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Yesterday,
August 08, 2007, 8:00:00 PM | Myles
 Over the weekend, online pirates were pleased to see that the flood was beginning: torrent sites across the internet began
posting leaked screener copies of the 2007 pilots from FOX's much-discussed Terminator spinoff Sarah Connor Chronicles (Pictured) to ABC's buzz-worthy drama Pushing Daisies. I can only speculate, but I imagine that some
people at the networks might be upset to see this. However, part of me really hopes that there is a certain number of employees
who realize that these pilots leaking onto the internet is not the end of the world. In fact, it might be the best thing that
happened to these shows. And the networks should have been putting them online themselves.
These pilots are leaking
because the DVD Screeners sent to critics weren't going to just sit there after being watched, and technology has reached
a point where uploading shows is apparently quite easy (I've never done it myself). It is telling that the pilots uploaded
thus far are the ones that are getting the most buzz in internet circles: fanboys are concerned over Sarah Connor
Chronicles, critics are abuzz about Bryan Fuller's (Wonderfalls) Pushing Daisies and
NBC's Chuck (From O.C. Creator Josh Schwartz), and Kevin Smith (Clerks) directed The
CW's Reaper (The first pilot to leak).
On the one hand, uptight network executives are probably
concerned that their premiere ratings might go down as people watch the show ahead of time, or that bad buzz will take down
the series before it can even get started. To those executives I make the following case: premiere ratings don't matter,
and the audience watching these shows online will not penetrate the casual mass of fans who make Two and a Half Men a comedy sensation. What you want to be doing is creating a fan base, something that this actually helps far more than it
hurts.
If these networks want shows to succeed, they need to help embrace an
online audience, those fans who will stay devoted to a series through thick and thin. It's such a fanbase that saved Jericho in May, and one that saved Veronica Mars twice. Rather than worry about premiere ratings, networks should
be more concerned with sustaining a fan base throughout an entire season. And, well, these shows need bigger fan bases.
The
CW's Reaper is a prime example of a show that would benefit greatly from people seeing its pilot. The
show is funny (I'll have a full preview soon), but it has a huge obstacle in its path: it airs at 9pm on Tuesdays against
FOX's House, a ratings giant. The show is going to struggle to find even a small audience on the night,
and The CW has enough trouble selling dramas as it is.
However, the show has a lot of geek cred: Kevin Smith directing
the pilot certainly gives it a boost, and the show features relatable twenty-something slackers. The more people that see
the pilot, the more people that might spread the word or tell their friends about it. The more people that are aware, the
potential audience for the series increases. It's a fairly straightforward equation.
And that's really what
these networks want to do in this period before the show's premiere in September or October: they want people to talk
about them, to want to watch them. However, a commercial can never tell the whole story. And if people don't "get
it", sometimes a show falls by the wayside. When the show's premiere, they're fighting with every other show
for attention: online, during the summer, they're the only new attraction in town. Don't the networks see how beneficial
that is?
Take ABC's Pushing Daisies, a pilot I quite enjoyed. The setup for the story is a complex
narrative of rules and structure surrounding the lead character's abilities, and you really won't "get"
the series unless you watch the entire thing. If I hadn't seen the pilot, I wouldn't be able to properly sell someone
on what might be the best new show of the year. It's a confusing premise, but it works beautifully in practice: and people
need to see that for themselves.
There is no better way to sell a series than to let people see it, which is why I challenge
the networks to start posting a selection of their pilots online, themselves, through streaming video. Pushing Daisies is a show that can't just be promoted normally, so embrace that and show it to online fans who are already preparing for
a "Save This Show" campaign. Reaper has huge barriers to cross in terms of awareness, so make people aware.
There's
already precedent: NBC streamed episode of Andy Barker P.I. earlier this year. Mind you, they streamed too
many and the show never had a chance anyways, but I think that the real trick is the focus on the pilots. Based on the amount
of downloads of the leaked screeners, people are interested in seeing these, and I think the networks need to take advantage
of this.
As online media becomes more and more common, networks need to embrace it as a marketing tool on par with that
of commercials or even online banner ads. Some of these pilots will need help to survive, and if they simply sit back and
let them fail without doing all they can I don't see how they'll ever expect their next cult series to gain any level
of support.
So for tech savvy viewers, the pilots are currently available wherever fine torrents are downloaded. For
those waiting with baited breath, hopefully networks get the message and you can be viewing pilots ahead of time before September
rolls around. If they want to make fans out of you, they'll hopefully come to their senses and help shows like Reaper
and Pushing Daisies find an audience.
