Assessing the Fall 2012 Network Pilots

TV Guide recently rounded up a list of 86 network pilots vying to make it onto our television screens next fall and just like I did last year I thought I would give my extremely premature predictions of the best and worst of what we could see on television. Just keep in mind while reading this, last year was topped by the not picked up Wonder Woman. I still mourn that we did not get to see Tyra Collette in that costume every week. Le sigh. You can check out the full list of pilots for NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and The CW and here are my favorites.


Most Wanted Pilots

Bad Girls (NBC): I was actually just talking with someone why no one has ever done a female Oz and we just might complete with Jess Merriweather as one of the women behind bars and the dude who brought Shameless to the US as executive producer. Let me be the first person to ask why this is not on pay cable? (This of course was part of every discussion every guy had about The Playboy Club so I am not too positive about the show’s potential.)

Last Resort (ABC): It may not be the best sign when I read the plot outline (A renegade crew of a nuclear submarine go on the run after defying an order to fire nuclear missiles. They find sanctuary at a NATO base where they declare themselves the world's smallest nuclear nation) and I originally thought it was going to be a Gilligan's Island type sitcom, but it is apparently a drama from Terriers’ Shawn Ryan and staring Andre Braugher and Autumn Reecer.

Untitled Mandy Moore Project (ABC): Mandy Moore on my television screen every week? Yes please. And written by the co-writer of Wedding Crashers? Double yes please.

County (NBC): I am not the biggest fan of medical dramas, but they had me at “created by Jason Katims”, you know the guy behind Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, two of the best family dramas ever in the history of television. Throw in Michael B. Jordan who appeared on both shows and you have an instantly solid cast, well assuming someone can convince Jason Ritter to shave whatever that is on his face before filming.

Untitled Louie C.K. / Spike Feresten Project (CBS): I could have swore I recently heard an interview with Louie C.K. about he prefers the less money / complete control he has over his FX series, it was a bit surprising to see him have a pilot with the most homogeneous network. Even more surprising, it stars Disney refugee Ashley Tisdale. Really this show is on my list mostly because I cannot what for the Louie episode about the making of this sitcom.


Least Wanted Pilots

Beauty and the Beast (ABC and The CW): Seriously, not one, but two Beauty and the Beast shows are in the works. Surprisingly The CW version is shaping up not to be the worst of the two because they cast the absurdly attractive Kristin Kreuk as the beauty while ABC boast the guy behind the painfully bad Jericho as executive producer.

Revolution (NBC): A show about the world without any energy from the king of high concept / low reward J.J. Abrams. Subtract even more points for being written by the guy behind Supernatural who wrote the single worse season finale ever in the history of television up until The Killing took over the top spot.

The New Normal (NBC): A complete rip off of Mitchell and Cameron on Modern Family but without the funny extended family made worse by being created by the guy behind Glee.

The Frontier (NBC): Remember the boring Invasion, you know the ”mom, you smell different?” show. It is created by the same guy.

The Selection (The CW): Seriously, the show is described as “The Hunger Games meets The Bachelor.” And I am back to believing The CW does not exist.


Before I go, let’s take a look at how the shows I had on my list last year faired:

Most Wanted Pilots
Wonder Woman: The show that made the internet’s head explode did not get picked up.
Once Upon a Time: The highest rated new show of the fall may also be the most disappointed bit still a lock for a second season.
Work It: Canceled after two episodes. Dare I say it didn’t work?
Two Broke Girls: The highest rated new sitcom of the fall and even though all the vagina jokes are getting stale it is a lock for at least five more seasons.
Playboy (renamed The Playboy Club): First casualty of the fall season lasted three episodes.

Least Wanted Pilots
Charlie’s Angels: Managed to air all the episodes filmed but effectively canceled after four episodes.
Touch: Not officially premiered yet but got good numbers in a sneak peak after American Karaoke. Of course even Mobbed can get good numbers after the National Karaoke Contest.
Ringer: The show switched networks and manages to have the worst ratings on a network with laughably bad ratings across the board.
Are You There Vodka, It’s Me Chelsea (renamed Are You There Chelsea): Probably the second worse reviewed show of the season is now the worst rated scripted show on NBC that does not currently air on Saturdays.
Home Base, Grace, and Partners were not picked up.