LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- ABC and NBC have both released official descriptions of their various pilots under consideration for the 2006-2007 season.
NBC will announce on Monday, May 15 which of its projects made the cut at its annual "upfront" presentation. ABC will follow on Tuesday, May 16 with CBS on Wednesday, May 17, and FOX and the CW on Thursday, May 18.
Here are said descriptions, broken down by network and category (comedy or drama). As always, you can track each pilot's casting and production information in the Devwatch section.
ABC COMEDIES (18)
52 FIGHTS - The TV adaptation the bestselling book, "52 Fights," which examines one couple from both sides. Supposedly, a normal newlywed couple has 52 fights in the first year of marriage... it's apparently a steep learning curve when you're discovering how to be married. Take Jennifer and Matt. They met, fell in love and got married � almost immediately. Now the honeymoon's over and they're living together for the first time in the first house that either of them has ever owned. It's a fixer-upper, but neither of them knows the first thing about fixer-uppering. And that's just the beginning... Jennifer and Matt will be shocked by how hard it is to learn to live with your spouse and realize life is much more complicated than figuring out whose turn it is to clean the dishes. Fortunately, their love is strong enough to work through their 52 fights.
A DAY IN THE LIFE - Think about how much planning and attention to detail go into arranging a wedding... the venue, the dress, the reception, the food, the flowers, the music...and on and on and on. Months and months of planning go into a celebration that begins and ends in a single day. Not this wedding. Danny and Alice are getting married today, and just like any other wedding it will only take a single day, but we are going to break that single day down into 22 individual episodes as we watch all of the meticulous planning start to unravel throughout the day. Everything matters at a wedding, and the tiniest of imperfections can reverberate throughout the event as if lives actually hang in the balance. Choice of side salad? A trivial decision for the thousands of side salads you will eat in the course of a lifetime. But for the mother of the bride on wedding day, this might as well be the most critical decision of her life, and if you're the caterer you better get it right. Misplace your contact lenses? No big deal...unless you're the best man and the maid of honor just drank the glass of water you put them in before the two of you went to bed last night... together. Things are about to get very complicated for Danny and Alice as their day turns into a season-long roller coaster with thrilling drops, loops and corkscrews when nothing goes as planned. The writers of What Women Want and 13 Going on 30 take a full season to dissect the one biggest day in any family's life. Tapping into the charm of such romantic comedies as Father of the Bride and the real horror of Bridezillas they show you the pressure and stress everyone adds to this wild, wonderful event.
GIRLS ON THE BUS - Embrace a fresh perspective on a workplace comedy in the never-before-seen fast-paced, high-pressure world of campaign coverage. Based on the unbelievable experiences of reporter Alexandra Pelosi, it is the comedy that proves politics not only makes for strange bedfellows, but also isn't as serious a world as one might think. Ronnie Sarazen thinks she is ready for the big leagues. She did the homework, got the degree, and bought the suits. After a couple of years at the bottom in local news, opportunity knocks when she is hired as the segment producer for seasoned, experienced on-air reporter, Cassidy Long. But book smart and office smart proves to be a whole world different than road smart when Ronnie gets on the campaign bus for the first time. If Ronnie does not get up to speed quickly, she is going to get run over. Between the resigned, been-there-done-that approach of her seatmate Helen, and her boss Cassidy's high-maintenance, do-anything-for-a story attitude, Ronnie is eventually going to have to learn the ropes. In the end, she will probably end up learning more about herself and growing up, than she does about producing as she juggles public news, private life, and personal ethics from now until Election Day.
THE GUYS - When you have your first kid, for a little while, you can still get away with trying to convince yourself that you're still that same fun-loving guy who you were pre-kid... hang out with all those buddies you used to hang out with, and do all those cool pre-kid things. But at a certain point, you have to realize that you are not that cool guy anymore: you are a dad. And the people you are actually hanging out with are not those cool guys you used to hang out with but are, in fact, the random assortment of other dads who just happen to have kids the same age as yours. That is your group. That is your posse. That is your reality. And if you are anything like Sean Wilson, you become determined to make those people your friends and to make that group work. Brought together by their kids, The Guys is about the unlikely but life-altering friendship created amongst a disparate group of men who otherwise would never be spending time together.
