Upcoming Sci Fi Pilots

[nacho]

Per scifiwire:

ABC

The Gates The supernatural crime drama sort of sounds like an anti-Eureka. It's about "a big-city cop who becomes chief of police in a seemingly sleepy planned community only to discover there's much more to the residents than meets the eye." What could that be, you ask? How about a cardiologist who is actually a "vampire-like creature" in the form of actor Luke Mably. Prison Break's Frank Grillo plays the new police chief, Nick Monohan. Janina Gavankar plays Leigh Turner, a sexy cop with a secret.
Chance of pickup: 100 percent. The Gates has a blind 13-episode commitment and will likely find a home during the summer.

No Ordinary Family Could this potential series be the new Heroes? The Shield's Michael Chiklis and Angel/Dexter's Julie Benz star in this drama, which revolves around a typical American family that experiences strange things when they suddenly find themselves with new abilities. Chiklis plays the dad and Benz plays mom, Stephanie, "a gifted scientist who develops a power for superspeed." No Ordinary Family comes from Jon Harmon Feldman (Tru Calling) and Greg Berlanti (Eli Stone). The series also stars Autumn Reeser, Romany Malco, Jimmy Bennett, Kay Panabaker, and Christina Chang.
Chance of pickup: 75 percent. Chiklis is a star, and with Heroes certainly at the end of its run this season or next, we're liking No Ordinary Family's chances.


Fox

Terra Nova Steven Spielberg must be getting bored with movies, or maybe he's just missing dinosaurs. He and Peter Chernin are trying to put together a deal for this time-travel drama "about a family from 100 years in the future who travel back in time 150 million years to the strange and inhospitable environments of prehistoric earth." According to Variety, the project would involve sets and special effects that are so elaborate, it would only be cost effective to order it directly to series. That means it's either all or nothing on this one, so there's no actual order for a pilot yet. Craig Silverstein and British writer Kelly Marcel wrote the script based on Marcel's idea.
Chance of pickup: 20 percent. It's Spielberg baby! And that means it's really, really expensive, baby!

Torchwood Doctor Who/Torchwood's Russell T. Davies no sooner came to the U.S. than he promptly pitched Fox a U.S. version of Torchwood. There's also been talk that original star John Barrowman might reprise his role as Captain Jack and that the series about a covert group of alien hunters would focus on more internationally-based stories. It's a longshot that this would go through. BBC America still holds the broadcast rights, and, as far as we know, it hasn't been canceled across the pond. That doesn't mean that there couldn't also be an American version, but there's some work to do to make a deal come together. It all sounds too good to be true.
Chance of pickup: 20 percent. We'll believe it when we see it, and we'd really like to see it.

NBC

The Cape The other superhero offering is The Cape, about "a former cop framed for a crime he didn't commit who becomes the Cape, a masked hero, to clear his name and reunite with his son." ER's Australian actor, David Lyons, plays the ex-cop, Vince Faraday. The series was created by Tom Wheeler, and the pilot is being directed by Simon West (Human Target).
Chance of pickup: 65 percent. Lyons is a star waiting to happen, and NBC isn't afraid of superheroes.

Day One Oh, poor Day One. Did NBC screw this one up, or what? Originally, Jesse Alexander's (Heroes, Lost, Alias) "series" was picked up as a mid-season replacement, only to have its order trimmed down until it was nothing more than a two-hour TV movie. The story follows what happens when "an eclectic group of neighbors in a Van Nuys, Calif., apartment building" find themselves on a quest for survival after "a global event devastates the world's infrastructures." Huh? Well, the "global catastrophe" turns out to be an alien invasion, but why NBC couldn't just come out with it? Who knows. Maybe they were scared of ABC's V taking all the alien invasion mojo away from them. All that said, the script is great, and Alexander knows how to write sci-fi television. On the unfortunate side, the "series" stars David Lyons, who's also been cast in NBC's The Cape. Day One's cast includes Adam Campbell, Julie Gonzalo, Catherine Dent, Derek Mio, Carly Pope, Addison Timlin and Thekla Reuten.
Chance of pickup: 8 percent. For whatever reason, NBC's turned its back on this one, and it will be lucky even to air as a television movie at this point.