Yesterday,
August 08, 2007, 8:00:00 PM | TvShows4Fans
Reaper è uno show incentrato su un 21enne che
diventa un cacciatore di taglie per conto del diavolo e scopre che i suoi genitori hanno venduto la sua anima al
demonio prima che nascesse. Missy Peregrym (Heroes, Life as We Know it) reciterà in questa nuova serie, rimpiazzando
il ruolo assegnato nel pilot a Nikki Reed (Thirteen). In Heroes la Peregrym, era Candice l'illusionista di Linderman,
la ragazza che poteva prendere le sembianze di chiunque.
Yesterday,
August 08, 2007, 8:00:00 PM | Myles
I have yet to see the pilot for The CW's Reaper, but I will refer to people that have to help
me make my point. The titular Brill and Eric of the Brill And Eric Watch TV Podcast had a 'preview' of Reaper and pointed out that they hoped that changes wouldn't mess with the show's formula. Specifically, they felt that
the series' female lead was different than the usual CW brand of ditzy female bimbos. Well, maybe not in so many words.
And they also foreshadowed that some recasting might be in order.
And their prophecy has become correct: Nikki Reed, originally cast as the love interest for Bret Harrison, has been replaced by 'Heroes' alum Missy Peregrym, who played..."illusionist" Candice, according to the Hollywood Reporter. If people want to tell me exactly what to call her, feel free to do so. Regardless, I am OUTRAGED at this development for
a few reasons. On a smaller note, before I get to the big ones, Reed would have been close to her character's purported
age of about 21. Peregrym, meanwhile, is 25. But that's just a quibble. Here are the two main reasons:
 1. Nikki Reed is Awesome
An independent film darling, and writer of hit drama 'Thirteen', Nikki Reed expanded
into the world of popular television (My world, apparently) by appearing in The O.C.'s unfortunate third season as a love
interest for Ryan while Marissa was off being a whore with Johnny. Maybe it was just that comparison, but Reed was absolutely
charming. She was mature, she was attractive, she was engaging, and she was perhaps my favourite pairing for Ryan before Taylor
came along. She brought real characterization to a painfully underwritten character, and her acting chops showed.
 2. Missy Peregrym Isn't a Good Actress
She's not terrible, but Peregrym has done nothing in her two TV roles
(ABC's Life as We Know It and the aforementioned Heroes) to convince me she's a good actress. She did some engaging
work towards the end of Heroes' first season, specifically in her scenes with Noah Gray Cabey, but on the whole Candice
was a boring and not really that entertaining character. And, either way, there was NOTHING within her performance on either
show that convinced me she was capable of being an interesting love interest.
Now,
it is possible that Peregrym could surprise me, but she has proven unable of being anything but boring when it comes to human
interaction. Reaper looks like a quirky drama capable of being something quite engaging: I think Reed was likely able to rise
to that occasion, but I feel that Peregrym is only going to grind that quality to a halt when she appears on screen.
Either
way, I can only hope that this decision doesn't come back to hurt the show in the end. But I am of little faith, and unfortunately,
The CW might have another mindless and unfortunate female lead in its future.
Yesterday,
August 08, 2007, 8:00:00 PM | Myles
So, I spent last week covering the American Network Upfronts, but in reality that was all a warmup for the epic event that is: the Canadian Upfronts. Man, what a week
this is going to…oh, you mean they already selected all their shows? And they just announced them in a press
conference? Really? That’s, uh…wow, I wasn’t really prepared, I expected to have all sorts of time to write
previews and…wow. Okay, so I guess I should run down some of the new that came over the past few days? I’m all
out of sorts here.
Who are the Players?
Global (CanWest) and CTV are really the only major players involved now that CTV bought out CityTV and the rest of CHUM. There’s Sun TV out of central Canada, but they’re not a huge player. It’s really down to the big two
for the big shows.
What should we know about Canada’s simulcasting system?
Well, first
off, do the math: the shows airing on five different American networks don’t easily fit onto two Canadian networks,
not all of them anyways. This has left some fairly substantial hits south of the border (America’s Next Top Model, Ugly
Betty) off of these main networks and onto networks like CityTV or Sun TV.
Canadian networks struggle
most with the fact that many of their shows overlap. For instance, they own the rights to both CSI and Grey’s Anatomy:
as a result, the network is forced to air Grey’s an hour earlier than it is in the U.S. It’s all a give and take
like this, which makes for some interesting Canadian scheduling. Another example was just last night, when CTV had the rights
to both the Lost and American Idol finales, and actually split Lost into two parts in Central Canada to make it work.
