Let’s Take a Look at the Network Pilots – Dramas at The CW

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 The CW:

Stephen Amell in Arrow (Photo by The Futon Critic)

Arrow – Based on the DC Comics comic book, this pilot will be a modern retelling of the legendary Green Arrow character.

The cast includes Stephen Amell (Heartland), Katie Cassidy (Gossip Girl), Willa Holland (The O.C.), Susanna Thompson (Once and Again), Paul Blackthorne (The River), Jamey Sheridan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Colin Salmon (Strike Back) and David Ramsey (Blue Bloods)

My Thoughts: From what I understand, tis version will be darker and very unlike the character of Green Arrow that was depicted in the long-running series Smallville. The pilot has a very interesting cast and has been receiving a lot of buzz so I hope it meets up its expectations, taking over for the gap that was left behind by Smallville.

Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan in Beauty & the Beast

Beauty & the Beast – The pilot is loosely based on the 1980’s CBS series told as a modern-day romantic love story with a procedural twist.

The cast includes Kristin Kreuk (Smallville), Jay Ryan (Terra Nova), Austin Basis (Life Unexpected) and Nicole Gale Anderson (Make It or Break It) and Brian White (Moonlight and Men of a Certain Age).

My Thoughts: Yes, there are two Beauty & the Beast TV pilots with both having very diverse plots – thankfully. And, given the fact that The CW caters to the young female audience this show could be just what the network is looking for; and if this show can maintain the romance from the original TV series as well as making it a compelling modern-day story, then they have a winner.

Jessica Lucas in Cult

Cult – After a rash of disappearance and a likely murder, an inquisitive, young female production assistant on a wildly popular television show called “Cult” joins a journalist blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program in real life.

The cast includes Jessica Lucas (Melrose Place), Matt Davis (The Vampire Diaries), Alona Tal (Supernatural), Robert Knepper (Prison Break) and Andrew Leeds (Nip/Tuck).

My Thoughts: Depending on how dark this show is made it could work ala Supernatural or even the less than stellar The Secret Circle; but if it pushes the limits too far it could ostracize many viewers. This potential show could be a big success or a triumphant failure so it better have a winning formula; i.e., really good writing.

Mamie Gummer in First Cut

First Cut – Glad to leave her nerdy past behind for a fresh start in the adult professional world, a newly minted doctor discovers that, sadly and comically, life at the hospital where she works is no different than high school.

The cast includes Mamie Gummer (Off the Map), Justin Hartley (Smallville), Michael Rady (Melrose Place), Necar Zadegan (The Event) and Jack Coleman (Heroes).

My Thoughts: This puts me in mind of a more awkward Hart of Dixie-like series and it could be a nice addition in order to lighten up the dark, heavy mood that seems to be the majority at the network. But, it might almost be just a little too light of fare to really work well enough to succeed.

Craig Horner in Joey Dakota

Joey Dakota – This pilot is a romantic-time-travel-musical about a documentary filmmaker who travels back in time to the 1990’s where she meets and falls in love with the rock star subject of her film. When she unexpectedly returns to her present day, she must find her way back to the past to reunite with her love and prevent his untimely death.

The cast includes Craig Horner (Legend of the Seeker), Amber Stevens (Greek), Scott Wolf (Party of Five), Leah Renee (The Playboy Club), Brooklyn Sudano (My Wife and Kids) and Erich Bergen (Gossip Girl).

My Thoughts: There is a lot of support for this pilot among the rapid fan-base for the Legend of the Seeker simply because those fans want to see Aussie hottie Craig Horner back on their screens. And, given the fact that this show could meld the pull of reality singing competitions with the appeal of a time-travel romance, it could just possibly work.

Malese Jow and Zachary Abel in Shelter

Shelter – The pilot is a drama set at a historic New England summer resort where the new and returning staff attend to the practical, emotional and often comical needs of the guests while navigating friendships, rivalries and romances of their own.

The cast includes Malese Jow (The Vampire Diaries), Zachary Abel (Make It or Break It), Trent Ford (How to Deal) and Eka Darville (Spartacus: Vengeance).

My Thoughts: To be honest, I really like actress Malese Jow, but this just feels like a reinvigorated version of the failed FOX drama North Shore or maybe a tamer version of the new Starz series Magic City; but I just don’t see how it will fit in with all the other programming on the network.

AnnaSophia Robb in The Carrie Diaries

The Carrie Diaries – Based on the novel by Candace Bushnell, young Carrie Bradshaw comes of age in the 1980s, asking her first questions about love, sex, friendship and family while exploring the worlds of high school and Manhattan.

The cast includes AnnaSophia Robb (Soul Surfer), Katie Findlay (The Killing), Austin Butler (Switched at Birth), Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Stefania Owen (Running Wilde) and Ellen Wong (Combat Hospital).

My Thoughts: This pilot could work with the Gossip Girl-90210-Melrose Place set who want their own version of a younger Sex in the City; but do the viewers really want to revisit the 80’s? I know I don’t because it was bad enough living through it the first time, but having to watch it week in and week out? I’ll pass.

Aimee Teegarden in The Selection

The Selection – Based on the upcoming series of books by Kiera Cass, this is an epic romance set 300 years in the future which centers on a poor young woman who is chosen by lottery to participate in a competition to become the next queen of a war-torn nation at a crossroads.

The cast includes Aimee Teegarden (Friday Night Lights), Ethan Peck (10 Things I Hate About You), Martin Donovan (Unnatural History), Sean Patrick Thomas (Ringer), William Moseley (Chronicles of Narnia franchise), Peta Sergeant (All Saints) and Leonor Varela (Human Target).

My Thoughts: Given the overwhelming popularity of The Hunger Games, this pilot will fit in perfectly with what the normal audience of The CW is hungering for (yes, pun intended); and it has a great cast too so the pilot already has two points in its favor. As long as the powers that be behind the show can keep the action captivating and provide great stories, this could be the next The Vampire Diaries.

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