Despite proclamations last year that “pilot season” was dead or dying, it’s alive and well as we head into the final week of January 2015.
After wrapping up a busy December in development deals, the world of “Maybe See TV” for the broadcast networks and cable channels has heated up.
Here is a running tally of what’s in the mix for sitcoms that may come to a TV or electronic screen near you this fall…
PILOT SEASON 2015
ABC
- Chev & Bev, a family comedy reuniting Vacation’s Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, only as a different married couple in their 60s forced to raise their grandchildren. Written by Brad Copeland. From Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios.
- Irreversible, starring Justin Long, is getting a second pilot order. It originally went to pilot this past season with David Schwimmer in the lead. It’s about a couple and the problems they bring upon themselves. From Sony Pictures TV.
- An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth, a multi-cam from Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker (Surviving Jack), based on the memoir of Canadian astronaut Col. Chris Hadfield. About what happens after returning from space. From Warner Bros. TV and 3 Arts. Halpern and Schumacker writing the pilot, executive producing with Erwin Stoff and Tom Lassally, and Hadfield consulting.
- An untitled single-cam from sex columnist Dan Savage that’s semi-autobiographical, about a seemingly perfect family turned topsy-turvy when the youngest son comes out of the closet. Pilot written by David Windsor and Casey Johnson. Savage, Hypomania Content’s Brian Pines and DiBonaventura Pictures Television’s Dan McDermott will produce.
CBS
- Tommy Johnagin has a commitment from CBS for a new multi-cam inspired by his own life as a stand-up comedian and father raising his kids in the Midwest. Written by Johnagin with Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, and executive produced by Bill Lawrence. Halpern, Schumacker, Lawrence and Jeff Ingold executive produce, with Johnagin co-executive producing.
- The Mistake, originally ordered in January 2014 and pushed forward. A multi-cam from Warner Bros. about a couple who just “finished” raising their kids but discover that they’re going to have another baby. From Shana Goldberg-Meehan, David Mandel, Scott Silveri, Matthew Perry.
- Taxi-22, a single-cam starring John Leguizamo and based on a French Canadian comedy about a politically incorrect NYC cab driver. In addition to starring, he will co-executive produce alongside his managers, Jeff Golenberg and Sam Maydew. Originally ordered to pilot in January 2014, but pushed. Written by Tad Quill. Dennis Erdman and Clark Peterson executive produce along with the original series’ creator/star, top Canadian comedian Patrick Huard; his producing partner François Flamand; and James Gandolfini’s former managers, Nancy Sanders and Mark Armstrong. Gandolfini is getting a posthumous exec producer credit on the pilot and potential first season of the series.
- A multi-cam written and executive produced by Jeff Astrof, with Bill Lawrence, about two BFFs opening a restaurant together who seek guidance from a couples therapist. Based on the real-life Meatball Shop guys in NYC, Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow, who’ll be consulting producers.
- Joe Time (previously titled The Good Life), a multi-cam from Bill Wrubel about a family man who initially thinks everyone else around him is living the dream. From Warner Bros. TV and Wrubel’s Here Comes Scrappy.
- Super Clyde, a single-cam written and exec produced by Greg Garcia via his CBS Television Studios-based Amigos de Garcia banner. A re-do of his 2013 pilot of the same name, which then starred Rupert Grint as a fast-food worker who inherits $100,000 a month for life, and Stephen Fry as his butler who helps him carry out good deeds and save the day. No word yet on whether Grint and Fry will return as well for the do-over.
- Life In Pieces, a single-cam from Justin Adler and 20th TV, about one family told through separate stories from each of its family members.
FOX
SERIES ORDER: Scream Queens, a 15-episode anthology coming this fall from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk set on a college campus that’s rocked by a series of murders. Starring Nick Jonas, Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele, Joe Manganiello, Abigail Breslin, Keke Palmer, Ariana Grande. Also exec producing are Ian Brennan, Danti Di Loreto and D. Murphy.
PILOTS
- An untitled multi-cam from Dana Klein and Aaron Kaplan. Written by Klein and told from the point of view of a working mom who is in constant competition with her perfect, stay-at-home sister-in-law. Previously sold as The Bad Stanleys and pitched as brothers, told from the point of view of the brother who had peaked early.
