Couple of good articles on the upcoming pilot season.

Here is a list of the shows.  Wish I had the time to completely study – lots of really great info like the creator, EP(s) and Director of each pilot, along with the stars.  

This article lists the trends for the new season.

Some thoughts.

NBC loading up on comedies.  Must be expecting to fill some holes (last season for 30 Rock, I believe; loved Bent, but NBC burnt that off; love Best Friends Forever, but it’s in the same slot as Bent, against Idol and Modern Family, see ya; and Community will have a tough time returning, especially after the Dan Harmon/Chevy Chase bruhaha, even with it being close to syndication).  If there’s any justice, Whitney will be cancelled, but I’m sadly agreeing with Rick Santorum – that show is the first sign of the apocalypse, so it will have to stay on the air to fulfill the Mayan prophesy for 12/21/12.

Looks like ‘workplace’ comedies continue to be out of favor, while ‘family’ ones rise – everyone wants the next Modern Family.  Guess I should stop writing my two workplace pilot specs…

Despite what that ‘trending’ article above said, I saw a bunch of medical and cop shows on the list, but I didn’t count them.

Surprised at the number of period dramas.  They never work on the major networks, but maybe Shonda Rhimes will succeed with her Gilded Lillies, about the first luxury hotel in 1895 New York.  I always feel these shows are hamstrung by FCC regs – I just can’t imagine Deadwood without the nudity, violence and cursing (Al Swearengen would have been a mute). 

Carter Bays & Craig Thomas (How I Met Your Mother) working on a single cam show with Becki Newton (who has been on a few eps of HIMYM this season).  Love the current show, will see how their sensibility transfers to single cam.

And finally, I’m intrigued by this show on the CW.  Joey Dakota. 
Logline: Based on the Israeli format Danny Hollywood. In this romantic-time-travel-musical, a documentary filmmaker travels back in time to the 1990’s where she meets and falls in love with the rock star subject of her film.

Has to be the biggest underdog, so I’m rooting for it. So many strikes against it – ‘romantic’ (there go the dudes) – ‘time travel’ (there go the girls) – ‘musical’ (there goes everyone but theater geeks and pets of owners who have died with their tv still on – which according to 30 Rock, is the new demographic for NBC…)

Good luck to all the shows, tough road ahead.