- Confidence level: Uncertain, although I’m thrilled to see Fred Savage directing this pilot. I wish him tons of luck!
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Super Clyde
- Casting: Rupert Grint, Stephen Fry, Tyler Labine, Justine Lupe
- New information: Here’s an expanded description. Clyde is a sweet yet slightly neurotic guy that never fit in and loves comic books. He borderline agoraphobic and wishes he was a super hero himself. When an inheritance makes that possible, he decides he will use that for good and to reward the good-hearted. Fry plays the butler, and Labine is Clyde’s older brother.
- Confidence level: Awesome! This show hasn’t been fully casted yet, but wow on who they’ve snagged so far! Stephen Fry? That’s wicked awesome! I also love Tyler Labine from Reaper and we all know who Rupert Grint is. I’m dying to see this. This only caveat is this is on CBS. Will their blue hair audience get it? If it’s after The Big Bang Theory, I say yes.
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Bad Teacher
- Casting: Ari Graynor, Kristin Davis, Caitlin Kimball, David Alan Grier, Ryan Hansen, Sara Gilbert
- New information: Ari Graynor is the foul mouthed teacher, Davis is her history teacher nemesis.
- Confidence level: Lukewarm. I don’t know, I love Sara Gilbert and David Alan Grier too. Still, does this story have enough to be funny in TV land?
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Friend With Better Lives
- Casting: Brooklyn Decker, James Van Der Beek, Kevin Connolly, Majandra Delfino, Rick Donald, Zoe Lister Jones
- New information:
- Confidence level: Average. Why does this sound like a Friends remake? Still, with James Burrows as director, that does give it some leverage.
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Gaffigan
- Casting: Jim Gaffigan, Mira Sorvino, Christian Barillas, Tongayi Chirisa
- New information: None. A man, wife, and five kids living in a 2 bedroom NYC apartment. It’s a single camera.
- Confidence level: Not great. If this was a multi-camera, I might see it working. A single camera though, I’m not sure. I’m still not sold on the premise, and it doesn’t sound all that unique.
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The McCarthy’s
- Casting: Jack McGee, Jacki Weaver, Jake Lacy, Jessica Chaffin, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre
- New information: Fred Savage is directing two pilots? Wow, you go you warrior you. It’s still about a sports crazed Boston family and their gay son (Lacy) who doesn’t exactly want to spend much time with them.
- Confidence level: Shaky. I like this premise. Joey McIntyre alone will be a curiosity draw. I hear the script is hilarious. However, an ethnic skewing single camera on CBS? This just doesn’t sound like their thing. If this was Fox, I’d call it a winner!
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Mother’s Day Untitled Rottenberg/Zuritsky
- Casting: None
- New information: This show has been renamed to the always popular Untitled. They also haven’t found cast yet and shooting is due to start soon. CBS though is still moving forward.
- Confidence level: For now, poor. Until a cast is found, this one is in serious trouble.
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Untitled Greg Garcia project
- Casting: Will Arnett, Beau Bridges, Margo Martindale, J.B. Smoove, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Michael Rapaport.
- New information: There’s a bit more about this premise. Arnett plays a newly divorced guy (hitting a bit too close to home maybe?) whose life gets more complex because his parents are splitting up too. His Dad (Bridges) moves in with him while his mom (Martindale) moves in with his sister.
- Confidence level: Awesome. Given the casting in pilots of the Up All Night cast members like Arnett, I imagine that one is done over at NBC. I can just picture Arnett and Bridges in an odd couple type environment. I like!
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Untitled Tad Quill project
- Casting: None
- New information: This show has the exact same problem as Rottenberg/Zuritsky. Can’t find a cast, but CBS is moving forward. Tick tock, there isn’t any time left.
- Confidence level: Same as Rottenberg/Zuritsky. Poor, until a cast is found. Considering the stellar casting with other series at CBS, this just doesn’t look good.
Up next, one more network to go. It’s my favorite network to analyze. The CW!
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