Good afternoon or morning or evening or yeah you know what I mean… Today I’m discussing the huge pilot list of ABC. Actually I’m only discussing half of that pilot list, because there’s just too many pilots to discuss before you guys get bored. ABC’s list consists of 24 pilots: 12 comedies and 12 dramas. So let’s get this show on the road; we’re starting with the comedies.
You have two types of comedies: Single-Camera Comedies (ex, New Girl) and Multi-Camera Comedies (ex, Big Bang Theory). ABC is working with a standard split of single- and multi-camera comedies. Eight of them are single-cam and the other 4 are multicam.
After reading the list, I must say, I was pretty dissapointed. The only pilot that I’m looking forward to is Prairie Dogs.
- American Judy: A cosmopolitan woman, played by Judy Greer, gets married and becomes a fish out of the water. Also, she has to deal with stepchildren (They are basically the worst), her mother-in-law and her husband ex-wife. Let me start by saying that I absolutely adore Judy Greer and I do think she can carry a series. But there is really nothing innovative about this pilot. The cast features Judy Greer, Ken Marino, Mimi Kennedy and Erica Ash.
- Counter Culture: This pilot is also something we’ve seen a lot, so I’m not impressed by this one. It’s about three aging sisters who are running their family diner together with their sibling dynamics always in the way. The cast features Delta Burke, Doris Roberts and Luis Guzman.
- Awesometown : Revolves around the lives of four young professionals who work and live together in New York. This was previously known as the ‘Adam Sztykiel project’. Ben Rappaport stars as Dusty, who moves in with his co-worker after a break-up. Again, been there, done that. Cast features also Amanda Crew, Nick Kocher and Dennis Miller.
- How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life: Imagine this being your favorite new show and you decided to tell your friends about it. “Hey, have you seen How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life?”, having to keep repeating the series title over and over again. I mean they better find a shortcut for this! (HTLWYPFTROYL? Just kidding people). This thing won’t even get a seies order. A divorced mom moves in with her eccentric parents, who’s full of life, but knows no bounds. Cast features Sarah Chalke, Brad Garret and Elisabeth Perkins.
- Malibu Country: Oh no another show with Reba! (Cringe!) I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t stand Reba. Maybe it’s because I’m Belgian and I don’t get her appeal or she just doesn’t has any appeal. Anyway after her husband cheats on her and burns through their money, she divorces him and moves to Malibu with her children and her … mom ? She will try to make a come back as a singer and stop her kids from being materialistic, like all the other people in Malibu. I will certainly not watch this. Anyway, her other castmates are Sarah Rue, Jullietta Angelo, Lily Tomlin and Justin Prentice.
- Only Fools and Horses: This centers around the misadventures of two brothers and their grandfather, in their morally questionable schemes to get rich very fast. This is based on the british format with the same premise. Again, not a pilot I’m looking forward too. Cast features Christopher Lloyd and Dustin Ybarra.
- Priarie Dogs: Neil, an uncool cubicle worker (Prairie Dog), is a victim of identity theft. When he finds out that thief has had a kick-ass life with his identity, he asks the thief to help him change his life. The male lead of Neil goes to Kal Penn , co-lead goes to Nick Zano. This could be really funny especially with Penn and Zano in the leads. I’m all for this pilot.
- Red Van Man: (Previously known as White Van Man.) Also based on a british show, a man is forced to put his dreams on hold to take over the family business. Cast: Kyle Bornheimer, Leah Remini and Edi Gathegi.
- The Smart One: A brilliant and successful woman, played by Portia de Rossi, goes to work for her less smart but more popular sister who happens to be the mayor. The other sister is played by Malin Akerman. This has a really good cast with De Rossi, Akerman and David Arquette. Well yeah it’s nothing new, but I think this is one of the more decent pilots that ABC has to offer this year.
- Untitled Dan Fogelman Project: Centers on a family that moves into a gated community in New Jersey, only to discover that their entire neighbourhood are aliens in disguise. I’m a sucker for these things, so I’m approving this, even if it turns out to be really, really bad. Cast: Lenny Venito, Jami Gertz and Simon Templeman.
- Untitled Kari Lizer Project: Hilary Pfeiffer-Dunne, a high-powered executive who has dominated corporate America for years, faces the biggest challenge of her life. She’s unemployed and has to act as a fulltime mother for her two teenagers. This cast features Mary McCormack, Greg Germann and Aiden Potter.
- Untitled Mandy Moore: Newlyweds Annie, played by Mandy Moore, and Ben (Nelson Franklin) get the opportunity of a lifetime when they get to run a new and hip restaurant in her hometown. But this brings her closer with her needy family. Next to Mandy Moore, we have an other familiar face: Majandra Delfino. Mandy Moore and Majandra Delfino, yes please!
Imagine you are calling the shots! You are sitting with your incredible crew and you had to choose a pilot. Which one would you choose?
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I'll check out Prairie Dogs and Untitled Mandy Moore. Maybe the Greer one.
I just got to watch the pilot of Prairie Dogs online while doing a survey about the show. I have to say that it was hilarious and I can't wait to see more! It kind of seemed like more of an NBC comedy to me, but I think that it will fit on ABC as well. Seriously though, Kal Penn and the rest of the Prairie Dogs were great, Nick Zano was HOT (very Brad Pitt!) and Cary Elwes was hilarious as the kilt-wearing German head of the design team. I'm very much looking forward to this show in the fall. :)