Which
network is better at simulcasting?
Definitely CTV. Global is a complete and total mess: its HD is
extremely limited, its commercials are far worse, and all in all the production values just aren’t the same. I really
wish they’d revamp everything to be less ugly, too. They really need to work on that. CityTV and the others aren’t
terrible, but they don’t have the same level of nationwide coverage, which is a problem for families without digital
cable or the joys of timeshifting that some of us enjoy.
So what’s happened so far?
Well,
CTV has not officially announced any of its pickups thus far, but there have been some leaks ahead of their early June Upfront
Presentation in Toronto. Meanwhile, Global has spilled the beans on which shows they’ve picked up. For all the information,
you can follow to The Hollywood Reporter. For a complete summary and analysis, keep reading.
Global’s
Pickups
Cane (CBS)
Viva
Laughlin (CBS)
Swingtown (CBS)
Journeyman
(NBC)
The Bionic Woman (NBC)
Life
(NBC)
Women’s Murder Club (ABC)
Cashmere Mafia (ABC)
New Amsterdam (FOX)
K-Ville (FOX)
Back
to You (FOX)
Now, these will be spread between Global and the new E! (Which is the CH networks
rebranded). There’s a lot of dramas here, and Global itself already has a lot of high profile shows on these nights,
so it’s going to require some juggling around. We’ll see in June where each show ends up, although current word
has half going to Global and the other half to E!.
On the whole Global picked up a whole lot of serialized
dramas, a few procedurals, and a single comedy. Outside of The Office/My Name is Earl, Global has dropped comedies from its
schedule. It should be interesting to see if they return with Back To You.
CTV’s Pickups
Lipstick Jungle (NBC)
Chuck
(NBC)
Sam I Am (ABC)
Dirty
Sexy Money (ABC)
Private Practice (ABC)
Reaper (The CW)
Dirt (FX)
Moonlight (CBS)
Without a Trace (CBS)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Now, some of these
are likely to end up on CityTV, considering it’s being taken over by CTV (I’m looking at midseason’s Lipstick
Jungle as a candidate for this. The big story here is that the network picked up two shows formerly at CanWest: Without a
Trace joins its CBS crime procedural buddies at CTV, while Two and a Half Men (Relegated to the basement after the end of
Everybody Loves Raymond) might get the attention it deserves over at CTV (Although I don’t know where they’ll
put it).
That’s the thing about CTV’s schedule: it’s already too full. They have
to simulcast Dancing with the Stars in the Fall, and American Idol in the Spring…and maybe even both early next year.
That’s a huge weight on their schedule, and it will result in some tricky scheduling shifts. Other stuff shifts more
naturally: there’s room on Wednesdays for Private Practice/Dirty Sexy Money with Lost and Idol on hiatus in the fall,
for example.
Who got the better deal?
Well, I’d say that Global actually has a lot more
of the buzzworthy shows, with a majority of the procedurals heading their way. However, CTV also has a lot of high profile
shows: as proof of this, my Five Most Interesting Pilots post shows the number knotted at 2 for Global (Bionic Woman/Back to You), 2 for CTV (Chuck/Reaper), and my #1 (Pushing Daisies)
Choice likely headed to CityTV.
I think that CTV has the most existing successful shows, and they’ve
got some natural replacement shows to slot in (Private Practice, Moonlight after Ghost Whisperer, etc.) I also think that
they will do a better job of marketing new shows, something that Global just isn’t that good at doing.
Also,
I think Global is running a huge risk: while CTV has stuck with what works in their lineup, Global has gone with a lot of
serialized dramas…and if they fail, Global’s out of luck. This included The Bionic Woman, Journeyman, etc. They’ve
got decent lead-ins for these shows in Heroes and House, and Deal or No Deal, but the fact remains that the network will have
its fingers crossed that they succeed.
However, it's still up in the air: other high-profile shows,
like The CW's Gossip Girl or FOX's Sarah Connor Chronicles, remain unconfirmed as to who picked them up (Although
my money's on CTV for the prior, and maybe also for the latter).
Does this even matter if I’m not Canadian?
Well, look at it this way: if a show airs earlier in Canada, it becomes “available” faster in
the States. So, I guess that’s how it might relate, and how you might be interested in seeing what Canadian networks
put together over the coming days.
In just a couple of weeks, Global and CTV will parade out celebrities
to promote their fall lineups, and I might have to put up with another Howie Mandel appearance. It's all for the greater
good, though: an epic event like the Canadian Upfronts can't go uncovered.
