NBC – Cinefantastique

NBC's SF/Fantasy Pilots

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Tom Powers

NBC has ordered three fantasy pilots and one mild SF pilot for the 2012-13 season.

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE is an imaginative and thematically rich ensemble “what if” drama set 10 minutes in the future where families of mechanical human beings exist to service the human population — that is until some of the mechanicals begin to “awaken.” Michael McDonald (“Cougar Town,” “MADtv”) is the writer and executive producer, Robert M. Sertner (“Revenge,” “No Ordinary Family”) is the executive producer and Stephen Hopkins (“Californication,” “Shameless”) directs the pilot. “Beautiful People” is from Universal Television and ABC Studios.
From writer-executive producer Bryan Fuller (“Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”), THE MUNSTERS is an imaginative reinvention of “The Munsters” as a visually spectacular one-hour drama from Universal Television. Bryan Singer (“X-Men: First Class,” “House”) is the director of the pilot and an executive producer; John Wirth (“Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles”) also is an executive producer.
ISABEL is a comedy centering on an otherwise normal middle-class family that wrestles with the challenges of everyday life while raising a daughter (Sophia Mitri Schloss, “Grimm”) who has magical abilities. Abigail Mavity and Skyler Gisondo also star. Howard Busgang (“The Closer,” “Boy Meets World”) and Tom Nursall (“Single White Spenny”) are the executive producers and writers. Todd Holland (“Malcolm in the Middle”) directs the pilot and is an executive producer. Karey Burke (“Free Agents”), Aaron Kaplan (“Terra Nova”) and Jocelyn Deschenes also are executive producers. “Isabel” is produced by Universal Television, Kapital Entertainment and Sphere Media.
SAVE ME (cast contingent) — A woman who lets herself go while in a broken marriage goes through a transformation where she becomes the best version of herself and creates miracles along the way. The single-camera project is from Sony Television and Original Film & Television. John Scott Shepherd (“The Days”) is the writer-executive producer and Scott Winant (“Breaking Bad,” “True Blood,” “Californication”) is the director and executive producer. Neal Moritz (“The Big C,” “Prison Break”) and Vivian Cannon (“The Big C”) also are executive producers.

Via Examiner.com

Bryan Singer to Direct 'The Munsters' Pilot

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Tom Powers

According to Deadline, X-MEN/SUPERMAN RETURNS director Bryan Singer is set to sign a deal to produce and direct NBC Universal’s pilot for THE MUNSTERS.
The article states that writer/executive producer Bryan Fuller’s re-boot of the 1960’s monster sitcom is intended as “a visually spectacular one-hour drama.”
I’ll repeat that that, so that you’ll know you’re not hallucinating: The NBC PILOT OF THE MUNSTERS IS GOING TO BE A ONE- HOUR DRAMA!
Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer have good track records in television, with Fuller’s imaginative but short-lived PUSHING DAISIES, and Singer directing the pilot to HOUSE (and exec. producing the series). So it’s perhaps presumptuous to question their judgement so harshly—but this sounds like the bone-headed idea of the decade.
THE MUSTERS, though fondly remembered, was sort of a dumbed-down and more 60’s conventional version of THE ADDAMS FAMILY. Now, ADDAMS was successfully turned into a darker comedy as a feature film, so maybe a slightly more edgy and contemporary MUNSTERS could be a hit.
But a visually spectacular one-hour drama? I can’t see it working, or even why the concept would be considered at all appealing.

'Grimm'—Extended Teaser

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Tom Powers

Via NBC, here’s an advance look at their new fantasy/horror series GRIMM.

“Remember the fairy tales your parents used to tell you before bedtime? Well, those weren’t stories, they were warnings. Coming this Fall to NBC. Fridays 9/8c.”

GRIMM stars David Giuntoli as police detective Nick Burckhardt, who discovers he’s the among the last of the “Grimms” who can see the true nature of otherwise human-appearing beings, and are charged with the duty to protect people against them.
Created by David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf (BUFFY, ANGEL), GRIMM is from Universal Media Studios.

