It’s upfronts time again and the networks are swinging their axes as series that failed to perform to their standards to make way for new blood. So far here’s a run down of what’s in, what’s staying, and what’s gone for next Fall in the world of sci-fi/Fantasy/Paranormal/Action series.
What’s new:
ABC actually has some of the best sci-fi-ish looking shows on the horizon so far from the big 4 networks:
Last Resort centers on the crew of a U.S. nuclear submarine (led by Andre Braugher) who, after ignoring an order to fire nuclear missiles, wind up being hunted and escape to a NATO outpost where they declare themselves to be the world’s smallest nuclear nation. Felicity‘s Scott Speedman, Daisy Betts, Autumn Reeser, Jessy Schram, Daniel Lissing, Camille de Pazzis, Sahr Ngaujau and Dichen Lachman co-star; Omid Abtahi, Matt Geral and Bruce Davison recur, while Robert Patrick and Glee‘s Max Adler guest star in the pilot. Ryan penned the pilot alongside Karl Gajdusek, with both on board to exec produce alongside Marney Hochman Nash and Martin Campbell, who directed the Sony Pictures Television pilot.
666 Park Ave. features a young couple (Dave Annabele, Rachael Taylor) who accept an offer to manage one of the most historic apartment buildings in New York City as they unwittingly begin to experience supernatural occurrences that complicate and endanger the lives of everyone in the building. Based on the book by Gabriella Pierce. Lost‘s Terry O’Quinn, Vanessa Williams, Mercedes Masohn, Robert Buckley and Helena Mattsson co-star; Erik Palladino appears in the pilot. David Wilcox penned the pilot and wil exec produce alongside Leslie Morgenstein, Gina Girolamo and Matt Miller; Alex Graves directed the Warner Bros., Alloy Entertainment drama.
Neighbors (previously the untitled Dan Fogelman project) centers on a family (Lenny Venito, Jami Gertz, Isabella Cramp, Clara Mamet, Max Charles) that moves into a coveted New Jersey gated community only to discover that the entire neighborhood is comprised of aliens disguised as humans. Simon Templeman, Toks Olagundoye Tim Jo and Ian Patrick co-star in the single-camera comedy penned by Fogelman, who exec produces the ABC Studios single-camera comedy alongside Chris Koch and Aaron Kaplan.
Fox:
The Following Kevin Bacon stars as an ex-FBI agent, Ryan Hardy, who’s hot on the trail of a master serial killer (James Purefoy, most recently of Revenge). And because one serial killer is not enough (really, it isn’t —we’ve got too many crime shows out there), this particular villain has created a cult of serial killers which must also be stopped. Did I mention this comes from Vampire Diaries Executive Producer/Writer Kevin Williamson? It’s just too bad the series will only deliver a short 15 episodes before leaving us shivering in withdrawal.
NBC
I believe NBC had blind orders in for Mockingbird Place – the Munsters reboot and Hannibal – the series about young Hannibal Lector. They both both haven’t been talked about yet though for the Upfronts.
Revolution — starring The Cape‘s David Lyons, Twilight’s Billy Burke and Breaking Bad‘s Giancarlo Esposito — is described as a high-octane action drama following a group of characters struggling to survive and reunite with loved ones in a world where all forms of energy have mysteriously ceased to exist.
The CW
Arrow and Beauty and the Beast you can check out info on them on our sister site: OSCK
CULT Investigative journalist Jeff Sefton has learned to laugh off his brother Nate’s relentless string of obsessions, especially his latest rant that a hit TV show intends to harm him. However, when his brother mysteriously disappears, Jeff takes Nate’s paranoia seriously, and in the process uncovers the dark underworld of the TV show “Cult” and its rabid fans. The only person who seems willing to help Jeff with his investigation is Skye, a young research assistant for “Cult,” who has also started to grow suspicious of the increasingly dark happenings surrounding the show. The fictitious show, centered on the cat-and-mouse game between charismatic cult leader Billy Grimm and LAPD detective Kelly Collins, has become an obsession for its viewers – and now some of its devotees seem to be taking their fixation to deadly extremes in the real world. As Jeff and Skye dig deeper into the fan world, they discover that the gruesome plot twists on television are much more than fantasy for some very unfortunate people. The hardcore fans of “Cult” would kill to see what happens next…
The series stars Matt Davis (“The Vampire Diaries”) as Jeff Sefton, Jessica Lucas (“Melrose Place,” “Cloverfield”) as Skye Yarrow, Alona Tal (“Supernatural,” “The Killing”) as Kelly Collins and Robert Knepper (“Prison Break,” “Shameless”) as Billy Grimm.
CULT is from Fake Empire and Rockne S. O’Bannon Television in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, with executive producers Rockne S. O’Bannon (“Farscape,” “V”), Josh Schwartz (“Chuck,” “Gossip Girl”), Stephanie Savage (“Hart of Dixie,” “Gossip Girl”), Len Goldstein (“Hart of Dixie”) and Jason Ensler (“Franklin & Bash,” “Hart of Dixie”). The pilot was directed by Jason Ensler and written by Rockne S. O’Bannon.
What’s staying – got Renewed:
ABC
- Once Upon a Time
CBS
- Hawaii 5-0
- The Big Bang Theory (renewed through season 7)
- Person of Interest
Fox
- Fringe – 13 Ep order to close out the series
- Touch
NBC
- Grimm
The CW
- Supernatural
- Nikita
- The Vampire Diaries
Canceled series:
ABC
- The River
Fox
- Alcatraz
- Terra Nova
The CW
- Ringer
- The Secret Circle
