Pilotwatch: THE NEW NORMAL

NBC Tuesdays @ 9:30/8:30c
(premieres 9/11)

What's it about?
These days, families come in all forms - single dads, double moms, sperm donors, egg donors, one-night-stand donors... It's 2012 and anything goes.  Bryan and David are a Los Angeles couple, and they have it all.  Well, almost.  With successful careers and a committed, loving partnership, there is one thing that this couple is missing: a baby.  And just when they think the stars will never align, enter Goldie, an extraordinary young woman witha  checkered past.  A Midwestern waitress and single mother looking to escape her dead-end life and small-minded grandmother, Goldie decides to change everything and move to L.A. with her precocious eight-year-old daughter.  Desperate and broke - but also fertile - Goldie quickly becomes the guys' surrogate and quite possibly the girl of their dreams.
(from NBC.com)

You should watch if...
• you're an Ellen Barkin fan.
• you're a Ryan Murphy fan.
• you don't live in Utah (because you can't watch it there...sorry guys!).

So, how was it?
THE NEW NORMAL is one of those shows that gets a lot of flak from people who haven't even seen it before it even premieres.  Some people are offended by the very idea of a sitcom starring two gay men trying to start a family.  It has even been banned from one network in Utah.  Even those who may not be morally offended by it seem offended by the fact that it seems like a rehash of one-third of MODERN FAMILY.  To the former group of people, I would say don't bother watching -- it's obviously not the show for you.  To the latter group I would say, wait until the show premieres and then tell me what you think.

I found that THE NEW NORMAL bears little in common with MODERN FAMILY other than the fact that it's a comedy and there are two gay characters on it and they want to have a kid.  But in execution and tone, the shows are remarkably different.  MODERN FAMILY has a laid-back, faux-documentary feel to it.  THE NEW NORMAL, on the other hand, borrows the fast, quirky tone of one of creator Ryan Murphy's other shows -- a little thing you might have heard of called GLEE.  (GLEE and NEW NORMAL even share a supporting player: Nene Leakes as swim coach Roz Washington on the former and as personal assistant Rocky on the latter.)

Much like the tonally-schizophrenic GLEE, swinging wildly between over-the-top farce to weepy after-school-special, the pilot of THE NEW NORMAL varies wildly between caustic parody and teary-eyed sincerity.  Some viewers may feel turned off by this unevenness, but it is a style familiar to fans of not only GLEE, but of Ryan Murphy's other creations, like NIP/TUCK and AMERICAN HORROR STORY.  In fact, life is rarely just funny or just dramatic, so I find this combination honest, even when it's mentally exhausting.

On the more precious side of the scale, we have our leading lady, Goldie (portrayed by newcomer Georgia King).  Yes, her name is actually Goldie.  The first time someone called her this, I thought it was a nickname.  But nope, her name is Goldie.  She's so innocent and naive (and from Ohio!) that she wears what appears to be a combination of an apron and lederhosen.  On the opposite side of the scale is her grandmother, Jane (played by the redoubtable Ellen Barkin), who is so ignorant and bigoted that as soon as she is in a room with both a gay person and a black person, she nearly has a hysterical panic attack.  Even the gay couple at the center of the show occupy opposite ends of a stereotypical spectrum: Bryan (played by Andrew Rannells of BOOK OF MORMON fame), is the flamboyant, shopping-obsessed partner, while David (Justin Bartha of THE HANGOVER), is the butch, spots-loving partner.  These depictions are far from revolutionary, although the actors both deliver solid performances.  What is revolutionary, however, is the ease with which these two men relate on primetime network television.  The main gay couple on Ryan Murphy's other comedy, GLEE (Blaine and Kurt), took ten whole episodes to lock lips for the first time, and have kissed with alarming rarity since.  Bryan and David, on the other hand, are seen kissing, cuddling, and generally doing things that no one would think twice about a heterosexual couple doing, which I must give NBC props for.

(There's also a precocious young girl in the supporting cast dispensing beyond-her-years wisdom, much like Maddie on FOX's BEN AND KATE, with the one and only difference being that on this show she's eight, as opposed to five.)

There's a lot to love and a lot to be skeptical about with this show.  I love the idea of two gay men being front-and-center on a network comedy; I love the caustic wit of Ellen Barkin; I love the complicated relationships between a couple and a surrogate that haven't often been explored on television.  I'm skeptical about the stereotypical nature of most of the characters; I'm skeptical about the longevity of the plot; I'm skeptical about Ryan Murphy's ability to juggle not one, not two, but THREE major shows at the same time.  The pilot shows plenty of promise, and I am simultaneously optimistic for its success and trepidatious about its potential decline.

And the verdict is:
*** Solid. I'm interested and will definitely keep watching for the foreseeable future.
For all of its imperfections, I'm still very interested in THE NEW NORMAL and remain hopeful that the show will grow from its pilot, rather than deteriorate.  It's not my favorite new comedy of the season (that's still THE MINDY PROJECT), but I'm interested to see what Ryan Murphy has in store for these characters, and I fervently hope they outgrow the boxes of the stereotypes they arrived in.

What did you think, Fellow Addicts? Were you drawn in by the unique plot?  Or turned off by the formulaic characters?  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of THE NEW NORMAL?

Pilotwatch: THE MINDY PROJECT

FOX Tuesdays @ 9:30/8:30c
(premieres 9/25)

What's it about?
THE MINDY PROJECT is a biting new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling (THE OFFICE) that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, is unlucky in love and desperately needs to get her personal life back on track before her friends and colleagues are forced to stage an intervention.
(from FOX.com)

You should watch if...
• you're a Mindy Kaling fan (duh).
• you don't already have too many doctor shows in your life.
• you're a young professional who desperately needs to get your life back on track before your friends and colleagues are forced to stage an intervention.

So, how was it?
I can easily see THE MINDY PROJECT being the breakout comedy of the this season.  It has a built-in fan base (fans of both THE OFFICE and of Mindy Kaling personally), it follows the mega-successful NEW GIRL on Tuesday nights, and it stars an imperfect young professional trying to get her life together.  Think of her as this year's Zooey Deschanel, with less perky adorkableness and more insecure drunkenness.  Now that I think of it, she perhaps has more in common with another recent multi-hyphenate female comedic breakout -- Lena Dunham, of GIRLS fame.

THE MINDY PROJECT shares a lot in common with GIRLS, from its awkward-realistic tone to its unflinching portrayal of its flawed protagonist.  (Of course, the show also doesn't share a lot with its HBO brethren, such as nudity, sex scenes and heavy profanity...this is network television, people.)  I do wish that Mindy (the character), as the main character and as a representation of a modern professional woman, spent less time obsessing about romantic comedies and finding true love, but I suppose that's going to be a part of the character's growth -- to find out there's more to life than that (at least I hope that's where we're headed). At times I couldn't quite tell whether THE MINDY PROJECT was parodying romcom stereotypes of women or just playing into them.  It's a fine distinction that Mindy (the actor/writer) will have to work hard to make clear.

The rest of the cast is rounded out by a few awesome supporting players: Anna Camp, who keeps proving how great she is at building a crackerjack resume (you may recognize her from a few small things like TRUE BLOOD, MAD MEN, THE GOOD WIFE, THE HELP, and the upcoming PITCH PERFECT), appears as Mindy's best friend Gwen, who has a slightly more mature perspective on life, given that she's already a mother.  Stephen Tobolowsky (steals his one seen as Marc, Mindy's boss at the OB/GYN clinic.  And Chris Messina (DAMAGES, THE NEWSROOM) kills it as Danny, Mindy's sarcastically antagonistic coworker (who you know she's destined to end up with).  His caustic presence helps to dampen (in a good way) what might otherwise be a too-frothy show.  Every time Mindy goes off on one of her romcom fantasies, Danny's always there to bring her back down to earth.

True to Mindy Kaling's style, there are a few off-color jokes that may turn some of the more politically-correct crowd off, but will be fodder for the audience this show is trying to attract.  THE MINDY PROJECT may not be the most inspired comedy of all time (I do wish she had found somewhere else to set her show than a clinic -- I really don't need any more actors in scrubs on my TV screen), but Mindy (the actor)'s biting sense of humor and smart sense of what it means to be a struggling professional in a big city should be enough to keep people from changing their channels after Jess and Co. finish tearing up the screen at 9:30 every Tuesday night.

And the verdict is:
*** Solid. I'm interested and will definitely keep watching for the foreseeable future.
While I can't quite give this show an ADDICTive rating, it is decidedly my favorite new comedy thus far, and I'm excited to see where the show progresses to.  This one definitely has a spot in my Hulu queue for the time being.

Your turn, Fellow Addicts!  Did you find THE MINDY PROJECT awkwardly funny?  Or just awkward?  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of THE MINDY PROJECT?

Pilotwatch: BEN AND KATE

FOX Tuesdays @ 8:30/7:30c
(premieres 9/25)

What's it about?
What happens when an exuberant dreamer who always says "yes" moves in with his overly responsible little sister to help raise her five-year-old daughter?  BEN AND KATE, a new single-camera ensemble comedy, follows a pair of odd-couple siblings and their friends as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life.  (from FOX.com)

You should watch if...
• you're tired of sitcoms centered around will-they-won't-they.
• you're a sucker for precocious five-year-olds.

