Every year, The Hollywood Reporter compiles a list of the TV pilots in contention for the upcoming season. Later on, the major networks (and the CW) will decide which pilots will make it to their fall schedules. Here is this year’s article:
TV Pilots 2016: The Complete Guide
I like to go through these every year and see if I can predict what will be canceled or renewed based on only the logline. As you can tell, there’s definitely some ‘logic of safety’ going on. There are a lot of family comedies, shows based on existing properties, and shows built around vaguely recognizable stand-up comedians.
So, what do you think about this year’s pilots? Spot any trends? In case you don’t want to skim the entire article, here are some highlights:
Downward Dog
Logline: Based on the web series of the same name, centers on a woman, Nan (Allison Tolman) and her dog. The twist is that it features a Modern Family-style confessional device — for the dog.
This sounds like a fake TV show. It also already exists with Disney’s Dog With a Blog.
Marvel’s Most Wanted
Logline: A second spinoff from Agents of SHIELD, the drama follows the adventures of Bobbi Morse (aka Mockingbird) and Lance Hunter.
I like Agents of SHIELD a lot, but this show doesn’t need to exist. I would probably prefer a third season of Agent Carter.
Notorious
Logline: Inspired by the true-life stories of famed criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and cable news producer Wendy Walker, the drama is a provocative look at the unique, sexy and dangerous interplay of criminal law and the media.
I like that they worked in unique, sexy and dangerous. If it were just unique, or just sexy, it wouldn’t interest me at all.
Untitled Kevin James (13-episode production commitment)
Logline: A newly retired police officer (Kevin James) looks forward to spending more quality time with his wife and three kids (Taylor Spreitler) but figures out he faces more challenges at home than he ever did on the streets.
This could not be more generic if it tried.
Doubt (redeveloped from last season)
Logline: Centers on Sadie (Katherine Heigl), a smart, chic, successful defense lawyer at a boutique firm who shockingly gets romantically involved with one of her clients, who may or may not be guilty of a brutal crime.
Drew
Logline: A contemporary take on the character from the iconic Nancy Drew book series. Now in her 30s, Nancy is a detective for the NYPD where she investigates and solves crimes using her uncanny observational skills, all while navigating the complexities of life in a modern world.
At least it wasn’t described as “gritty”.
MacGyver
Logline: A reimagining of the television series of the same name, following a 20-something MacGyver as he gets recruited into a clandestine organization where he uses his knack for solving problems in unconventional ways to help prevent disasters from happening.
Because all the millennials were dying for a MacGyver remake.
24: Legacy
Logline: The new take features an all-new cast of characters and will be structured in the same style of the original series. Legacy revolves around a military hero’s (Corey Hawkins, Straight Outta Compton) return to the U.S. and the trouble that follows him back — compelling him to ask CTU for help in saving his life, and stopping what potentially could be one of the largest-scale terror attacks on American soil.
Yet another spin-off.
Lethal Weapon
Logline: Based on the feature film of the same name. When Texas cop and former Navy SEAL Martin Riggs suffers the loss of his wife and baby, he moves to Los Angeles to start anew. There, he gets partnered with LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh (Damon Wayans Sr.), who, having recently suffered a “minor” heart attack, must avoid any stress in his life.
Why?
Taken (straight to series)
Logline: A modern-day prequel to Luc Besson’s feature of the same name that starred Liam Neeson as a retired CIA operative Bryan Mills on a one-man mission to save his kidnapped daughter. The series will illustrate how a young Bryan develops his skills.
WHY?
Zoobiquity
Logline: Based on the best-seller by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers, the drama is a light, unconventional medical procedural that follows the unlikely pairing of a successful, driven cardiologist as she risks career suicide by teaming with a socially challenged veterinarian who relates better to animals than people. They try to put aside their competitive natures to cure the incurable using a unique blend of cross-species medicine that’s never been tried before. (Redeveloped from 2014-15.)
The emphasis is mine. I love that character description.
Good Place (13-episode straight-to-series order)
Logline: Centers on a woman (Kristen Bell) wrestling with what it means to be good.
What does this mean? What is this show about? What is good? Why is Ted Danson in it?
Chicago Law (planted spin-off of Chicago PD)
Logline: A spin-off featuring ADA characters appearing on Chicago PD.
By my count that’s 4 Chicago procedurals. Coming 2017: Chicago Sanitation.
And finally, the weirdest pilot pitch I’ve ever heard:
Son of Zorn (animated/live-action pilot presentation) — SERIES ORDER
Logline: Centers on an animated Barbarian father who comes home for the first time in 10 years to his live-action son and ex-wife. He finds that reconnecting with his family, struggling through his mundane office job and dealing with the banality of suburban life is much harder than waging actual war in his distant, animated world.
This one stars Jason Sudekis and comes from the Lego Movie guys.
Be sure to check the article for the rest of the pilots.
Note:
I’m not one hundred percent sure where THR gets their Loglines from. Also, a lot of these won’t make it to air. However, some are ordered “straight-to-series”, so those are pretty much guaranteed a spot in the fall lineup.