- An untitled single-cam starring John Stamos, from Danny Chun and Dan Fogelman. Written by Chun, with Stamos playing a version of himself: a charismatic longtime bachelor whose life is upended when he discovers he’s a father — and a grandfather. Stamos is executive producing through his St. Amos banner, along with Fogelman, exec producing through his ABC Studios-based Rhode Island Ave Prods., and Chun, who also has been under an overall deal at ABC Studios.
- 48 Hours ‘Til Monday, a single-cam about a husband’s desperate struggle to not let every weekend go completely to hell. From Charlie Grandy, with exec producers Peter Traugott, Rachel Kaplan. Universal TV and TBD Productions.
NBC
SERIES ORDER: Telenovela, starring Eva Longoria, based on her idea about a telenovela star and the drama behind the scenes. With Chrissy Pietrosh, Jessica Goldstein and Universal TV. Co-starring Amaury Nolasco, Jencarlos Canela, Diana Maria Riva
PILOTS:
- Go Jerrod Go, a multi-cam based on Jerrod Carmichael’s stand-up, starring Carmichael, written by him with Nick Stoller, executive producing with Ravi Nandan. From Universal TV. Co-starring Amber West, Loretta Devine, David Alan Grier.
- An untitled multi-cam starring Monica Potter, written by Sherry Bilsing-Graham and Ellen Kreamer, and executive produced by Ellen DeGeneres. From Warner Bros. TV, A Very Good Production.
- Bewitched, a “sequel” to the original sitcom from 1964-1972, written by Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, and following Daphne — Samantha’s granddaughter and Tabitha’s daughter — through her 20s. From Sony TV and Lucy Fisher and Douglas Wick’s Red Wagon Entertainment, which produced the 2005 Bewitched film. Television 360 and Daniel Rappaport also on board.
- Sharing, a single-cam about the different groups of people working side by side in a shared office space. Pilot written by Jeremy Bronson, who’ll exec produce the Universal Television and Eight Million Plus comedy alongside Jimmy Fallon and Rick Schwartz.
- How We Live, a single-cam about a blogger who moves to the suburbs with his wife and starts blogging about his new friends and neighbors. Written and exec produced by Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley, with David Janollari. Universal TV.
- People Are Talking, a multi-cam about sex, race and everything else your parents told you never to talk about. From DJ Nash, with exec producers Will Packer and Korin Huggins. Universal TV and Will Packer Productions.
- Superstore, a single-cam about a group of employees at a big box store. Written and exec produced by Justin Spitzer, with Ruben Fleischer directing/EP, and EP David Bernad. Universal TV.
- Take It From Us, a multi-cam about a couple who tells their son the lessons they learned growing up in the ’90s in the hopes that he avoids making the same mistakes. Written/exec produced by Greg Malins, with Barry Schwartz, Michael Rotenberg, Jonathan Berry. Sony Pictures TV and 3 Arts.
- An untitled multi-cam from Suzanne Martin about a couple who find their two adult daughters moving back in with them. With Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner exec producing. Universal TV and Hazy Mills.
And in cable TV, which doesn’t conform to the traditional network pilot season of January orders, May Upfronts and Fall premieres…
COMEDY CENTRAL
- Detroiters, starring Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson, two local ad men who make low-budget commercials in Detroit. But, much like the city in which they live, the best friends aspire to achieve greater things. Richardson and Robinson co-created, co-wrote and executive produceDetroiters with Joe Kelly and Zach Kanin. Here is a Second City video skit with Richardson and Robinson.
- executive produced by Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis and SNL honcho Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video.
- @DadBoner, an animated comedy based on the Twitter feed created by stand-up comedian Mike Burns, and also previously produced a book, Power Moves: Livin’ The American Dream, USA Style. Burns and Tim Long are writing the pilot, and executive producing with Avalon’s Kara Baker, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen-Turner and David Martin. Dan Lubetkin is a co-executive producer. Shadow Machine is the animation company.
- Gettin’ Some Strange with Kurt Braunohler, a late-night talk show. Braunohler, a stand-up comedian and improviser, just completed a webseries for Comedy Central and also previously hosted the IFC game show, Bunk. He’s executive producing with Scotty Landes and Avalon Management.
E!
