Pilots: ABC Loads Up on Laughs
01-25-07 | 12:01 PM
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Pilots: ABC Loads Up on Laughs
http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-ab...,7195838.story
Chris
Network greenlights five comedies
January 24, 2007
Dysfunctional paramedics, an amnesia-stricken woman and a smug family are among the folks who will potentially try to turn around ABC's sitcom fortunes next season.
The network has ordered five comedy pilots, including one from the producers of "24" and one from former Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch, the showbiz trade papers report. The others come from veterans of "Grounded for Live," "Ugly Betty" and "Committed."
The paramedic show, titled "The Call," has been given a formal green light after ABC won a bidding war with FOX over the show. Created by David Hemingson ("Kitchen Confidential"), it follows a group of L.A. paramedics, with each episode taking place in real time.
The "24" team of Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow and Howard Gordon will executive produce the pilot with Hemingson.
"Sam I Am" comes from writer Don Todd ("Ugly Betty," "Brother's Keeper"), who conceived the story with novelist Cecelia Ahern. It's about a woman who wakes up from a coma with no memory of her prior life.
McCulloch, who's written for "Saturday Night Live" as well as "The Kids in the Hall," is behind "Carpoolers," about a group of guys who ride to work together. He's executive producing with David Miner and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of DreamWorks TV.
Former "Grounded for Life" writer Erica Rivinoja penned the script for "Family of the Year," about a New Mexico clan whose string of awards for their town's outstanding family is challenged by another family. She's executive producing with Pam Brady ("The Loop").
Finally, "The Middle" revolves around the matriarch of a middle-class Midwestern family. It comes from Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline ("Committed," "How I Met Your Mother").
January 24, 2007
Dysfunctional paramedics, an amnesia-stricken woman and a smug family are among the folks who will potentially try to turn around ABC's sitcom fortunes next season.
The network has ordered five comedy pilots, including one from the producers of "24" and one from former Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch, the showbiz trade papers report. The others come from veterans of "Grounded for Live," "Ugly Betty" and "Committed."
The paramedic show, titled "The Call," has been given a formal green light after ABC won a bidding war with FOX over the show. Created by David Hemingson ("Kitchen Confidential"), it follows a group of L.A. paramedics, with each episode taking place in real time.
The "24" team of Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow and Howard Gordon will executive produce the pilot with Hemingson.
"Sam I Am" comes from writer Don Todd ("Ugly Betty," "Brother's Keeper"), who conceived the story with novelist Cecelia Ahern. It's about a woman who wakes up from a coma with no memory of her prior life.
McCulloch, who's written for "Saturday Night Live" as well as "The Kids in the Hall," is behind "Carpoolers," about a group of guys who ride to work together. He's executive producing with David Miner and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of DreamWorks TV.
Former "Grounded for Life" writer Erica Rivinoja penned the script for "Family of the Year," about a New Mexico clan whose string of awards for their town's outstanding family is challenged by another family. She's executive producing with Pam Brady ("The Loop").
Finally, "The Middle" revolves around the matriarch of a middle-class Midwestern family. It comes from Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline ("Committed," "How I Met Your Mother").
Chris
01-25-07 | 01:01 PM
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McCulloch, who's written for "Saturday Night Live" as well as "The Kids in the Hall," is behind "Carpoolers," about a group of guys who ride to work together. He's executive producing with David Miner and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of DreamWorks TV.
01-25-07 | 01:15 PM
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Somehow I just can't picture Joel Surnow, Bob Cochran and Howard Gordon pulling off writing a sitcom. I know those guys have multiple development deals, but I think those guys need to stick to doing what they do best, the action-drama/serial.
Plus is ABC going to promote it
"From the guys who brought you 24...."
Plus is ABC going to promote it
"From the guys who brought you 24...."
01-25-07 | 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by wz42
Somehow this is the only one that really stands out from the bunch and somehow I suspect it'll be the first cancelled.
01-25-07 | 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Tracer Bullet
Any guesses on which ones will be "traditional" sitcoms and which won't?
01-25-07 | 03:11 PM
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From: Sand Point
Originally Posted by DJariya
Somehow I just can't picture Joel Surnow, Bob Cochran and Howard Gordon pulling off writing a sitcom. I know those guys have multiple development deals, but I think those guys need to stick to doing what they do best, the action-drama/serial.
Plus is ABC going to promote it
"From the guys who brought you 24...."
Plus is ABC going to promote it
"From the guys who brought you 24...."
On a side note, Russell Crowe's hockey drama Mystery, Alaska was promoted as "From the director of Austin Powers."
And Titanic posters used "From the director of T2 and Aliens."
01-25-07 | 06:58 PM
#9
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
"The Call"
"Sam I Am"
"Carpoolers"
"Family of the year"
&
"The Middle"
-ALL CANCELLED before the 2007-2008 season is over.
is it just me or has ABC sitcoms just feel like poor Quality as of late. help me, help you which was mildly funny, that poor excuse for a sitcom Big Day and in case of emergency come to mind as some of the worst in years.
through some people might love it i felt like Hope & Faith was a slapped together sitcom.
what happened to memorable sitcoms like Roseanne & Coach (highly underrated).
am i %100 wrong or is ABCs sitcoms just losing Quality?