The Event Who knows if there's actually any real sci-fi or fantasy at the core of The Event, but we're liking the chances. From The 4400's Nick Wauters, the pilot is "a thriller with a unique storytelling device that features multiple points of view concerning a decent, regular fellow who battles against mysterious circumstances that envelope a larger conspiracy." The "decent, regular fellow" is played by Jason Ritter, who stars along with Blair Underwood, Sara Roemer, Scott Peterson, Zeljko Ivanek, Ian Anthony Dale, Taylor Cole and Wes Ramsey.
Chance of pickup: 25 percent. Well, the summary couldn't be any more vague and reminds us of Day One's "global event." We're thinking this one is a bit of a long shot.

Nine Lives Call this Spielberg 2.0. Originally developed for Syfy, it's been reported that Spielberg is interested in reviving this near-death drama. "Nine Lives unfolds as an epic story of love, exploring the greatest mystery of all ... what happens after you die? The drama focuses on several characters, each grieving over the loss of a loved one. First by accident, then intentionally induced, each has discovered how to reunite with their loved ones in the afterlife through near-death experiences. But each journey to the other side brings closer an unknown evil, which is about to be unleashed on mankind." Written by Taken's Leslie Bohem.
Chance of pickup: 15 percent. Bohem is brilliant and Spielberg's a force of nature, but we're not liking its chances.

Undercovers J.J. Abrams' latest takes him back to the spy game as "a domesticated husband and wife return from years in retirement and are re-activated as CIA agents. As they work together for the first time on new cases, they discover new aspects from their past—even as they re-ignite their passion for each other." While this certainly could be a sci-fi-free series, we also know that Abrams loves sci-fi and loves to sell a sci-fi story as spy story, at least based on his work on Alias. The pilot was written by Abrams and Dirty Sexy Money's Josh Reims and features Boris Kodjoe (Surrogates) as Steven Bloom and British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Doctor Who) as his wife, Samantha. The pilot also stars Carter MacIntyre, Gerald McRaney, Jessica Parker Kennedy and Ben Schwartz.
Chance of pickup: 80 percent. Undercovers seems to have a good chance considering Abrams knows how to do spy stuff. If he can rein in the Alias-esque bizarre sci-fi plots just a bit, this has great potential.

The CW

Betwixt This very CW pilot focuses on "three teenagers who discover their lineage has granted them special abilities, which they use to fight evil." Based on the young adult novel by Tara Bray Smith, the script was written by Elizabeth Chandler (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), and Christian Duguay (The Beautiful Life) will direct. Kings' Allison Miller has been cast as one of the teens. Executive producers Carol Barbee (Jericho) and Paul Stupin are also on board.
Chance of pickup: 50 percent. With so much other fantastic fare already renewed for next year (The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Smallville), The CW may decide a spy show like Nikita is more their style.

Nikita Anne Parillaud, Bridget Fonda and Peta Wilson have all played angry spy girl La Femme Nikita in one incarnation or another. The CW has tapped Live Free or Die Hard's beautiful and kickass Maggie Q as their Nikita. In this version of the film/television franchise, "Nikita, an assassin for a top-secret government organization, goes rogue, and a troubled 19-year-old girl named Alex is recruited to bring her in." While previous TV series La Femme Nikita wasn't out and out sci-fi, it did manage some by the end of its run. This pilot is from Craig Silverstein (Bones), with Danny Cannon directing. McG and Peter Johnson also serve as executive producers. Shane West stars as Michael.
Chance of pickup: 80 percent. We're liking Nikita's chances, which has the opportunity to be filled with action, pretty kickass ladies and nonsensical spy stuff.

Nomads From super producers David W. Zucker, Ridley Scott and Tony Scott, this action drama may not have a lot of sci-fi, but it looks like a lot of fun. It's about "a group of nearly broke young backpackers abroad who agree to earn money by working secret missions for the CIA." NUMB3RS' Ken Sanzel wrote the pilot, and Scott Porter has been tapped to star.
Chance of pickup: 50 percent. It's got the producing muscle, and this might make a good Friday night companion with Smallville. But if The CW only takes on one of these three, we're liking Nikita for the top choice 'cause of the name recognition of Maggie Q's casting.

