Pilot Reports

SHOWBUZZDAILY Series Premiere Review: “What We Do In The Shadows”

Posted March 28, 2019 by Mitch Salem

  WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS:  Wednesday 10PM on FX The deadpan vampire mockumentary cult hit WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS is the latest piece of IP to find eternal–or at least extended–life on the small screen.  In some ways, it seems like that was where it belonged all along, since the format […]

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Articles

THE SKED PILOT REPORT: ABC’s “Work It”

Posted January 3, 2012 by Mitch Salem

> Disclaimer:  Network pilots now in circulation are not necessarily in the form that will air in the Fall.  Pilots are often reedited and rescored, and in some cases even recast or reshot.  So these critiques shouldn’t be taken as full TV pilot reviews, but rather as a guide to the general style and content […]

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Articles

THE SKED PREMIERE REVIEW: “Are You There, Chelsea?”

Posted January 12, 2012 by Mitch Salem

> (Note:  SHOWBUZZDAILY had a pilot report on this show back when it was called Are You There, Vodka?  It’s Me, Chelsea.  Since then, it’s been substantially recast and reshot, not to mention retitled, so we’re taking a fresh look at it.) ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA? – Wednesdays 8:30PM on NBC – If Nothing Else […]

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Articles

THE SKED PILOT REVIEW: “Common Law”

Posted May 13, 2012 by Mitch Salem

  COMMON LAW:  Fridays 10PM on USA – Change the Channel CBS may own the world of serious procedurals, but USA Network has the patent on the jocular ones.  Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Suits, In Plain Sight, Fairly Legal…  the list goes on and on.  In every show, there’s a quirky protagonist (“Characters Welcome”) who […]

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Midseason Pilots

THE SKED Pilot Review: “Believe”

Posted March 10, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  BELIEVE:  Sunday 9PM on NBC (Premiere Monday 10PM on March 10) – If Nothing Else Is On… Movie wizard and newly-minted Best Director Oscar winner Alfonso Cuaron is the co-creator of BELIEVE (although it was never intended that he would stay with the show on a day-to-day basis once it went to series) and […]

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Pilot Reports

THE SKED REVIEW: “Brand X With Russell Brand”

Posted July 3, 2012 by Mitch Salem

  BRAND X WITH RUSSELL BRAND:  Thursday 11PM on FX – Change the Channel Russell Brand has been more or less flailing around for the past several years, trying to find a place in American pop culture.  His introduction to most domestic audiences came with his role as the comically dissipated rock star in Forgetting […]

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Pilot Reports

THE SKED Series Premiere Review: “The Spoils of Babylon”

Posted January 9, 2014 by Mitch Salem

  THE SPOILS OF BABYLON:  Thursday 10PM on IFC – Change the Channel A lot of talent has been harnessed for IFC’s miniseries parody THE SPOILS OF BABYLON, starting with performer/producers Will Ferrell (whose Funny Or Die studio is behind the project), Tobey Maguire and Kristen Wiig, and including cast members Michael Sheen, Jessica Alba, […]

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Articles

THE SKED PILOT REPORT: NBC’s “Free Agents”

Posted June 13, 2011 by Mitch Salem

>Disclaimer:  Network pilots now in circulation are not necessarily in the form that will air in the Fall.  Pilots are often reedited and rescored, and in some cases even recast or reshot.  So these critiques shouldn’t be taken as full TV pilot reviews, but rather as a guide to the general style and content of […]

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