Bionic Woman got picked up? Hah! I'll check out the pilot. The lead in that used to be in Eastenders.

gossi | May 11, 02:46 CET

So my guess is that Adam's character is the CIA agent who recruits Chuck?

rosewood | May 11, 02:57 CET

gossi,

Since Heroes hit big this year (it's also one of my favorite TV series), the networks have developed alot of sci-fi/fantasy pilots - aside from The Bionic Woman on NBC, FOX has The Sarah Connor Chronicles, CBS has Twilight (vampire helps detective), Babylon Fields (Amber Tamblyn in a world in which zombies overrun the earth; I hear it's close to getting picked up), Demons, created by Barbara Hall, creator of Joan Of Arcadia; it's about an ex-priest who performs exorcisms, and ABC has, from Dead Like Me creator Bryan Fuller, Pushing Daisies. It's about a baker who discovers he can touch people and briefly bring them back to life. He uses this gift to help the authorities solves crimes. When he uses the gift on his childhood sweetheart, she stays alive and he then learns something new about his gift: if he ever touches her again, she'll die - and stay dead.

I digressed there a bit, forgive me, but for once I'm glad to see genre material being given a chance on network television when the medium as a whole has never really pursued it as much as they have this season. As a genre fan, I'm excited.

[ edited by jason.cinema on 2007-05-11 10:34 ]

jason.cinema | May 11, 03:06 CET

Well, the premise for "Chuck" sounds terrible! Oh, well... maybe they can bring something to it in the execution?

crossoverman | May 11, 04:48 CET

Thanks for that guys, and Yay genre! Sometimes the network's penchant for sticking with a theme that works, is an advantage. Most of the genre shows will probably be really mediocre and/or just too derivative (vampire helps detective??) but maybe we'll get one or two good ones from the bunch.
I'm not a fan of any of the hit shows that have awakened the networks' interest in the fantasy genre, including Ghost Whisperer, Supernatural, Medium or Hero's (sorry, passionate fans:) but I'm glad to see that they're continuing to develop shows with SciFi/fantasy themes. I'm especially looking forward to The Sara Connor Chronicles. I wasn't into the Terminator movies (OK, I'm really picky & have been accused of being a movie/TV snob) but I adore Summer Glau. I'll also give The Bionic Woman a try, because it features Katee Sackhoff.
I'm also seeing a focus on a 'strong women' theme here. I wonder who we can thank for that? :)

Shey | May 11, 05:04 CET

Had a chuckle about that myself. Then again, I laugh about most anything. Agree with gossi.

Madhatter | May 11, 08:45 CET

Huh. Chuck kind of reminds me of Jake 2.0, which was a really good show and Christopher Gorham was great as the boy next door turned reluctant superhero. Quite easy on the eyes too.

I think so far I'm most interested in The Bionic Woman (I don't care if the original was cheesy; look what they did with Battlestar Galactica), Babylon Fields (Amber Tamblyn the zombie slayer!), and Pushing Daisies (Bryan Fuller is, to me, like Joss 2.0 - definitely a producer to keep your eye on. And I've heard great things about this pilot).

electricspacegirl | May 11, 10:07 CET

I'm really curious to see The Bionic Woman. Not a big fan of the ex-EastEnder's previous work, but I'd stand in line to watch Katee breathe.

Oh, and pretty much the same goes for Adam Balwin, so WOOT to all that.

NotMandatory | May 11, 11:38 CET

GTFOoH gossi ! Zoe Slataahhhh is The Bionic Woman ?!? Man, I was watching before for Katee Sackhoff (who's only in the pilot apparently) but now i'm gonna be glued (though isn't making a Slater sister even harder kind of overkill ? It's like making The Flash the fastest man alive plus a bit ;).

'Pushing Daisies' i'll definitely be checking, sounds interesting and the guy created 'Dead Like Me' so his name's squarely in the 'credit' column in my book. 'Chuck', maybe though it does sound very similar to 'Jake 2.0' but possibly with more of a slacker vibe (Jake was quite a swot).

Also probably have a look at 'Journeyman' and maybe 'Mayor of New York' (which sounds sort of like 'Ex Machina' minus the superpowers).

Saje | May 11, 12:51 CET

Wait, zombie apocalypse on television? Awesome. I'm watching Babylon Fields.

Isn't Journeymen just Quantum Leap?

war_machine | May 11, 15:49 CET

No, silly, silly war_machine, it's completely different for, err, completely obvious reasons. It'd be patronising to even point them out in fact. Ahem. ;-).

(s'why it's only an 'also probably' for me cos normally i'd be all over time-travel like flies on honey-covered shit especially when it features Kevin McKidd who's a very likeable performer IMO)

And yeah, if 'Babylon Fields' goes i'll be watching (even if i'm a bit sceptical about zombies on a US network show - how can they possibly be nasty enough ?) cos of the premise and Amber Tamblyn being, as with McKidd, a very likeable performer.

Saje | May 11, 16:49 CET

OK, none of these shows sound great IMO, but without a doubt, a big YAY for Adam. :-)

billz | May 12, 11:54 CET