pilot season

NBC Buys 2 Comedies from John Krasinski

September 23, 2014

john krasinski, nbc, pilot season

After playing Jim Halpert for 9 seasons on The Office on NBC, John Krasinksi is getting back into business with NBC as he has just sold two comedy projects to the network.

They’re both single camera projects, one following a law student turned to garbage collection, and the other following start up company formed by a former ad agency exec in his garage.

While Krasinksi could easily fit into roles for either, there’s no one attached to star in either of these comedies yet.

Adam and Naomi Scott’s Gettin’ Rad Productions Get First Look Deal at Universal TV

September 15, 2014

adam scott, first look deal, gettin rad productions, naomi scott, pilot season, universal tv

(via The Hollywood Reporter)

The team behind all of those Greatest Events in Television History specials at Adult Swim are finally getting a first look deal.

Adam and Naomi Scott’s Gettin’ Rad Productions are locked in to a two year first look deal that will look to develop TV shows at Universal TV.

Also, this is probably the first time a TV deal was given to a production company whose founder describes the name as “both stupid and aspirational”.

ABC Buys Jimmy Kimmel/Carson Daly Comedy

September 15, 2014

abc, carson daly, jimmy kimmel, pilot season

(via The Hollywood Reporter)

After leading their late night offerings for years, Jimmy Kimmel along with Carson Daly has just sold a comedy project to ABC. Kimmel will write the pilot himself that follows a VJ that loses it all, which loosely follows the life of former MTV VJ Daly.

Interestingly, though they’re on different networks, Daly and Kimmel have been longtime friends since their time together at the radio station KROQ here in LA.

ABC Having Jermaine Fowler Develop a Semi-Autobiographical Comedy

September 3, 2014

abc, jermaine fowler, pilot season

(via The Hollywood Reporter)

In this latest round of networks getting ready for pilot season, ABC has picked up a great project in having the very funny Jermaine Fowler develop a family comedy based on his life, which much of his stand-up is based on.

More specifically, the series would follow a college drop out that moves in with his grandmother and a former DC cop. With this premise in mind, we think this could work or as a multi-cam or single camera sitcom. Hopefully, it will get a pilot order and we’ll get to see which one it will end up being.

NBC Buys Bryan Cranston’s TV Adaptation of “Dangerous Book For Boys”

September 2, 2014

bryan cranston, dangerous book for boys, greg mottola, nbc, pilot season

A couple of months ago, Bryan Cranston announced that he was officially developing a series based on The Dangerous Book For Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden.

That project has officially made the next step as it was just bought up by NBC. Greg Mottola, who has directed episodes of The Comeback and Arrested Development as well as Superbad, is set to write and direct the adaptation.

Along with other projects such as the one based on Joe Wengert’s life, NBC’s development slate gets more and more intriguing.

Fox TV Buys Comedy Based on Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo Going to College

August 28, 2014

fox tv, pilot season, rivers cuomo, steve franks, undone sweaters, weezer

While FX has Denis Leary’s Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll already ordered to series and Showtime has ordered a pilot of Cameron Crowe’s Roadies, this wave of rock sitcoms doesn’t stop with those two.

Fox TV has gotten on board with this trend and has just bought a project from Psych’s Steve Franks and Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo. It will be based on Cuomo’s life going from rock stardom back to college of his own volition.

If this goes to series, it will be a great accompaniment to the web series that follows a Weezer cover band called The Undone Sweaters.

HBO and Fox Have Just Bought Musical Comedies

August 24, 2014

bruce eric kaplan, fox, hbo, jason winer, musical comedy, peter knight, pilot season

(via Dead line)

Network development slates seem to be getting on a musical comedy train. Just this week HBO and Fox have bought musical comedies from Peter Knight/Jason Winer and Bruce Eric Kaplan respectively.

Knight and Winer’s project will be a contemporary family comedy with original songs and Kaplan’s will follow three generations of women here in LA. Both have potential to be great, especially since many of miss the days of Flight of the Conchords.

Let’s hope these projects will make for an intriguing pilot season.

Comedy Central Orders Animated Pilot Based on @DadBoner

August 21, 2014

comedy central, dadboner, karl welzein, mike burns, pilot season, power moves

Mike Burns’ renowned Twitter feed character Karl Welzein, better known as “@DadBoner” might be brought closer to life thanks to Comedy Central.

The network has just ordered an animated pilot based off the Twitter feed and the accompanying book Power Moves: Livin’ the American Dream, USA Style.

If this gets picked up, don’t be surprised to see a surge in sales of Bob Seger albums.