"Sam I Am"
"Carpoolers"
"Family of the year"
&
"The Middle"
-ALL CANCELLED before the 2007-2008 season is over.
is it just me or has ABC sitcoms just feel like poor Quality as of late. help me, help you which was mildly funny, that poor excuse for a sitcom Big Day and in case of emergency come to mind as some of the worst in years.
through some people might love it i felt like Hope & Faith was a slapped together sitcom.
what happened to memorable sitcoms like Roseanne & Coach (highly underrated).
am i %100 wrong or is ABCs sitcoms just losing Quality?
Last edited by nateman241; 01-25-07 at 07:19 PM.
01-25-07 | 10:11 PM
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I'm not going to lie, but all those ideas sound pretty fucking awful.
I'm only interested in Carpoolers as it's helmed by Bruce McCulloch, but then again, he did have his hand in such winning films like Superstar and Stealing Harvard.
I'm only interested in Carpoolers as it's helmed by Bruce McCulloch, but then again, he did have his hand in such winning films like Superstar and Stealing Harvard.
01-26-07 | 12:28 AM
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DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Originally Posted by ams
Coach was one of my favorite shows in its day, and I still enjoy watching the late night reruns.
BTW...if it is sindicated (sp?), is it underrated?
BTW...if it is sindicated (sp?), is it underrated?
it never (i dont think) was on in the daytime or shown more than once or twice a day in syn.
it was on tbs for awhile at 2 or 3 in the morning at one time i think. great show i have most of the original airings on tape and picked up the 1st season dvd great show!.
sorry for going off topic.
01-26-07 | 02:20 AM
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I wonder if Surnow and Cochran would be desperate enough to try to talk Jon Cassar into directing the pilot for The Call. That way the show would have some more 24 backing behind it.
01-26-07 | 02:29 AM
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I wonder if Surnow and Cochran would be desperate enough to try to talk Jon Cassar into directing the pilot for The Call. That way the show would have some more 24 backing behind it.
01-26-07 | 05:40 PM
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http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.a...=20070126abc03
They were getting their asses handed to them with Knights and Emergency. They were getting even lower viewership than Day Break!
Chris
[01.26.07 - 03:23 PM]
ABC SHIFTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT COMEDY LINEUP
Released by ABC
[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC SHIFTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT COMEDY LINEUP
As of January 31, ABC announces the following schedule changes to the Wednesday night comedy lineup: "The Knights of Prosperity" will now air from 8:30-9:00 p.m., and "According to Jim" from 9:00-9:30 p.m., ET.
The complete Wednesday night primetime lineup will now be (all times ET):
8:00-8:30 p.m. "George Lopez"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "The Knights of Prosperity"
9:00-9:30 p.m. "According to Jim"
9:30-10:00 p.m. "In Case of Emergency"
10:00-11:00 p.m. "Lost," beginning February 7
ABC SHIFTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT COMEDY LINEUP
Released by ABC
[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC SHIFTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT COMEDY LINEUP
As of January 31, ABC announces the following schedule changes to the Wednesday night comedy lineup: "The Knights of Prosperity" will now air from 8:30-9:00 p.m., and "According to Jim" from 9:00-9:30 p.m., ET.
The complete Wednesday night primetime lineup will now be (all times ET):
8:00-8:30 p.m. "George Lopez"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "The Knights of Prosperity"
9:00-9:30 p.m. "According to Jim"
9:30-10:00 p.m. "In Case of Emergency"
10:00-11:00 p.m. "Lost," beginning February 7
They were getting their asses handed to them with Knights and Emergency. They were getting even lower viewership than Day Break!
Chris
01-26-07 | 11:30 PM
#17
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None of those sound good. I don't even watch any "sitcoms" since "Raymond" quit.
Only comedies I watch are Scrubs, the Office and 30 Rock.
30 Rock is the closest to a 'sitcom', but it's still a 1-camera shoot.
Only comedies I watch are Scrubs, the Office and 30 Rock.
30 Rock is the closest to a 'sitcom', but it's still a 1-camera shoot.
01-30-07 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Shannon Nutt
I was thinking the exact same thing. It's the only original idea of the lot...that's why it stands out.
"Sam I Am" does look like an original idea since the territory it treads on is usually the domain of Lifetime tv of the week movies however the team behind it leaves me flaccid.
01-30-07 | 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by nateman241
its underrated in the way that seinfeld, friends and M.A.S.H. is shown all the time and Coach is only shown in the late night hours. its not as popular as most older shows.
it never (i dont think) was on in the daytime or shown more than once or twice a day in syn.
it was on tbs for awhile at 2 or 3 in the morning at one time i think. great show i have most of the original airings on tape and picked up the 1st season dvd great show!.
sorry for going off topic.
it never (i dont think) was on in the daytime or shown more than once or twice a day in syn.
it was on tbs for awhile at 2 or 3 in the morning at one time i think. great show i have most of the original airings on tape and picked up the 1st season dvd great show!.
sorry for going off topic.
01-31-07 | 12:51 AM
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Originally Posted by wz42
Coach was underrated however I didn't find it as iconic as MASH or Seinfeld. Imho Craig T. Neilson is much better suited to drama (liked him in that CBS cop show much more than on Coach although I liked Coach the show much more). The rest of the cast fit perfectly however and Barry Kemp created as good of a show as he did with Newhart (although not with a comedic great starring in the lead).
see i liked Coach more than M.A.S.H by far and i am one of the very few who doesn't like Seinfeld. thats what i ment buy underrated, it never had the wide audience that shows like MASH, Seinfeld or Cheers had.
