Fall TV Pilots: The '06 Edition

[Matt]

They put Ali Larter as a camwhore. Nice to know that they know their demographic.

So, there's a boyhood genius, a flying doctor (who is related to a politician), a regenerating zombie cheerleader...

oh, and a time-bending computer programmer.

[Matt]

They just used a Bright Eyes song as a temp track. Fuuuuck this show.

[Cassander]

I'm hopping on this bandwagon tonight, even though I wanted to resist it at first.  So, tonight I'm lining up:

Heroes
Traveler
Jericho
and, though it isn't new, but I want to find out if it sucks, Blade: The Series.

I'm skipping The Nine, Kidnapped, that Fox one about a stand-off with Office Space guy, and Shark.  They just sound horrible.  Well, Shark doesn't sound that bad, but someone described it on another forum as "The legal version of House" and I fucking hate House.  The Nine has scott wolf in it.  need I say more?  Oh, and Friday Night Lights.  I already saw the movie.  Why watch it again when it lasts 14 hours and has shittier actors?

Already watched Heroes...for some reason I thought this was a Marvel-backed series.  Now I see that they've just stolen the popular powers from the popular comic heroes.  Except for Ali Larter...what is she supposed to be?  Some kind of crazy shadow-phase Medea?  I'll probably catch a few more eps, but it seemed to me like they were trying too hard to feel like Lost and trying too hard (and failing) at covering that fact up.  Plus...no token black guy?  And...this bad guy looks more like a douchebag than some kind of mastermind? 

anyway.  dinnertime and something else. 

but while we're on the subject...has this "let's try to make a series a lot like that popular series from last year" ever worked?  arent' all the greatest shows new and free-thinking, or, at least, only 10% derivative instead of about 50-80%? 

Granted you can make that "It's [popular show] except they're [in some unrelated environment]!" about almost everything, and some shows (usually cop shows) build on the successful ones of before and just go a little grittier, but honestly, all these 24 and Prisonbreak ripoffs make me want to induce vomiting so I can eat the vomit and thus get the bad taste out of my mouth.  And speaking of cop shows...where's my new goddamn cop show?  NYPD Blue got canceled a year or two ago and the Shield ends in January after, like, a 6 episode mini-season.  I don't want CSI or Law and order or some bullshit.  I want NYPD Blue 5000...blood and guts and hard-nosed detectives and infighting in the department house.  Is that so much to ask? 

Anyway, if anyone wants to try to come up with a TV series (or comic book series; both are pretty similar I would imagine) with me, I'll start up a brainstorm thread. 

[nacho]

So far, then:

Shark -- cool, liked it, James Woods is god

Jericho -- Fun, not offensive, has strong potential, well done

Heroes -- Crap

Traveler -- Fun, enjoyed it

[Cassander]

Jericho:

Oh my god!  Fuck strong potential, this show has "it."

I was actually moved by some of the scenes, like bottom of the stomach twinging type of emotion.  Nothing over the top, moderation throughout, but still a bunch of creepy and honestly nice moments.  Also it only had one of those awful unrealistic "we need to clue the audience in on something...better make it heavy handed just to be sure" moments ("You guys were both born on 3rd base! Quit acting like you hit a triple!").  And there were a ton of "that guys" in it.  I love series based around "that guys."  I'll look them all up later, but there were at least 7 recognizable yet can't come up with their names actors. 

I thought it was going to be corny, but man, I actually can't wait to see more.  Hopefully it won't get overrun by all the other shit CBS throws at us. 

[nacho]

The Singles Table:  Hilarious.  "Um...literally, you do have to go to your own funeral."

John Cho's the man!  (He's Harold from Harold & Kumar.)

[RottingCorpse]

Pirates of the internet . . . See if you can dig up a show called, "I Want to Rob Mick Jagger." A buddy of mine who saw a bunch of pilots (He know folks in the biz.) said it's quite possibly the funniest show he's ever seen, which means it'll get canceled after two episodes.

[RottingCorpse]

Premieres by alphabet:
 