AMC

The Walking Dead You've got to love what happens after a good zombie apocalypse. The Walking Dead follows a group of survivors who travel in search of a safe and secure home. Based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, "the comic goes on to explore the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies who take a toll on the survivors, and sometimes the interpersonal conflicts present a greater danger to their continuing survival than the zombies that roam the country. Over time, the characters are changed by the constant exposure to death and some grow willing to do anything to survive." This one is from The Green Mile's Frank Darabont, with Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert executive producer.
Chance of pickup: 75 percent. The Walking Dead has a strong crew behind the scenes and let's face it, it's time for a good television zombie apocalypse.

TNT

Steven Spielberg's Untitled Alien Invasion Series Steven Spielberg 3.0. We don't have a title yet, but this "untitled alien invasion series" does have star Noah Wylie (The Librarian) playing the college professor who becomes the reluctant leader of "a rag-tag group of soldiers and civilians as they struggle against an occupying alien force." The series begins "shortly after aliens have wiped out most of the human population. The aliens are now rounding up the few people left, but they are met with strong resistance from a group of soldiers and civilians who fight for their survival all while struggling to maintain their humanity." The series was created by Saving Private Ryan's Robert Rodat and is produced by DreamWorks Television. The series also stars Moon Bloodgood, Drew Roy, Maxim Knight, Jessy Schram and Seychelle Gabriel.
Chance of pickup: 100 precent. It's already headed to series, and 10 episodes have been ordered.

HBO

Game of Thrones Based on the George R.R. Martin fantasy novel series, "A Song of Ice and Fire," the series follows ""an epic struggle for power set in a vast and violent kingdom." It's high fantasy and the pay cable channel has hopes for seven seasons, one for each book. D.B. Weiss and David Benioff created the series and executive-produce. The cast is huge with some familiar names, including Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' Lena Headey, New Amsterdam's Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Threshold's Peter Dinklage, Silent Hill's Sean Bean and Stargate Atlantis' Jason Momoa.
Chance of pickup: 100 percent. HBO already has a 10 episode commitment.

Cartoon Network

Tower Prep Think a young The Prisoner. A rebellious teen named Ian, played by Drew Van Acker, "wakes up one morning to find himself trapped at a mysterious prep school focused on tapping into the 'unique potential' of its students. Ian forms a secret group with fellow students CJ (Elise Gatien), Gabe (Ryan Pinkston) and Suki (Dyana Liu) as they search for answers to where they are and how to get home." This live-action scripted drama, which may or may not involve sci-fi, was created by Paul Dini (Lost). Tower Prep is a working title and so it may change.
Chance of pickup: 100 percent. Thirteen episodes have been ordered, with the series premiering later this year.

Unnatural History Think a young Indiana Jones/Night at the Museum. This live-action scripted drama, which again may or may not involve sci-fi or fantasy, is "an action-packed mystery series centering on Henry Griffin (Kevin G. Schmidt), a teenager with exceptional skills acquired through years of globe-trotting with his anthropologist parents. Shipped off to a high school in Washington, Henry and his smooth-talking cousin Jasper (Jordan Gavaris) find themselves wrapped up in mysteries revolving around the national museum." Unnatural History is from The Mask's Mike Werb, and the pilot was directed by Emmy winner Mikael Salomon (The Andromeda Strain).
Chance of pickup: 100 percent. Thirteen episodes have been ordered, with the series premiering later this year.

Network Unknown

Untitled Star Wars live-action TV Series This project's been in the works for years and still doesn't have a title. According to rumors, George Lucas is courting Britain's top writers for pitches, OR scripts have been written, OR casting has started, OR none of the above. The idea is that the series would be set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope and would focus on minor characters, such as the smugglers and bounty hunters. Lucas would definitely like to do this, and he's said he would write and produce the first season, and then "hand it off from there" and oversee the series as executive producer.
Chance of pickup: Who knows? No network is attached, and even though Lucas says he can produce the episodes for $1 million, it's going to take a lot of special effects to pull this one off. Still, he's faced greater odds, like getting Star Wars made in the first place.

Death Valley This cable pilot is in casting, but we haven't been able to find out which cable channel is doing it. It's a dark comedy about "the adventures of a team of cops that police monsters and crimes of the undead."
Chance of pickup: Unknown. It sounds cool, but we need to know more before guessing about pickup chances ... like what cable network is interested and who's behind it.