Yesterday,
August 08, 2007, 8:00:00 PM | Myles
Yes, this is it: the top five pilots which I believe have the most potential in the coming year.
This is not a potential for success in ratings, or ad dollars, or anything like this: no, this is very much more about how
well I think these shows can advance themselves creatively. It’s a list full of wishful thinking, if you will. While
these shows might not light up the Nielsen ratings come next season, I think that part of me will feel better that they exist…and
will cross my fingers that they succeed. They’re the next Veronica Mars, if you will, and I can only
hope that networks have as much patience for these shows as they did for that one. Which pilots make the cut? There’s
only one way to find out.
The Five Most Promising Pilots
of the 2007/2008 Upfront Presentations
5. Back to You [FOX]
I feel like I need to include
a single sitcom on this list, I really do. And, it is with some apprehension that I include this single-camera/multi-camera
hybrid on the list. From the clips that FOX has shown it is certainly looking just like every other sitcom you’ve ever
imagined. And yet, I’m placing it here because it has an enormous amount of pedigree behind it, and if anything is going
to overcome sitcom constructs it’s likely to be Back To You.
I can’t
argue against Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton. They’re sitcom legends, each with years of experience, and each with
a sense of comic timing that could develop well over time. Kelsey Grammer gets to play a complete asshole, something which
is kind of n nice to see from him, while Heaton gets to play someone who is unstable at this particular point in her life.
The clips from the pilot are meant to be overly confrontational, over-the-top, because it needs to establish things quickly.
I believe that over time these two actors will easily find the subtlety which could raise the show to another level.
Combine this with a great supporting player in Fred Willard. Fred Willard is kind of fantastic. I don’t
really need to even say why, he just is. The show, therefore, is coming to the table with a strong backing of established
comic actors, a premise which I don’t immediately hate, and a sense that this is really going to be given a chance by
FOX. I don’t get that feeling about any of the other sitcoms: most of them really feel like their networks are just
grasping at straws. With Back To You, I think that FOX has found enough “sure things” to overcome its other issues
to be the sitcom with the most potential in the upcoming season.
Sneak Preview - Back To You
4. Reaper [The CW]
I stumbled upon FOX’s low-profile comedy, The Loop,
at some point in the middle of last year. I was up late, stumbled onto my snowy Global antenna feed, and found a comedy that
was actually quite charming. Much of this had to do with its star, Bret Harrison, who certainly held things together in a
rather good fashion. That show is arriving for its short second season in early June, but more importantly is that Harrison
is moving onto a new project: that project is The CW’s Reaper.
I still don’t
really entirely get the premise of the show. I think it’s about someone who becomes kind of a wrangler for Satan, someone
who collects lost souls from hell which are wreaking havoc on citizens and breaking their bond with the devil. That’s
what the few clips on The CW’s website tell me about it. They also tell me that this show is ostensibly a comedy, which
I think is a smart move for the network. Supernatural covers similar territory, but Reaper appears to be throwing all attempts
at being serious out the window.
This is really a show which is all about promise, as opposed to elements
really jumping out at you. I think Harrison is an engaging young lead, and I think that Kevin Smith agreeing to direct the
pilot shows that it must, at the very least, have some level of potential. It’s certainly not going to be high concept,
but I think it’s just the type of show I could enjoy: a good “everyman has to learn to fight demons” comedy.
However, it has the rather unfortunate task of facing off against House...so I don't think the show will
be able to last for too long, especially not with a reality lead-in. Only a timeslot move can save the show...but it looks
good.
Sneak Preview - Reaper
3. The Bionic Woman [NBC]
I had to make
a decision here. FOX’s Sarah Connor Chronicles and NBC’s The Bionic Woman are
treading on very similar territory, and I think both have mild amount of potential as TV dramas…but I couldn’t
put both of them on the list. However, for the purpose of decision-making, it is NBC’s new vision of the 70s series
that gets my seal of approval at this stage, for a variety of reasons.
Perhaps most importantly is
that I think David Eick, executive producer on Battlestar Galactica, knows what he’s doing. He’s
been involved with Battlestar, which is both a fantastic series and a positive reimagining of the original series, and he
comes to this with the right mindset. It’s about taking an old idea and making it new while retaining its strongest
features. Combine this with recent word that the showrunner from Karen Sisco and Kidnapped (Two cancelled
before their time dramas) is stepping in, and I have faith in the showrunners.