According To Jim (ABC) Dec. 6
All Of Us (CW) Oct. 1
Amazing Race (CBS) Sept. 17
America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC) Oct. 1
America’s Most Wanted (Fox) Sept. 9
America’s Next Top Model (CW) Sept. 20
American Dad (Fox) Sept. 10
American Idol (Fox) Jan. 16
Art of Betrayal (MyNet) Dec. 4
Bachelor (ABC) Oct. 2
Battlestar Galactica (SciFi) Oct. 6
Biggest Loser (NBC) Sept. 20
Bones (Fox) Aug. 30
Boston Legal (ABC) Sept. 19
Breaking Bonaduce (VH1) Oct. 22
Bridezillas (WE) Oct. 8
Brothers & Sisters (ABC) Sept. 24
Campus Ladies (Oxy) Oct. 1
Celebrity Duets (Fox) Aug. 29
Class (CBS) Sept. 18
Close to Home (CBS) Sept. 22
Cold Case (CBS) Sept. 24
Cops (Fox) Sept. 9
Criminal Minds (CBS) Sept. 20
Crossing Jordan (NBC) Oct. 20
CSI (CBS) Sept. 21
CSI: Miami (CBS) Sept. 18
CSI: New York (CBS) Sept. 20
Dancing With The Stars (ABC) Sept. 12
Dateline (NBC) Sept. 23
Day Break (ABC) Nov. 15
Deal or No Deal (NBC) Sept. 18
Def Comedy Jam (HBO) Sept. 10
Desire (MyNet) Sept. 4
Desperate Housewives (ABC) Sept. 24
Dexter (Sho) Oct. 1
Doctor Who (SciFi) Sept. 29
Drawn Together (CC) Oct. 5
ER (NBC) Sept. 21
Everybody Hates Chris (CW) Oct. 1
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) Sept. 24
Family Guy (Fox) Sept. 10
Fashion House (MyNet) Sept. 4
48 Hours Mystery (CBS) Sept. 23
Freak Show (CC) Oct. 4
Friday Night Lights (NBC) Oct. 3
Game (CW) Oct. 1
George Lopez (ABC) Dec. 6
Ghost Whisperer (CBS) Sept. 22
Gilmore Girls (CW) Sept. 26
Girlfriends (CW) Oct. 1
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) Sept. 21
Happy Hour (Fox) Sept. 7
Help Me Help You (ABC) Sept. 26
Heroes (NBC) Sept. 25
Hogan Knows Best (VH1) Oct. 22
House (Fox) Sept. 4
House of Carters (E!) Oct. 2
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) Sept. 18
I Pity The Fool! (TVLand) Oct. 11
Ice T’s Rap School (VH1) Oct. 17
Jericho (CBS) Sept. 20
Justice (Fox) Aug. 30
Juvies (MTV) Sept. 4
Kidnapped (NBC) Sept. 20
King of the Hill (Fox) Dec. 3
Knights of Prosperity (ABC) Oct. 17
Las Vegas (NBC) Oct. 20
Law & Order (NBC) Sept. 22
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC) Sept. 19
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) Sept. 19
Lost (ABC) Oct. 4
Men in Trees (ABC) Sept. 12
MI:5 (A&E) Sept. 15
Million Dollar Listing (Bravo) Aug. 29
My Name is Earl (NBC) Sept. 21
Nanny 911 (Fox) Sept. 8
NCIS (CBS) Sept. 19
New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) Sept. 18
Nine (ABC) Oct. 4
Nip/Tuck (FX) Sept. 4
Numb3rs (CBS) Sept. 22
The OC (Fox) Nov. 2
Office (NBC) Sept. 21
One Tree Hill (CW) Sept. 27
Prison Break (Fox) Aug. 21
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO) Aug. 25
Rome (HBO) Jan. 7
Runaway (CW) Sept. 25
7th Heaven (CW) Sept. 25
Shark (CBS) Sept. 21
The Shield (FX) Jan. 9
Simpsons (Fox) Sept. 10
Six Degrees (ABC) Sept. 21
60 Minutes (CBS) Sept. 24
Smallville (CW) Sept. 28
Smith (CBS) Sept. 19
South Park (CC) Oct. 4
Standoff (Fox) Sept. 4
Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (NBC) Sept. 18
Supernanny (ABC) Dec. 4
Supernatural (CW) Sept. 28
Survivor (CBS) Sept. 14
Talk Show With Spike Feresten (Fox) Sept. 17
30 Rock (NBC) Oct. 11
‘Til Death (Fox) Sept. 7
TNA Impact! (Spike) Sept. 28
Trading Spouses (Fox) Oct. 6
24 (Fox) Jan. 7
20 Good Years (NBC) Oct. 4
20/20 (ABC) Sept. 8
Two and a Half Men (CBS) Sept. 18
Two-A-Days (MTV) Aug. 23
Ugly Betty (ABC) Sept. 28
The Underground (Sho) Sept. 14
Unit (CBS) Sept. 19
Vanished (Fox) Aug. 21
Veronica Mars (CW) Oct. 3
War at Home (Fox) Sept. 10
Watch Over Me (MyNet) Dec. 4
What About Brian (ABC) Oct. 9
Wife Swap (ABC) Sept. 18
Wire (HBO) Sept. 10
Without A Trace Sept. 24
WWE Smackdown (CW) Sept. 22

Premieres by date:
 
