FOX 2010 upfronts: Drama pilots


by Paul William Tenny

FOX logoThis is the "Drama pilots" post of a series on FOX's 2010 upfront presentation. These pilots were all ordred by FOX for consideration for the 2010 fall season, and anything they announce at the upfronts next week will come from this pile.

  • Breakout Kings

    From: Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora as creators, Katherine Pope and Peter Chernin producing, with Gavin Hood directing the pilot. Olmstead wrote and produced for Prison Break, Lie to Me, and NYPD Blue. Santora wrote and produced for Prison Break, Lie to Me, and Law & Order. Gavin Hood recently directed Rendition and X-Men: Wolverine. Pope is President of NBC-U; Chernin President of News Corp. I have no idea why their names on this project.

    Synopsis: A squad of U.S. marshals team up with ex-cons to work together on tracking down prison escapees (alternately: ex-fugitives who are recruited to work as u.s. marshals)

    Notes: Ordered to pilot. NBC also has a U.S. Marshalls drama pilot, but with bigger names.

  • Midland

    From: Kyle Killen as creator, Amy Lippman, Chris Keyser, Chris Weitz, Kerry Kohansky Roberts, and Paul Weitz producing, with Marc Webb directing. Killen has basically no online trail. Lippman and Keysey wrote and produced together on Part of Five and separately on other shows. Chris and Paul Weitz have written and produced together on a lot of TV and film projects, but nothing stands out. Roberts was a personal assistant for the Weitz brothers on American Pie 2 and has basically only produced on their projects. Webb directed 500 Days of Summer, one episode of The Office, and is possibly attached to the next (rebooted) Spider-Man film.

    Synopsis: A con artist juggling two lives in two Texas cities with two different women.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot. Notable cast member is Jon Voight.

  • Pleading Guilty

    From: Jason Tracey as creator, Hart Hanson producing, with Jon Avnet producing the show and directing the pilot. Tracey has written and produced for Burn Notice. Hanson has been writing and producing for Bones, with some Judging Amy and Stargate SG-1 in his past. Avnet has directed for The Starter Wife and Boomtown, and has been producing for three decades.

    Synopsis: The story follows Mack Malloy, an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic now serving as a partner in a top-drawer corporate law firm.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot. Based on a novel by Scott Turow, so it's more involved than the synopsis would lead you to believe. Notable cast member is John Larroquette.

  • Ride Along

    From: Shawn Ryan as creator, Marney Hochman producing, with Charles McDougall directing the pilot. Ryan created The Shield for FOX and The Unit for CBS, has produced for Lie to Me, and written/produced for Angel. McDougall has directed episodes of The Office, Parks and Recreation, Sex and City, and many other shows. I have no earthly idea who Marney Hochman is.

    Synopsis: Detective Jarek Wysocki, one of Chicago's toughest cops, struggles to clean up the town's violence and corruption.

    Notes: Ordered to pilot.

Also: FOX mid-season replacements, comedy pilots, and the introduction post.

Update: I've posted FOX's full fall schedule

in Feature, Television

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