ABC Family orders 3 new pilots

Richard Dower

As y'all know (by now) i'm a fan of the channel, so reporting new pilots is not new for me

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a279348/abc-family-orders-three-new-pilots.html

ABC Family has ordered pilots for three new shows.

According to TV Guide, the network's president Michael Riley explained that the projects are being developed to add "depth" to the programming slate.

Former Sabrina The Teenage Witch producer Daniel Berendsen is currently working on Nine Lives, which is based on the novel The Nine Lives Of Chloe King. The show focuses on a girl who discovers that she has feline skills.

Elsewhere, Switched At Birth features two teenage girls from extremely different economic backgrounds who discover that they were accidentally swapped when they were born.

The third pilot in the works is Strut, which follows a showgirl called Roxy who marries a stranger after an unusual night and ends up coaching a drill team.

ABC Family's executive vice-president of original programming and development Kate Juergens said: "These pilots offer a great mix of heartfelt and compelling storytelling that our audience has come to expect from us."

The three pilots will go into production later this year.

Richard Dower

Hmmm. in addition to the three mentioned above, ABCF has order an addition four pilots, making 7....a record for the channel:

http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/10/08/abc-family-greenlights-four-additional-pilots-gives-melissa-joey-back-order/67291

ABC FAMILY GREENLIGHTS FOUR ADDITIONAL PILOTS:

“UNTITLED BRENDA HAMPTON PROJECT,” “WHAT WOULD JANE DO,”

“THE LYING GAME” AND “THE GREAT STATE OF GEORGIA”

“MELISSA & JOEY” RECEIVES EPISODE BACK ORDER

TO COMPLETE FIRST SEASON

Back-Order on “Melissa & Joey” Takes the First Season Order to a Total of 30 Episodes

Burbank, CA (October 8, 2010) – ABC Family has given the production greenlight to four more pilots and ordered additional episodes of its new hit comedy series, “Melissa & Joey,” it was announced today by Michael Riley, president, ABC Family. The pilots are “Untitled Brenda Hampton Project,” “What Would Jane Do,” “The Lying Game” and “The Great State of Georgia.”

The network has also given a back-order to “Melissa & Joey,” starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, bringing its first season order to a total of 30 episodes. The original comedy series currently premieres on Tuesday nights at 8:00PM ET/PT.

“The addition of these four pilots to the network’s existing order, coupled with the breakout success of ‘Melissa & Joey,’ reflects the incredible momentum of ABC Family,” said Riley. “This is the most aggressive development slate in the network’s history. It shows the network’s commitment to offering viewers a great mix of brand-defining original series.”

“We’re glad to have the opportunity to collaborate with Brenda again on this new project,” said Kate Juergens, executive vice president, Original Programming & Development, ABC Family. “In addition, we couldn’t be happier to have ‘Melissa & Joey’ return with more episodes. The chemistry between the two has again proven to be a hit with our viewers. We’re so proud of them and excited to have original comedy on ABC Family.”

“Untitled Brenda Hampton Project,” a one-hour scripted drama to be executive produced by Brenda Hampton (“The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “7th Heaven”), is a groundbreaking and heartfelt look at the lives and families of four ethnically-diverse teenage girls at a private school in California. The pilot follows the girls and the challenges they face at home — challenges that include a parent with terminal cancer, a brother with a behavioral disorder, and a father who parents with an unwaveringly strict hand. Casting on the project is yet to be announced.

“The Great State of Georgia” is an ABC Studios’ half-hour, multi-cam comedy series about an exuberant plus-sized performer from the south and her science geek best friend who try to make headway in New York City. Pilot writers are Jennifer Weiner (author of the best-selling novels Good in Bed, and In Her Shoes (Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette starred in the feature film version by the same name) and Jeff Greenstein (“Desperate Housewives,” “Parenthood,” “Friends,” “Will & Grace”). Casting on the project is yet to be announced.