So, how was it?
Although the pilot episode is available to watch now on Hulu, the show's actual premiere will be sandwiched between two new episodes of last year's biggest comedy breakout, NEW GIRL.  It's hard to think how this show would compete against the adorkable juggernaut that is Zooey Deschanel, so it's a good thing they're on the same network.  BEN AND KATE is far more traditional in format than the zany hijinks that Jess and Co. get up to on NEW GIRL -- B&K is essentially an odd-couple show where the characters spend a lot of time at a bar and every now and then a five-year-old girl says something cute.

The aspects of BEN AND KATE that may keep people tuning back in will be in the ways the show departs from that traditional format -- mainly in the fact that the leads are siblings, instantly negating any will-they-won't-they romantic tension (unless they decide to pull a DEXTER circa-Season 6 and reveal that Ben was adopted and Kate discovers she has more than familial feelings for her faux-brother...ick).  It will be interesting to see what the writers do with these two characters without the chemistry and constant push-and-pull.  Say what you will about romantic tension, but there's a reason it's always used: it provides some easy drama.  Where is the tension inherent in a sibling relationship other than Ben's a big doofus and Kate's always exasperated with him?  And will that be enough to keep people tuning in over the long haul?  Only time will tell.  It certainly helps to have an adorable sidekick dispensing precocious wisdom / wisecracks / visual gags (see: Maggie the five-year-old on this show, Nene Leakes in THE NEW NORMAL, the monkey in ANIMAL PRACTICE).

Dakota Johnson is all wide-eyed spunky spirit as the young mother Kate.  She has one of those "where have I seen you before?" kinds of faces that instantly draws you in (and for the record, you saw her as the girl Justin Timberlake slept with in THE SOCIAL NETWORK).  She feels like a real person doing her best to raise her young daughter by herself -- she is definitely the straight man to Ben's clown.  Nat Faxon as Ben is, as yet, a fairly wide-drawn caricature that will take some character development before I can feel any attachment to him.  Between him breaking into his own sister's house in a hockey mask to dragging a full drumset through the middle of her date, it's hard to connect with this buffoon of a man-child.  I share Kate's frustration with him (and would, in fact, probably be far less patient with him if he were my brother).  But Nat Faxon also brings an eager charm to the role that does make it impossible to hate Ben.

Needless to say, Maggie Jones as Kate's daughter Maddie is all sorts of cute.  But so far, the two biggest supporting roles - Lucy Punch as the awkwardly-named BJ, Kate's fellow bartender, and Echo Kellum as bar-rat Tommy - are both rather one-note.  BJ is an inexplicably British floozy who is unbelievably socially unaware (she tries to give Maddie a makeover in an utterly pointless yet still somehow chuckle-inducing scene).  Tommy's only lines so far all have to do with how in love with Kate he is, which in the real world we would call a stalker, but in a sitcom is supposed to be funny.  These two will need some fleshing out pronto -- there's no danger of a Schmitt here (aka a scene-stealing supporting player who quickly becomes the most interesting character on the show).  BEN AND KATE will live or die based on how quickly people connect with...you guessed it, Ben and Kate (shocking, I know).

I don't think BEN AND KATE will be FOX's most successful new comedy (that honor will almost certainly go to THE MINDY PROJECT), and it certainly won't attract the crowd that its nightly follower, NEW GIRL, will draw.  But in a season where industry insiders have already written off the crop of new comedies as even worse than usual, BEN AND KATE might just have the quirky, non-traditional charm to go the distance.

And the verdict is:
** Okay. I may give it another episode or two to see if it gets better.
I wavered between giving this show two or three stars.  It's far from terrible, but in order to secure a weekly spot in my ever-growing television schedule, a show really has to hook my interest right off the bat.  I'm not ready to write off the show just yet, so I will certainly give it another chance, but I can't say for sure right now whether or not it will end up earning a coveted spot in my Hulu queue.

What did you think, Fellow Addicts?  Were you hooked in by the unusual (for television) sibling relationship?  Or were you turned off by the lack of romantic chemistry?  Will you be giving BEN AND KATE another chance?  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of BEN AND KATE?

Pilotwatch: ANIMAL PRACTICE

NBC Wednesdays @8/7c (premieres 9/26)

What's it about?
ANIMAL PRACTICE is a new comedy centering on Dr. George Coleman, a top veterinarian with an impressive list of famous animal patients at the Crane Animal Hospital - a bustling New York City veterinary practice where it often seems as if the patients are running the place.  Despite his unorthodox style, George has an undeniable gift with animals of all kinds - except the human kind.  Much to his chagrin, George recently learned that his ex-girlfriend, Dorothy Crane, has inherited the family business and is now George's boss.  Whip-smart and ambitious, Dorothy shakes up the hospital as she brings order to the chaos and butts heads with George's animal-friendly administration.  (from NBC.com)

You should watch if...
• you have an urge to watch literal monkey business.
• you get a kick out of sight gags like turtles racing with hamsters on their backs.
• you legitimately have nothing better to do with your time.

You shouldn't watch if...
• you are a Justin Kirk fan, because it will make you hate the world.
• you are a television fan, because it will crush your soul.
• you are a human being, because you MUST have more important things to do with your time...like water your plants...or clip your toenails.

So, how was it?
You know your show's in trouble when the best thing I can say about it is that at least it was commercial-free -- because I only had to sit through it for 22 minutes instead of 30.

I desperately need someone to sit me down and explain to me how Justin Kirk, an incredible actor as evidenced by HBO's ANGELS IN AMERICA and by how he is often the best thing about WEEDS, could have been coerced into participating in this travesty of a show.  Even without commercials, the pilot managed to feel as long as THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (and that's long).

Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC, stated earlier this year that his plan for the network this fall involved "broadening the audience," aka steering away from critically-acclaimed shows with relatively small audiences like COMMUNITY and PARKS & RECREATION.  Basically, they want to become CBS.  ANIMAL PRACTICE is their first step down that road.  When one of a show's biggest stars is a capuchin monkey (Crystal, of HANGOVER and COMMUNITY fame), you know they're not exactly aiming for subtlety.  The "humor" (if it can be called that) on this show is as broad as it gets, with widely-drawn caricatures and thinly-sketched relationships.  And for the record, just because you acknowledge that something is cliché doesn't make it any less cliché.

The best I can hope for with this show is that it will be cancelled quickly, so that everyone involved can move on to better endeavors.  ANIMAL PRACTICE was even harder to watch than some of last year's biggest sitcoms flops like HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN and WORK IT! because of the level of talent involved.  And at least WORK IT! had a legitimate reason to be terrible -- it was a workplace comedy about crossdressing men, for goodness' sake.  ANIMAL PRACTICE, on the other hand, is just stale and boring.  When dozens of new television shows are jockeying for limited airtime, the only thing worse than being talked about for being offensive is not being talked about at all.

And the verdict is:
* Atrocious. I will never watch this show again. Ever.
I don't think anything more needs to be said.

Take it away, Fellow Addicts! Am I being too harsh? Or do you agree that it's doomed? Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of ANIMAL PRACTICE?

PilotWatch: GO ON

NBC Tuesdays @ 9/8c (premieres 9/11)

What's it about?
Matthew Perry stars as Ryan King, a recent widower and sports talk radio host ready to get back to work after the loss of his wife.  Ryan's alpha-male boss, Stephen, played by John Cho, has a different plan in store for Ryan, making him attend grief counseling before returning to the air. A reluctant Ryan finds himself in a support group for "life change," where he meets an oddball cast of characters, all with their own backstories filled with varying degrees of loss.  (from NBC.com)

You should watch if...
• you're a COMMUNITY fan.
• you like comedies about sad things.
• you're still hoping that Matthew Perry may eventually find a post-FRIENDS sitcom that actually sticks.

So, how was it?
Well folks, the first premiere of the new season is here!  Granted, GO ON doesn't officially "premiere" until Tues 9/11, but there was a special commercial-less preview of its first episode tonight after NBC's Olympics coverage.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect -- I wasn't a huge fan of Matthew Perry's last attempt at headlining a sitcom (MR. SUNSHINE), and was nervous about a comedy centering around grief counseling (would it be overly offensive or overly schmaltzy?) -- but I ended up being pleasantly surprised.

After watching the pilot, I'm actually shocked that this new show wasn't paired with COMMUNITY, as GO ON seems to have quite a bit in common with that NBC cult fave.  Granted, it doesn't have the rapid-fire pop culture references and will probably never produce an episode completely in stop-motion, but the similarities are there.  Both are about a group of eclectic oddballs led by a cynical yet dashing man who initially doesn't want to be there at all.  And just like COMMUNITY has to be careful to have fun within the context of a community college without making fun OF community colleges, GO ON will have to do the same with grief counseling.  And so far at least (as in a grand total of 23 minutes of screen time), the creators managed to do just that.

