16 V I D E O A G E March/April 2022 For the new broadcast TV season, the U.S. networks are looking at 36 new pilots at the Upfronts in New York City (to be held May 16-19), of which 24 are dramas and 12 are comedies. NBC and CBS lead the pack with the largest number of dramas (six each). Most of the pilots come from CBS Studios and 20th Television (meaning Disney), which each have nine. Next up is Universal with eight pilots, then Warner Bros. TV with six. There are also a couple of new series co-produced by multiple studios. After the Upfronts, most U.S. studios will screen the networks’ new season pick-ups. So far, confirmed dates for the studio screenings include Paramount Global Content Distribution (May 2125), NBCUniversal (May 21-24), Sony Pictures TV (May 23-26), and Warner Bros. Television on May 16 (for Canada) and May 23 (general screenings). As for independent distribution companies, they can be expected in Los Angeles May 18-20 (see story on page 14). Below, check out the new broadcast TV season pilots in consideration. ABC (COMEDY) Josep Prod Co: 20th Television Writer/Exec Prod: Steve Joe Exec Prods: Jo Koy, Kourtney Kang, Jake Kasdan, Melvin Mar, Joe Meloche, Randall Park, Michael Golamco, Hieu Ho Premise: In this single-cam comedy, a recently divorced Filipino American nurse (Koy) attempts to navigate dating, fatherhood and a very Filipino mother who loves to “help.” Not Dead Yet Prod Co: 20th Television, Wonderland Sound and Vision Writers/Exec Prods: Casey Johnson, David Windsor Exec Prods: McG, Mary Viola, Corey Marsh Premise: Broke, newly single and feeling old, Nell Stevens works to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago. So she lands the only job she can find: writing obituaries. Adapted from Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter. The Son-In-Law Prod Co: 20th Television Writer/Exec Prod: Ajay Saghal Exec Prods: Jake Kasdan, Melvin Mar Premise: This single-cam comedy follows a saltof-the-earth man who finds himself seeking the approval of his new fiancée’s sophisticated parents — even as he’s a difficult to impress father-in-law to his daughter’s boyfriend. ABC (Drama) L.A. Law Prod Co: 20th Television, Steven Bochco Productions Writers/Exec Prods: Marc Guggenheim, Ubah Mohamed Exec Prods: Dayna Bochco, Jesse Bochco, Blair Underwood Dir/Exec Prod: Anthony Hemingway Premise: An update of the Emmy-winning NBC drama that sees the venerable law firm of McKenzie Brackman reinvent itself as a litigation firm specializing in only the most high-profile and boundary-pushing cases. Untitled Alaska Project Prod Co: 20th Television, Co-lab21, Slow Pony Writer/Exec Prod/Dir: Tom McCarthy Exec Prods: Bert Salke, Melissa Wells, Hilary Swank, Kyle Hopkins, Ryan Binkley Premise: A star journalist (Hilary Swank) moves to Alaska for a fresh start after a career-killing misstep and finds redemption personally and professionally after joining a daily metro newspaper in Anchorage. Untitled Kay Oyegun Project Prod Co: 20th Television Writer/Exec Prod: Kay Oyegun Premise: Five therapists in Philadelphia find unique ways to solve problems in their patients’ lives while grappling with their own. The owner of the practice has her life turned upside down when she begins working with a sociopathic patient who may hold the key to the disappearance of her sister. Untitled Rookie Spin-Off Prod Co: eOne, ABC Signature Writer/Exec Prod: Alexi Hawley Exec Prod: Mark Gordon Premise: Simone Clark is the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy. She is a single mother of two who put her dreams on hold to make sure her kids pursued their own. Planted spinoff follows the premise of The Rookie, about the oldest rookie in the LAPD. Will Trent (order is cast contingent) Prod Co: 20th Television Writers/Exec Prods: Liz Heldens, Dan Thomsen Exec Prod: Karin Slaughter Premise: Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. But now Will Trent has the highest clearance rate in the GBI. Based on Karin Slaughter’s New York Times best-selling Will Trent series. CBS (Comedy) The Hug Machine Prod Co: CBS Studios Writer/Exec Prod: Sam Laybourne Exec Prod/Dir: Jorma Taccone Exec Prods: Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Ali Bell Premise: A dad gets a second chance to save both his marriage and his f lailing rock career when his band unintentionally finds success in the raucous, cutthroat world of children’s music. Rust Belt News Prod Co: Warner Bros. Television, Alloy Entertainment Writer/Exec Prod: Matt Warburton Exec Prods: Leslie Morgenstein, Gina Girolam Premise: A single-camera comedy about a small Ohio town where the local newspaper goes out of business, leaving the angsty reporters of the high school newspaper as the only people left to polish the rust off this rust-belt community. Sober Companion Prod Co: CBS Studios, Sutton Street Prods Writers/Exec Prods/Story by: Gracie Glassmeyer, David Rosenthal Exec Prod/Story By: Jennie Snyder Urman Exec Prod: Joanna Klein Premise: Eliza, a hot-mess alcoholic who owns a bar with her uncle in New Orleans, is forced to get her life together when the court appoints her an exhaustingly upbeat sober companion with whom she has to live 24/7. Unplanned In Akron Prod Co: CBS Studios, PictureStart, Authentic Writer/Co-Exec Prod: Schuyler Helford Writer/Exec Prod: Emily Wilson Exec Prods: Samie Falvey, Erik Feig, Chris Mills, Chris Emerson Premise: A multi-cam about two teenagers navigating parenthood in the best way they know how. They’ll learn that mistakes in life don’t have to derail your life. CBS (Drama) Cal Fire Prod Co: CBS Studios, Jerry Bruckheimer TV Writer/Exec Prods: Tony Phelan, Joan Rater Exec Prod/Story Co-Written By: Max Thieriot Exec Prods: Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, KristieAnne Reid Premise: Seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence, young convict Bode Donovan joins a firefighting program that returns him to his small Northern California hometown. Inspired by executive producer Max Thieriot’s experiences growing up in northern California fire country. Early Edition Prod Co: Sony Pictures Television, CBS Studios, Affirm Television Writer/Exec Prod: Melissa Glenn Exec Prods: DeVon Franklin, Bob Brush Co-Exec Prod: Jenna Nicholson Premise: In this reboot of the original CBS series starring Kyle Chandler, an ambitious but uncompromising journalist starts receiving tomorrow’s newspaper today. She then finds herself in the complicated business of changing the news instead of reporting it. East New York Prod Co: Warner Bros. Television Writers/Exec Prods: William Finkelstein, Mike Flynn Exec Prods: Mike Robin, Mark Holder, Christine Holder Premise: Follows the newly promoted police captain of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods. The Never Game Prod Co: 20th Television Writer/Exec Prod: Michael Cooney Exec Prod: Justin Hartley Dir/Exec Prod: Ken Olin Premise: Revolves around survivalist Colter Shaw (Hartley), who roams the country as a “reward seeker” and uses his tracking skills to solve mysteries as he contends with his own fractured family. The L.A. Screenings Are Back, 2022-2023 Pilots In Consideration U.S. Broadcast TV Season (Continued on Page 18)
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