“What Would Jane Do” a one-hour scripted drama, follows 16year-old Jane, who lands a job at a hip retail company when they mistake her for an adult. Jane soon finds herself juggling life as a regular teenager in high school and as an assistant to a high powered executive in the cutthroat world of fashion…all while trying to keep her true identity a secret. Executive producer is Gavin Polone (“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Gilmore Girls,” “My Boys”); writer is April Blair (“Lemonade Mouth,” “Major Movie Star,” “Christmas Caper”).

“The Lying Game,” a one-hour scripted drama which follows Emma, a kind-hearted foster kid who can’t catch a break. She finds out she has an identical twin sister, Sutton, who – unlike Emma – was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. After their initial meeting, Sutton talks Emma into stepping into her life for a few days while she pursues a lead on their birth mother. Initially excited to do this favor for her sister, Emma soon learns that Sutton has gone missing and could be in trouble. Now, Emma must decide whether to come clean to Sutton’s family and risk her own safety in the hope of uncovering her twin sister’s true whereabouts, along with the truth about why they were separated in the first place. Charles Pratt, Jr. (“Ugly Betty,” “Desperate Housewives,” “All My Children,” “Melrose Place”) serves as executive producer and writer; Leslie Morgenstein (“Pretty Little Liars,” “Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries”) and Gina Girolamo will serve as executive producers. Produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television, the series is based on the upcoming novel by Pretty Little Liars author Sara Shepard. Casting on the project is yet to be announced.

Richard Dower

Pilot casting news: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a284118/thompson-marie-join-abc-family-pilot.html

Lea Thompson and Constance Marie have signed up for roles in ABC Family's new pilot Switched At Birth.

The project focuses on two teenage girls from very different economic backgrounds who discover that they were accidentally swapped when they were born.

Zap2It reports that Thompson and Marie have now joined the show as the girls' mothers.

Thompson is best known for her role as Marty McFly's mother in Back To The Future and recently had a guest role in ABC Family's show Greek.

Meanwhile, Marie played Angie on George Lopez for five years and appeared in The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, which also airs on ABC Family, last year.

Richard Dower

More news, Skyler Samuels cast in Nine Lives: http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/abc-family-nine-lives-pilot-finds-lead/

Skyler Samuels (ABC's The Gates) has landed the lead in ABC Family's pilot Nine Lives, which is based on Alloy's Nine Lives of Chloe King series of 3 young-adult novels by Celia Thomson. The pilot, produced by Alloy Entertainment, centers on Chloe King (Samuels), a teenager with heightened abilities (super speed, agility, hearing…claws) who discovers she’s being pursued by a mysterious figure. UPDATE: Also cast in the pilot are Grey Damon as Brian and Alyssa Diaz as Jasmine. Dan Berendsen penned the script and is executive producing with Alloy's Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo.

Richard Dower

LOL...this guy has beef with "a new kind of family":

http://www.brianmcculloh.com/aprilsblog/?p=48

If you have ever flipped to ABC Family, you have probably noticed programs that are appealing to teenagers for all the wrong reasons. ABC Family’s newest slogan, “a new kind of family,” seems harmless, but what do they mean by “new,” and do they really create programs that promote the family?

I researched the network further and learned that ABC Family was originally The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) Family Channel (1988). This channel was then bought by Fox and it became the Fox Family Channel (1998). In 2001, it was sold to Disney and was renamed to ABC Family. As part of the purchase agreement they are required to air 2 episodes of the 700 Club (CBN talk show) daily. Offended by the Chrsitian view points expressed in the CBN talk show, ABC Family changed the disclaimer preceding the CBN talk show from ““The following program is brought to you by CBN” to “The following CBN telecast does not reflect the views of ABC Family.”

ABC Family’s goal was to target college students and younger, hip female audiences, under the name XYZ. But part of the purchase agreement required they keep the word “family” in the channel name. I am concluding that instead of redefining their target audience and programming to reflect their required “family” status, they are attempting to redefine what the family is, thus “A new kind of family” was conceived*.