I must admit I did find it a bit of a cop-out that the support group is a group for the hyper-vague "life change," but I do understand the necessity.  Matthew Perry can't be going to a group where everyone else lost their wives -- that would make for rather monotonous television.  So instead we are treated to a group of people whose "life changes" vary from the loss of a spouse to a sibling in a coma to being cheated on to a beloved pet dying.  (And a therapy session yields even more possibilities for a rotating cast of supporting actors and stunt guest stars than a community college study group does.)  Julie White (aka Shia LaBeouf's mom from TRANSFORMERS) is the best of the grieving bunch as the constantly angry (and constantly hilarious) Anne, who just lost her longtime partner.  Suzy Nakamura (DODGEBALL) is the perky teacher's pet of the group; Bill Cobbs (NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM) is George, an older man who's been through the wringer (blindness, a broken hip, a stroke); and Tyler James Williams (EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS) is Owen, a quiet young man whose brother just suffered a horrific skiing accident.  They are all led by Laura Benanti (THE PLAYBOY CLUB) as the seemingly put-together counselor Lauren, who may not be as qualified for her position as she seems.

And then, of course, there's Matthew Perry.  He plays Ryan as a man so untethered by his recent loss that he doesn't even know what he wants -- he thinks he just wants to return to work and forget it ever happened, but that yields predictably disastrous results.  In fact, that was my big problem with the pilot -- the plot structure was fairly run-of-the-mill, with very little in the way of surprises (and it's painfully obvious that the main source of drama in the show will be Ryan's feelings for his pretty brunette grief counselor and how those feelings will conflict with the memory of his dead wife and blah blah blah).  Fortunately the somewhat banal plot line was more than saved by such an appealing cast of characters.  And Perry does indeed pull his own weight as the straight man in the group of oddballs, a completely thankless job.  He is able to wield both humor and gravitas with apparent ease.  I was a bit surprised by his performance, to be honest.

And the verdict is:
*** Solid. I'm interested and will definitely keep watching for the foreseeable future.
All in all, I can definitely see myself coming back for more of this show come September.  It has a great blend of humor and heart with a just-quirky-enough (without being annoying) group of characters to get attached to.  I'm a little nervous about the long-term viability of a show taking place at grief counseling, but I'm willing to wait and see what the writers have in store for us before I make any judgment calls on that.

Your turn, Fellow Addicts?  If you caught the special preview, let us know what you thought!  Were you surprised by Matthew Perry's performance?  Did you enjoy March Sadness?  Who was your favorite "life change" victim?  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of GO ON?

No Pain No Gain: A Review of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Anticipated grade: 10/10
Let me start by honoring the lives lost in the tragedy in Colorado.  I am saddened and sickened by this horrific act: the movies are supposed to be a safe haven where we can go as a community to witness all aspects of human life -- including violence -- and return to the real world afterwards safe and whole.



My expectations could not have been higher going into THE DARK KNIGHT RISES.  With BATMAN BEGINS and THE DARK KNIGHT, Christopher Nolan had already proved that he was crafting not only one of the greatest superhero sagas, but one of the greatest trilogies of all time, and this was it: the grand finale.  So let me get it out of the way early and say that this film does not quite measure up to the epic standard set by THE DARK KNIGHT, but is still one of the most satisfying conclusions to a trilogy outside of LORD OF THE RINGS.  Nolan has effectively sidestepped the dreaded third-film curse made famous by the SPIDER-MAN and X-MEN franchises and has instead delivered a pulse-pounding, grandiose, complex, and satisfying conclusion.

Nolan has been quoted as saying that each film in his trilogy has a specific theme that can be summed up in one word.  In BEGINS, it was "fear."  In DARK KNIGHT, it was "chaos."  Here, the theme is "pain."  For the final chapter, Nolan puts each and every character through the wringer, both emotionally and physically.  The bad guys are bigger, the battles rougher, and the stakes higher than ever.

In RISES, Christian Bale turns in his best performance as the Caped Crusader.  Eight years have passed since the end of THE DARK KNIGHT, and Bruce Wayne is a broken man in both mind and body.  Bale has said that he was attracted to the character because he has three personalities: the angry young man whose parents were taken from him; the playboy billionaire he pretends to be to the rest of the world; and of course, Batman.  At the beginning of RISES, Bruce Wayne is so defeated, he has been stripped of two of his three masks: not only has he hung up his cowl, he has retreated from the public eye, stewing in his own bitterness over Rachel's death and his role in Harvey Dent's downfall.  Bale's characterization of this broken man, and his epic journey through pain is truly remarkable.  Of course, as the title suggests, he is ultimately able to rise above the pain, and is a stronger and better man for it.  It's a compelling arc and a tour-de-force performance.

Bale is joined by an immense cast full of other actors all at the top of their game.  The old standards are all here: Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox gets perhaps the least screen time of all the returning players, but still naturally exudes his reassuring Morgan-Freeman-ian presence; Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon is a man tortured by the truth that he helped cover-up about Harvey Dent and compelled to rectify his mistakes; and Michael Caine as Alfred delivers what is assuredly the most heartbreaking performance of all three films.

Then there's the new additions, which are a veritable who's-who of INCEPTION cast-members: Tom Hardy as Bane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate.  Do not expect Hardy's Bane to measure up to the menacingly charismatic turn by Heath Ledger as the Joker.  That performance will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the greatest villains of all time, and lightning that good rarely strikes twice.  But Bane is a much different villain than the Joker, so such comparisons are pointless anyway.  Where the Joker was all about chaos, Bane is all about a master plan.  Where the Joker was a master of mind games, Bane is a master of brute physical force.  Where the Joker reveled in people decaying into their baser instincts, Bane wants to (in his own diabolical way) help the citizens of Gotham return to their natural order (in other words, he wants to abolish the aristocracy -- a very prescient theme in this political climate.)  Hardy's performance is thus appropriately cold and measured, where Ledger's was heated and wild.  Gordon-Levitt and Cotillard both deliver typically solid performances that are at times overshadowed by the more showy characters surrounding them -- but rest assured that both of their characters will become essential before the end of the film's 165-minute running time.

And finally, there's Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle (never once referred to by the name "Catwoman"). Every person out there who doubted her capability should be eating crow right about now.  Not only does she play an effective Catwoman, she steals nearly every scene she's in and will undoubtedly be one of the characters people are talking about most after the credits roll.  She doesn't try to compete with Michelle Pfeiffer's classic portrayal of the same character in Tim Burton's BATMAN RETURNS -- that would be both impossible and fruitless.  But in the way that Bane and the Joker are two completely different villains, these two Catwomans (Catwomen?) are like apples and oranges: where Pfeiffer's was unhinged and bent on revenge, Hathaway's is wholly sane and looking out for her own best interests.  (Both however, are sassy and seductive.)  This is probably a career-best performance for Hathaway, even better than her Oscar-nominated turn in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, in my opinion, because it is so far out of type for her and she succeeds at it brilliantly.

The film is predictably stunning to look at, especially in IMAX.  Over 50 minutes of the film's footage were shot with IMAX cameras -- the film with the previous record for most minutes of IMAX footage was MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL with just under 30.  This makes the film essential to see in a real IMAX theater, if at all possible -- the eye-popping opening sequence, the sweeping shots of Gotham, bone-breaking fights, the battles in the streets, are all rendered on an epic and breathtaking scale.

The one place RISES falters a bit in comparison with DARK KNIGHT is in its plotting.  The plot of THE DARK KNIGHT was so tightly constructed that the whole film unspooled like a well-oiled machine.  In RISES, there are couple moments that will require the viewer to suspend disbelief, something Nolan had been largely successful at avoiding to this point in the franchise.  A piece of technology is converted into a weapon with remarkable ease and speed; characters heal from debilitating injuries with similar ease and speed.  And as plot twists emerge in the final hour, character motivations become a bit murky.  However, these are small flaws in what is otherwise a solid film.

Perhaps the best thing about RISES is the way it brings the entire franchise full circle.  I can't say much without spoiling some significant plot points, but RISES actually has more in common with BATMAN BEGINS than it does with THE DARK KNIGHT.  This reflection of the franchise's first film imbues RISES with the sense that there was always a master plan (whether or not that's true is another matter), and it will give the viewer a nice sense of finality.

While a few elements of what made THE DARK KNIGHT such a mega-success are missing here -- namely the tight plotting, the iconic villain, and the gleeful sense of chaos -- there are just as many elements that work beautifully, including the stellar performances, Nolan's trademark tension and gritty realism, and the stunning cinematography.  All of these combine to make RISES if not the best of the three Dark Knight films, at the least the best closing chapter of a franchise in recent memory, and a film event not to be missed by any lover of cinema.

Actual grade: 9/10

What did you think of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES?

2012-2013 New Show Orders

Back at the end of April, I did a comprehensive preview of all the new shows being considered at the networks.  Now that the May upfronts have all happened, we know exactly which shows have been picked up and which have been passed over.  Check out the full list here:


ABC (6 dramas, 4 comedies):

666 PARK AVE: When a young couple accepts an offer to manage one of the most historic apartment buildings in New York City, they unwittingly begin to experience supernatural occurrences, which complicate and endanger the lives of everyone in the building.

COMEBACK JACK: Formerly titled RED VAN MAN -- Based on the British format, the show centers on a man who is forced to put his dreams on hold in order to take over the family handyman business from his father.

HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE: Polly, a recently divorced single mom, moves in with her eccentric parents, Elaine and Max, a couple who are full of life but know no boundaries.

LAST RESORT: An international action-thriller-soap that follows the story of establishing a new society in a world held hostage by the crew of a ballistic missile submarine.  Basically, a U.S. nuclear sub crew refuses orders to fire their missiles and escapes to a NATO outpost and declares themselves the smallest nuclear nation.

