Skip to main content

PILOT PICKUPS: People Are Talking, Crowded, Superstore

With upfronts getting very close, we are getting some more series pickup news. NBC has picked up three comedies: multi-camera sitcoms People are Talking and Crowded, a single camera sitcom Superstore.

People are Talking comes from DJ Nash and centers on two very different couples who are neighbors and best friends. The show stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Meaghan Rath, Tone Bell, and Bresha Webb. This is a type of show that doesn't have much of a plot so it's all going to depend on the writing and chemistry.

Crowded is another domestic sitcom centered on an empty nest couple ready to enjoy their freedom until both their grown daughters and the husband's parents move in with them. The pilot is directed by the veteran James Burrows. Crowded stars Patrick Warburton, Carrie Preston, Stacy Keach, Carlease Burke, Mia Serafino, and Miranda Cosgrove.

Superstore is a single camera sitcom about the employees of a big box store - newbies and veterans. The workplace sitcom stars America Ferrara, Ben Feldman, Mark McKinney, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nichole Bloom, and Nico Santos. While People are Talking and Crowded sound like a new direction for NBC sitcoms - with a more domestic, multi-camera approach, Superstore sounds more like NBC's recent lineup of niche workplace sitcoms. We'll see!

These three comedies join Telenovela and Coach on the comedy side where NBC is really struggling. Also picked up are dramas Blindspot, Chicago Med, Emerald City, Heartbreaker, Heroes: Reborn, and Shades of Blue as well as the variety show Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris. NBC will still likely pick up a few more shows, but they're already at 12 so they've got to be getting close to being done.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

EPISODE GUIDES: Rhoda Season Five

On Thursdays, I go through classic series with a critical look at each season. Today I am looking at Season Five (the final season) of  Rhoda ! RHODA: SEASON FIVE 1978 13 episodes Rhoda' s final season was a truncated one as the show was cancelled in December 1978 after only 13 episodes had been produced (and only nine had aired). This feels like a continuation from season four in many ways except with the ill-advised split between Ida and Martin (more on that below). While  Rhoda  has an occasional good moment and even a couple decent episodes, it is a show that seems so wildly different from season one and not in a good way.  Rhoda  could never figure out what it fully wanted to be and only made it four and a half seasons as a result. Starring Valerie Harper as Rhoda Morgenstern  (13 episodes) Julie Kavner as Brenda Morgenstern  (13 episodes) Ray Buktenica as Benny Goodwin  (11 episodes) Kenneth McMillan as Jack Doyle  (9 episodes) Nancy Wa...

SCHEDULES OF THE PAST: 1995-1996 Thursdays

On Tuesdays, I take a look at schedules from yesteryear. Here's a look at Thursdays in the 1995-96 season! ABC 8:00 8:30 9:00 10:00 Sep Charlie Grace The Monroes Various Programs Oct Murder One Nov Various Programs Dec Various Programs Thursday Night Movie Jan Feb World’s Funniest Videos Before They Were Stars! Mar Apr May NBC was the powerhouse on Thursday nights but ABC still gave it the old college try in the Fall of 1995 with a trio of new dramas that they hoped would help them cut into the Peacock's dominance. Headlining their night was Murder One , a high profile new show from Steven Bochco that received much of the network's attention before the season started. The series focused on one murder case for an entire season, whi...

DECADE IN REVIEW: The Best Comedies of the 2010s

During the month of December, I will be looking back at the decade that was the 2010s on TV. I will be sharing my favorite sitcoms, dramas, the best episodes, the best performances and the worst shows of the decade. To be eligible for this list, a show had to air the majority of its episodes in the 2010s. However, for the rankings and determination, all episodes were taken into account, including ones that may have aired before 2010. I will also preface that there are comedies that have aired this decade that I haven't watched yet so this is the best of what I have watched. To be fair, that preface is more true for dramas. There's not a ton of unwatched comedies sitting in my Netflix or Amazon watchlist. So here are my Top 10 comedies of the 2010s! Close Calls:  Master of None (Netflix) - An inconsistent but occasionally fascinating commentary on many life issues done so with innovative storytelling. The Good Place (NBC) - A show that aims high with a fascinating premis...