HELP ME HELP YOU - Whoever came up with the horrible idea of group therapy? Take a bunch of people who are all really messed up in different ways and put them in a room together to try and help each other out. Yeah...that's a great idea. No conflicts there. Just a bunch of crazy, self-obsessed strangers...workin' it out. And if that isn't bad enough, Dr. Bill Hoffman (Ted Danson) is probably the craziest and most self-obsessed of all, but his patients would never know it because he hides behind his very respectable celebrity image as a best-selling author of phenomenally successful self-help books.
HIM & US - Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live the exclusive life of a rock 'n roll star? For the first time you can join the entourage of an outrageous, larger-than-life, pop superstar. Onstage, backstage, at home, and on the road, every moment is just as explosive and exciting as you've imagined it. Kim Cattrall stars as Freddie, the long suffering manager of superstar British rock sensation Max Flash who has been burning up the charts for over a quarter of a century. Max is a flamboyant, rhinestone-studded diva who is as outlandish off-stage as on, and Freddie has spent her career protecting the enthusiastic musical genius from the constant parade of people who are trying to get something from Max. Also along for the glamorous jet-set ride is Max's posse. Sure, they all started out employees, but along the way they've become trusted friends, sharing in the trappings of life well lived. For each and every one of them, it's a dream come true...but Freddie has her hands full keeping a caring eye on this eccentric crowd. Sir Elton John pulls back the leopard print curtain on a rock 'n roll life inspired by his own to reveal the comedy and the dysfunctional family that forms while touring. Collaborating with Sex and the City's Cindy Chupack, Desperate Housewives' Michael Edelstein, and longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, Sir Elton gives fans an all-access pass behind the scenes to see what few people ever get to see. Together they create a memorable comedy with a heart as big as his talent.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY - It's the line on any medical form or job application that most of us take for granted: Who should we contact in case of emergency? We don't even think twice about it as we fill in the name of our spouse, our parents, our sibling, our best friend. But what if you had no one? What if you looked at that question and struggled to come up with one single person that you could contact if there was a real emergency? Today is a turning point for three high school buddies who find themselves in places they never would have expected, and learn that in one day they can start with no one to count on, but can finish being able to count on each other. After discovering his wife cleaned him out, diet guru Sherman will hijack an Entenmann's truck and over-indulge. In the face of a fraud indictment, financial whiz Jason will dodge the suicide bullet only to shoot himself in the foot... literally. Unhappily divorced, Harry will finally go for a relaxing "massage" but get an unhappy ending, complete with police chase. And the scantily clad "massage therapist" Dara will get exposed as the High School valedictorian the three men knew her to be. By day's end, good-hearted Harry will have gathered these high school peers under his roof as they come to realize none of them turned out the way they thought they would back in '87. It's a good thing they've all finally got someone to call, because their troubles are just beginning.
JUMP - Do you ever feel trapped by the career choices you've made? Do you feel like there's an enormous gap between who you are, and who you thought you'd be? Do you ever just want to turn your life upside down and do something totally radical before it's too late? Danny Carter has done just that. When he bumps into Sam, a girl he once new from high school, she is very disappointed that the great, charismatic, inspiring person Danny used to be has become a total sell-out. Something clicks. Re-awakened by this chance encounter to what life could have been...and what it can still be... Danny quits his high-powered job to begin pursuing the things he's always dreamed of achieving. Starting off by re-connecting with Sam and some other friends he'd been neglecting, Danny is beginning to map out a new path in life...one that will be full of challenges and fear, but ultimately, a million times more rewarding than playing it safe.
MR. NICE GUY - People claim it's the thought that counts, but sometimes good intentions can have the worst consequences. Like when you ask a woman when her baby's due and she tells you she's not pregnant. Now you've called her fat and it doesn't matter that you're helping carry her heavy packages. Guy is the ultimate Mr. Nice Guy, but, like some weird curse, everything he says or does tends to come out wrong. Fortunately he's found a wife who likes wounded creatures, otherwise, he'd be destined for a lonely existence of TV dinners, comic conventions and online chat rooms. His verbal diarrhea is constantly getting him into trouble. Ironically, Guy works in sales. His best friend Izzy thinks there's an easy solution... whatever Guy's instincts tell him to do, do the opposite. It's an idea that just might work, if only Guy didn't have a compulsive need to fix his mistakes.
