Pilot season is in full swing as we are just about two months away from the annual upfront presentations. (Yes, TV Barn will be attending again this year, and yes, I plan on filing a log sheet like last year's.)
In fact, CBS couldn't wait till May; it held a pre-upfront presentation Thursday at the Ed Sullivan Theatre. Among other things, prexy Leslie Moonves announced that next month's live presentation of "Fail Safe" will be followed by next year's live staging of "On Golden Pond," starring Julie Andrews; that Craig T. Nelson will make a new drama for CBS; and David Letterman's Worldwide Pants will create a vehicle for comic Jim Gaffigan — about an Indiana weatherman who gets his big break in New York. Hmmmmmmm. Wonder how they're planning to promote that.
On the NBC front, all good Letterman fans should by now realize that "Late Show" exec producer Rob Burnett is in Vancouver, shooting a new version of the "Stuckeyville"/"Ed" project he shot last year for CBS. Burnett told TV Barn that the cast and crew are the same as the last time we reported on it, and Letterman writer Jon Beckerman is still a co-everything on the project. But now with NBC offering to air it, the show will naturally be a "must-see," provided, of course, that the pilot lives to see the light of day.
Elsewhere at NBC, the Hollywood Reporter reports that "Married ... With Children" star Katey Sagal has been cast in NBC's single-camera comedy pilot "Tucker," about a teenage boy and his mom who move in with their aunt (Sagal) and cousin. (By the way, I always take "single-camera" to be virtually the same as "shot on film," or rather, because several three-camera sitcoms are also shot on film, the more precise description might be "filmic.") And Paula Marshall and producer Rob Thomas, both freshly liberated from ABC, will create an hourlong romantic drama for the Peacock, also co-starring Dan Cortese, which tells you all you need to know about the future of "Veronica's Closet."
The WB is planning to sink a ton of money into a futuristic action-adventure show entitled "Day One," reports Variety.
Picks to click ... for the week of March 13 are here.
The daily digest ... for March 17, 2000: Letterman wins again ... if only for one night. CBS crowed in its latest ratings release that Dave's chat with Kathie Lee Gifford March 6 topped Leno's panel with George W. Bush. Quoth the PR: For the week ending March 10, the LATE SHOW posted a 3.2/10 in households with 4.10m average viewers. The LATE SHOW was up +28% in households and +37% in viewers compared to the same week last year (which were rebroadcasts). The LATE SHOW was up +23% in adults 18-49 (1.6/8 vs. 1.3/7) and +31% in adults 25-54 (1.7/8 vs. 1.3/6) compared to the same week last year. Compared to last year, "The Tonight Show" was down -15% each in households (4.1/12 vs. 4.8/14), adults 18-49 (2.2/11 vs. 2.6/13) and adults 25-54 (2.3/11 vs. 2.7/13) and -14% in viewers (5.23m vs. 6.05m). ... And I can't help but share this tidbit I stumbled across: For its upcoming May miniseries "The 70's," NBC has cast former "Mod Squad" star Peggy Lipton to play feminist Gloria Steinem. Perfect! But who will play Peggy Lipton?
Coming up next ... subject to last-minute changes:
Monday: Guest hosts
Tuesday: Replay/TiVo
Previously on TV Barn:
15 March: Reader mail
14 March: "Farscape" season no. 2
13 March: There's something about Gary Considine
10 March: WWF bolts USA deal
9 March: He felt the need for "Greed"
8 March: The candidates and late-night
7 March: The $218,000 answer
3 March: "Contact"
2 March: Bush whacked
1 March: Reader mail
29 Feb: Kathie Lee quits
On this date... March 17: In 1978, Dennis Dugan is chosen by noted alien James Garner to save young damsels in distress from themselves or their boyfriends, with the help of his good looks and a magic polyester suit as "Richie Brockelman, Private Eye," an actual spin-off from "The Rockford Files."
March 18: in 1981, Ralph Hinkley, a white guy with an afro, is chosen by The Aliens to save the planet Earth from destroying itself, with the help of an FBI agent, and a magic pair of red and black pajamas, and the suit's lost instruction manual. DC Comics threatens to sue the creators of "The Greatest American Hero" because -- believe it or not — they consider it too similar in concept to "Superman."
March 19: in 1984, Jane Curtin and Susan Saint James are chosen by CBS executives (also noted aliens) to save the lives of their children wish the help of flannel pajamas and lots of lovin' as divorcees "Kate & Allie." -- Tom Heald
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