Upfronts 2022: Last-Minute Pilot Buzz

As we are waiting for the onslaught of new series orders the next couple of days, here is some last-minute gossip on what is hot at the broadcast networks in an abbreviated edition of Deadline’s Pilot Buzz.

At ABC, the The Rookie planted spinoff starring Niecy Nash and Alaska Daily News, starring Hilary Swank, remain a lock. The L.A. Law sequel has faded but is not dead. Speaking of dead, comedy pilot Not Dead Yet, starring Gina Rodriguez, continues to be hot. (Not in fall consideration are ABC drama pilots The Company You Keep, Untitled Kay Oyegun, Will Trent and Untitled National Parks as well as comedy The Son in Law and David E. Kelley’s straight-to-series drama Avalon.) Josep has not gotten a pass yet but its chances remain slim. On the renewal front, The Wonder Years and Home Economics continue to look good to return.

Firefighter drama Cal Fire continues to look like the one to beat, with cop drama East New York also likely to go to series. The Mother & Son Legal drama has been heating up while Early Edition reboot has been cooling off, while True Lies remains a possibility.

No new intel on the comedy side where the field seems wide open this year with no clear frontrunners. Presentation Hug Machine and pilot Rust Belt News remain possibilities, while Unplanned in Akron recently searched for a showrunner.

2022 CBS Pilots & Series Orders

With NBC’s only drama pilot in fall consideration, Quantum Leap, already getting a series order, potentially for the post-Voice slot, NBC has just a comedy decision to make. Between its two pilots, Lopez vs. Lopez, a collaboration between George Lopez and his daughter, appears a lock, while Hungry has been cooling off. Finished drama pilots Unbroken and Blank Slate are not in fall consideration; the remaining NBC drama pilots are being produced off-cycle. UPDATE 5:30 PM: Lopez vs. Lopez has been picked up to series.

2022 NBC Pilots & Series Orders

Two projects that had been put on a script-to-series track, John Eisendrath’s procedural drama Alert and Steve Yockey’s meteorologist comedy Cindy Snow, continue to look great for a pickup. The network’s only pilot ordered during the 2022 window this year, an Untitled Michelle Nader comedy presentation, no longer is for fall as I hear reworking is likely. Other comedies in off-cycle consideration include Wheelan Motors and Animal Control.

Of the other script-to-series dramas, Hell Or High Water has been heating up behind Alert, with Icon also gaining momentum with its timely Season 1 subjects, Naomi and Wynonna Judd.

The CW’s three pilots this season continue to all look good: Supernatural prequel The Winchesters, Walker origin story Walker: Independence and Gotham Knights. It is still possible for all of them to go to series.