NOTES FROM THE UNDERBELLY - Everyone knows that when you have a baby your life changes, but no one points out that the very first way that it changes is that you have to lie to everyone you know for the first three months until it's safe to tell people. Andrew and Lauren have just found out they're going to be having a baby, and are having a slightly difficult time following rule number one � keeping it secret. Suddenly switching to decaf, becoming a teatotaller at cocktail parties, going to the OBGYN...hard stuff to keep from family and close friends. Well, Andrew and Lauren are about to learn that when the secret gets out, the politics of parenthood can be just as demanding as raising the child. Sometimes all that "help" from loving but intrusive parents and "advice" from well-meaning but competitive friends who are trying to show you what great parents they already are is not exactly what you're looking for. Knowing what's best for the child could be the easiest part...maintaining your relationships with family and friends can be the real challenge.
OUR THIRTIES - Conventional wisdom tells us one thing, but the way we choose to live our lives may not necessarily be in line with what the world expects. And that's ok. Our Thirties is a comedy that explores a group of friends who are doing what just about everyone else is doing these days...swimming a little bit against the tide of the expectations from the generation that came before us. Take, for example the couple that has just gotten divorced. They were the perfect couple with the perfect marriage, and now that they have split they are determined to support each other in the perfect divorce, cheering each other on as each of them returns to the dating pool. Or, how about the divorcee who is engaged to a closeted major league baseball player and is simply enjoying all the fame and attention? Or the couple that has just come to the realization that they don't have to get married despite the pressure they're feeling from family and friends? All of these relationships will be tested when the 11-year-old son one of them never knew he had shows up, adding an unexpected wrinkle to life's journey.
PINK COLLAR - For the women at the American Accident Insurance Agency, juggling ambition and friendships is a full time job. Take Hayden (Alicia Silverstone), a hard worker who hates office politics. Hayden's career has been defined by one small but lasting workplace fiasco that occurred years ago. Trying to get back into the company's good graces, Hayden must compete with her best friend Claire for a promotion. Claire is the ultimate competitor, and is determined to make VP by the time she's 30 � but when she unexpectedly finds out she's pregnant, Claire begins to wonder if a woman has to make a choice between career and motherhood. Both women are under the watchful eye of Eve, the ultimate political machine who isn't afraid to ruffle feathers (or sleep with a coworker) to establish her place in the office hierarchy. Then there's Alix, the newbie who's got everything going for her: beauty, an MBA degree and minority status. As compassion and competition collide, all of these women must balance the wonderful, yet difficult, issues that arise when you're working with (and competing with) your friends.
UNTITLED BONNIE HUNT PROJECT - With flashbacks, film clips and a touch of fantasy, Bonnie Hunt and frequent collaborator/comic Don Lake create a work/play partnership dynamic not seen on television since Moonlighting. It's a crazy world that's sometimes dangerous, sometimes romantic but always funny. Recently divorced Pasadena Police Detective Kate Holloway's life is like her desk; it looks messy but she knows where everything is. Thank goodness she has her friendship with her longtime partner, Nick. Despite his difficulty in sustaining a relationship, Bonnie is the one woman he is always there for. Together with a wacky cast of characters at the precinct, Bonnie and Nick make solving crimes, while dissecting each other's personal lives, all part of a day's work.
UNTITLED BRAD COPELAND PROJECT (A.K.A. SOUTHERN COMFORT) - What if you peaked too early? High schools are filled with stars who excel across the board socially, athletically, or even in student government. But many of these stars burn out once they graduate, unable to live up to their promise of greatness. Danny McGrath was the star of his high school � football champion, homecoming king, all-around cool kid. Ten years later he's not far from where he started. Danny thinks he's got a pretty cool life � he has a smokin' hot wife, owns his own condo, and he's his own boss. Danny also has pool privileges at the empty mansion he landscapes, a mansion he's always dreamed of owning. Most importantly, he's surrounded by friends who remember who he used to be. But today he's getting a wake up call. The "band geek" younger brother he used to bully is coming home. Now worth millions, computer wiz Collin is moving into Danny's dream house. Can Danny handle being the guy who mows his little brother's lawn? Can Danny handle the truth that his life isn't really so great? No, but he's still the cool one and he can still intimidate the heck out of his little brother... at least that's something. This family may hail from the beaches of South Florida, but it's a story that plays out in backyards all across the country.