MALIBU COUNTRY: After her good ol' boy rock star husband cheats on her and burns through most of their money, Reba divorces him and moves her three sons and mom from Nashville to the only asset they have left - a little house in Malibu.

MISTRESSES: Tells the story of four women with turbulent romantic lives.

NASHVILLE: The Nashville music scene provides the setting for this family soap with one star at her peak and one on the rise.

THE NEIGHBORS: A family moves into a highly desirable gated community in New Jersey only to discover that the entire neighborhood is made up of aliens disguised as humans.

RED WIDOW: Formerly titled PENOZA (who called that name change??) -- Based on the Dutch format, PENOZA centers on the widow of an assassinated criminal who is forced to adopt her husband's role in an organized-crime syndicate in order to protect her family.

ZERO HOUR: A bizarre twist of fate pulls a man who's spent 20 years as the editor of a skeptics magazine into one of the most compelling conspiracies in human history.

Not picked up? AMERICAN JUDY, AMERICANA, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, COUNTER CULTURE, DEVIOUS MAIDS, DUSTY GOES TO AWESOMETOWN, GILDED LILYS, GOTHAM, ONLY FOOLS & HEROES, PRAIRIE DOGS, SCRUPLES, THE SMART ONE, UNTITLED KARL LIZER PROJECT, UNTITLED MANDY MOORE PROJECT, UNTITLED ROLAND EMMERICH/HAROLD KLOSSER PROJECT


CBS (4 dramas, 2 comedies):


ELEMENTARY: A modern take on the cases of Sherlock Holmes, with Sherlock now living in New York City.

FRIEND ME: Twentysomething best friends, Evan and Rob, move from their hometown of Bloomington, Ind., to Los Angeles to begin their exciting new lives working at GroupOn.  Evan is having trouble breaking his old slothful habits and rather than go out after work to explore L.A. and meet new people, prefers to play online poker with his buddies back home.  Rob has different plans and is determined to drag Evan, kicking and screaming, along with him.

GOLDEN BOY: A show about the making of a man.  Tracks one cop's meteoric rise from officer to detective to police commissioner.

MADE IN NEW JERSEY: Formerly titled BABY BIG SHOT -- A working-class woman uses her street smarts to compete with her more polished colleagues at a Manhattan law firm.

PARTNERS: A personal story of two lifelong friends and business partners.  Architects Charlie and Louis' friendship has lasted longer than either of their romantic relationships and almost seems like a weird marriage.  When Charlie decides to propose to his girlfriend, Louis' neurotic attempts to be supportive nearly result in the breakup of his own relationship.

VEGAS: A period piece set in the 1960s centered around the true story of Ralph Lamb: rodeo cowboy turned longtime sheriff of Las Vegas.

Not picked up?  APPLEBAUM, SUPER FUN NIGHT, TROOPER, UNTITLED GREG MALINS/GREG BERLANTI PROJECT, UNTITLED LARRY DORF/BEN FALCONE PROJECT, UNTITLED LOUIS CK/SPIKE FERESTEN PROJECT, UNTITLED MARTIN LAWRENCE PROJECT, UNTITLED NICK STOLLER PROJECT, WIDOW DETECTIVE


CW (5 dramas):


ARROW: Based on DC comics character Green Arrow, a vigilante superhero.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Loosely based on the CBS Beauty and the Beast series from the 1980s, this is a modern-day romantic love story with a procedural twist.

THE CARRIE DIARIES: Based on the novel by Candace Bushnell, a young Carrie Bradshaw comes of age in the 1980s, asking her first questions about love, sex, friendship, and family while exploring the worlds of high school and Manhattan.

CULT: After a rash of disappearances and a likely murder, an inquisitive, young female production assistant on a wildly popular television show called Cult joins a journalist-blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program, in real life.

FIRST CUT: Glad to leave her nerdy past behind for a fresh start in the adult professional world, a newly minted doctor discovers that, sadly and comically, life at the hospital where she works is no different than high school.

Not picked up? JOEY DAKOTA, THE SELECTION, SHELTER


FOX (2 dramas, 3 comedies):


BEN & KATE: Formerly titled BEN FOX IS MY MANNY -- Under the guise of being his niece's manny, a free spirited young guy moves in with his type "A" tightly wound sister and in the process will help her reenter the world.

THE FOLLOWING: An edge-of-your-seat thriller about the complex relationship between a diabolical serial killer and the damaged FBI agent who took him down.  After the killer escaped, the agent is reactivated and discovers that he is no longer just hunting one man, but a massive cult of serial killers created and manipulated during his time in prison.

THE GOODWIN GAMES: High-concept family comedy about a father who leaves his fortune to his three children only if they agree to his terms.

THE MINDY PROJECT: A young Bridget Jones-type doctor tries to navigate both her personal and professional lives.

THE MOB DOCTOR: A young female thoracic surgeon with Bridgeport roots is split between two worlds as she juggles her career and her lifelong debt to the South Chicago mob.

Not picked up? THE ASSET, EL JEFE, GUILTY, LET IT GO, LIKE FATHER, LITTLE BROTHER, LIVING LOADED, PRODIGY BULLY, REBOUNDING, UNTITLED KARYN USHER PROJECT


NBC (5 dramas, 7 comedies):


1600 PENN: A family show set in the White House where all the kids are less than perfect.

ANIMAL PRACTICE: Formerly titled ANIMAL KINGDOM -- A single-camera office comedy centered on a HOUSE-like veterinarian, who lives animals but usually hates their owners.

CHICAGO FIRE: From the writing team of 3:10 To Yuma comes this action-driven drama exploring the complex and heroic men and women of the Windy City's Fire Department.

DO NO HARM: A brilliant neurosurgeon wrestles with his dangerous alter ego that threatens to wreak havoc on his personal and professional life.

GO ON: While an irreverent yet charming sportscaster tries to move on from loss, he reluctantly finds surprising solace form the members of his mandatory group-therapy sessions.

GUYS WITH KIDS: Three thirtysomething guys enjoy the adventures of parenting despite the fact they haven't grown up themselves.

HANNIBAL: A one-hour contemporary thriller series features the classic characters from Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon - FBI agent Will Graham and his mentor Dr. Hannibal Lecter - who are re-introduced at the beginning of their budding relationship.

INFAMOUS: An opulent soap in which a female detective returns undercover to the wealthy family she grew up in - as the maid's daughter - to solve the murder of the notorious heiress who was once her closest friend.

THE NEW NORMAL: A heartwarming comedy about a blended family of a gay couple and the woman who becomes a surrogate to help them have children.

NEXT CALLER: A single-camera gender comedy focusing on a brash alpha-male DJ and his new, plucky, feminist cohost, set in the offices of a satellite radio station.

REVOLUTION: In this epic adventure thriller, a family struggles to reunite in a post-apocalyptic American landscape: a world of empty cities, local militias and heroic freedom fighters, where every single piece of technology - computers, planes, cars, phones, even lights - has mysteriously blacked out...forever.

SAVE ME: A woman, who lets herself go while in a broken marriage, goes through a transformation where she becomes the best version of herself and creates miracles along the way.

Not picked up? BAD GIRLS, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE, COUNTY, DOWNWARDLY MOBILE, FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER, THE FRONTIER, HAPPY VALLEY, ISABEL, MIDNIGHT SUN, NIC AND JEN, SUSAN 313, TABLE FOR 3

2011-2012 TV Season Scorecard

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post!  My sincerest apologies, Fellow Addicts.  Unfortunately, that's what happens when you purchase a new condo in NYC that you have to paint, move into, buy and assemble furniture for, organize and all the other various and sundry and awful things involved with a big move.  But now I'm finally settled in and can get back to business!

This first post is one that I had started creating before the move but never published, and is sadly now probably old news for everyone.  But just in case you hadn't heard or wanted to see all the news consolidated in one place, listed here is the fate of every single show on network channels, old and new.  Find our if your favorite shows made the cut for the 2012-2013 season!


ABC (new shows):
CHARLIE'S ANGELS - Canceled
DON'T TRUST THE B---- IN APARTMENT 23 - RENEWED!!!
G.C.B. - Canceled
LAST MAN STANDING - RENEWED!!!
MAN UP! - Canceled
MISSING - Canceled
ONCE UPON A TIME - RENEWED!!!
PAN AM - Canceled
REVENGE - RENEWED!!!
THE RIVER - Canceled
SCANDAL - RENEWED!!!
SUBURGATORY - RENEWED!!!
WORK IT - Canceled

Renewed: 6 out of 13 new shows (46% success rate)

ABC (old shows):
BODY OF PROOF - RENEWED!!!
COUGAR TOWN - Canceled by ABC - BUT! - picked up by TBS
CASTLE - RENEWED!!!
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES - Ending
GREY'S ANATOMY - RENEWED!!!
HAPPY ENDINGS - RENEWED!!!
THE MIDDLE - RENEWED!!!
MODERN FAMILY - RENEWED!!!
PRIVATE PRACTICE - RENEWED!!!


