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, April 18

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 14)

Friday, April 18

  • David Alan Grier (St. Denis Medical/Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!/The Cool Kids/The Carmichael Show/Bad Teacher/Life with Bonnie/DAG) - Watch David on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Bernadette Peters (High Desert/Mozart in the Jungle/All's Fair) - Bernadette is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Chet Hanks (Running Point) - Chet appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Woody Harrelson (Cheers) - Woody takes "The Colbert Questionert" on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Bobby Moynihan (Mr. Mayor/Me, Myself & I), Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!) and Mary Eliabeth Ellis (Santa Clarita Diet/The Grinder/Perfect Couples/It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) - Bobby, Thomas and Mary are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Luke Kirby (Étoile) - Luke talks about Étoile on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is joining Drew and Ross Mathews to hit the headlines on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Annaleigh Ashford (B Positive) - Annaleigh is telling Drew about the thrilling new series Happy Face based on a real life serial killer on The Drew Barrymroe Show, so check your local listings.
  • Michael B. Jordan (The Assistants) and Delroy Lindo (UNPrisoned) - Michael, Delroy and others tell Sherri about their highly anticipated new film Sinners on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Joel talks about Bravo's Love Hotel on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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