[nacho]

More on the "Untitled Alien Invasion" series from Spielberg (cross-post with the PA thread eh?)

Steven Spielberg's untitled alien invasion series, starring Noah Wylie. We can't wait until this show gets a title that's less of a mouthful. Besides Wylie, this also features Moon Bloodgood, of Journeyman  and Terminator Salvation fame. TNT has already greenlit 10 episodes up front. Aliens have already wiped out most of the human race, and they're rounding up the survivors. But Wylie, a college professor, rallies a group of survivors to fight back, including his two sons, and Karen (Jessy Schram), one of the group's "motorcycle scouts."

[nacho]

And time to update this list!

The Gates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gates_%28TV_series%29
Starts June 20th. And, like Happy Town, will end a week later!

Part of the panicked ABC post-Lost meltdown.  I think Lost fans should mail ABC execs some Xanax next Monday.


No Ordinary Family starts in the Fall:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Ordinary_Family


Terra Nova is slated for the Fall.  In this series, Steven Spielberg rips off Irwin Allen's "It's About Time."
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/05/fox-has-picked-up-its-last-series-for-the-new-tv-season.html

Torchwood: Killed (thank god)

The Cape (with one-season wonder Summer Glau) is up for the fall.  It sounds dreadful:

The Cape is a one-hour drama series starring David Lyons (ER) as Vince Faraday, an honest cop on a corrupt police force, who finds himself framed for a series of murders and presumed dead. He is forced into hiding, leaving behind his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, Life on Mars) and son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, Flash Forward). Fueled by a desire to reunite with his family and to battle the criminal forces that have overtaken Palm City, Faraday becomes The Cape his son's favorite comic book superhero—and takes the law into his own hands. Rounding out the cast are James Frain (The Tudors) as billionaire Peter Fleming—The Cape's nemesis—who moonlights as the twisted killer: Chess; Keith David (Death at a Funeral) as Max Malini, the ringleader of a circus gang of bank robbers who mentors Vince Faraday and trains him to be The Cape; Summer Glau (Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) as Orwell, an investigative blogger who wages war on crime and corruption in Palm City; and Dorian Missick (Six Degrees) as Marty Voyt, a former police detective and friend to Faraday.

Day One: Well, there's a 2+ hour movie out there somewhere.  I look forward to it being leaked onto the net in ten years.

The Event: It is on the fall schedule.  But...we still don't know what it's about. Here's the official description:

A suspense-filled journey where the answers only lead to bigger questions.

OMG LOST IS OVER FILL THE VACUUM!


Nine Lives -- Not picked up.  But, then, Spielberg got a slot with his dinosaur time travel comedy.


Undercovers is JJ Abrams, so it's already got a full season starting in the fall and, no doubt, will be renewed for five years because everything Abrams touches turns to gold.  Even if it sounds lousy...which this does.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568769/

Fuck the CW.

The Walking Dead hits in October:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Walking_Dead#Television_adaptation

Spielberg does have a second project hitting the tube.  The still mysterious PA alien invasion series:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462059/
I think the joke should be that the title is actually "Untitled Spielberg project"

A Game of Thrones has, reportedly, been pushed back to 2011 according to most sources.

[nacho]

And from the Beeb...

Battlestar Galactica's  Jamie Bamber is back on TV, and it looks like he'll get to use his English accent this time: He's been cast in the new BBC America series Outcasts, a sci-fi series about survivors from a destroyed Earth and their drive for power, politics and sex as they settle in on a new planet. The sci-fi soap was created by MI-5's  Ben Richards and is being co-produced by BBC America, BBC and Kudos Film & Television.

[nacho]

ABC

The Gates The supernatural crime drama sort of sounds like an anti-Eureka. It's about "a big-city cop who becomes chief of police in a seemingly sleepy planned community only to discover there's much more to the residents than meets the eye." What could that be, you ask? How about a cardiologist who is actually a "vampire-like creature" in the form of actor Luke Mably. Prison Break's Frank Grillo plays the new police chief, Nick Monohan. Janina Gavankar plays Leigh Turner, a sexy cop with a secret.
Chance of pickup: 100 percent. The Gates has a blind 13-episode commitment and will likely find a home during the summer.

Watching now...and so far so good.  10 minutes in. 

