Primetime Pilot Panic (Fall TV: Dollhouse, Castle, Lie To Me, Scrubs, Better off Ted renewed)

Deadline Hollywood Daily ^ | May 16, 2009 | Nikki Finke

[tlb]

7TH UPDATE: ABC has officially picked up Jerry Bruckheimer's pilot THE FORGOTTEN to series.

6TH UPDATE: I'm told ABC just picked up THE MIDDLE with a 13 episode order. The pilot starring Patricia Heaton. Same with the pilot that Kelsey Grammar was exec-producing and starring in, AWESOME HANK which ABC also picked up.

5TH UPDATE: I just heard that ABC offered to pick up 6 episodes of V -- but Warner Bros has not accepted. ABC also has ordered the hour-long HAPPY TOWN.

4TH UPDATE: ABC has officially renewed Better Off Ted.

3RD UPDATE: I've just learned that ABC has picked up to series the UNTITLED DAVE HEMINGSON LEGAL SHOW. The network is offering five plus pilot. But my sources say Twentieth Century Fox TV has not accepted the order yet though I hear it's probably a go.

ABC TV Studios pilots still in the mix: UNTITLED JEFF STRAUSS, THE LAW with Cedric The Entertainer, THIS LITTLE PIGGY.

UPDATE: The comedy COUGAR TOWN starring Courtney Cox was always considered one of AMC's hotter pilots. It was expected that ABC would renew its ABC TV Studios production Scrubs after taking over the veteran sitcom after NBC didn't renew it last season. Appealing newcomer Castle won a second season from ABC.

AbFab', 'Eva Adams', 'Two Dollar Beer' All Dead At Fox # New Fox Hot List; 'Sons Of Tucson' & 'Human Target' Join 'Glee' On Sked # New CBS Hot List; 'The Good Wife' & 'NCIS' Spinoff OKed # New ABC Hot List; 'Modern Family' Picked Up # New CW Hot List; Yes To 'Melrose Place', No To 'Gossip Girl' Spinoff # NBC Cancels 'Life', Renews 'SVU' & 'Medium', Horsetrades 'Chuck' & 'Earl'

[tlb]

Better Off Ted being renewed was a surprise. Quite a clever show which is usually the kiss of death. Life was a good show and sorry to see it lost. Damien Lewis was Major Winters in Band of Brothers. Dollhouse, Chuck, Castle, SVU etc did nothing for me.

[Holicheese]

Love better Off Ted. Alot of characters and well written so you figure, its dead.
Portia DelRossi is fantastic.

[svcw]

Better Off Ted - what a great show!
I haven't laughed so hard at a sitcom in years.
automatic light switches - black people - omw!

[BallyBill]

Only show on the list I watched: “Life” is dead.

[GreenLanternCorps]

I’m glad “Castle” has been renewed. It’s a new favorite. Anyone heard anything about “The Unusuals”?

[PAR35]

Does anyone watch prime time network TV any more?

[tlb]

For anyone not familiar with the show, Veridian Dynamics “commercials” from Better Off Ted, including the one they ran to complain about Obama preempting their time slot.

When Presidents Talk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpUPW4FL6Mo

Veridian Dynamics-Life Better - Pregnant (0:17)

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=23AC848140A9F18D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&v=BG2UhZ1Us8s

Veridian Dynamics-Life Better - Research Studies (0:32)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LhJOWKMYvM

Veridian Dynamics-Life Better - Life Better (0:32)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l2WAm8BG3w

Veridian Dynamics-Life Better - Three Hands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkkHyfLLR54

[freedumb2003]

They’re remaking “V”?

[napscoordinator]

The pilot starring Patricia Heaton. Same with the pilot that Kelsey Grammar was exec-producing and starring in,

Still bringing out the losers. Didn’t these two have a sitcome that lasted about one episode just this year? They clearly don’t appeal to an audience and they just keep throwing money at them. Oh well Titanic is sinking let’s dust off the unfunny Heaton and get her in a stinker again.

NCIS 2 now is a totally different story...Great news about this show getting picked up!!! I love the originial NCIS too!!!!

[kingu]

Glad that Dollhouse was renewed, definitely enjoy that show. Biggest disappointment in the cancel department: The Middlemen - really hoped that ABC Family would renew the show, though fans should keep an eye out in July - they will be releasing a comic book which, alas, will have to act as the finale.

[svcw]

Are we talking “V” the lizard aliens? Thought it was a good mini series.

[struggle]

GET THAT ABC CRAP OUT OF HERE!

[MarkL]

Glad that Dollhouse was renewed, definitely enjoy that show.

I'm thrilled about this one! I was certain that it hadn't been renewed, because it was on Friday nights, and I liked it. I mean, for the demographic that the show is shooting for, isn't Friday night about the worst night it could be on, other than Saturday night?

I loved the last few episodes: It was great to see "Wash" in a Wheedon show again.

Mark

[PhilCollins]

Have you seen “Samantha Who?”? I hope that will be on, next season.

[freedumb2003]

>>Are we talking “V” the lizard aliens? Thought it was a good mini series.

I just saw “V” in the list I assume it is the lizard people. It was a regular series, I thought. One of the best examples of good quality 80s schlock (I mean that in a good way).

[wmfights]

Only show on the list I watched: “Life” is dead.

Nice to know I wasn't the only one watching. I'm surprised it didn't catch on.

[Mr Rogers]

I don’t even have a TV any more...just a screen for watching DVDs. I’d rather do sports than watch, don’t trust the news and have no interest in what Hollywood is pushing as cutting edge TV.

[Paul8148]

It is interesting that they switching some of their signel camera comedies like Scrubs into a the How I meet your mother hybrid format. I guess it is alot type too shoot in multi camera formats.

[Paul8148]

Meant cheaper to shoot.

[nufsed]

NBC has given Leno the 10 PM time slot M-F, while trying to decide whether or not to renew Law and Order. Meanwhile, they run 2-3 hours of re-runs on Saturday night. Law and Order SUV (read sex crimes) has been renewed.