Ask the guy attending the network upfronts

Cafe Society
1

As a media buyer in Chicago, I have the opportunity toattend the network upfront live feeds every year. Unfortunately, I don’t get to be at the actual upfront presentations in NYC where all the stars are but the networks do host fun parties here in Chicago (as well as in LA and Detroit) where they show a closed-circuit live feed of the event.

I’ve already seen NBC and Fox’s previews on Monday and ABC’s yesterday. This afternoon I’ll be attending the CBS presentation (leaving for it in about five minutes).

I did this last year on here and it seemed like there was quite a bit of interest so I thought I’d give it a go again. My plan is to write up a quick little recap of what I thought of each networks new offerings for the Fall.

It’ll probably take me a little bit of time to get all of the recaps written up but I wanted to get this thread started now.

I will say that so far, not much has impressed me. Not like **Modern Family **did last year. There were definitely a few shows that looked like that have some potential though.

Anyway, I’ll be posting back here soon - hopefully tonight after I get home from the CBS party. If you have any questions about specific shows, fire away and I’ll answer them tonight.

2

Is “Outsourced” even half as good as “Parks and Rec” to justify pushing P&R to a mid-season premiere?

3

If I could be permitted a really basic and probably dumb question - what are they? Previews of new tv shows that will be launched in the new season? There’s a showcasey kind of thing? Cool.

Why yes, everything I ‘know’ about this I learned from Studio 60.

4

I’ll post a more detailed answer later, but short answer, in my opinion, is no. It looks entertaining enough, but in the clips we saw it seemed to go for the easy fish out of water gags.

Of course, I may be biased as “Parks & Rec” is maybe my favorite comedy at the moment.

5

Basically, yes… just previews of the fall season. It’s basically a big dog & pony show for advertisers to talk up their network and show off their plans for the Fall including pretty extended clips packages of new pilots. Usually they have a lot of fun stuff that happens (NBC opened w/ a message from their President of East Coast and Microwave Programming, Jack Donaghy, which was hiliarious.) The networks usually have most of their big stars in appearance and also have some good jokes made at their own expense (Kimmel always kills while ripping on the competitors as well as ABC).

6

I’ve read more than a few reports that say Parks and Rec is moving to midseason to accomodate Amy Poehler’s pregnancy.

7

Ok, since I’m just back from the CBS presentation and it’s fresh in my mind, I’ll start with them. I’ll probably post the other networks tomorrow when I have a little more time (ie, when I want to procrastinate at my job.)

CBS has only five new shows this fall. I thought they looked fairly decent, for the most part, and when you see their entire schedule laid out on a grid - it looks very solid. They’re easily going to have a good 2010/2011 season ratings wise.

Ok, here are the new shows and what I thought of them:

"Mike & Molly" - Romantic comedy created by Chuck Lorre who also came up w/ “Big Bang Theory” and “2& 1/2 Men.” Show is about a Chicago cop who meets and starts going out w/ a school teacher. The “angle” is that they’re both overweight and they meet at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting. As a heavy guy in Chicago, I can relate to the concept, and the leads are pretty charming, but the clips we looked like most of the jokes will be pretty easy fat-jokes, which I was annoyed with. From that creator, I guess you gotta expect the easy jokes, but it did show some promise just because the leads were so engaging. Will be airing Mondays at 9:30p after “2 & 1/2 Men.”

**“Blue Bloods”- **Probably the most interesting of CBS’ offerings. It’s from some producers of “The Sopranos” and is a NYC family/cop drama. Tom Selleck is the father and I believe the chief of police (or someone high enough up to give press conferences), Donnie Wahlberg plays his son who is a detective w/ questionable tactics and ethics, and there is a daughter who is an attorney and a younger son who is a rookie on the force. This looks really well produced and like it could have some really interesting storylines. I think it’s on Fridays at 10p.

"The Defenders" - Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell as best buddies/defense attorneys in Las Vegas. The kind of defense attorneys that advertise w/ billboards (Better call Saul!). I started out annoyed by the idea but by the end of the preview thought it could have some potential. Looks like it could have some good laughs for a legal drama (dramedy, I guess).