It's basically written by someone who enjoyed Twin Peaks, hated Twilight, and, most notably, was deeply obsessed by "Springfield" -- the seemingly innocuous 50's-style rural town owned by Cobra in the old school GI Joe comics.

[nacho]

This thread from 2006:

http://www.greatsociety.org/forums/index.php/topic,1436.0.html

Lists the following pilots:

Ooo . . . Sci-Fi Channel talks about future projects . . .

SCI FI CHANNEL UNVEILS POWERHOUSE DEVELOPMENT SLATE

Unprecedented Commitment to Original Programming With Top Tier Creative Talent Including Jesse Alexander, Freddie Prinze Jr., Eric McCormack

NEW YORK - SCI FI Channel's Mark Stern, EVP, Original Programming, announced today an aggressive slate of original scripted dramas, miniseries, alternative reality and late night series for the Channel. Already established as an industry leader with highly acclaimed and award-winning shows such as 'Battlestar Galactica,' SCI FI Channel's latest slate of high profile projects showcases top industry luminaries and offers imaginative, broad appeal entertainment.

Scripted Series

'CAPRICA'

From executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick ('Battlestar Galactica'), writer Remi Aubuchon ('24') and NBC Universal Television Studio, this new series is set over a half a century before the events that play out in 'Battlestar Galactica.' The people of the Twelve Colonies are at peace and living in a society not unlike our own, but where high-technology has changed the lives of virtually everyone for the better. But a startling breakthrough in robotics is about to occur, one that will bring to life the age-old dream of marrying artificial intelligence with a mechanical body to create the first living robot - a Cylon. Following the lives of two families, the Graystones and the Adamas (the family of William Adama, who will one day become the commander of the 'Battlestar Galactica') 'Caprica' weaves corporate intrigue, techno-action and sexual politics into television's first science fiction family saga.

'SNAP'

From 'Alias' and 'Lost' producer Jesse Alexander, 'Snap' is a one-hour Hitchcockian thriller about a Federal agent who uncovers a deep-seated and seemingly unstoppable conspiracy. The Internet has secretly become sentient, infiltrated every aspect of our lives, and is surreptitiously manipulating human beings towards some larger unknown agenda. Without ever revealing its full intentions, the Artificial Intelligence uses a disparate group of people to commit seemingly unrelated and petty crimes. But every person has been chosen for a reason, even if they don't know it. And every crime is not as innocent as it seems. When our Federal Agent tries to fight back, his life is put in danger. But how do you fight an enemy that can watch your every move? The only way to combat this ubiquitous foe is from within, going undercover as a "willing" participant in the AI's grand plan, and trying to stop the conspiracy before it reaches its terrifying conclusion.

'PERSONS UNKNOWN'

From Academy Award-winning writer Christopher McQuarrie ('The Usual Suspects'), who executive produces with Heather McQuarrie, 'Persons Unknown' is a surreal mind-game of a series centering on a group of strangers who awaken in a deserted town with no memory of how they arrived, only to realize that there is no escape. Watched by omnipresent security cameras, their every attempt at leaving the town's borders is thwarted by mysterious forces. The only source of information is fed randomly through remotely controlled televisions, and as mistrust begins to breed, every alliance will be tested, especially when new guests begin to arrive. 'Persons Unknown' is from Fox Television Studios.

'THE BISHOP'

From executive producers and writers Freddie Prinze, Jr. and Conrad Jackson, this one-hour drama revolves around a young slacker whose charmed life is disrupted when he discovers that he has a supernatural gift. Initially rejecting the responsibility that comes with his newfound power, he soon realizes that the mystery surrounding his gift is rooted in his lineage, and in the father he never knew. As he goes on a quest to uncover his secret past, he discovers some shocking truths about himself. 'The Bishop' is from Brillstein-Grey Television.

'BLINK'

From executive producers Eric McCormack ('Will & Grace') and Michael Forman, and writer Irving Belateche, this thought-provoking series asks the question: what would happen if you could freeze that moment in time when something you do or a decision you make changes your life forever? A group of Afterlife investigators try to help those about to make the wrong choice, in the blink of an eye before destiny is sealed forever.

