Spring sprouts shows
It’s May, and for TV lovers it’s the most wonderful time of the year. New shows are bubbling with possibility, like babies who get by on their cuteness before the reality of how much money and effort it’ll take to raise them sinks in.
But for now, any new project could be the Next Big Thing. Networks will announce their official pickups for the 2017-18 television season in a month, and there are a few front-runners.
What does the Fox say? The network is particularly proud of its paranormal comedy Ghosted, starring Craig Robinson from The Office and Adam Scott from Parks and Recreation. It also has a Marvel-based series directed by Bryan Singer and a medical drama dubbed The Resident getting buzz.
On the delightfully alphabetical network ABC, Carol Burnett stars in multicamera comedy Household Name — Amy Poehler is the producer on that one. There’s also an untitled drama from Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry that stars Reba McEntire, the first lady of spunkiness.
At NBC, memories of Glee are in the air with Rise, a high-school musical from Jason Katims. Josh Radnor and Moana breakout Auli’i Cravalho headline.
The network also has family comedy The Sackett Sisters, starring Casey Wilson, Busy Philipps and Bradley Whitford. You might as well start clinking champagne glasses now — 30 Rock’s producing team of Tina Fey, Robert Carlock and Luke Del Tredici are all on board.
Kicking around on The CW, a reboot of shoulder pad-tastic ’80s drama Dynasty is in the works with Gossip Girl’s dream team of Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage behind the scenes.
And finally, at CBS, alphanumeric titles reign.
What else can you expect from a network known for its CSIs and NCISes?
The broadcaster has already locked in many of its ratings-stompers for another season, but a remake of S.W.A.T. starring Shemar Moore and hailing from The Shield’s Shawn Ryan could shake things up. There is also 9J, 9K and 9L. The semi-autobiographical family comedy from Mark Feuerstein stars David Walton and Elliot Gould.
IDOL THOUGHTS
And then there’s American Idol. The American Idol that ended its 14-year run last April amid drowsy ratings on Fox. ABC is angling to revive it.
Idol made household names of some of its contestants — Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson among them — but by its end, the singers couldn’t find any buzz if they were trapped in a beehive.
Host Ryan Seacrest wouldn’t likely be able to return after landing a cohosting gig on Live With Kelly. But Seacrest is a man of many jobs.