- Comments Section, starring Michael Kosta as host of show about the comments on popular websites. Executive produced by Joel McHale with Jason Burns and KP Anderson. Kosta a co-EP. Free Period and Pygmy Wolf Productions.
FX
- Atlanta, created by and starring Donald Glover, about two cousins rising through the Atlanta rap scene. Glover will play “Earnest ‘Earn’ Marks,” a college drop-out who reconnects with his long buried ambition and sets out to seize the life he imagined for himself when his estranged cousin becomes a sudden star. Glover serves as Executive Producer, along with Paul Simms and Dianne McGunigle of Schiff Company. From FX Productions.
- Better Things, created by and starring Pamela Adlon and directed by fellow Louie star Louis C.K. Adlon plays “Sam,” a working actor trying to earn a living, navigate her daughters’ lives, have fun with a friend or two, and also – just maybe – squeeze in some sex once in a while. Her life is funny to watch, but you wouldn’t want to live it (except sometimes). Adlon and CK will write the pilot and serve as Executive Producers, along with Blair Breard, Dave Becky and 3 Arts Entertainment. The pilot is produced by Louis C.K.’s production company, Pig Newton, and FX Productions.
- Pariah, starring Bill Burr and co-created by John Chernin and Dave Chernin, about a TV personality who suffers an on-air meltdown, gets exiled and has to figure out what’s next. Chernins wrote the pilot, to be directed by Rob McElhenney. Produced by FX Productions with RCG Productions — Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton executive producing with Burr, the Chernins, and Dave Becky, Michael Rotenberg and Nick Frenkel of 3 Arts Entertainment.
HBO
- An untitled comedy starring Sarah Silverman as a pathologically honest woman having a modern mid-life crisis. Written by Lucy Prebble, executive produced by Silverman, Prebble, Ash Atalla, Amy Zvi and Dan Hine.
- Mamma Dallas, from Mike White. Shooting in 2015.
MTV
- Self Promotion, written by Mark Bianculli, directed by Zach Braff and executive produced by Steve Yockey. About an assistant whose horrible boss goes missing, then covers up the potential crime scene and takes over while also trying to clear her own name. Just in case.
SHOWTIME
SERIES ORDER: Happyish, created by Shalom Auslander, and described as a comedic, soul-searching examination of our pursuit of happiness. It stars Steve Coogan, Bradley Whitford and Kathryn Hahn. Originally starred the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.
PILOTS
- Roadies, about the day-to-day life of a big rock tour as seens through its crew members. Starring Ron White, Jacqueline Byers, Branscombe Richmond, Christina Hendricks and Luke Wilson. An hourlong pilot written, directed and executive produced by Cameron Crowe; also executive produced by Winnie Holzman and J.J. Abrams. Imogen Poots, Rafe Spall, Colson “MGK” Baker, Peter Cambor and Keisha Castle-Hughes also star.
TBS
- Quality Time, a half-hour pilot written, executive-produced by and starring Paul Soter, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme and Erik Stolhanske, members of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe. It’s semi-autobiographical, about four college buddies who kept their sophomoric ways into adulthood and now face fatherhood. From TBS, with Entertainment One‘s Michael Rosenberg and John Morayniss as well as Steven Amato and Michael Wallen on board as EPs.
- Wrecked, a single-cam from Justin Shipley & Jordan Shipley and producer Jesse Hara. Described as Lost meets It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, following a plane crash on a remote island. Cast: Zach Cregger, Ginger Gonzaga, Jessica Lowe, Asif Ali, Ally Maki, Will Greenberg, Brooke Dillman, James Scott, George Basil, Rhys Darby, Brian Sacca.
- Untitled from Jason Jones & Samantha Bee, starring Jones and inspired by the couple’s own family vacations. Pilot starts a family road trip to Key West.
truTV
- Shaq, Inq. (working title), a workplace comedy loosely based on the wild and frenetic business empire of Shaquille O’Neal, who is executive-producing the show with Mike Tollin. Produced by Mandalay Sports Media. Jeremy Garelick will write the pilot, with John Fortenberry set to direct. Perry Rogers, Colin Smeeton and Michael Parris will render producer services.
Related: See past installments in Maybe See TV here and here to see what was and may still be coming through the development pipeline.
And if you know of any network or cable pilot orders in the offing, please let us know here, thanks!