Previewing fall television

The Return of Jezebel James (Regency)
Exec Producers: Amy Sherman Palladino (writer-director); Dan Palladino
Cast: Parker Posey, Lauren Ambrose, Michael Arden, Ron McLarty, Dana Ivey
Logline: When a single successful children's book editor learns she is physically unable to conceive, she is forced to ask her estranged sister to carry her baby for her.

The first two cast members make me love this idea.

 

I thought the EXACT same thing. Outstanding.

 

I know a lot of this is bad, but it's no different than any other year. And honestly, some of the more ridiculous sounding shit will become hits next fall.

I mean, imagine the tag line for shows like "Alf," "Three's Company," "Seinfeld," "The Riches," "Nip/Tuck" or "Medium."

It's all about the writers, not the description or the cast. Although, most of the time, unless there's big money involved, most of the recognizable actors will wind up with the top writers, since there's no longterm money in a show that makes it on air based solely on star power and is cancelled after four shows.

You could go through this, look at nothing but the writers and producers and pick the ones that will make it on air next fall.

 

Area 57 (NBC U TV)
Exec producers: Mike Armstrong (writer); Dean Parisot; David Latt
Director: Dean Parisot
Cast:Jane Lynch, Matthew Lillard, Bruce McGill, Kelin Yu, Paul Reubens
Logline: Office comedy set at secret location in the Nevada Desert where the staff must watch after a crude, manipulative alien.
I liked this one better when it was called "ALF."

 

Untitled Tom Fontana Project (NBC Universal TV Studio)
Exec Producers: Tom Fontana (writer), Barry Levinson
Director: Spike Lee
Cast: Bobby Cannavale, Carmen Ejogo
Logline: Unlikely candidate wins New York's mayorship

Spike Lee does television, with Levinson on board. Could be interesting.

 

That one is a lead-pipe cinch to make it. Hope it doesn't bump L&O off.

 

COP ROCK!!!

 

i'd give anything by weinstein and oakley the benefit of the doubt considering they were the driving force behind simpsons in its glory years. that said, the premise does sound inane but i don't think a one-sentence plot description can tell you much. think of one-sentence plot descriptions of great sitcoms: seinfeld, a standup comic and his buddies and their daily lifes; cheers: people in bars do and say stuff.

 

We have the technology ... we can build a rip-off.

 

Don't know, Crass. Two words tell me it could be worth watching:
Madchen Amick.

 

Talking of that, I got the feeling that I saw a lot of Cops and Lawyers in each list.

 

Wow, that looks really good. Have Levinson and Fontana teamed up since Homicide?

Also, I've like Cannavale in everything I've seen him in.