Friday, March 24, 2006

SitcomsOnline.com's 4th Annual ABC Pilots Info: 2006-07 Edition

Yes, it is that time of the year again! Pilot development time. All the pilots are set and are about to start taping/filming. Some have already started, but most usually do it in early April. If you are new to SitcomsOnline.com, then you probably don't know that we cover ABC's pilots in vast detail. This will be our fourth consecutive year covering ABC's sitcom pilots (by popular demand we added dramas too and this will be our third year covering the dramas). It is hard to tell just from the description and show stars if the show is good or not. We really have to see the pilots to make that decision. But just by reading the plot and stars, try to figure out what you want to see added in the fall or what you hope to see. ABC has 18 sitcom pilots in development. I think roughly 2-4 will be added for fall 2006, with maybe a few for mid-season 2007. ABC also has 16 wonderful drama pilots for next season, and again I expect 2-4 to be added in the fall.
Here is our sitcoms section for ABC's 2006-07 pilots. We will be keeping it up to date, with casting updates and even cast photos. The cast photos are great because most of these pilots will not make it, so it will be nice to have a photo of a cast of a show that never aired. ABC seems to have a lot of sitcoms with women leads. Some of the big name stars for the sitcom pilots include: Sofia Vergara, Danny Comden, Marla Sokoloff, Wendie Mallick, Kurt Fuller, Bumper Robinson, Patricia Heaton, Justine Bateman, Mo Collins, Ted Danson, Kim Cattrall, Bonnie Hunt, Dennis Miller, Joe Mantegna, Lauren Tom, David Arquette, Greg Germann, Kelly Hu, Lori Loughlin, Jonathan Silverman, Kevin Weisman, Alicia Silverstone, Kiele Sanchez, Heather Locklear, and Peri Giplin.
I hope you have read the sitcom pilot section by now, if you have - read my thoughts:
3/23/06 It seems to me that ABC has gone with a lot of "women" stars (Heather Locklear, Patricia Heaton, Bonnie Hunt, Alicia Silverstone, Kim Cattrall etc.). It makes me wonder if they will try and start a women-themed night capped off by Grey's Anatomy. I can actually see them do Hope & Faith, and then three new comedies, followed by Grey's Anatomy on Tuesdays, but I don't think it'll happen.
It is too early to tell which will make it, because they have not been even taped/filmed yet. I am still uncertain on which are traditional and which are one-camera--that makes a big difference for sitcoms I think. I know for a fact that Bonnie Hunt's sitcom will be one-camera, so it makes me wonder if that will make it because one-camera sitcoms seem to never really do well ratings wise--but that cast is probably the most all-star cast of the bunch. I think Locklear and Heaton's sitcoms will make it because they are traditional style (four-camera). Cattrall's sitcom is from Sir Elton John, so that might be a plus for it to make it. Others that look good so far: Ted Danson's sitcom, Danny Comden's sitcom, and In Case of Emergency...
But I'm not yet going to make predictions on which I would schedule. But for the dramas, I will! Read about that next...

Moving on to the dramas, ABC again looks to have a good bunch of dramas in development. ABC has been the best network in brining quality dramas the last few seasons and I think we could see another hit or two among this new batch.
Here is our dramas section for ABC's 2006-07 pilots. Just like the sitcom section we will be keeping it up to date, with casting updates and even cast photos. The drama pilots have big names also: Calista Flockhart, Ron Rifkin, Taye Diggs, Chazz Palminteri, Jason O'Mara, Dylan McDermott, Anne Heche, John Amos, Tom Berenger, Angie Harmon, John Terry, Denise Richards, Kelli Williams, Regina King, David James Elliot, Tim Daly, Chi McBride, Scott Wolf, Aaron Stanford, Steven Culp, Jessie Bradford, and Vanessa Williams to name a few.
I hope you have read the drama pilot section by now, if you have - read my thoughts:
ABC will have to find new dramas to air after Desperate Housewives and Lost. Grey's Anatomy is probably on the move to another night, so DH needs a new show to air after it. The perfect show is Secrets of a Small Town. That looks so DH compatable--Angie Harmon and Denise Richards, wow! After Lost, I think the best bet is Six Degrees--and it is from J.J. Abrams, too--perfect match for Lost. Traveler also looks good after Lost, but maybe for mid-season? Now, I'd have Grey's Anatomy at 10pm on Monday or Tues, but if it airs 9pm Mon, it also will need a good show after it. I'd so with Sisters in Law or Brothers & Sisters. Another drama I think ABC will add, possibly Thursdays at 10, is David James Elliott's Sixty Minute Man. Or maybe Steve Bochco's Hollis & Rae. I hope ABC gets Twenty Questions, maybe that could be mid-season?

We will try to do sections on CBS, NBC, Fox and The CW, too, so check back with us. Stay tuned tomorrow for a preview of an internet sitcom that you could watch for free and download.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, May 30

Happy's Place - "Don't Sweat It" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie asks Isabella to move in with her, but when Isabella sees that Bobbie likes to address conflict head on, Isabella decides it might not be the best idea.

Happy's Place - "Fish Fry Monday" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Emmett sees Bobbie drowning in work, he devises a clever ruse to give her a much-needed day off fishing, all under the guise of reviving the tavern's Fish Fry Mondays; Isabella dives into the world of bartending with Gabby.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)

Friday, May 30

  • Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal/The Curse) - Watch Nathan on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph swings by for a chat about Karate Kid: Legends on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She also talks about Broadway's Real Women Have Curves: The Musical on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Yara Shahidi (grown-ish/black-ish) - Yara is telling Drew about the new venture she's taking on, where she's currently at with dating and more on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Don Darryl Rivera (Only Murders in the Building) - Don talks about Broadway's Aladdin on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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