Here are the comedy pilots for CBS's 2010-2011 season. CBS has fewer comedy pilots than anybody else this year, probably because they already have quite a few that are getting good ratings. Anything CBS announces at their presentation in New York next week will come from this pile, and the comedy/drama pilot posts.
From: Josh Schwartz and Matt Miller as creators, with Rob Greenberg directing the pilot. Schwartz created The O.C. and Chuck and has produced/written for Gossip Girl. Schwartz was tapped to write X-Men: First Class. Miller created Grown Ups and written/produced for Las Vegas and Chuck. Greenberg has directed for Scrubs, directed/produced How I Met Your Mother, and written/produced for Frasier.
Synopsis: A twentysomething newlywed couple navigating their new life together.
Notes: Ordered to pilot. Notable cast members are Eugene Levy, Kristen Kreuk, and Sharon Lawrence.
From: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, Joe Kelly, and Kourtney Kang as creators, with Pamela Fryman directing the pilot. Bays and Thomas wrote for Letterman and How I Met Your Mother, and produced for Quintuplets and American Dad!. Kelly wrote for for Saturday Night Live and How I Met Your Mother. Kang wrote and produced Mother. Even Fryman directed for it, though she also she's been directing for a long time, earning credits on Just Shoot Me! (producer) and directing for Suddenly Susan, Cybill, Friends, The King of Queens, Frasier, Just Shoot Me!, Two and a Half Men, and Accidentally on Purpose.
Synopsis: A Pittsburgh couple who are dating - and mulling the next stage of their relationship.
Notes: Ordered to pilot.
From: Gail Lerner as creator with James Burrows directing the pilot. Lerner produced and wrote for Will & Grace, Back to You, Worst Week, and Ugly Betty. Burrows wrote for Cheers, produced for Cheers, Will & Grace, and Gary Unmarried, and directed for Mary Tyler Moore, The Bob Newhart Show, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi, Wings, Cheers, News Radio, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Frasier, Men Behaving Badly, Caroline in the City, Dharma & Greg, Friends, Two and a Half Men, Will & Grace, The Big Bang Theory, and Back to You.
Synopsis: Comedy which revolves around a book editor and her circle of friends.
Notes: Ordered to pilot.
From: David Kohan, Justin Halpern, Max Mutchnick, and Patrick Schumacker as creators, with James Burrows directing the pilot. Kohan wrote for Boston Common, and created Good Morning Miami, Will & Grace, and Four Kings. Halpern owns the Twitter account this show is based on (and got a book deal because of it.) In other words, he's a cling-on. Read "Open Books" for Burrows bio.
Synopsis: A twentysomething who moves back in with his larger-than-life dad.
Notes: Pilot ordered. Based on somebody's Twitter account with the same name. Notable cast star is William Shatner.
From: Bill Martin and Mike Schiff as creators, Eric and Kim Tennenbaum, Mitch Hurwitz, Paul Young, and Peter Principato producing, with Ted Wass directing the pilot. Martin wrote for In Living Color, and wrote/produced for 3rd Rock From the Sun, Cavemen, Hank, and created Grounded for Life. Schiff worked with Martin as writer/producer on many of those shows. The two Tennenbaums have worked together writing and producing Sit Down Shut Up, Brothers, and Two and a Half Men (and other things of course.) Hurwitz produced/wrote for The Golden Girls, The John Larroquette Show, and created The Ellen Show, Arrested Development, Sit Down Shut Up.
Principato directed for Reno 911!.
Synopsis: Comedy about a bombastic high school football coach.
Notes: Ordered to pilot.
From: Matt Tarses as creator, Jamie Tarses producing, with Pamela Fryman directing the pilot. Matt wrote and produced for Sports Night, The Norm Show, Scrubs, and Worst Week. Jamie crewed on Saturday Night Live, consulted on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and produced for My Boys, Hawthorn, and 2010 pilot (and just picked up!) Mr. Sunshine. Fryman's bio is above in "Livin' on a Prayer".
Synopsis: Four people in their 20s in New York looking for love.
Notes: Ordered to pilot. Notable cast member is Jason Biggs. Two parts have been re-cast.
UNTITLED CHARLES & HINES PROJECT
From: Anthony Hines as creator, Eric and Kim Tennenbaum, and Mitch Hurwitz producing, with Larry Charles directing the pilot and producing. Hines wrote for Da Ali G Show and worked on the Bruno screenplay. The Tennenbaum's bio is above here under Team Spitz, as is Mitch Hurwitz. Charles wrote and directed for Curb your Enthusiasm, wrote for Arsenio Hall, and wrote/produced for Seinfeld, Mad About You, Dilbert, and Entourage.
Synopsis: Comedy about a dad who re-enters the life of his now-famous daughter.
Notes: Ordered to pilot. Notable cast member is Nicollette Sheridan.
From: Charlie Todd, Drew Carey, Jay Blumenfeld, Tom Forman, and Tony Marsh producing. I don't think most of these guys are Hollywood guys, mostly comedy people.
Synopsis: Hidden camera series in which a troop of comedic agents pull benevolent pranks using flash-mob tactics.
Notes: Ordered to pilot. Supposedly stands for "Wow That's Funny!". Stars Carey.
Also: CBS drama pilots, mid-season replacements, and the introduction post.
Update: The full CBS fall schedule has been posted here.
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