**“Hawaii Five-O” **- Another Alex O’Laughlin series (after the failed Moonlight and Three Rivers). Also has Daniel Dae Kim from “Lost” in it speaking w/ his regular voice for a change. Looks like it has a lot of great action and was a bit more gritty than I was expecting. Could be decent. It’s current, not a period remake… And we even got to hear O’Laughlin say “Book’em Dano!”

"$#! My Dad Says"* - Ugh. This looked really horrible. “Cavemen” horrible. Basically just William Shatner spouting off about everything. Shatner is terrible by the way and I agree with posters in the other thread that thought he was miscast. Alan Arkin would have been a much better choice, but he was probably smart enough to turn it down. Apparently, it’s going to be pronounced “[BLEEP] My Dad Says” but I found it interesting that nobody from NBC actually said the name (and beleive me, they’re not afraid to curse at these things… I’ve heard quite a few F-bombs dropped at these upfronts the last few days.) The only time we heard the name of the show spoken was at the end of the preview clip. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this get revamped a bit before the Fall w/ maybe a new name, and hopefully some better writing. Otherwise, I predict this will be the first cancellation of the Fall.

8

They still have a Microwave Programming division after being sold to Kabletown? That’s weird.

9

Ok, here are ABC’s new shows for Fall:

**“No Ordinary Family” **- Drama about a family that develops super powers after their plane crashes into some polluted waters in South America. Each has a different set of powers (Dad has super strength, Mom is super fast, Daughter can read minds, and Son becomes a math genius or something. Basically it’s a live action version of The Incredibles. The only reason this looks like it would be worth watchings is that Michael Chiklis plays the father and after just finishing up The Shield, I’m anxious to see him in something new.

**“Detroit 1-8-7” **- Cop drama starring Michael Imperioli as a Detroit homicide detective. Seems to be filmed partially in documentary format (think “Cops”). Didn’t look that great to me… Kind of looked like a fictionalized version of “The First 48.”

"The Whole Truth" - Legal drama w/ Rob Morrow as a defense attorney and Joely Richardson as a DA (though she has left the show so it needs to be recast.) The angle of the show is to follow case from start to finish and letting us see how both sides build their case for either the prosecution or the defense. At the end of each episode they show you what really happened. Besides that angle, it looks like any other courtroom drama.

**“Better Together” **- Sitcom about three couples in a family. One couple has been together nine years but are not married, a younger couple (w/ the sister of the nine-year couple) has been dating for 7 1/2 weeks and have just gotten engaged, and then the parents of the two women who have been married for 35 years. Writing seemed weak though I did get a few chuckles. Nothing new here though.

"My Generation" - Another fake documentary drama following a bunch of students from the same high school class and picking up w/ them ten years later. So we see who they were in 2000 and where they ended up (and who they’re with) now. Example: football star joins the military after 9/11 and is Afghanistan. This one really didn’t interest me much. Not sure why exactly, but it annoyed me. I think because the characters seem to be pretty cliche.

"Body of Proof" - This looks terrible. Dana Delaney is a top-of-her-field neurosurgeon who’s career comes between her and her daughter. She gets in a car accident which leads to her being unable to practice medicine (I was unclear why…I think she killed someone on the table or something) so she becomes a medical examiner. So it’s about her studying bodies and figuring out how they died (and becoming a better mother…awww…).

MIDSEASON SHOWS
“Happy Endings” - Comedy about a group of 6 friends who have to choose sides after one leaves another at the alter. Preview had some funny moments but nothing real memorable.

"Off the Map" - A new medical drama from Shonda Rimes (Grey’s Anatomy). Three (pretty) doctors leave the comforts of home to practice medicine in the jungles of South America. Fish out of water story that basically looks like it will be Grey’s in the Jungle.

"Mr. Sunshine" - Matthew Perry vehicle that he is producing and starring in (and maybe writing for as well?). He works at an arena (like the United Center, but smaller) and Allison Janney is the owner. Looks like it could be pretty funny.

10

They have a President of Microwave Programming? Is that necessary?

