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The 2013 Pilots You Won’t See on TV This Season

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Lacey Chabert

Craig Horner

Pilot season is, once again, upon us and what better way to celebrate this annual “event” than by spotlighting the pilots you won’t see on network or cable TV but that maybe you should.

As we here at NiceGirlsTV have been doing for the last few years now, here are some pilots we think would be great fun to see on TV this coming season. Please keep in mind none of these pilots are actually real or under consideration by any of the network, but maybe someday they will be:

Jason Beghe

Amanda Crew

1. Witchblade – In this remake of the early 2000’s cable series that is also based on the Top Cow comic book, New York cop Sara Pezzini (Lacey Chabert from Mean Girls and the recent holiday film Matchmaker Santa) comes across the Witchblade, a mystical artifact that gives her enhanced abilities via its armored glove and even the ability to gain full armor and a sword when needed. She confides in her partner Detective Jake McCartey (Craig Horner from Legend of the Seeker) because of mystery man Kenneth Irons (Jason Beghe from Californication) who will stop at nothing to get the Witchblade for his own nefarious uses.

Keri Lynn Pratt

David Raymond-Peck

TAGLINE: “Beware the power of the blade.”

2. Isis – Based on the classic 1970’s series and the legendary deity, archaeologist Anita Theron (Amanda Crew from the box office film Charlie St. Cloud) unearths an ancient Egyptian amulet that allows her to turn into the super heroine goddess Isis to fight evil. Her assistant Cynthia Cleary (Keri Lynn Pratt from Smallville and Veronica Mars) is in on Joanna’s secret and helps to keep their boss – the Director of Archaeology at the University of Boston Ray Monroe (David Raymond-Peck from V) – in the dark as much as possible.

Tyler Hynes

Ken Marino

TAGLINE: “Oh mighty Isis, indeed!

3. The Greatest American Hero – Popular middle school English teacher Ray Harper (Tyler Hynes from Warehouse 13) gets stuck out in the country when his car breaks down; and while waiting for a tow truck, he witnesses a plane crash that turns out to be a UFI. Before the injured alien on the craft dies, he offers Ray a special suit that gives him super abilities that are hard to control. Ray’s encounter with the alien is overseen by disgraced FBI agent Bob Morgan (Ken Marino from Party Down and Veronica Mars), whose own belief in the unknown has gotten him booted out of the agency. After a “chance” meeting at the local diner near the middle school, Harper and Morgan team up to prove the latters’ theories and to help save those the former believe need assistance. Meanwhile, Ray’s girlfriend Peggy Donaldson (Gretchen Egolf from Roswell and the short-lived Journeyman), a History teacher at the same school and his best friend Jack Copper (Kieren Hutchison from Monarch Cove), a prominent attorney, both try to figure out just what brought Ray and Agent Morgan together.

Gretchen Egolf

Kieren Hutchinson

TAGLINE: “Superman made it look so easy.

4. Angie – Angie Falco (Jordan Hinson from Eureka) is a Bronx-born waitress who has a chance encounter at her family’s diner with Ben Bradley (Luke Grimes from Brothers & Sisters), the son of billionaire businessman Owen Bradley (Patrick Fabian from Veronica Mars and Joan of Arcadia); and after a whirlwind weekend she is the newly minted Mrs. Ben Bradley. With her new-found role, she is not only a fish-out-of-water within his Manhattan family but also completely out of her element. But with the help of her older sister Margie (Clare Kramer from Buffy, the Vampire Slayer), who is more like a mother to Angie after the loss of their mother when Angie was 2 years old, Angie just might make it in her life.

Jordan Hinson

Luke Grimes

TAGLINE: “From the Bronx to Manhattan, that trip isn’t going to be simple.

Just like all of the other pilot lists we have provided over the last few years, none of the above are actual television pilots under consideration by any of the major or cable networks. And while they are based on actual shows from the 1970’s, 1980’s or early 2000’s, they are completely fictitious ideas created by yours truly. But wouldn’t it be great fun to see these classic shows brought back? If only Hollywood were listening, right?

Patrick Fabian

Clare Kramer

What are your thoughts about these pilots? Do you like the idea of remakes of past classic TV shows or do you prefer something else? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. And, be on the look out soon for details on actual upcoming pilots that will be under consideration by the major networks for the next TV season.

Using her favorite online handle, Rueben is an East Coast-bred gal who is now a permanent Californian and a lifelong tv-oholic. She watches at least 25 TV shows a week, goes to the movies as often as possible, listens to music every waking moment, reads every day and “plays” on the internet every chance she can. Some of her current favorite TV shows are Outlander, Sweet Magnolias, Wednesday, The Mandalorian, The Equalizer, Fire Country, Miss Scarlet and the Duke, The Rookie, Cobra Kai, Virgin River, The Witcher, Leverage: Redemption and School Spirits.  She is looking forward to the season premieres of Hudson & Rex on UPtv and Skymed on Paramount+ as well as the return of fall TV albeit starting in February. Follow her at @ruebenrambling or contact her at rueben@nicegirlstv.com.