But,
more than that, I think it looks pretty damn cool. Michelle Ryan seems like a decent fit for the title role, Battlestar’s
Katie Sackhoff is perfect for the evil arch-nemesis part, and on the whole it seems like a dark and gritty handling of what
was once a much cornier franchise (Sounds a lot like Battlestar, no?). I think that NBC has scheduled it poorly, facing it
off against ABC’s Private Practice, but I can only hope that after seeing the show in detail they can
provide it the timeslot it deserves: the Monday post-Heroes time slot. Until that point, I remain apprehensive
of its future…but kind of excited to see what this show can pull off.
Sneak
Preview - The Bionic Woman
2.
Chuck [NBC]
Josh Schwartz has two pilots making it to series this year: the soapy Gossip
Girl on The CW and Chuck, a dramedy making its way to NBC. I’ve watched clips of both of them,
and I’ll admit right now that Gossip Girl looks like a guilty pleasure show right up there with The O.C. And yet, I can’t say it has a whole lot of creative promise, especially when compared to Schwartz’s other show. Chuck may not be the most high concept drama making it to the airwaves, but it remains something I believe
holds a lot of promise.
That promise lies in Schwartz himself, as he has a knack for creating characters
who do well in fish-out-of-water scenarios. The O.C. was strongest in Seth and Ryan, not in Marissa; Gossip Girl seems to
pick form the latter, while Chuck seems rooted in the former, especially Seth Cohen. The lead character in Chuck is a geeky
guy who can’t get a girl, but whose life changes when he becomes the holder of the CIA’s greatest secrets. His
life changes, and we get to see the growing pains along the way.
I think that this has a lot of potential
mainly because I have faith in Schwartz’s writing ability, especially away from the soapy locales of southern California.
The clips I’ve seen form the pilot are your usual pilot stuff: setup, car chases, intra-agency conflict, the usual stuff
seen in one of these shows. I can’t help but get vibes of a light-hearted version of Alias from the show, which I think
is a fairly large compliment to any show. I don’t know how long it can last facing off against House,
so I’m unlikely to get much closure, but I think I’ll like the ride while it lasts.
Sneak
Preview - Chuck
1.
Pushing Daisies [ABC]
For me to get behind a procedural drama, it needs to do something that makes
it stand out. It needs to wow me with a lead character who couldn’t exist on any other show (House),
or provide enough dramatic elements to mask its procedural setup in each episode (Grey’s Anatomy).
However, Pushing Daisies does something that neither of those shows does: it provides a gimmick which actually sounds like
it could be just quirky enough to work.
While Journeyman has a person time traveling
to save lives, and New Amsterdam has a 400-year old man who uses his years of knowledge to solve crimes,
the lead character of Pushing Daisies is much more of an everyman: he’s a pie baker who can bring people back to life
with his tough, briefly, so he can ask them who killed them. Pushing Daisies takes a lot of elements popular this season and
combines them into a light-hearted, comic atmosphere. It had your star-crossed lovers (A key to both Moonlight (Oh right,
one of the crime fighters is a vampire) and New Amsterdam…and Journeyman), but yet Ned’s not just emo; there’s
actual substance here, something tangible.
I’m excited about all of this jumbled mess of procedural
elements because the show has a lot of pedigree behind it. Bryan Fuller created Wonderfalls and Dead
Like Me, two quirky shows which got rave reviews, and he wrote the best episode of Heroes, well,
ever: “Company Man”. The man does great work, and the brief clip available of the show reflects this. It is a
simple scene, explains the premise well, and gives us an idea of what to look forward to. It’s not often I get excited
about a procedural drama, but this one seems just crazy enough that it might work.
Sneak
Preview - Pushing Daisies
Yesterday,
August 08, 2007, 8:00:00 PM | Myles
The Network Upfronts have officially come to an end…well, for the big five anyways,
as smaller networks are delivering upfront presentations throughout the day. Still, for all intensive purposes, the 2007/2008
Fall Schedule is officially in place.
Over the weekend, I want to run down some lists
of what went down during the week, and what it means for our future TV viewing. These lists will be varied, and hopefully
cover a wide range of information. Upfronts are a rather huge event, and the result has been a lot of news, views and previews
overloading the senses. I’m hoping that in this post-upfront haze that we can sort it all out.
The
lists will begin later today with “The Top 5 Mistakes Made During the 2007 Network Upfronts”, but for now I figure
I’d put all the news in one place. So, without further adieu, here is your Network Upfronts Extravaganza 2007 Wrapup.
NBC
NBC 2007/2008 Fall Schedule
New Shows
Life
The Bionic Woman
Journeyman
Chuck
The
IT Crowd [Midseason]
ABC
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