Miniseries

'CHARIOTS OF THE GODS'

A six-hour miniseries based on the worldwide best-selling novel by Erich von Daniken, 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' meets 'The Da Vinci Code' in this startling tale of extraterrestrial infiltration of human evolution. When a soldier returns from his tour of duty, he brings with him an artifact that holds the key to uncovering one of the greatest secrets in the human existence - aliens have been interfering with human genetics since ancient times, and Earth has become a pawn in a covert war between two alien factions. Suddenly, his seemingly harmless souvenir makes him the target of forces he cannot comprehend. As he struggles to accept these cataclysmic truths, he discovers that he alone may hold the key to securing Earth's future. 'Chariots of the Gods' will be executive produced by Irwin Winkler ('Rocky Balboa,' 'De-Lovely'), David Winkler and Rob Cowan, and will be written by John Whelpley ('Star Trek: The Next Generation').

Reality

'DESTINATION TRUTH' From Neil and Michael Mandt, 'Destination Truth' takes us on one man's search for the truth in a reality show that investigates stories of the unexplained across the globe. The show, hosted by Josh Gates, is a credible investigation of these stories with a first-person style that often alternates between moments of dramatic tension and humor. Every week, Josh visits a different destination around the world that is home to notorious supernatural and mysterious stories, such as the Fire Worm of Mongolia or the Chupacabra of Chile. He attempts to get to the truth by talking to witnesses and experts while immersing himself in situations that, while bizarre, are real and relatable.

Late Night

'GROUND CONTROL'

From Carson Daly Productions, this half-hour late night strip focuses on a wide-range of human interest and news topics relating to science fiction and the world of the supernatural, the paranormal, and the unexplained. With a fast-paced news/talk format including spirited debates and celebrity/expert guests, this will be a hallmark show for the network - a homebase for the expanding sci-fi genre. Fresh, innovative, and even irreverent, 'Ground Control' will be the kind of program that offers something for everyone.

'UNTITLED MINISTRY OF UNKNOWN SCIENCE SKETCH COMEDY SERIES'

A half-hour, hybrid sketch comedy, 'Ministry of Unknown Science' uses the classic "PBS" science news magazine show format as a launching point into mockumentary segments, sketches, commercial parodies, field tests, interviews and other stream-of-consciousness insanity. The content of the show seems remotely real, but is, of course, totally unreal and always hilarious. Features "The Ministry of Unknown Science" sketch comics Jason Berlin, Tim Walker, Rico Gagliano and Eric Truheart.

SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 85 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.

Person's Unknown has finally made it out as summer filler.  It's four episodes in and, so far, it's kind of, sort of, possibly watchable.  It's The Prisoner meets Cube. 

It's changed slightly from the description.  There are now prisoners (our main cast, who are all very uninteresting), and "guardians" in the form of a hotel night clerk and a Chinese restaurant staff.

I see why they had to add them, but it's really frustrating... They do have a couple of fights with the guardians in the first couple of episodes but, by the fourth episode, they largely ignore them.  Even when it is absolutely clear that they are informed and working for the masters and know what's coming next.

Anyway... I guess I'm still watching after four episodes, so, whatever.  If you're very bored, get it in you.

[nacho]

More on the "Untitled Alien Invasion" series from Spielberg (cross-post with the PA thread eh?)

Steven Spielberg's untitled alien invasion series, starring Noah Wylie. We can't wait until this show gets a title that's less of a mouthful. Besides Wylie, this also features Moon Bloodgood, of Journeyman  and Terminator Salvation fame. TNT has already greenlit 10 episodes up front. Aliens have already wiped out most of the human race, and they're rounding up the survivors. But Wylie, a college professor, rallies a group of survivors to fight back, including his two sons, and Karen (Jessy Schram), one of the group's "motorcycle scouts."

Now titled Falling Skies... And there are 20 stills up at io9:

http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2010/07/01/20-images-from-Spielbergs-alien-apocalypse-series-FALLING-SKIES

[RottingCorpse]

I'd be interested in checking this one out. Wonder when the premiere is?

[nacho]

ABC

The Gates The supernatural crime drama sort of sounds like an anti-Eureka. It's about "a big-city cop who becomes chief of police in a seemingly sleepy planned community only to discover there's much more to the residents than meets the eye." What could that be, you ask? How about a cardiologist who is actually a "vampire-like creature" in the form of actor Luke Mably. Prison Break's Frank Grillo plays the new police chief, Nick Monohan. Janina Gavankar plays Leigh Turner, a sexy cop with a secret.
Chance of pickup: 100 percent. The Gates has a blind 13-episode commitment and will likely find a home during the summer.