I viewed their most popular prime time and after school shows to see what this “new” family looks like. It is clear that while their programs feature child actors, the shows are not for children. Below is a list of the shows I viewed along with a brief description of their content.

Pretty Little Liars

Plot: Murder Mystery

Content: high school student makes out with her high school teacher in a public restroom, shoplifting, smoking pot, adultery, teenagers moving in together, stealing sister’s boyfriend, mother prostitutes herself to a police officer to erase her daughter’s jail record, drinking alcohol, lying is portrayed as attrtactive


Greek

Plot: College students doing stereotypical college activities

Content: Spring break, two men kissing, drinking alcohol, sex, wet t-shirt contest, erection innuendos, fake ID’s


That 70′s Show

Time: After school from 3-4:30 pm

Plot: Teenagers hang’n out

Content: drugs, drinking alcohol, three-some is implied, couples have sex in paren’ts home


The Secret Life of the American Teenager

Plot: Sexual relationships among teenagers

Opening theme song:

Fallin’ in love
Is such an easy thing to do
Birds can do it
We can do it
Let’s stop talkin’
Let’s get to it
Let’s fall in love

Content: Sex with multiple partners, adultery, teen pregnancy, divorce, homosexuality, stealing sister’s boyfriend, one character states she is a Christian but she “still likes to have fun”, parents have no authority over their children

ABC Family is producing shows that get ratings, which means parent’s are allowing their children to watch these shows believing they are family friendly. Moral ambiguity and life without meaning or purpose abound! ABC Family puts a disclaimer before the CBN talk show, but not before the programs mentioned in this post, meaning the content reflects ABC Family’s beliefs.

The message that was lacking in these ABC Family programs was love. Love that keeps parents married and families together. Love that creates boundaries and clear authority for children. Love that allows children to mature at a healthy pace. Thats the kind of family kids really want and need, the kind of family that ABC considers “old.”

*CBN, please revise the purchase agreement so they no longer use the word family.

Richard Dower

According to this: http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/10/15/random-scooplets-ausiello-spoilers/

The pilot Strut is no more: * ABC Family has opted not to move forward with Strut, a cast-contingent pilot about a Las Vegas showgirl-turned-drill team instructor. Rumor has it producers were wooing Jenna Elfman for the title role, but Dharma wasn’t interested.

Richard Dower

Lev L. Spiro is set to direct ABC Family's drama pilot What Would Jane Do, while Erica Dasher (The Lake) was cast as the title character. What Would Jane Do follows 16-year-old Jane (Dasher), who lands a job at a hip retail company when they mistake her for an adult. Jane soon finds herself juggling life as a regular teenager in high school and as an assistant to a high powered executive in the cutthroat world of fashion…all while trying to keep her true identity a secret. Spiro will direct from a script by April Blair; Gavin Polone is executive producing. CAA-repped Spiro most recently directed the directed the season 2 premiere of Spike TV's Blue Mountain State, which posted a series high.

Richard Dower

More stuff in the works: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/live-feed/abc-family-brewing-practical-magic-33718

Some Halloween-themed programming news: Warner Bros. is developing a reboot of its 1998 film Practical Magic for ABC Family.

The studio and network are in the very early stages of bringing back the fantasy, which is based on a novel by Alice Hoffman.

Practical Magic is about the Owens family, including two sisters and their orphaned nieces, who are the latest in a ancestral line of witches. If any of the Owens women find true love with a man, he dies tragically (which is what happened the nieces' father).

The movie starred Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Several years ago, the story was later re-developed for a TV version that didn't make it off the ground.

If Practical Magic successfully debuts on ABC Family, it will join a legacy of Witch TV titles such as Charmed, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and, of course, Bewitched.

Richard Dower

Based on Alloy's Nine Lives of Chloe King series of 3 young-adult novels by Celia Thomson, Nine Lives centers on Chloe King (Samuels), a teenager with heightened abilities (super speed, agility, hearing…claws) who discovers she’s being pursued by a mysterious figure. Pietz will play Chloe's adoptive mother and protector, a slightly-harried, successful real estate agent who has raised Chloe as a single mother since her husband abandoned them over ten years ago. Caroline in the City alumna Pietz recently recurred on The Office.

