Let’s Take a Look at the Network Pilots: The Dramas at ABC

Next month the major networks will make their presentations to the New York advertisers, showcasing the returning and new shows that will appear on the primetime schedule starting this fall. There is always a lot of debate about which new pilots will be picked up and which ones will fall by the wayside. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will examine each major network’s offerings, giving my thoughts on each new drama pilot. Only time will tell, however, if any of these shows will make it let alone if I am right in any of my choices; but it sure is fun trying to predict.

Let’s get started with the drama offerings over at ABC:

666 Park Avenue

666 Park Avenue – Based on the book by Gabriella Pierce about a young couple who manages one of the most historic apartment buildings in New York City and unwittingly experience supernatural occurrences that complicate and endanger the lives of everyone in the building.

The cast includes Terry O’Quinn (Lost), Dave Annable (Brothers & Sisters), Rachael Taylor (Charlie’s Angels), Robert Buckley (One Tree Hill), Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives), Erik Palladino (Make It or Break It) and Mercedes Masohn (The Finder).

My Thoughts: This pilot has some great cast members and the premise sounds interesting, but given that genre shows have not fared well on ABC – except for Lost (and some might argue Once Upon a Time) – I will remain uncertain on this pilot’s chances.

Americana

Americana – Legendary designer Robert Soulter has transformed his fashion label into a remarkable family dynasty. After 30 years of being the king of his industry, though, someone wants him replaced. That someone could be his current wife Sierra, his ex-wife Wendy or one of his children, Jesse or Francesca.

The cast includes Anthony Lapaglia (Without a Trace), Ashley Greene (Twilight saga), Ken Olin (thirtysomething), Emilie De Ravin (Lost), Christine Adams (Terra Nova), Tiffany Hines (Nikita) and Natalie Mendoza (Hotel Babylon).

My Thoughts: The networks are jumping on the bandwagon of the primetime soap opera especially given the buzz-worthy Revenge debuted last fall; but I just don’t know if this will be the next soap to make viewers tune in or for them to become invested.

Beauty & the Beast

Beauty & the Beast – This version will be a fantasy re-imagining of the classic tale, where an embattled princess discovers an unlikely connection with a mysterious beast.

The cast includes U.K. actress Ruth Bradley (Titanic mini-series), newcomer Darius Campbell, Chris Egan (Kings), F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus) and Alan Dale (Lost).

My Thoughts: ABC is obviously hoping that with the better-than-expected success of Once Upon a Time that magic will, literally, strike twice; and I, for one, would love to see some version of this classic fairy tale to make through to the fall schedule; but I’m concerned that it will be one too many fairy tale themed show for one network to handle.

Dark Horse

Dark Horse – An astrophysics grad student in New York City learns that he is the chosen one to destroy the forces of evil.

The cast includes Max Thieriot (The Pacifier), Linus Roache (Law & Order), Yaya Dacosta (Ugly Betty) and Martin Landau.

My Thoughts: This pilot has one big thing going for it: Martin Landau. But, this isn’t CBS, which is the network where its median aged viewers would actually know who this legendary actor is. And, I’m not sure if ABC can handle a show this over-the-top. Destroy the forces of evil? On ABC, seriously?

Devious Maids

Devious Maids – Based on the Mexican format, this soap opera follows four maids with ambition and dreams of their own while they work for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills.

The cast includes Dania Ramirez (Heroes), Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty), Roselyn Sanchez (Without a Trace), Judy Reyes (Scrubs), Drew Van Acker (Pretty Little Liars), Mariana Klaveno (True Blood), Brett Cullen (Lost), Grant Show (the original Melrose Place), Susan Lucci (All My Children) and Tom Irwin (Saving Grace).

My Thoughts: This could be the next replacement for Desperate Housewives given the fact that GCB, which was supposed to be the next DH isn’t really delivering. It’s possible this show could be the combo of Ugly Betty and DH that the network is missing, but I’m not completely sold.

Gilded Lilys

Gilded Lilys – An epic love story, a vicious rivalry and a scandalous secret unfold against the backdrop of the opening of New York’s first luxury hotel.

The cast includes Blythe Danner, Matt Lauria (Friday Night Lights), Madeline Zima (Californication), Matt Long (Jack & Bobby), Brigid Brannagh (Army Wives), Brian O’Byrne (FlashForward), Sarah Bolger (The Tudors), John Barrowman (Torchwood) and Maury Sterling (Homeland).