Prison Break (Fox) Aug. 21
Vanished (Fox) Aug. 21
Two-A-Days (MTV) Aug. 23
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO) Aug. 25
Celebrity Duets (Fox) Aug. 29
Million Dollar Listing (Bravo) Aug. 29
Bones (Fox) Aug. 30
Justice (Fox) Aug. 30
Desire (MyNet) Sept. 4
Fashion House (MyNet) Sept. 4
House (Fox) Sept. 4
Juvies (MTV) Sept. 4
Nip/Tuck (FX) Sept. 4
Standoff (Fox) Sept. 4
‘Til Death (Fox) Sept. 7
Happy Hour (Fox) Sept. 7
Nanny 911 (Fox) Sept. 8
20/20 (ABC) Sept. 8
Cops (Fox) Sept. 9
America’s Most Wanted (Fox) Sept. 9
American Dad (Fox) Sept. 10
Def Comedy Jam (HBO) Sept. 10
Family Guy (Fox) Sept. 10
Simpsons (Fox) Sept. 10
War at Home (Fox) Sept. 10
Wire (HBO) Sept. 10
Dancing With The Stars (ABC) Sept. 12
Men in Trees (ABC) Sept. 12
Survivor (CBS) Sept. 14
The Underground (Sho) Sept. 14
MI:5 (A&E) Sept. 15
Amazing Race (CBS) Sept. 17
Talk Show With Spike Feresten (Fox) Sept. 17
Class (CBS) Sept. 18
CSI: Miami (CBS) Sept. 18
Deal or No Deal (NBC) Sept. 18
How I Met Your Mother (CBS) Sept. 18
New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS) Sept. 18
Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (NBC) Sept. 18
Two and a Half Men (CBS) Sept. 18
Wife Swap (ABC) Sept. 18
Boston Legal (ABC) Sept. 19
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC) Sept. 19
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC) Sept. 19
NCIS (CBS) Sept. 19
Smith (CBS) Sept. 19
Unit (CBS) Sept. 19
America’s Next Top Model (CW) Sept. 20
Biggest Loser (NBC) Sept. 20
Criminal Minds (CBS) Sept. 20
CSI: New York (CBS) Sept. 20
Jericho (CBS) Sept. 20
Kidnapped (NBC) Sept. 20
CSI (CBS) Sept. 21
ER (NBC) Sept. 21
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) Sept. 21
My Name is Earl (NBC) Sept. 21
Office (NBC) Sept. 21
Shark (CBS) Sept. 21
Six Degrees (ABC) Sept. 21
Close to Home (CBS) Sept. 22
Ghost Whisperer (CBS) Sept. 22
Law & Order (NBC) Sept. 22
Numb3rs (CBS) Sept. 22
WWE Smackdown (CW) Sept. 22
Dateline (NBC) Sept. 23
48 Hours Mystery (CBS) Sept. 23
Brothers & Sisters (ABC) Sept. 24
Cold Case (CBS) Sept. 24
Desperate Housewives (ABC) Sept. 24
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) Sept. 24
60 Minutes (CBS) Sept. 24
Without A Trace Sept. 24
Heroes (NBC) Sept. 25
Runaway (CW) Sept. 25
7th Heaven (CW) Sept. 25
Gilmore Girls (CW) Sept. 26
Help Me Help You (ABC) Sept. 26
One Tree Hill (CW) Sept. 27
Smallville (CW) Sept. 28
Supernatural (CW) Sept. 28
TNA Impact! (Spike) Sept. 28
Ugly Betty (ABC) Sept. 28
Doctor Who (SciFi) Sept. 29
All Of Us (CW) Oct. 1
America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC) Oct. 1
Campus Ladies (Oxy) Oct. 1
Dexter (Sho) Oct. 1
Everybody Hates Chris (CW) Oct. 1
Game (CW) Oct. 1
Girlfriends (CW) Oct. 1
Bachelor (ABC) Oct. 2
House of Carters (E!) Oct. 2
Friday Night Lights (NBC) Oct. 3
Veronica Mars (CW) Oct. 3
Freak Show (CC) Oct. 4
Lost (ABC) Oct. 4
Nine (ABC) Oct. 4
South Park (CC) Oct. 4
20 Good Years (NBC) Oct. 4
Drawn Together (CC) Oct. 5
Battlestar Galactica (SciFi) Oct. 6
Trading Spouses (Fox) Oct. 6
Bridezillas (WE) Oct. 8
What About Brian (ABC) Oct. 9
I Pity The Fool! (TVLand) Oct. 11
30 Rock (NBC) Oct. 11
Ice T’s Rap School (VH1) Oct. 17
Knights of Prosperity (ABC) Oct. 17
Crossing Jordan (NBC) Oct. 20
Las Vegas (NBC) Oct. 20
Breaking Bonaduce (VH1) Oct. 22
Hogan Knows Best (VH1) Oct. 22
The OC (Fox) Nov. 2
Day Break (ABC) Nov. 15
King of the Hill (Fox) Dec. 3
Art of Betrayal (MyNet) Dec. 4
Supernanny (ABC) Dec. 4
Watch Over Me (MyNet) Dec. 4
According To Jim (ABC) Dec. 6
George Lopez (ABC) Dec. 6
Rome (HBO) Jan. 7
24 (Fox) Jan. 7
The Shield (FX) Jan. 9
American Idol (Fox) Jan. 16

[nacho]

Hey!  Jericho's just around the corner.  Nice.

[nacho]

Studio 60 is tonight.  An okay pilot has me interested enough to catch it.

Jericho is on the 20th.

And, off topic, Extras series 2 began a few days ago.  How'd I miss that?