Usually all I have to do is punch in the cooking time, or hit either the “popcorn” or “defrost” button. Simple!

11

Maybe your post is a whoosh, but it’s a joke from “30 Rock.” Jack Donaghy is Alec Baldwin’s character on the show.

12

It’s a whoosh applied to a whoosh! It’s like a double negative!

To stay on topic - if “Blue Bloods” has potential, I wonder why they are exiling it to the Friday 10 PM slot. That doesn’t suggest network confidence in the show.

13

So far, yawn - more police, lawyer, doctor and forensic procedurals.

I am surprised no one is trying to copy Glee. It seems that, historically, many shows in the up-fronts are copies of “last season’s hot show”.

I am curious - at these events, do they talk much about the departing shows?

14

Not really. NBC mentioned in passing something about “With shows such as Lost, 24, and Heroes no longer on the air…” just while discussing how one of their news shows is trying to fill that void. It’s all about looking ahead.

15

I agree w/ that and thought the same thing, but when you see CBS’ schedule laid out on a grid - it’s full of so many really strong shows that there’s nowhere else to really put it. “CSI: NY” got moved to Fridays as well, and it’s still a decently performing show.

16

I don’t envy you your job, HelloNinja - “Let’s see, from these piles of crap, which is the least crappy?” Yawn is the right word - gee, everything looks familiar - re-treads of old shows and re-treads of new shows. There still is creativity in the world; maybe it’s just as well tv producers don’t attempt it, because then it turns into travesties like “Heroes” that had its potential stillborn.

17

One of the more interesting things from the Fox upfront is that American Idol results show will only be a half hour next season. Here are how their new shows look:

**“Lonestar” **- This is being billed as a modern day “Dallas” and is from the producers of “Party of Five.” Doesn’t sound very promising but the show looks like it could be pretty decent. It has Adrienne Palecki (Tyra on “Friday Night Lights”) and the lead guy, James Wolk, is pretty engaging. From what I could surmise from the preview, Wolk plays a con-man worming his way into an oil-family, but decides to try and go straight and make things right w/ the people he’s conned. The cast looks great and if the writing is strong, this could be a winner.

"Raising Hope" - Comedy from the “My Name is Earl” creator about a young loser-type guy who ends up w/ taking on the responsibility of raising his infant daughter that against the wishes of his parents played by Garret Dillahunt (“that guy” from “Deadwood” and a million other things) and Martha Plimpton. Cloris Leachman plays the baby’s great-grandmother and looks hilarious in the role. This seems to have the same quirkiness and charm of Earl and I’m really looking forward to it.

**“Running Wilde” **- Comedy w/ Will Arnett and Keri Russell from the creator of “Arrested Development.” Arnett plays a grown-up spoiled brat (think a younger version of Arthur) and Russell is the daughter of someone who used to work for Arnett’s family and now does charity work in the jungles of South America. Looks pretty funny.

"Ride-Along" (midseason) - Chicago police drama from Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”) and starring Jennifer Beals and Jason Clarke (“Brotherhood”). Looks really good and of all the new shows on all networks, is the one I’m most excited about.

"Bob’s Burgers" (midseason) - Animated sitcom about a family that owns a little restaurant. Looks funny but the animation art is really bizarre. Definitely looks different.

"Mixed Signals" (midseason) - Relationship comedy that I can’t remember a single thing about except that it stars the guy that played Roy on “The Office.” Don’t expect this one to do well.

18

…does each network have a show somehow involving South America… the super hero family, the doctors, “Running Wilde”… are there more? Is South America “HOT” right now?

19

Yeah, I noticed the same thing. I even saw a television writer say something about how much better Off the Map would be if they fell into the same radioactive water as the family in No Ordinary Family.

I believe there were only the three shows that dealt w/ South America… “UnderCovers” on NBC though is an international spy show so I would imagine they’ll get down that way as well.

20

Thanks for doing this! It sounds like you took a bullet with some of these shows, but a few look good.

I’ll watch this one. Dillahunt? And Leachman? You bet. Did the preview explain what happened to the baby’s mother?