My Thoughts: ABC is trying to capture the fans of Downton Abbey; but will this show live up to what DA has become for PBS and the BBC? I’m not sure; but it certainly has a great cast; and if nothing else, I’ll tune in to see John Barrowman, as I’m sure a lot of other viewers will also do.

Gotham

Gotham – After pursuing a seemingly unsolvable case, a female cop discovers a magical world that exists within New York City: a world that goes unseen by normal humans and takes all of the familiar NY landmarks and reinvents them in a magical otherworldly manner.

The cast includes newcomer Megan Ketch, Lennie James (Jericho), Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity) and Barry Sloane (the UK series Hollyoaks).

My Thoughts: This might not be a superhero comic book come to live nor will the lead character, I’m sure, be wearing a cape and mask; but we all know how poorly The Cape fared over on NBC and I have to wonder if this will be too much for the viewers of ABC to buy into.

Last Resort

Last Resort – The series will follow the renegade crew of a nuclear submarine who go on the run after defying an order given under strange and suspicious circumstances to deploy their weapons. They seek refuge at a NATO listening post and declare themselves the world’s smallest sovereign nation with nuclear capability. They then face the challenges of creating a new society while monitoring the movements of the world’s militaries.

The large cast includes Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age), Daisy Betts (Persons Unknown), Autumn Reeser (The O.C.), Scott Speedman (Felicity), Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse), Jessy Schram (Falling Skies), Max Adler (Glee), Bruce Davison (The X-Men franchise) and Robert Patrick (The Unit).

My Thoughts: A show about the military on a quasi-deserted island (albeit a “listening post”)? Let the comparisons to Lost begin with a touch of JAG, The Unit and NCIS thrown in to boot. The success or failure of the box office film Battleship could also help or hinder this pilot’s potential. I cannot say enough about the impressive cast that has been lined up for this possibly series, but again, will it work? I’m not sure at this point.

Nashville

Nashville – A family soap set against the backdrop of the Nashville music scene that follows one star at her peak and one on the rise.

The cast includes Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Robert Wisdom (Prison Break), Eric Close (Without a Trace), Jonathan Jackson (General Hospital) and Powers Boothe.

My Thoughts: Country Strong the TV version. That is exactly what this pilot is already being compared to; and while the movie performed well enough at the box office, will it work as a weekly series on ABC? Maybe it would work better on CMT with a more country-fied cast. I do love Connie Britton (in anything OTHER than American Horror Story) and will root for this underdog.

Penoza

Penoza – Based on the Dutch format, the series centers on the widow of an assassinated criminal who is forced to adopt her husband’s role in a crime syndicate in order to protect her family.

The cast includes Radha Mitchell (Pitch Black), Lee Tergesen (Army Wives), Rade Sherbedzija (24), Jaime Ray Newman (Eureka), Suleka Mathew (HawthoRNe) and Luke Goss (Hellboy 2).

My Thoughts: The female version of The Sopranos without, perhaps, all the killings? That’s possible, but when you have any show focused on the crime syndicate – aka the mob – you can’t not have killings; but will all that is entailed in the mobster-kind of life really work on ABC? I don’t think so.

Scruples

Scruples – Based on the 1978 best-selling novel by Judith Kranz, the series centers on a rich and powerful clothes designer in a world of sex, revenge and scandal.

The cast includes Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black), Boris Kodjoe (Undercovers), Karin Vanasse (Pan Am), Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill), Gary Cole (Chuck), Gilles Marini (Switched at Birth) and Mimi Rogers.

My Thoughts: Will anyone but true Judith Kranz readers and fans of the original TV movie adaptation of this novel even know anything about Scruples? As long as TPTB can make it relevant, provide great stories and keep building what is already a pretty great cast, then this could be the next Revenge in the making. My fingers are crossed.

Zero Hour

Zero Hour – A bizarre twist of fate pulls a man who’s spent 20 years as the editor of a skeptic magazine into one of the most compelling conspiracies in human history.

The cast includes Anthony Edwards (ER), Jacinda Barrett (Poseidon) and Scott Michael Foster (Greek).

My Thoughts: Is this ABC’s answer to FOX’s Touch? Granted the premise isn’t the same, but the density of the story that will have to be applied in order to meet up to the tagline “the most compelling conspiracies in human history” will have to be great. I hope there was years of research put into this pilot or it will wither on the vine before it gets a chance to ripen.

Needless to say, there are a lot of drama pilots up for grabs at ABC; and if I had to choose the top three they would be: Beauty & the Beast, Scruples and Last Resort. Which of the above dramas would you like to see added to the ABC line-up this fall?