CBS (new shows):
2 BROKE GIRLS - RENEWED!!!
A GIFTED MAN - Canceled
HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN - Canceled
NYC 22 - Canceled
PERSON OF INTEREST - RENEWED!!!
ROB - Canceled
UNFORGETTABLE - Canceled

Renewed: 2 out of 7 new shows (29% success rate)

CBS (old shows):
THE BIG BANG THEORY - RENEWED!!!
BLUE BLOODS - RENEWED!!!
CRIMINAL MINDS - RENEWED!!!
CSI - RENEWED!!!
CSI: MIAMI - Canceled
CSI: NY - RENEWED!!!
THE GOOD WIFE - RENEWED!!!
HAWAII FIVE-0 - RENEWED!!!
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER - RENEWED!!!
THE MENTALIST - RENEWED!!!
MIKE & MOLLY - RENEWED!!!
NCIS - RENEWED!!!
NCIS: LOS ANGELES - RENEWED!!!
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT - RENEWED!!!
TWO AND A HALF MEN - RENEWED!!!


CW (new shows):
HART OF DIXIE - RENEWED!!!
THE L.A. COMPLEX - RENEWED!!!
RINGER - Canceled
THE SECRET CIRCLE - Canceled

Renewed: 2 out of 4 new shows (50% success rate)

CW (old shows):
90210 - RENEWED!!!
GOSSIP GIRL - RENEWED!!!
NIKITA - RENEWED!!!
ONE TREE HILL - Ending
SUPERNATURAL - RENEWED!!!
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES - RENEWED!!!


FOX (new shows):
ALCATRAZ - Canceled
ALLEN GREGORY - Canceled
THE FINDER - Canceled
I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER - Canceled
NAPOLEON DYNAMITE - Canceled
NEW GIRL - RENEWED!!!
TERRA NOVA - Canceled
TOUCH - RENEWED!!!

Renewed: 2 out of 8 new shows (25% success rate)

FOX (old shows):
AMERICAN DAD - RENEWED!!!
BOB'S BURGERS - RENEWED!!!
BONES - RENEWED!!!
BREAKING IN - Canceled
THE CLEVELAND SHOW - RENEWED!!!
FAMILY GUY - RENEWED!!!
FRINGE - RENEWED!!!
GLEE - RENEWED!!!
HOUSE - Ending
RAISING HOPE - RENEWED!!!
THE SIMPSONS - RENEWED!!!


NBC (new shows):
ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA? - Canceled
AWAKE - Canceled
BENT - Canceled
BEST FRIENDS FOREVER - Canceled
THE FIRM - Canceled
FREE AGENTS - Canceled
GRIMM - RENEWED!!!
THE PLAYBOY CLUB - Canceled
PRIME SUSPECT - Canceled
SMASH - RENEWED!!!
UP ALL NIGHT - RENEWED!!!
WHITNEY - RENEWED!!!

Renewed: 4 out of 12 new shows (33% success rate)

NBC (old shows):
30 ROCK - RENEWED!!!
CHUCK - Ending
COMMUNITY - RENEWED!!!
HARRY'S LAW - Canceled
LAW & ORDER: SVU - RENEWED!!!
THE OFFICE - RENEWED!!!
PARENTHOOD - RENEWED!!!
PARKS & RECREATION - RENEWED!!!


**********

AND THE WINNER IS.........

ABC!!! with 6 new shows returning for a second season.  NBC, the typically struggling last-place network surprisingly comes in 2nd with 4 new shows returning.  CBS, the CW and FOX all bring up the rear with only 2 new shows returning each.

A Hulking Achievement: A Review of THE AVENGERS

Anticipated grade: 7/10

Statistically speaking, you have by now already seen THE AVENGERS.  The film grossed $207 million dollars in its first weekend, shattering the previous record held by HP8 by over $38 million.  I was reading comments on the internet from people on Saturday morning saying they'd already seen it three times.  So there's no need to go on about THE AVENGERS at any sort of length at this point, but it's too big of a movie to not write about at all, so here are my thoughts:

I was definitely looking forward to this movie, although I have to admit I was more excited for both THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and PROMETHEUS.  I thought THE AVENGERS looked like the candy-colored pop-culture cousin of those two darker, more mature films.  I loved the first IRON MAN like everyone else, but thought IRON MAN 2, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, CAPTAIN AMERICA and THOR all ranged from good to mediocre.  I was nervous about so many franchises being brought together into one beast -- everything seemed primed for a messy, over-stuffed explosion-fest.  Needless to say, all my fears turned out to be completely unfounded.

THE AVENGERS is a glorious spectacle.  Director Joss Whedon handles the myriad of characters and villains and motivations and fights and settings with aplomb.  The cast is uniformly terrific in their roles, with even the ones I was less sold on (namely Chris Hemsworth as THOR) having now grown into their characters.  Robert Downey Jr is consistently on fire as Tony Stark/Iron Man and carries every single scene he's in (which is most of them) with his whip-like wit.  Chris Evans is all suave insecurity as Steve Rogers/Captain America, a man who has suddenly found himself out of his place and time and asked to save a world he doesn't belong in.  Chris Hemsworth as Thor brings a sense of personal vendetta to this epic battle, seeing that the main baddie is his adopted brother Loki.  Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Renner are both solid and dependable in their roles as SHIELD agents Nick Fury and Clint Barton/Hawkeye, respectively.  Unfortunately, out of all the superheroes, Hawkeye was probably given the least to do (and I wish that SPOILER ALERT he hadn't spend two-thirds of the movie brainwashed into being a bad guy END SPOILERS), but I'm not worried about Renner's career since this is only one of three mega-franchises he's now a part of (along with MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and the BOURNE series).  Scarlett Johansson delivers a surprisingly effective performance as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow.  Her devious manipulations were one of the highlights of the film for me and gave her character a much-needed personality boost after her somewhat bland appearance in IRON MAN 2.

However, the two men that steal the show are easily Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Ruffalo is also the only major new addition to the AVENGERS franchise for this film, having replaced Edward Norton in the role).  Hiddleston was, in my opinion, easily the best thing about THOR, and it was a delight to see him once again wreak his gleeful mischief, this time on an even larger scale.  He manages to keep Loki from turning into a beard-stroking stereotype, imbuing him with just enough fallibility and insecurity to make him not just a villain, but a well-rounded character.  And with Ruffalo, the AVENGERS team has finally...FINALLY...gotten The Hulk right.  Ruffalo is pitch-perfect with his wry sense of self-deprecating humor, and when he transforms into the angry green monster, the visual effects are finally believable.  I do not exaggerate when I say my two favorite moments of the entire film both involved The Hulk...you'll know them when you see them.

With so many characters to shoe-horn into one movie, it could have easily become a bloated, self-satisfied mess.  Luckily for us, however, the brilliant Joss Whedon, who both wrote and directed the film, is a pro at balancing quirky characters with innovative action.  He manages to keep each character from descending into generic hero-ness.  The best parts of the film are not the over-the-top action sequences, but the interactions between the various members of their team.  Each superhero reacts so specifically, so differently, so believably to every situation; and the collision of egos brings a much-needed energy and friction to what could have been a too-glossy Hollywood extravaganza.

All that's not to say that the action scenes are not super fun.  They are.  And they must be seen on the big screen, preferably in 3D, to really be appreciated.  But they're not the film's strongest point.  The final climactic battle between The Avengers and an invading alien force decimating the city of New York after being transported there through a giant hole in the sky created by an alien power source mounted on top of a skyscraper is nothing we haven't seen before (namely in TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, when the Autobots battled an invading alien force decimating the city of Chicago after being transported there through a giant hole in the sky created by an alien power source mounted on top of a skyscraper).  However, since we care infinitely more about Tony Stark and Bruce Banner and all the rest than we ever cared about Sam Witwicky, the battle means more and therefore we enjoy it more.  It's not just eye candy (although it is certainly that) -- it's cathartic payoff after two hours of growing to know and love an eclectic group of powerful yet insecure heroes.

Needless to say, I had a terrific time at THE AVENGERS and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, comic book fan or no.  If you're one of the seven people in the country that hasn't seen it yet, you must do your best to catch it on the big screen.  My only concern with this film is that any of the heroes' individual films can only be anticlimactic after such a grandiose achievement.  How is IRON MAN 3 or THOR 2 supposed to measure up?  Only time will tell, but even if they do disappoint, we'll certainly have THE AVENGERS 2 to look forward to, judging both by this film's box office success and that delightfully tantalizing post-credits sequence (make sure to stick around for both of them -- yes, there are two).

Actual grade: 9/10

What did you think of THE AVENGERS?

2012-2013 Pilots Preview

Sad that the final premieres of the 2011-2012 TV season have come and gone?  Well here's a little something to tide you over: the complete list of pilots that each network is currently developing for next season.  Not all of these will end up making it to the air, but next season will definitely be made of up some combination of the following projects.  Between last fall and this spring, 42 new network dramas and comedies premiered.  There are 85 shows on the list below, which means that probably less than half of them will actually end up making it to the air.  Is the next mega-hit somewhere in the list below?  Only time will tell.

Check them out below, and then vote for which ones you're most excited for!

(I've also included what I think are more appropriate titles for each show based on their loglines, for your perusing pleasure.)

