Upfronts 2022: Roundup Of Latest Pilot Buzz
07.05.2022 - 06:35
/ deadline.com
We are 10 days away from the start of the traditional upfront week and a day into the new series pickup window, which kicked off yesterday with NBC’s order to the Quantum Leap pilot. Getting intel on broadcast pilots is harder than ever as that marketplace has contracted over the last five years but here is what I hear as we head into pre-upfront week. You can use for reference the Early Pilot Buzz report Deadline ran on Monday.
At ABC, the The Rookie planted spinoff starring Niecy Nash and the Alaska project drama pilot, starring Hilary Swank, remain very strong contenders, with the L.A. Law sequel, headlined by Blair Underwood, getting some traction, mostly due to the attractive marketing opportunities its iconic IP presents. Comedy pilot Not Dead Yet, starring Gina Rodrigues, also has been gaining some support at the network, I hear. (Not in fall consideration are ABC drama pilots The Company You Keep, Untitled Kay Oyegun, Will Trent and Untitled National Parks as well as comedy The Son in Law. David E. Kelley’s straight-to-series drama Avalon is believed to be for midseason.)
Still not a lot of clarity at CBS. Firefighter drama Cal Fire continues to look like a frontrunner. Beyond that, cop drama East New York also is said to be solid, with the Mother & Son legal drama believed to in the mix too. The Early Edition reboot has cooled off a bit, while True Lies continues to divide opinions but sources see a possible path to the air based on its popular IP and potentially advantageous dealmaking.
On the comedy side, presentation Hug Machine and pilot Rust Belt News continue to garner buzz.
2022 CBS Pilots & Series Orders
NBC yesterday became the first network to pick up a pilot to series, giving a series order to Quantum