With pilot season in high gear, and NBC doing a great number of pilots last week, it’s CBS’ turn to truly kick it up a notch. The biggest of the basic networks has greenlit seven pilots on top of the ones they’ve already ordered, and this new batch contains a comedy from Louis C.K., a drama that sounds likeThe Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, and one series centered around Groupons.
Let’s start off with the comedies. Partners, from Will & Grace creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, sees ”two lifelong pals whose friendship has lasted longer than any romantic relationship. However, things quickly go south when one half of the equation decides to propose to his girlfriend”. The pilot was previously created in 2007 and 2008 but failed to make it to air both times.
Greg Berlanti has been running rampant this pilot season and is now teaming up with How I Met Your Mother executive producer Greg Malins for an untitled romantic comedy about “a man who has a health scare and suddenly realizes that his longtime BFF is the love of his life.”
The Groupon-themed series is called Friend Me, which revolves around “two guys who move from Indiana to Los Angeles to begin exciting careers at the deal-finding website, Groupon”. Raising Hope writer Alan Kirschenbaum wrote the pilto with Ajay Sahgal.
Finally today, the network has picked up a comedy from Louis C.K. and Seinfield writer (as well as ex-late night talk show host on FOX) Spike Feresten that is currently untitled. The series, co-written by both men, is about ”a group of young people trying to achieve their creative dreams in these tough financial times.”
For the dramas, the biggest one we have is one called Quean, from The L Word‘s Irene Chaiken. The pilot focuses “on an edgy, punk-rock girl who uses her hacker skills to help an Oakland-based detective solve crimes”.
The other two dramas proved the Mad Men period piece series tries aren’t over yet, as an untitled 1960s drama “about famed rodeo cowboy-turned-Las Vegas sheriff Ralph Lamb” was picked up by CBS. The pilot was written by Nicholas Pileggi and Greg Walker, with both to serve as executive producers as well.
Finally, Applebaum ”a drama about a former public defender who avoids the stay-at-home-mom blues by becoming a private investigator” rounds out the pilot order. The pilot will be directed by Christopher Columbus (Gremlins) and he will also serve as an EP.
These seven join previous orders Super Fun Night, Widow Detective, Golden Boy, Nicholas Stoller’s Untitled Comedy Pilot, as well as two in development as starring vehicles for Martin Lawrence.