ABC - Dramas

666 PARK AVE.
Logline: When a young couple accepts an offer to manage one of the most historic apartment buildings in New York City, they unwittingly begin to experience supernatural occurrences, which complicate and endanger the lives of everyone in the building.
a.k.a. - John Locke From LOST Probably Plays The Devil In This One
Cast: Dave Annable, Rachael Taylor, Terry O'Quinn, Vanessa Locke

AMERICANA
Logline: A soap that revolves around a legendary fashion designer and his family and business.
a.k.a. - Claire Littleton From LOST Probably Plays A Cute Young Blonde Woman In This One
Cast: Annabeth Gish, Anthony LaPaglia, Ashley Greene, Emilie De Ravin, Ken Olin

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Logline: A fantastical reimagining of the classic fairy tale set in a mythical, dangerous world wherein a beautiful and tough princess discovers an unlikely connection with a mysterious beast.
a.k.a. - Fairy Tale Mania Contiunes!
Cast: Alan Dale, Chris Egan, Darius Campbell, F. Murray Abraham

DEVIOUS MAIDS
Logline: Based on the Mexican format, this soap follows four maids with ambition and dreams of their own while they work for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills.
a.k.a. - DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES Redux
Cast: Ana Ortiz, Grant Show, Susan Lucci, Tom Irwin

GILDED LILYS
Logline: Vicious family rivalries, scandalous secrets, and the conflict and co-mingling of classes take center stage amidst the opening of NYC's first luxury hotel in 1895.
a.k.a. - 19th Century GOSSIP GIRL
Cast: Blythe Danner, John Barrowman, Madeline Zima, Matt Long, Matt Lauria, Sarah Bolger

GOTHAM
Logline: After pursuing a seemingly unsolvable case, a female cop discovers a magical world that exists within New York City.  A world that goes unseen by normal humans, and takes all of the familiar NYC landmarks and reinvents them in a magical otherworldly manner.
a.k.a. - The Show That Will Disappoint Thousands Of Fanboys Worldwide When They Discover That It's Not Actually About Batman.
Cast: Brian Cox, Carry Sloane, Lennie James, Megan Ketch

LAST RESORT
Logline: An international action-thriller-soap that follows the story of establishing a new society in a world held hostage by the crew of a ballistic missile submarine.  Basically, a U.S. nuclear sub crew refuses orders to fire their missiles and escapes to a NATO outpost and declares themselves the smallest nuclear nation.
a.k.a. - The High-Concept Show That Sounds Awesome And Will Probably Fall Flat On Its Face: Thanks For Paving The Way, FLASHFORWARD and THE EVENT!
Cast: Andre Braugher, Scott Speedman, Autumn Reeser

NASHVILLE
Logline: The Nashville music scene provides the setting for this family soap with one star at her peak and one on the rise.
a.k.a. - Totally Not Based On The Robert Altman Movie (But We Totally Want You To Think It Is)
Cast: Connie Britton, Eric Close, Hayden Panettiere, Jonathan Jackson, Powers Boothe

PENOZA
Logline: Based on the Dutch format, PENOZA centers on the widow of an assassinated criminal who is forced to adopt her husband's role in an organized-crime syndicate in order to protect her family.
a.k.a. - This Show Will Get A New Name Before It Premieres
Cast: Erin Moriarty, Mido Hamada

SCRUPLES
Logline: Based on the 1978 novel that follows the life of Wilhelmina Hunnewell Winthrop, a.k.a. Billy, a previously plump woman who loses weight, becomes fabulously cool, and survives a very rich (and very old) first husband.  She ends up opening up a Beverly Hills clothing boutique called Scruples.
a.k.a. - ...What?
Cast: Boris Kodjoe, Chad Michael Murray, Claire Forlani, Gary Cole

UNTITLED ROLAND EMMERICH/HAROLD KLOSER PROJECT
Logline: Set in New York City against the backdrop of the presidential race, a young astrophysics student finds out that his destiny lies not in science but somewhere between hell and heaven.
a.k.a. - New York City Will Explode Seven Times In The First Hour Alone
Cast: Linus Roache, Martin Landau, Gabriella Wilde

ZERO HOUR
Logline: A bizarre twist of fate pulls a man who's spent 20 years as the editor of a skeptics magazine into one of the most compelling conspiracies in human history.
a.k.a. - We're Not Actually Going To Tell You What This Show's About
Cast: Anthony Edwards, Michael Nyqvist

ABC - Comedies

AMERICAN JUDY
Logline: A cosmopolitan woman gets married and becomes a fish out of water in the suburbs, having to juggle step-kids, her mother-in-law, and the ex-wife of her husband, who also happens to be the town sheriff.
a.k.a. - Not To Be Confused With French Judy.
Cast: Judy Greer, Ken Marino

COUNTER CULTURE
Logline: Three aging sisters who run their family diner together in West Texas find that sibling dynamics are always getting in the way of getting the job done.
a.k.a. - We Love Puns
Cast: Delta Burke, Doris Roberts, Ken Howard, Margo Martindale

DUSTY GOES TO AWESOMETOWN
Logline: A raw, hilarious peek behind the curtain of modern twentysomething relationships.
a.k.a. - We Had To Make Our Title Sound Super Cool Because Our Show Is Actually Super Boring
Cast: Ben Rappaport, Dennis Miller, Amanda Crew

HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
Logline: Polly, a recently divorced single mom, moves in with her eccentric parents, Elaine and Max, a couple who are full of life but know no boundaries.
a.k.a. - Your Worst Nightmare
Cast: Brad Garrett, Elizabeth Perkins, Orlando Jones, Rachel Eggleston, Sarah Chalke

MALIBU COUNTRY
Logline: After her good ol' boy rock star husband cheats on her and burns through most of their money, Reba divorces him and moves her three sons and mom from Nashville to the only asset they have left - a little house in Malibu.
a.k.a. - White People Problems
cast: Reba McEntire, Sara Rue, Jai Rodriguez, Lily Tomlin

ONLY FOOLS & HEROES
Logline: This classic comedy - a reboot of the British series - chronicles the misadventures of two streetwise brothers and their aging grandfather as they concoct outrageous, morally questionable get-rich-quick schemes in their quest to become millionaires.
a.k.a. - Doc Brown Steal Your Money, Then Go Back In Time And Steal It Again
Cast: Christopher Lloyd, Dustin Ybarra, John Leguizamo, Wendi McClendon-Covey

PRAIRIE DOGS
Logline: Neil, an uncool cubicle worker, or prairie dog, at one of the coolest companies in the world, is victim to identity theft.  When he discovers the thief has created a much more fulfilling, kick ass life with his identity, he engages the charismatic conman to help him reinvent himself.
a.k.a. - The True Story Of How Cary Elwes Tried To Revive His Dying Career By Reinventing Himself As A Comedy Star
Cast: Cary Elwes, Dan Fogler, Kal Penn

RED VAN MAN
Logline: Based on the British format, the show centers on a man who is forced to put his dreams on hold in order to take over the family handyman business from his father.
a.k.a. - Okay Seriously, What's Up With All These Foreign Formats? What Does "Based On The British Format" Even Mean? They Have A "Format"?? What's The "American Format"? (working title)
Cast: J.K. Simmons, Kyle Bornheimer, Leah Remini

THE SMART ONE
Logline: Portia de Rossi stars as a brilliant and successful woman who begrudgingly goes to work for her less-brainy but more popular sister - a former beauty queen, weather girl and now big-city mayor.
a.k.a. - Richard From LOST Finds A New Job Since RINGER Is A Sinking Ship
Cast: David Arquette, Jean Smart, Malin Akerman, Portia De Rossi, Nestor Carbonell

UNTITLED DAN FOGELMAN PROJECT
Logline: A family moves into a highly desirable gated community in New Jersey only to discover that the entire neighborhood is made up of aliens disguised as humans.
a.k.a. - Just Another Normal Day In The Suburbs
Cast: Jamie Gertz, Max Charles

UNTITLED KARL LIZER PROJECT
Logline: The half-hour multi-camera project concerns a high-powered female executive, who has dominated corporate America for years, now faces the biggest challenge of her life: finding herself unemployed and acting as a full-time mom to her two teenagers.
a.k.a. - Being A Mother Obviously The Worst Job Ever
Cast: Mary McCormack, Mo Gaffney, Horatio Sanz

UNTITLED MANDY MOORE PROJECT
Logline: Newlyweds Annie (Mandy Moore) and Ben get the opportunity of a lifetime to run a hip, new restaurant in Annie's hometown, bringing her closer to her needy and high maintenance family.
a.k.a. - MANDY MOORE IS IN THIS ONE, GUYS! YOU SHOULD TOTALLY WATCH IT!
Cast: Mandy Moore, Ravi Patel, Stockard Channing

CBS - Dramas

APPLEBAUM
Logline: Based on Ayelet Waldman's Mommy Track Mysteries, a former public defender becomes a private investigator to keep from being bored to death as a stay-at-home mom.
a.k.a. - Being A Mother Is Obviously The Worst Job Ever - Part II
Cast: Jay Mohr, Rachelle LeFevre

BABY BIG SHOT
Logline: A working-class woman uses her street smarts to compete with her more polished colleagues at a Manhattan law firm.
a.k.a. - THE GOOD WIFE Redux
Cast: Janet Montgomery, Kyle MacLachlan, Pablo Schreiber

ELEMENTARY
Logline: A modern take on the cases of Sherlock Holmes, with Sherlock now living in New York City.
a.k.a. - We're Obviously Grasping At Straws For A Recognizable Brand Name Since This Show Will Bear No Observable Similarity To The Creation Of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: We Also Apparently Want You To Think This Show Is About The Struggles And Triumphs Of A Group Of Precocious Third Graders
Cast: Johnny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu, Aidan Quinn