Watching now...and so far so good.  10 minutes in. 

It's basically written by someone who enjoyed Twin Peaks, hated Twilight, and, most notably, was deeply obsessed by "Springfield" -- the seemingly innocuous 50's-style rural town owned by Cobra in the old school GI Joe comics.

Whew boy!  This turned to shit real quick.  It's basically a shot-by-shot remake of Twilight, except half the cast are troubled suburbanite adults.

[nacho]

Ugh...

    SYFY'S ROBUST SCRIPTED DEVELOPMENT SLATE FEATURES PROJECTS FROM KEVIN SORBO, LEE MAJORS, SANCTUARY CREATIVE TEAM AND UNIVERSAL CABLE PRODUCTIONS

    Los Angeles, California - July 30, 2010 - Building upon solid ratings and critical acclaim for returning hits Warehouse 13 and Eureka, and newcomer Haven, Syfy today announced a rich development slate of seven scripted projects featuring television icons Lee Majors and Kevin Sorbo; the Sanctuary creative team of Damian Kindler, Martin Wood and Amanda Tapping; a swashbuckling space opera and an alien version of The Office from Universal Cable Productions plus a single camera 1/2-hour about fighting zombies and a dramedy featuring supernatural villains.

    In making the announcement, Mark Stern, Executive Vice President, Programming, Syfy, and Co-Head, Original Content, Universal Cable Productions, said: "One of our key agendas is to continue the extraordinary growth and momentum of our popular dramas. Through partnerships with these formidable talents, in front of and behind the camera, we hope to expand our powerful brand by offering our viewers an imaginative next generation of programming."

    BALL & CHAIN

    After months of emotional tumult, Edgar and Mallory call their relationship quits. As they say their final goodbyes, the ex-lovers are nearly hit by a meteorite that, it turns out, imbues them with extraordinary powers. Unfortunately, the powers only work when they are in close proximity to each other. Though the last thing they want to do is stay together, they'll need to try if they hope to overcome the newly arrived other-worldly forces that threaten to destroy them and anyone else who gets in the way.

    Executive Producers: Bob Cooper and J.J. Jamieson for Landscape Entertainment

    Executive Producer/Writer: Andrew Miller

    Studios: A Universal Cable Productions/Fremantle Media co-production

    ME AND LEE

    In this 1/2-hour single-camera series, a down-on-his-luck 20-something undergoes back surgery, only to find that the procedure did not go well. Enter Lee Majors, who claims he has the perfect solution. He entices the young man into his ultra high-tech lab and makes him bionic. Now intrinsically bound together, Majors tries helping his new partner get his life back on track.

    Executive Producers/Writers: Matthew Salzberg and Jenji Kohan

    Executive Producer: Steven Pearl

    Studio: Lionsgate

    ORION

    National Treasure meets Firefly in this swashbuckling space opera about an adventurous female relic hunter and her team as they hunt down -- and sometimes steal -- valuable and powerful objects to sell on the black market, all while staying one step ahead of the bounty hunters hot on their heels.

    Co-Executive Producers/Writers: Dirk Blackman & Howard McCain

    Co-Executive Producers: George Krstic & Ryuhei Kitamura

    Supervising Producer: F.J. Desanto

    Studio: Universal Cable Productions

    SHERWOOD

    In this "Robin Hood" story for the 23rd century, a young man of privilege teams up with a misfit spaceship crew to right the wrongs of his family.

    Writer: Damian Kindler

    Executive Producers: Damian Kindler, Martin Wood, and Amanda Tapping for My Plastic Badgers Productions

    LEGENDARY

    A 1/2-hour single-camera series in which Kevin Sorbo plays an exaggerated version of himself ... a former syndicated television series star. When a fan approaches Sorbo to enlist his skills in combating the underworld mythological creatures that threaten to destroy Los Angeles, an unlikely partnership is formed. Together, they use their intimate knowledge of the myths of Hercules to defeat a myriad of beasts.

