There has been a lot of news of TV show cancellations lately, but those shows will make way for a new crop of programs. Unfortunately, for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, there weren’t many pickups for genre programming. (CBS looks to have passed on ‘Alive’, its ‘Frankenstein’-inspired cop drama, starring Ryan Phillippe.) In fact, ABC didn’t order any genre shows.
And NBC’s only borderline new genre show is serial killer drama ‘Lincoln’, but it remains to be seen if this truly skirts the horror borderline like ‘Hannibal’ or ‘Dexter’, or if it’s just a run-of-the-mill cop procedural. Here is the description, at any rate:
Lincoln | Based on the bestselling Bone Collector book series, the drama — a co-production of Sony and Universal TV — stars Russell Hornsby (just off Fox’s canceled Proven Innocent) as Lincoln Rhyme, a criminologist seriously injured in his hunt for a serial killer. Arielle Kebbel plays the young beat cop who helps him hunt the killer while also taking on other high-profile cases. Justified veteran VJ Boyd and Mark Bianculli co-wrote the pilot, based on Jeffrey Deaver’s novels that also spawned a 1999 movie with Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.
Time slot: Midseason
No trailer yet.
We previously reported that FOX had picked up ‘What Just Happened’, a spoof of post-sci-fi series chat shows like ‘Talking Dead’, starring Fred Savage. Also ordered was ‘NeXT’, a “fact-based” drama about the impact of technology on our lives, starring John Slattery.
What Just Happened | A half-hour scripted comedy/talk show hybrid, the nine-episode series is a spoof on the after-show format and sees the network inventing a drama series. Fred Savage created the comedy and serves as its “host.” Premieres in the summer.
Time slot: 9:30 p.m. Sundays, premieres June 30
No trailer yet.
Next | An internal favorite of new Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier, the drama is a fact-based thriller about the emergence of a rogue AI that combines action with an examination of how tech transforms culture in a way that isn’t always understandable. Manny Coto (24) penned the script and exec produces alongside John Requa and Glenn Ficarra. Mad Men grad John Slattery stars and reunites with former AMC president Collier on the drama. The series hails from 20th Century Fox TV and Fox Entertainment.
No trailer yet.
CBS has ordered ‘Evil’ starring Michael Emerson and ‘Luke Cage’s Mike Colter.
Evil | The drama marks the return of Robert and Michelle King to broadcast television following CBS’ The Good Wife. Westworld grad Katja Herbers stars — in a potential breakout role — alongside Luke Cage‘s Mike Colter and Aasif Mandvi and network favorite Michael Emmerson. The series is a psychological mystery that examines science vs. religion and the origins of evil. The series hails from CBS TV Studios, where the Kings are under an overall deal. CBS on Sunday released the first teaser for the series.
We actually have a teaser for that series:
As previously reported, The CW ordered ‘Batwoman’, an addition to its DC Comics-based line of programs, as well as sci-fi summer series ‘Pandora’. We have the first promo trailer for ‘Batwoman’.
Batwoman | Ruby Rose will make TV history as the Greg Berlanti-produced DC Comics show is the first live-action scripted drama series with a lesbian superhero (played by an out actress). The Orange Is the New Black grad stars as Kate Kane, the superhero who roams the streets of Gotham as Batwoman and must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to become the city’s symbol of hope. The Vampire Diaries grad Caroline Dries serves as showrunner on the Warner Bros. TV-produced series that counts Geoff Johns among its exec producers. Dougray Scott, Elizabeth Anweis, Meagan Tandy, Camrus Johnson, Nicole Kang and Rachel Skarsten round out the cast.
Pandora | Another acquisition, this sci-fi drama from Mark A. Altman (Castle) and Steve Kriozere (NCIS) is set in the year 2199 and follows a young woman who has lost everything as she joins Earth’s Space Training Academy. It premieres in the summer.
No trailer yet.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
