Here’s another of CBS’s “behind-the-scenes” blurbs, this time about the thriller HOSTAGES, which will occupy the Monday 10PM slot during the fall (to be replaced by Intelligence) at midseason. All the piece does is establish the show’s premise, which is that Toni Collette plays a Washington surgeon scheduled to operate on the President, and […]

  CBS–because it’s CBS–doesn’t release trailers for its new series, but instead provides 3-4 minute behind-the-scenes featurettes.  These are about as informative as the puff pieces you’d find as an “extra” on a Hollywood DVD, and they’re even less reliable as a predictor of series quality than a real trailer would be.  So take them […]

  Kyle Killen’s Lone Star and Awake were two of the most ambitious network series of recent years–and two of the most resounding flops.  He has to be hoping that his third time (and third network) is the charm, with ABC’s TBD midseason series MIND GAMES.  It features Steve Zahn and Christian Slater as brothers […]

  Another TBD for ABC’s midseason:  the high-concept comedy MIXOLOGY.  The entire season takes place in a single night, at a bar where 10 single people are looking for love (or a close substitute), which–if things don’t go well–has the potential of feeling like one long night.  Think of it as a sitcom 24, but […]

  KILLER WOMEN is another ABC TBD for midseason, this one starring Tricia Helfer (from Battlestar Galactica) as a Texas Ranger. Did you know women can be Texas Rangers these days?  Hot women, too!  No kidding.  Killer Women is by far the most generic of ABC’s drama orders for next season, and it seems to […]

  RESURRECTION is one of ABC’s TBD series, and it seems that it may be intended to have a limited run (perhaps bridging the gaps of a serialized show, in order to avoid reruns and preemptions), although it’s not clear if that means it would come to a definite end in the way of a […]

  ABC rounds out its new Wednesday with BACK IN THE GAME, placed in the 8:30PM hammock slot between The Middle and Modern Family  It’s pretty clearly inspired by the Clint Eastwood movie Trouble With the Curve, with a little Bad News Bears added for flavoring, about the grumpy relationship between an ex-ballplayer (James Caan) […]

  ABC is all-in with Rebel Wilson next fall.  The network has given SUPER FUN NIGHT, which she wrote as well as stars in, its showcase Wednesday 9:30PM slot, behind Modern Family.  Wilson plays one of a trio of pals who’ve never been successful with guys and spend their Friday nights together hanging out at […]