SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Upfront Notes; 'Knight Rider' Movie; and More!

As we have relayed our upfront picks this past week, networks have began picking up new pilots left and right and relaying other news, such as what series will be back and which won't be.

ABC has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: Six Degrees, Day Break, The Nine, Ugly Betty, Traveler, Brothers & Sisters and Men In Trees.
Sitcoms: In Case of Emergency, Help Me Help You, Notes from the Underbelly, A Day in the Life and Let's Rob Mick Jagger.
(So, that is 7 new dramas and 5 new sitcoms. I don't think ABC will pick-up any more new shows. The sitcoms are all single camera comedies, which is strange for ABC. Multicamera sitcoms Women of a Certain Age and Patricia Heaton Show have been passed on, along with the drama Secrets in a Small Town.)
'On the Bubble' Shows Returning: According to Jim, George Lopez, What About Brian
'On the Bubble' Shows NOT Returning: Freddie, Sons & Daughters
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Invasion, Hope & Faith, Wife Swap, Supernanny
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: Rodney, Less than Perfect, Crumbs, Jake in Progress, Emily's Reasons Why Not, The Evidence, Night Stalker, Miracle Workers, In Justice, and Hot Properties.

Fox has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: American Crime, Primary, The Wedding Album and Vanished.
Sitcoms: 'Til Death, Happy Hour, The Winner (mid-season)
(Total of 7 pilots picked-up up, thus far.)
'On the Bubble' Shows Returning: The Loop, War at Home, The O.C.
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Bernie Mac, Trading Spouses, Nanny 911, Unan1mous
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: Free Ride, Arrested Development, Kitchen Confidential, Stacked, Head Cases, Reunion, and Killer Instinct.

NBC has picked-up the following pilots already:
Dramas: The Black Donnellys, Kidnapped, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, and Raines.
Sitcoms: 20 Good Years, The Singles Table, Tina Fey Show
(So far, 9 pilots have been picked-up. Tina Fey is still pending because of Alec Baldwin, and two other sitcoms might get picked-up: Community Service and Andy Barker, P.I. The latter was passed on to Fox, but is said to be back in the running for NBC, but for a six episode mid-season order.)
'On the Bubble' Shows NOT Returning: Teachers
'On the Bubble' Shows Unknown Still: Scrubs, Surface
Everything else should return and is not on the bubble.
The no chance stuff includes: E-Ring, Apprentice: Martha Stewart, Conviction, Four Kings, Joey, Heist, Three Wishes, Inconceivable, Book of Daniel.

The CW and CBS have been quiet and have not officially picked up any additional pilots. CBS has picked up sitcom The Class, but that was known. CBS has passed on its drama pilot The Ultra to The CW for consideration. CW has picked up 7th Heaven for its 11th season, which was surprising. Invasion could head from ABC to the CW, but probably won't.

The 1980s TV action drama Knight Rider has become the latest TV show to find a new life as a feature film.
The Weinstein Company has acquired the rights to develop and produce a movie from Glen A. Larson, the original creator of the show. As part of the deal, Larson will write the script and co-executive produce the movie.
The project has bounced around several studios over the past decade, and most recently was in development at Sony-based Revolution Studios. Weinstein Company has already announced they are preparing feature films based on the TV shows Welcome Back, Kotter and The Equalizer. Other Larson TV series slated for the big-screen include The Fall Guy and Magnum P.I. Actor David Hasselhoff has apparently been dismissed from the upcoming film version of the show, even after he pleaded with the show's creator for a part in the adaptation, according to a published report.

Lovespring International, the new half-hour improvisational comedy series from Eric McCormack and Michael Forman's Big Cattle Productions and distributed by Lionsgate, has been picked up for an additional seven episodes, it was announced today by Susanne Daniels, President, Entertainment, Lifetime Entertainment Services. Initially given a six episode order, the series centers on a dating service marketed to customers as an "elite Beverly Hills" company, despite its location in Tarzana, California. Comprised of dysfunctional misfits or "relationship counselors," they desperately try to find love for their clients although they have no idea how to do it for themselves. Lovespring International premieres Monday, June 5 at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on Lifetime Television.