ABC 2010 upfronts: Drama pilots


by Paul William Tenny

ABC network logoThis is the drama pilots post of a series on ABC's 2010 upfront presentation. These pilots were all ordred by ABC for consideration for the 2010 fall season (and summer replacement of canceled shows), and anything they announce at the upfronts next week will come from this pile.

  • 187 Detroit

    From: Jason Richman as creator, David Hoberman, David Zabel, Todd Lieberman producing, and Jeff Nachmanoff directing the pilot. Richman wrote Bad Company, The Trench, Swing Vote, and Bangkok Dangerous. Movies, in other words. Hoberman has produced for TV and film, most significantly (in this context) many seasons of Monk. Zabel freelanced for JAG and Star Trek: Voyager before landing on Dark Angel, and then E.R., where he also produced. Lieberman is a film producer, recently Surrogates and has worked with Zabel. Nachmanoff co-wrote The Day After Tomorrow with Roland Emmerich.

    Synopsis: A top homicide division as seen through the lens of a fictional documentary crew.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

  • Body of Proof

    From: Chris Murphey as creator, Matthew Gross and Sunil Nayar producing, with Nelson McCormick directing the pilot. Murphey wrote a single TV movie and that's it. Gross (Day Break, Dirty Sexy Money) came up with the idea for the series. Nayar wrote for Oz, CSI: Miami, and Three Rivers. McCormick has directed for NYPD Blue, Alias, House, Cold Case, The West Wing, E.R., Nip/Tuck, Prison Break, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, Southland, and 24.

    Synopsis: A former neurosurgeon-turned-medical examiner who brings a unique and crime-solving perspective to the ME's office that often puts her at odds with her superiors.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot. Notable cast member is Dana Delany.

  • Boston's Finest

    From: Richard Hatem as creator, Bert Salke and Chris Brancato producing, with Gary Fleder directing the pilot and producing. Hatem has produced/written for Tru Calling, Super Natural, and The Dead Zone. Also produced The Mothman Prophecies in 2002. Salke has produced Boomtown and Tru Calling. Brancato wrote a few scripts for 90210, The X-Files, and The Outer Limits, before producing Boomtown and Tru Calling. Fleder has directed Tales from the Crypt, Homicide: Life on the Street, Blind Justice, and other shows.

    Synopsis: A beautiful female detective who teams with a disgraced ex-cop to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground.

    Notes:

  • Cutthroat

    From: Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters as creators, with Bronwen Hughes directing the pilot. Fazekas and Butters produced and wrote for Law & Order: SVU and Dollhouse and created Reaper. (I'm officially jealous.) Hughes directed episodes of Kids in the Hall, The L Word, Breaking Bad, Burn Notice, and other things.

    Synopsis: An ambitious single mother who finds running her own international drug cartel is perfect training for navigating the cutthroat world of Beverly Hills high society.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

  • Edgar Floats

    From: Rand Ravich as creator, Far Shariat producing, with Jace Alexander directing the pilot. Ravich created Life for NBC, which Shariat exec-produced. Alexander has directed episodes for Xena, Homicide: Life on the Street, All McBeal, Third Watch, Law & Order, House, Prison Break, Burn Notice, Rescue Me, Lipstick Jungle, and Warehouse 13.

    Synopsis: A police psychologist becomes a bounty hunter.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot. Notable cast member is Robert Patrick.

  • Generation Y

    From: Noah Hawley as creator, Henrik Bastin, Martin Piersson, Peter Magnasson, and Warren Littlefield producing, with Craig Gillespie directing the pilot. Hawley wrote and produced for Bones and created The Unusuals. Gillespie as directed and produced for United States of Tara.

    Synopsis: A group of people in the present with flashbacks to 10 years ago when they were in their senior year of high school.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

  • Matadors

    From: Jack Orman as creator, with Yves Simoneau directing the pilot and producing. Orman has written and produced for JAG, E.R., Dr. Vegas, and Men of a Certain Age. Simoneau has written and produced, but mostly directs. Lately, it's the V remake (producing and directing.)

    Synopsis: Two feuding Chicago families, one in the District Attorney's office and the other in the city's most influential private law firm.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

  • No Ordinary Family

    From: Greg Berlanti and Jon Harmon Feldman as creators, Morgan Wandell and Michael Chiklis producing, with David Semel directing the pilot and producing. Berlanti wrote and produced for Dawson's Creek, Everwood, Brothers & Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money, and created Eli Stone. No data on Jon Feldman. Semel has directed for Open House, 90210, 7th Heaven, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Roswell, Angel, Boston Public, All McBeal, House, Heroes, Studio 60, Life, The Cleaner, and another 2010 pilot, Rex is Not Your Lawyer.

    Synopsis: An average American family that develops special abilities.

    Notes: 13 episodes ordered. Chiklis would co-star.

  • Off the Map

    From: Jenna Bans as creator, Betsy Beers and Shonda Rhimes producing, with Daniel Minahan directing the pilot. Bans wrote for Desperate Housewives, and wrote/produced for Grey's Anatomy and Prviate Practice. Beers produces mainly, for Anatomy and Practice. Rhimes created Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice.

    Synopsis: Three doctors, each anxious for a fresh start, [who] leave the comfort of the States to work at an isolated tropical clinic, where they face both exotic and unusual medical challenges as well as personal ones.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

  • True Blue

    From: Chris Brancato and Jon Harmon Feldman as creators, Bert Salke producing, with Peter Horton directing the pilot and producing. Brancato has written for 90210, The X-Files, and The Outer Limits, and then producing Boomtown and Tru Calling and Dirty Sexy Money. Feldman wrote and produced for Dawson's Creek, Roswell, Tru Calling, created Reunion and Bigshots. Horton has acted, directed, and produced with lots of credits like Grey's Anatomy and Thirtysomething.

    Synopsis: A group of San Francisco homicide detectives who reunite to solve the murder of one of their own.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

  • The Whole Truth

    From: Tom Donaghy as creator, Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, and KristieAnne Reed producing, with Alex Graves directing the pilot and producing. Donaghy has written a few scripts for Without a Trace. Littman has produced for E-Ring, Just Legal, Justice, Eleventh Hour, Without a Trace, Dark Blue, CSI, CSI: Miami, Cold Case, The Amazing Race, and Miami Medical. Reed has produced for Justice, Eleventh Hour, Dark Blue, The Forgotten, and Miami Medical. Graves has produced The West Wing, The Nine, Journeyman and the Fringe pilot, as well as directing.

    Synopsis: Chronicles the building of a case from the perspective of both the defense and prosecution.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

Also: ABC drama pilots, mid-season replacements, and the introduction post.

in Feature, Television

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1 Comment

Wow, these pilots look great. I think the Psycology behind some of the writing in these shows, is pretty cool! So many twists and turns in the storyline.

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