^ from deadline.com

Syferus

I don't hate you (or nothin'), but wouldn't you get the idea that people just aren't all that interested if after half a dozen posts made over the course of weeks I'm first person to give an actual response?

Richard Dower

^ i don't CARE....

Syferus

Richard Dower wrote: »

^ i don't CARE....

We're on a forum, not a notice board or a news site.

Richard Dower

You know, sometimes people don't reply....but READ.

RolandIRL

jesus why is everyone picking on richard lately? just because he's the only person who posts in some threads, what's so bad about that? does everyone have to be so negative about it?
if it weren't for him doing this, i'd have missed one of my favourite shows this year (Lost Girl), so i dunno why everyone is getting worked up about richard.

Richard Dower

Syferus wrote: »

We're on a forum, not a notice board or a news site.

I notice you didn't post in other threads i started with no postings or replies....or is it you're OK with those, but because these are ABC Family shows you take issue?

Syferus

Richard Dower wrote: »

I notice you didn't post in other threads i started with no postings or replies....or is it you're OK with those, but because these are ABC Family shows you take issue?

It was actually the compressive effect of seeing it a few times that moved me to say something. I hardly know what ABC Family even is, but I certainly bear it no irrational ill-will, which you're implied. Evidently most everyone just as unmoved on the topic, so it just strikes me as odd that you'd continue to keep threads like this on life-support.

And whiteman, I've actually noticed that Richard's been getting a tough time and it was partly why I even piped up; threads like this are probably a real heart of the derision from some quarters. I don't think anything I've said can be regarded as personal or vindictive, just honest.

Richard Dower

I'll say it again, unless i'm banned or threads deleted i'll contine to post, you notice i cover ALOT of different shows, not just "tween".

Syferus

Richard Dower wrote: »

I'll say it again, unless i'm banned or threads deleted i'll contine to post, you notice i cover ALOT of different shows, not just "tween".

Where exactly did I say you didn't? More fundamentally, what does it have to do with the points I just made?

Richard Dower

Syferus wrote: »

Where exactly did I say you didn't? More fundamentally, what does it have to do with the points I just made?

With all due respect, i've never had an issue with you, simple solution....use your CP to block all posts from me

Syferus

Richard Dower wrote: »

With all due respect, i've never had an issue with you, simple solution....use your CP to block all posts from me

Why would blocking someone for the sake of a few zombie threads make any sense? Ignore lists on forums make little sense at the best of times, but that's certainly not a real solution of any worth here, man.

I've only said that threads like this don't serve all that much purpose, so why keep being the sole poster? Just because you like (or in this case, think you'll like) the topic isn't a good enough reason - I like alot of things I'd never make a thread about and then continue to post on when no one else shows any interest, and I'd wage from exprience most everyone else is the same way. Surely a better solution in this case would have been after the first few posts you'd wait until the shows are out or nearing their priemeres and make a thread for them then?

Richard Dower

No, becuase those who are interested might appreciate updates on the shows and news etc. - i'm done, you're boring me.

Syferus

Richard Dower wrote: »

No, becuase those who are interested might appreciate updates on the shows and news etc. - i'm done, you're boring me.

That's what news sites are for, though. Forums are for talking.

And no need to get so flustered; I'm saying these things in the least personal and most constructive way possible and other people will likely just engage in insults or worse. You can try to ignore the advice, but it's not going to help anything.

Richard Dower

At ABC Family, Wendey Stanzler is directing drama pilot Nine Lives starring Skyler Samuels and Amy Pietz, Keith Truesdell is shooting the untitled Brenda Hampton pilot, and Steve Miner, who previously helmed the pilots for the ABC Family series Wildfire and Make It or Break It, is directing Switched at Birth.

Richard Dower

First promo vid for 9 Lives Of Chloe King: http://www.spoilertv.com/2011/03/nine-lives-of-chloe-king-season-1-first.html