NBC Picks Up 'Grimm' & 'Awake'

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Tom Powers

According to Deadline.com, NBC has picked up the fantasy/fairytale-touched police drama GRIMM for the fall season. Created by David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf (ANGEL), it’s from Universal Media Studios.
GRIMM stars David Giuntoli as police detective Nick Burckhardt, who discovers he can see the fantastical nature of otherwise human-appearing beings, and a “legacy” of having to protect people against them.
Also green-lit was producer Kyle Killen’s (LONE STAR) AKAKE (formerly R.E.M.), about police detective for who the dream world and reality intermingle following a car crash. Wilmer Valderrama (THAT 70’s SHOW) and Cherry Jones co-star in the 20th Century Fox Television production.
By all indications, it seems the network has decided to pass on David E. Kelley’s (ALLY McBEAL) and Warner Brother’s Televisions’s re-imaging of DC Comics WONDER WOMAN.

NBC's 'Chuck' Gets Reprieve

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Tom Powers

According to Deadline.com, NBC is going to give borderline SF/spy action-comedy CHUCK a 13-episode committment for next season. The show has been regarded a “bubble” series, meaning it’s survival is always in question, for the past two years.
The article also speculates that the peacock network’s sci-fi tinged drama THE EVENT will NOT be renewed. Never seen it, haven’t met anyone who watches regularly, and nothing about the promos ever made me included to tune in, so I’m not surprised.
Then again quite a number of genre shows I have no interest in seeing thrive, so what do I know?

'Wonder Woman' Costume Revised

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Tom Powers

SFX broke this picture shows that Warner Brothers Television has revised Adrianne Palicki’s Wonder Woman costume for their NBC pilot.
I’ve got to say it’s a big improvement. Gone are the blue high-helled boots and the shiny, baby blue 80’s pants. A little more practical, and surprisingly less tacky.
via Topless Robot

Palicki in 'Wonder Woman' Costume

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Tom Powers

Via OMG.yahoo comes this first picture of Adrianne Palicki in costume as WONDER WOMAN for the NBC pilot by David E. Kelley (ALLY MCBEAL).
Looks a little more early 80’s Trailer Park Queen than timeless Themysciran Princess to me. Though the outfit shows off Palicki’s substantial charms nicely, it might actually look better in with the dark leather jacket the venerable DC character is sporting in a current comic book arc.
Photo credit: Justin Lubin/NBC/TV Guide

1st Pic from '17th Precinct'

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Tom Powers

From the set of 17th PRECINCT, former BATTLESTAR GALACTICA star Tricia Helfer posted this picture of herself and her BSG pals James Callis and Jamie Bamber on her Twitter account.
The NBC pilot by writer/producer Ron Moore reunites the trio as police dectectives and coroner in the series, which takes place in a world where magic and the supernatural are normal components of their investigations.
Note that the above is a personal snapshot, and note an officially released photograph.
(via SFX)

Smallville Alum to '17th Precinct'

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Tom Powers

According to TV Line, SMALLVILLE’s Lana Lang, Kristin Kreuk, is joining the cast of the pilot of 17th PRECINCT.
The show, created by BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s Ron Moore, already has three leads from BSG.
Jamie Bamber is signed to star as Caolan Longstreet, homicide detective at the 17th Precinct of the city of Excelsior.
Tricia Helfer (Six) plays Morgana, a necromancer who fills the role of coroner, with James Callis (Baltar) another detective at the station house.
I should note that the show takes place in a world where magic is real, and a normal part of police investigation.
Stockard Channing (THE WEST WING, PRACTICAL MAGIC) and Matt Long (GHOST RIDER, MAD MEN) were also previously announced in the cast.
Kristin Kreuk is set to play Susan Longstreet, wife of Jamie Bamber’s character. Apparently a guest role, though if the pilot goes to series, perhaps the part will become recurring.

Hurely as Villain for 'Wonder Woman'

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Tom Powers

On her Twitter Account, actress/model Elizabeth Hurley (AUSTIN POWERS) revealed she’s joined the cast of NBC’s WONDER WOMAN pilot.
Hurley wrote: “Thrilled to be doing the NBC pilot Wonder Woman. I’ll be playing the evil villain. Can’t wait.”
Already cast is Adrianne Palicki as the lead character in David E. Kelley (ALLY MCBEAL) and Warner Brothers Television’s re-imagining of the venerable comic book character.
Via SuperheroHype