AMC Comedy Pilot ‘We Hate Paul Revere’ Casts Scott Adsit as Sam Adams

August 20, 2014

amc, paul revere, pilot season, scott adsit, we hate paul revere

AMC’s only comedy pilot currently in contention, We Hate Paul Revere, keeps getting more enticing. Not only is the premise of the folks hating American folk hero Paul Revere incredibly intriguing, but they already have Ron Livingston cast as Paul Revere and Spoils of Babylon’s Matt Piedmont directing.

Now, 30 Rock’s Scott Adsit has now been added to the cast as Sam Adams. Fingers crossed that this gets picked up so we can, at the very least, all just see what this looks like.

CBS Makes Put Pilot Commitment For Dan Sterling Comedy From Phil Lord and Chris Miller

August 15, 2014

cbs, chris miller, dan sterling, phil lord, pilot season

This week, CBS has been making some good moves in branching their comedy branding out.

In addition to giving Will Arnett’s newly formed production company Electric Ave. a first look deal, they have now made a put pilot commitment to a project from Dan Sterling, a former EP on The Office, brought to them by comedy’s newest power duo, Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie, 21 and 22 Jump Street, Last Man on Earth).

Let’s hope CBS keeps going in this direction this pilot season.

Jim Gaffigan, Jerrod Carmichael, Rob Lowe/Rob Riggle, Nick Frost/Justin Long Pilots Still Alive

cbs, fox, jerrod carmichael, jim gaffigan, justin long, nbc, nick frost, pilot season, rob lowe, rob riggle, tv land

With the announcements of which pilots have been picked up for the next year well behind us, there is still hope for a handful of projects at other networks.

Jim Gaffigan’s pilot might have a chance a TV Land after going through a few rounds at CBS while Jerrod Carmichael is getting another shot at NBC. Also, Rob Lowe and Rob Riggle’s tennis comedy pilot The Pro and legal comedy Sober Companion starring Nick Frost and Justin Long are still being considered at Fox.

We’re glad to hear that all these projects are still in play and will keep our fingers crossed as long as we can in hopes that they get picked up.

Cristela Alonzo & Jerrod Carmichael Pilots Could Still Be Picked Up to Series

abc, cristela alonzo, jerrod carmichael, nbc, pilot season

Cristela Alonzo & Jerrod Carmichael Pilots Could Still Be Picked Up to Series

According to the analysis by Deadline Hollywood at the link, projects that were, originally, barely pilots by Cristela Alonzo and Jerrod Carmichael are testing pretty well and have a lot of buzz about them at ABC and NBC, respectively.

Keep your fingers crossed as you probably already have for both of these to get picked up to series soon.

AMC Getting Into Comedy

amc, development, pilot season, wyatt cenac

It was only matter of time before AMC, who made an amazing transformation from just playing classic movies to making its own landmark original programming, would get into comedy.

They’ve already ordered a project about two Echo Park female contract killers who are also friends, a pilot called We Hate Paul Revere, a project from Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg as well a project from Wyatt Cenac.

We’re very curious where they’ll fall between the likes of network sitcoms, Comedy Central, FXx, TBS, IFC, etc.

Nick Frost To Star Opposite Justin Long in Fox Comedy Pilot ‘Sober Companion’

fox, justin long, nick frost, pilot season

Nick Frost To Star Opposite Justin Long in Fox Comedy Pilot ‘Sober Companion’

Though Sober Companion is centered on another self-destructive lawyer, the fact that Nick Frost is the star opposite Justin Long has us hooked.

Good casting, Fox.

Thomas Lennon to Star Opposite Matthew Perry in CBS’ ‘Odd Couple’

cbs, matthew perry, odd couple, pilot season, thomas lennon

Thomas Lennon to Star Opposite Matthew Perry in CBS’ ‘Odd Couple’

The amazing Thomas Lennon could be back on network TV very soon.

It’s been almost no time at all since Sean Saves The World got the ax and he already cast to star opposite Matthew Perry in an Odd Couple reboot pilot over at CBS.

Barry Rothbart Joining Cast of NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Love Is Relative’

barry rothbart, nbc, pilot season

Barry Rothbart Joining Cast of NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Love Is Relative’

You might have caught a cameo of the very funny Barry Rothbart in The Wolf of Wall Street, but we know might just have a chance to see him on network television as he is set to star in a NBC sitcom pilot Love Is Relative.

It being a network sitcom, please note that it probably won’t be anywhere near as debaucherous as Wolf of Wall Street, but Barry will still probably be great in it.

Amy Sedaris to Co-Star in Fox’s Jane Krakowski Comedy

amy sedaris, fox, jane krakowski, pilot season

Amy Sedaris to Co-Star in Fox’s Jane Krakowski Comedy

Glad to see that Amy Sedaris is joining in this series alongside Jane Krakowski in yet another solid cast in a Fox comedy pilot.

