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Pilot Season

This is our second post about television in as many weeks, but people seemed to enjoy the last one, so here we go.

I have an unhealthy love for television pilots (by which I mean debut episodes, not Matt Damon on 30 Rock). There is just something so bold and optimistic about them--so much potential. Everyone involved believes they have crafted the next big hit, but 90% of the time they are dead wrong. This can be particularly frustrating when you fall in love with a doomed show like Freaks and Geeks, or when you just know bullshit like Chase or CSI: Bozeman is more likely to catch on than Joss Whedon's latest project (RIP Dollhouse). But it can also be exhilerating, like when you catch an against-the-odds phenom like Glee or Lost from its first moments, and before you know it, it defines the zeitgeist.

That is why I watch all the pilots I can during this time of year, even the almost certain failures. Below is what I've discovered so far:

Lone Star: This new show about a con artist in over his head was probably my favorite pilot of the season. It stars Jon Voight, Friday Night Lights' ridiculously hot Adrienne Palicki, and charistmatic newcomer James Wolk. Unfortunately, it debuted last night to only about 4.1 Million viewers (Dancing with the Stars had 22 Million; f*#@ you, America), which means it will almost definitely be cancelled by Halloween, and I'll be bitching about it till Christmas, when I will get the DVD set and watch it over and over again while hating everyone.

Boardwalk Empire: There is really not much to say about this show. Everyone expected it to be great based on the premise and talent involved, and sure enough, the pilot was great in almost exactly the ways everyone expected. Check that box.

Terriers: FX's new show about scrappy unlicensced private eyes trying to take down corrupt billionares in Ocean Beach is reminiscient of great Noir shows like Veronica Mars and The Rockford Files. Definitely worth watching.

The Event: And now for the question mark. This is the latest in a long line of failed attempts to capture Lost's audience, but it's also the first such show that doesn't have to compete with Lost itself. I found the pilot solid enough that I'll tune in for a few more weeks, but they need to remember that Lost's success owed as much to its great characters as its intriguing mysteries.

So that's what I've got my eye on this year. How about you?

Full post as published by Nuts & Boalts on September 21, 2010 (boomark / email).