GOLDEN BOY
Logline: A show about the making of a man.  Tracks one cop's meteoric rise from officer to detective to police commissioner.
a.k.a. - We Just Spoiled The Whole Show For You So You Don't Have To Watch It
Cast: Chi McBride, Kevin Alejandro, Bonnie Somerville

TROOPER
Logline: A common-sense mother turns New York state trooper.
a.k.a. - Yaawwwnnnn.....
Cast: Mira Sorvino

UNTITLED RALPH LAMB PROJECT
Logline: A period piece set in the 1960s centered around the true story of Ralph Lamb: rodeo cowboy turned longtime sheriff of Las Vegas.
a.k.a. - The Macho Show: Cowboys! Rodeos! Vegas! Quaid! Chicklis!
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Michael Chiklis, Jason O'Mara, Carrie-Ann Moss

WIDOW DETECTIVE
Logline: After losing three partners in the line of duty, a decorated police detective becomes surrogate husband, lover, and father to their families.
a.k.a. - Wait, The Main Character's A Dude? Oh, I Guess It Should Be WidowER Detective. My bad.
Cast: John Corbett, Natalie Martinez, Jennifer Beals, Paula Marshall

CBS - Comedies

FRIEND ME
Logline: Twentysomething best friends, Evan and Rob, move from their hometown of Bloomington, Ind., to Los Angeles to begin their exciting new lives working at GroupOn.  Evan is having trouble breaking his old slothful habits and rather than go out after work to explore L.A. and meet new people, prefers to play online poker with his buddies back home.  Rob has different plans and is determined to drag Evan, kicking and screaming, along with him.
a.k.a. - McLovin Comes To Your TV
Cast: Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Nicholas Braun

PARTNERS
Logline: A personal story of two lifelong friends and business partners.  Architects Charlie and Louis' friendship has lasted longer than either of their romantic relationships and almost seems like a weird marriage.  When Charlie decides to propose to his girlfriend, Louis' neurotic attempts to be supportive nearly result in the breakup of his own relationship.
a.k.a. - Superman Comes To Your TV
Cast: David Krumholtz, Michael Urie, Sophia Bush, Brandon Routh

SUPER FUN NIGHT
Logline: A half-hour multi-cam comedy following three nerdy female friends on their "funcomfortable" quest to have SUPER FUN every Friday night.
a.k.a. - Funcomfortable Is The New Adorkable
Cast: Kevin Patterson, Alan Ritchson, Edi Patterson

UNTITLED GREG MALINS/GREG BERLANTI PROJECT
Logline: Nick has a health scare and realizes Wendy, his best friend and business partner of 15 years, is "the one."  Now he has to figure out how to break it to her.
a.k.a. - Three Gregs One Show
Cast: Joanna Garcia Swisher, Greg Grunberg, Matt Cook.

UNTITLED LARRY DORF/BEN FALCONE PROJECT
Logline: Comedy series about a single 37-year-old man (Ben Falcone) who loses everything he has in the real estate collapse and finds himself back home in the house he grew up in...with his parents.
a.k.a. - Haven't We Read This Logline Like Five Times Already?
Cast: Judd Hirsche, Emily Rutherford, Rachael Harris, Ben Falcone

UNTITLED LOUIS CK/SPIKE FERESTEN PROJECT
Logline: Ensemble of young people trying to achieve their creative dreams in these tough financial times.
a.k.a. - Yep, You're Not Crazy. Louis CK Is Now On CBS.
Cast: Ashley Tisdale, Dan Byrd

UNTITLED MARTIN LAWRENCE PROJECT
Logline: Martin Lawrence stars as a widowed father of two teenagers who, after losing his job in construction, decides to go to the police academy and become a cop at the age of 46.
a.k.a. - Even Martin Lawrence's Show Has To Be About Cops Because It's On CBS
Cast: Martin Lawrence, Ethan Suplee, Regina Hall, John Amos

UNTITLED NICK STOLLER PROJECT
Logline: Loosely based on Stoller's real-life experiences, the pilot is a twentysomething ensemble comedy about a guy who gets his heart broken by his girlfriend and now has to work one cubicle away from her at an ad agency.
a.k.a. - As If Cubicles Weren't Already The Most Depressing Things On Earth...
Cast: Randall Park, Brie Larson, Michael Angarano

CW - Dramas

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Loosely based on the CBS Beauty and the Beast series from the 1980s, this is a modern-day romantic love story with a procedural twist.
a.k.a. - Another One???
Cast: Kristin Kreuk

THE CARRIE DIARIES
Logline: Based on the novel by Candace Bushnell, a young Carrie Bradshaw comes of age in the 1980s, asking her first questions about love, sex, friendship, and family while exploring the worlds of high school and Manhattan.
a.k.a. - SEX AND THE CITY: The Teenage Years
Cast: AnnaSophia Robb

CULT
Logline: After a rash of disappearances and a likely murder, an inquisitive, young female production assistant on a wildly popular television show called Cult joins a journalist-blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program, in real life.
a.k.a. - The True Story Of Twihards
Cast: Matt Davis

FIRST CUT
Logline: Glad to leave her nerdy past behind for a fresh start in the adult professional world, a newly minted doctor discovers that, sadly and comically, life at the hospital where she works is no different than high school.
a.k.a. - GREY'S ANATOMY Redux
Cast: Mamie Gummer

JOEY DAKOTA
Logline: In this romantic time-travel musical, based on the Israeli format Danny Hollywood, a documentary filmmaker travels back in time to the 1990s where she meets and falls in love with the rock-star subject of her film.  When she unexpectedly returns to the present day, she must find her way back to the past to reunite with her love and prevent his untimely death.
a.k.a. - A Romantic Time-Travel Musical In The Israeli Format! We Swear We're Not Joking!
Cast: Amber Stevens

THE SELECTION
Logline: Based on the forthcoming series of books by Kiera Cass, The Selection is an epic romance set 300 years in the future which centers on a poor young woman who is chosen by lottery to participate in a competition to become the next queen of a war-torn nation at a crossroads.
a.k.a. - We Can't Actually Afford This Show
Cast: Aimee Teegarden

SHELTER
Logline: Drama set at an historic New England summer resort where the new and returning staff attend to the practical, emotional, and often comical needs of the guests while navigating friendships, rivalries, and romances of their own.
a.k.a. - You Would Never Know J.J. Abrams Is Producing This Show
Cast: Hannah New, Eka Darville

FOX - Dramas

THE ASSET
Logline: A character-driven drama set in the CIA's New York City station, focusing on a female agent with a very specialized and controversial area of expertise.
a.k.a. - This Title Is Totally Not Referring To Ali Larter's...assets.
Cast: Ali Larter, Hamish Linklater, Bradley Whitford

GUILTY
Logline: After being falsely convicted of fraud and stripped of his legal license, a brilliant, morally questionable defense attorney uses his unusual methods to solve the cases he's been prohibited from handling and ultimately to exact revenge on the man who set him up.
a.k.a. - We're Cashing In On America's Love For "Morally Questionable" Protagonists. Thank You, Jon Hamm And Bryan Cranston.
Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr, Jay Harrington, Julian Morris

UNTITLED JOSH BERMAN PROJECT
Logline: A young female thoracic surgeon with Bridgeport roots is split between two worlds as she juggles her career and her lifelong debt to the South Chicago mob.
a.k.a. - We Know You'll Watch Anything That Zeljko Ivanek Is In
Cast: Jordan Spiro, William Forsythe, Zach Gilford, Zeljko Ivanek

UNTITLED KARYN USHER PROJECT
Logline: The orphaned 17-year-old daughter of a CIA operative encounters a mysterious rogue agent-assassin, who serves as both her surrogate father and professional mentor in the spy world.
a.k.a. - Totally Not An Adaptation Of LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL
Cast: Julian McMahon, Angela Bassett, Rick Schroder

UNTITLED KEVIN WILLIAMSON PROJECT
Logline: an edge-of-your-seat thriller about the complex relationship between a diabolical serial killer and the damaged FBI agent who took him down.  After the killer escaped, the agent is reactivated and discovers that he is no longer just hunting one man, but a massive cult of serial killers created and manipulated during his time in prison.  Kevin Bacon is near a deal to star as the agent.
a.k.a. - Kevin Bacon Kicks Ass And Takes Name For One Hour A Week
Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Natalie Zea

FOX - Comedies

BEN FOX IS MY MANNY
Logline: Under the guise of being his niece's manny, a free spirited young guy moves in with his type "A" tightly wound sister and in the process will help her reenter the world.
a.k.a. - MRS. DOUBTFIRE: No Drag This Time
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Lucy Punch

EL JEFE
Logline: Tossed out of his Brentwood home, an affable but lost 30-year-old guy moves in with his longtime Latin American nanny, goes head-to-head with her strong-willed son, and finds himself in a family and work life very different from the one he grew up in.
a.k.a. - Next Year's Requisite Clash-Of-Cultures Comedy
Cast: Mercedes Ruehl, Ana Nogueira, Will Greenberg

THE GOODWIN GAMES
Logline: High-concept family comedy about a father who leaves his fortune to his three children only if they agree to his terms.
a.k.a. - I Really Really Want To Know What Those Terms Are
Cast: Scott Foley, Becki Newton