    Executive Producer: David Eick

    Supervising Producers/Writers: Adam Karp & Royal McGraw

    Producer: Kevin Sorbo

    Studio: Universal Cable Productions

    HUMAN RELATIONS

    The Office meets Men in Black in this project featuring an office Temp who slowly discovers that his off-kilter and odd-ball bosses at the strange hi-tech "ad agency" where he works are really aliens working on a plan to destroy the Earth.

    Co-Executive Producer/Writer: Scott Prendergast

    Executive Producers: Michael Rotenberg and Tom Lassally for 3 Arts

    Executive Producers: John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky for Ternion

    Studio: Universal Cable Productions

    ZEROS

    In this 1/2-hour single-camera satire, when the zombie population of Marshall City overcomes the 30-foot barrier separating the infected people from the rest of the city, the Zombie Extermination and Removal Operations company (the Zeros) are called in to keep the peace. When they can get out of their own way long enough to focus on a case, they are pretty effective with very unorthodox methods.

    Executive Producers: David Kenin and Steve Brenner

    Co-Executive Producers: Chris Provost & Dave Hales

    Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 96 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

[nacho]

Okay!  Updates!


The Gates.  Verdict: Crap.  Gave up after three episodes, which was three episodes too many.

No Ordinary Family. First episode was okay.  It's nothing intelligent, and it's almost teen-oriented, but I ended the pilot episode thinking "This is what Heroes should have been like."

Terra Nova: Seems like this is still happening (Spielberg's second TV series), but it's been pushed back to Fall 2011.

Torchwood.  The "American" version will be generally the same, with the same cast (the lead is American anyway). So maybe this will finally be the UK-US "remake" that'll work.  What they've done is just make it the official fourth season, and will pick-up where "Children of Earth" left off thanks to the out of control ratings on BBC America.  (The experiment: Has BBCA brought British shows into the mainstream and, therefore, done away with the need to remake them?)

Children of Earth destroyed most of Torchwood and killed off most of the cast, so this is the perfect time for a huge shift in the storyline.

Current air-date: Summer, 2011.

The Cape. This has sounded increasingly stupid over the last few months.  It's yet another superhero dramedy. Air date, according to NBC, is "2010," though it's not showing up in September or OCtober.  Everywhere else, the air date says it'll be a mid-season filler in 2011.

Day One. RIP.  http://www.greatsociety.org/forums/index.php/topic,4241.0.html

The Event. Coming soon! http://www.greatsociety.org/forums/index.php/topic,4710.0.html

Nine Lives. Another Spielberg series, greenlit in 2007. There's been no news since February.

Undercovers. The new Abrams series where he promises not to make the same mistakes as Alias.  Premieres September 22nd.

The Walking Dead. The trailer from Comic-con turned me on. All of the PA nuts are counting chickens before they hatch and leaning on this to be the great PA series of 2010 and beyond.  The problem:  The comics are idiotic and boring. The good news:  AMC is doing this... And they seem to know how to tell a story.  Premiere date is, of course, Halloween, with a two hour pilot.

Falling Skies.  The Spielberg project that took off. Yet another PA series, as well.  Set after an alien invasion, it appears to be a version of the War of the Worlds remake with elements of the old WotW TV show (the second, post-apocalyptic season).  The pilot episode has been floating around to select critics, all who are lukewarm about it. Airdate is uncertain, but IMDB says 2011.  The panel at Comic-con said 2010.

Game of Thrones So hotly anticipated and hyper-hyped, it can do nothing but fail. It's also been plagued with problems since production began three years ago! The premiere date is currently spring, 2011. It stinks of HBO's old problem with Rome and Deadwood -- too expensive to keep alive.

[nacho]

Whew... 68 returning and new series/mini-series/movies...


http://blastr.com/2010/09/your-complete-tv-guide-to.php

[nacho]

U-U-Update!

The Event: Sucks.

Undercovers: Sucks.

No Ordinary Family: While that first episode was passable, I'm unable to bring myself to watch the next one...

So, that leaves:  Walking Dead (10/31), Game of Thrones (2011), Torchwood (2011), Falling Skies (2011?), Terra Nova (2011).

So far...no real hits.

[RottingCorpse]

Trailer for the 'V' reboot, I mean 'Falling Skies.'

[nacho]

This summer, on TNT: Every sci-fi story ever told!