In addition to Fox’s new direction away from the pilot season model, we’re excited to see what’s to come of this and several other Fox comedy projects.

Paul F. Tompkins to Star in ABC Family Comedy

abc, paul f tompkins, pilot season

Paul F. Tompkins to Star in ABC Family Comedy

Paul F. Tompkins anywhere is worth your time to watch, but we’re glad to hear that America will have a chance to catch Tompkins on a network sitcom.

So, hopefully, ABC will bring this to airing sooner rather than later.

Ellen Burstyn To Star In Amy Poehler’s NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Old Soul’

February 28, 2014

amy poehler, ellyn burstyn, nbc, old soul, pilot season

Ellen Burstyn To Star In Amy Poehler’s NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Old Soul’

Leave it to Amy Poehler to add Ellen Burstyn to the cast of Natasha Lyonne, Rita Moreno, Fred Willard, and Nick Thune, in her comedy pilot Old Soul at NBC to be directed David Wain.

We know that this post is almost identical to our post about Old Soul casting yesterday, but Poehler and co. just keep making it better and better thus necessitating us to almost repeat ourselves.

ABC Orders Pilot Presentation of Cristela Alonzo Comedy

February 27, 2014

abc, cristela alonzo, pilot season

ABC Orders Pilot Presentation of Cristela Alonzo Comedy

Cristela Alonzo’s comedy project is still in play this pilot season as it has just gotten order for a pilot presentation at ABC.

Let’s hope that it avoids any more of the development process where you have to figure out what the difference between pilot presentation and pilot is.

Fred Willard To Co-Star In Amy Poehler’s NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Old Soul’

February 27, 2014

amy poehler, fred willard, natasha lyonne, nbc, old soul, pilot season

Fred Willard To Co-Star In Amy Poehler’s NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Old Soul’

This news means Natasha Lyonne, Rita Moreno, Nick Thune, and now Fred Willard will now be starring in a pilot produced by Amy Poehler and directed by David Wain.

Sounds pretty grand, right?

We hope that we get to see this relatively soon whether it gets a series order, which we sincerely are hoping for, or not.

Now with Parker Posey, Comedy Central Pilot ‘Crazy House’ Might Have The Best Cast This Pilot Season

February 22, 2014

big jay oakerson, comedy central, crazy house, eugene mirman, johnny pemberton, parker posey, pilot season

Now with Parker Posey, Comedy Central Pilot ‘Crazy House’ Might Have The Best Cast This Pilot Season

Parker Posey joins Nick Turner, Whitmer Thomas, Johnny Pemberton, Demorge Brown, Erik Charles Nielsen, Kate Berlant, Eugene Mirman, Big Jay Oakerson, Lindsay Ames, and Joe Urla in making for one of the most intriguing casts this pilot season in Comedy Central’s Crazy House from Nick Turner and Lee Rubenstein.

Just on the notion that these people need to be on TV more, especially together, this should get a greenlight.

Henry Zebrowski, Tone Bell, Nick Thune, and Tim Meadows Cast in NBC Comedy Pilots

February 21, 2014

henry zebrowski, nbc, nick thune, pilot season, tim meadows, tone bell

A whole row of funny people just got cast in NBC comedy pilots. Specifically…

Henry Zebrowski joins A to Z
Tone Bell joins Bad Judge
Nick Thune joins Old Soul
Tim Meadows joins Marry Me

Good casting choices thus far this pilot season for NBC.

Krysten Ritter Joining NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Mission Control’ from Will Ferrell

February 21, 2014

krysten ritter, nbc, pilot season, will ferrell

Krysten Ritter Joining NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Mission Control’ from Will Ferrell

On both counts of Will Ferrell having an astronaut comedy pilot at NBC and Krysten Ritter joining the case, we’re hoping to see what will come of this as a series, especially since it has an element of Anchorman set in the arena of a space program.

Erik Charles Nielsen Cast in Nick Turner/Lee Rubenstein Comedy Central Pilot ‘Crazy House’

February 19, 2014

comedy central, erik charles nielsen, lee rubenstein, nick turner, pilot season, whitmer thomas

Erik Charles Nielsen Cast in Nick Turner/Lee Rubenstein Comedy Central Pilot ‘Crazy House’

Joining Whitmer Thomas and Nick Turner in the Comedy Central pilot ‘Crazy House’ from Turner and Lee Rubenstein that just keeps getting better and better will be the hilarious Erik Charles Nielsen that we hope you’ve seen on Community or Conan.

We can’t even tell you how good this pilot could be (even though we’re currently telling you it’s going to be pretty great).