LET IT GO
Logline: An ensemble comedy told through the perspective of a young father who is strongly committed in his beliefs and will go to any length to prove his point.
a.k.a. - At Least The Father's Not Being Played By Tim Allen
Cast: Zachary Levi, Kat Foster

LIKE FATHER
Logline: Comedy centering on a father-son relationship.
a.k.a. - The Least Descriptive Logline Ever.
Cast: Colin Ferguson, Kevin Michael Martin, Annie Q

LITTLE BROTHER
Logline: A boisterous ex-con moves in with his level-headed brother and the brother's family.
a.k.a. - John Stamos Is Still Prettier Than You
Cast: John Stamos, T.J. Miller, Rosa Salazar

LIVING LOADED
Logline: A hard-partying blogger is forced to reevaluate his laissez-faire career plan when he gets a new job as a host on public radio.
a.k.a. - The Story Of My Life
Cast: Larry Wilmore, Donald Sutherland, Mike Vogel

PRODIGY BULLY
Logline: A rare child prodigy with an attitude shakes up his Hogwarts-like academy, while bringing the rarified world of his school back home to his aggressive working class family in Lowell, Mass.
a.k.a. - What If Draco Was The Hero?
Cast: Mike O'Malley, Missi Pyle, Don Lake

REBOUNDING
Logline: An uplifting comedy about a man recovering from the death of his fiance with the help of the idiots on his pickup basketball team.
a.k.a. - The Most Depressing Comedy Ever
Logline: Will Forte, Andrea Savage, Hayes MacArthur

UNTITLED MINDY KALING PROJECT
Logline: A young Bridget Jones-type doctor tries to navigate both her personal and professional lives.
a.k.a. - This Working Title With Mindy Kaling's Name In It Would Attract More Viewers Than Whatever We End Up Changing It To
Cast: Mindy Kaling, Chris Messina, Ed Weeks

NBC - Dramas

BAD GIRLS
Logline: From the producers of SHAMELESS, and adapted from the long-running U.K. hit series of the same name, BAD GIRLS follows the ins and outs of a group of unlikely women in a federal prison: a scandalous female warden, her new protégé and a host of inmates - some mothers, some friends - who struggle with loyalties to people on the inside and the outside.
a.k.a. - Not To Be Confused With NEW GIRL. Or 2 BROKE GIRLS. Or Even Just GIRLS.
Cast: Amy Smart, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jamie Pressly

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
Logline: An imaginative and thematically rich "what if" drama set 10 minutes in the future where families of mechanical human beings exist to service the human population - that is, until some of the mechanicals begin to "awaken."
a.k.a. - I, ROBOT Redux
Cast: Francis Conroy, James Murray, Tovah Feldshuh

CHICAGO FIRE
Logline: From the writing team of 3:10 To Yuma comes this action-driven drama exploring the complex and heroic men and women of the Windy City's Fire Department.
a.k.a. - Not About The "Great" One In 1871
Cast: Kelly Severide, Peter Mills

COUNTY
Logline: Emmy-winning creator Jason Katims takes us into the lives of a group of young doctors, nurses, and administrators in a frenetic underfunded and morally compromising L.A. County Hospital.
a.k.a. - ER Moves To LA
Cast: jason Ritter, Michael Imperioli

DO NO HARM
Logline: A brilliant neurosurgeon wrestles with his dangerous alter ego that threatens to wreak havoc on his personal and professional life.
a.k.a. - Jekyll & Hyde: The Gritty Reboot
Cast: Steven Pasquale, Phylicia Rashad

THE FRONTIER - aka This show won't make it past one season when they run out of story.
Logline: In an intense tale of survival, a group of disparate travelers embark on an incredible cross-country adventure through the West, where danger stalks them at every turn.
a.k.a. - This Show Won't Make It Past One Season When They Run Out Of Story
Cast: Ethan Embry, Bridget Regan

HANNIBAL
Logline: A one-hour contemporary thriller series features the classic characters from Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon - FBI agent Will Graham and his mentor Dr. Hannibal Lecter - who are re-introduced at the beginning of their budding relationship.
a.k.a. - The Creator Of The Candy-Colored PUSHING DAISIES Decides To Tackle Cannibalism.
Cast: Hugh Dancy

INFAMOUS
Logline: An opulent soap in which a female detective returns undercover to the wealthy family she grew up in - as the maid's daughter - to solve the murder of the notorious heiress who was once her closest friend.
a.k.a. - REVENGE Redux
Cast: Victor Garber, Tate Donovan, Meagan Good

MIDNIGHT SUN
Logline: This thriller follows the mysterious disappearance of a group living on a comune in Alaska.  Based on an acclaimed Israeli format, a female FBI cult specialist starts an investigation that uncovers a larger conspiracy.
a.k.a. - This Will Probably End Up Being About Aliens
Cast: Julia Stiles, Titus Welliver

UNTITLED J.J. ABRAMS/ERIC KRIPKE PROJECT
Logline: In this epic adventure thriller, a family struggles to reunite in a post-apocalyptic American landscape: a world of empty cities, local militias and heroic freedom fighters, where every single piece of technology - computers, planes, cars, phones, even lights - has mysteriously black out...forever.
a.k.a. - This Will Probably End Up Being My Most-Anticipated Show Of The Entire Year.
Cast: Giancarlo Esposito, Andrea Roth

NBC - Comedies

1600 PENN
Logline: A family show set in the White House where all the kids are less than perfect.
a.k.a. - This Is Clearly Not About The Obamas 'Cause Those Kids Are Freakin' Angels
Cast: Jenna Elfman, Bill Pullman, Josh Gad

ANIMAL KINGDOM
Logline: A single-camera office comedy centered on a HOUSE-like veterinarian, who lives animals but usually hates their owners.
a.k.a. - We're Not Even Trying To Avoid The Inevitable Comparisons With HOUSE To The Point Of  Making Them Ourselves: Keeping It Classy
Cast: Justin Kirk, Tyler Labine

DOWNWARDLY MOBILE
Logline: This multi-cam comedy brings Roseanne Barr back to series television as the proprietor of a mobile-home park and surrogate mother to all of the unique people who live there in a challenging economy.
a.k.a. - The Story Of Roseanne's Career
Cast: Roseanne Barr, John Goodman

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER
Logline: Based on the U.K. format, this single-camera comedy about a quirky family that has supper together every Friday night is adapted by Emmy-winning creator Greg Daniels.
a.k.a. - Allison Janney Rocks Your World For Thirty Minutes
Cast: Tony Shalhoub, Allison Janney, Kevin Bigley

GO ON
Logline: While an irreverent yet charming sportscaster tries to move on from loss, he reluctantly finds surprising solace form the members of his mandatory group-therapy sessions.
a.k.a. - Matthew Perry Tries Yet Again
Cast: Matthew Perry, Julie White

GUYS WITH KIDS
Logline: Three thirtysomething guys enjoy the adventures of parenting despite the fact they haven't grown up themselves.
a.k.a. - Just What You Wanted! More Man-Children On TV!
Cast: Jesse Bradford, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tempestt Bledsoe, Sara Rue

HAPPY VALLEY
Logline: After being dumped by her fiance, a shy, focused woman leans on her co-workers to help her come out of her shell and plot her revenge.
a.k.a. - REVENGE...Relationship-style!
Cast: Mena Suvari, Freedie Prinze, Jr.

ISABEL
Logline: A comedy centering on an otherwise normal middle-class family that wrestles with the challenges of everyday life while raising a daughter who has magical qualities.
a.k.a. - Raising Hermione
Cast: Marcia Gay Harden, Kevin Nealon, Sophia Mitri Schloss

THE NEW NORMAL
Logline: A heartwarming comedy about a blended family of a gay couple and the woman who becomes a surrogate to help them have children.
a.k.a. - MODERN FAMILY Without Two-Thirds Of What Makes It Appealing
Cast: Justin Bartha, Bebe Wood, Ellen Barkin, Jayson Blair

NEXT CALLER
Logline: A single-camera gender comedy focusing on a brash alpha-male DJ and his new, plucky, feminist cohost, set in the offices of a satellite radio station.
a.k.a. - Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus Part MMMDCCXVIII
Cast: Dane Cook, Jeffrey Tambor

NIC AND JEN
Logline: What happens between two lifelong female friends when a husband comes into the mix.
a.k.a. - I Thought This Show Was Called BEST FRIENDS FOREVER
Cast: Minni Driver, Andrea Anders, Rachel Dratch, Josh Hopkins

SAVE ME
Logline: A woman, who lets herself go while in a broken marriage, goes through a transformation where she becomes the best version of herself and creates miracles along the way.
a.k.a. - Save Me From Another Boring Sitcom
Cast: Anne Heche, Michael Landes, Alexandra Breckenridge

SUSAN 313
Logline: A single-camera comedy in which series star Sarah Silverman returns to her old life after a breakup, ready to pick up where she left off, and finds it's not as easy as she thought because those around her have moved on.
a.k.a. - We Hope This Is Better Than Whitney!
Cast: Sarah Silverman, Ken Leung

TABLE FOR 3
Logline: A young woman returns home form overseas to find that her father is seriously dating the "mean girl" from her high school.
a.k.a. - I Hope This Stars Regina George
Cast: Scott Bakula, Brenda Song

Which Dramas do you hope make it to the air?

Which Comedies do you hope make it to the air?