The Latest on Pilot Season

Reports of the pilots likely to be picked up is coming from various sources now, as upfronts are rapidly approaching.

All of these reports should be taken with a grain of salt.  As I noted in my previous post, it seems like there is always a show that comes out of nowhere to get picked up, and a show that seemed sure to hit the airwaves ends up missing the cut.  But for now, I’m sticking with my predictions of the shows that will hit the small screen next season, for better or worse.

The report from Variety casts some doubt on my predictions with the report that Unit Zero, the tale of unlikely spies, is getting mixed reviews as best.  I still think it’s a likely pickup, especially with Variety noting that ABC is looking for some lighter shows this year.

The report also suggest that my CBS predictions may be way off, saying that the network will likely pick up one of its two military pilots, with Wisdom of the Crowd and Perfect Citizen also likely to make the cut.  On the other hand, my NBC picks are looking good, with Rise, and For God and Country looking like sure things, while Reverie and Good Girls also have a chance.

Fox is said to be likely to go with the Marvel project and The Resident, as I predicted, as well as perhaps the college sexual assault show Controversy.  Meanwhile, the report lines up with my predictions for the CW, saying the Black Lightning, Dynasty and Life Sentence are pretty much locks to get picked up.  The report also says that Valor and Insatiable have a real chance to go to series, but that Searchers is looking dead in the water at this point.  If this comes to pass it would probably be my biggest disappointment of the pilot season, and a pretty bad decision for the network in my opinion.  The CW really should be focused on getting shows that will appeal to the Supernatural fanbase while the show continues to chug along, but they keep passing on the shows.

The latest report from Deadline is more encouraging, saying that all six CW pilot are in contention, and the network could pick up five of them.  I would hope that Valor would be the one to get passed over in that case, as this seems like a strange network for a military show, but apparently big boss Mark Pedowitz really wants such a show to hit the airwaves.

The Deadline report is pretty much in agreement with Variety in Fox and NBC while noting that Deception and The Good Doctor, shows I predicted would get the green light, are getting good feedback at ABC.  On the other hand, it also says that my other predicted ABC pick up, Unit Zero, seems to be fading from contention.

The Hollywood Reporter’s list of ten pilots that are sure to be picked up includes some of the usual suspects such as Rise, Dynasty, Black Lightning and Fox’s Marvel project, while picking S.W.A.T. as CBS’ military show over their Navy Seal project.  It also predicts a green light for Marc Cherry’s ABC project.

Of course, the broadcast networks aren’t the only place to check out new shows.  Spoiler TV reports that Hulu will be making a pilot for an adaptation of the comic from Joe Hill, Locke and Key.  Fox previously made a pilot for an adaptation of the series but passed on it, though the pilot got screened at comic con to positive reviews.  Hopefully this time the series makes it to the air, and hopefully it will air somewhere I can see it.  The same goes for The Runaways, Hulu’s other comic adaptation.