UNTITLED DONAL LOGUE PROJECT - For almost 20 years, Eugene Gurkin (Donal Logue) has dreamt of opening a bar, but his dead end job on the late, late janitorial shift won't even fund a bottle of premium booze. In the wake of a co-worker's death, he catches an episode of MTV's Cribs. Call it divine intervention, call it a dumb idea, but whatever it is takes hold of Eugene and soon he recruits a group of misfits into his "gang" for a heist to finance their dreams. The target: a major celebrity's super-luxe Central Park West apartment. Working together, this band of adorable, new-age Robin Hoods, who have never even shoplifted a candy bar, are soon casing the joint and prepping for their crime. What they don't know is that there's a much richer target for them... the chance to find hope, self-esteem and confidence within themselves.
UNTITLED PATRICIA HEATON PROJECT - What are moms doing weekdays between 9 and 3 while the kids are at school? Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) returns to television in a show that peeks behind the curtain at the zany, but very real world of suburban moms. Between starting a physical therapy practice, raising two boys and dealing with her own grief, widow Janet Daily (Patricia Heaton) is under a lot of pressure... but she's about to get some moral support. The first helping hand comes from Rachel, the offbeat school principal who's being driven up the wall by parents who feel the need to interfere in their kids' education. On the other hand is trophy wife Hilary, a free spirit who is so desperate to bond with her stepdaughter that she has taken to dressing like a teenager. Thrown together by the PTA, they band together over a mutual dislike for the type-A moms who run the school as their own personal project. But quickly they discover that they need each other far more than they're willing to admit. Be it sounding board, helping hand or just someone to make you laugh, these three unlikely amigos will find out there's safety in numbers.
UNTITLED SHANA GOLDBERG-MEEHAN PROJECT - How can two sisters with the same parents have completely different upbringings? Tess was raised by her hippie parents and had a totally idyllic middle-class upbringing. But just when she went off to college her professor dad struck it rich with a hit book and suddenly they were leading a very different life...and Tess' sister Gabby, 10 years younger, was raised in the lap of luxury with not a care in the world. Now, years later, Gabby has been expelled from college and the last thing she's going to do is tell her parents. She connives her way into living with Tess, who is busy trying to make her own way and establishing herself as a journalist while taking pains not to allow herself to lean on her parents for financial support. Much more than a comedy between a frugal sister and a spoiled sister, this is a comedy that taps into the widespread generation rift between the Gen-X-ers who have struggled for years to get ahead and the super-entitled generation that is currently nipping at their heels.
WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE - Heather Locklear stars as Barb, a widowed mom whose friends keep telling her she needs to "get back out there." It's been over a year since Barb's husband has passed away, and for the first time, Barb and her friends Dianne (a newly separated mom of twins) and Sharon (a serial dater) are all single at the same time and ready to take on the dating world. Still, it's not easy out there when you're a 40-year-old woman. When a 40-year-old man finds a soulmate she's usually 25-years-old and a size two. That's the challenge for these three lifelong friends intent to support each other as they help Barb navigate through foreign waters.
ABC DRAMAS (18)
20 QUESTIONS - The CIA killed Kennedy. Roosevelt let Pearl Harbor happen. The Johnson administration faked the moon landing. There's nothing that fascinates people quite like a government conspiracy. Unless you're an innocent man caught up in the middle of one and running for your life. State Department mid-level staffer Jackson Lynch (Jesse Bradford: "Swimfan") is on the fast track to D.C.'s success. But his boss just gave him an assignment that will change the course of his life. While delivering an envelope, Jackson witnesses a murder at the Syrian Embassy and barely escapes with his life. The next day without a mention in the news, Lynch realizes everything has been covered up � including, he discovers, the 'accidental' death of his boss. Is he next? Now he's on the run with secret government documents that not even the president is cleared to see. He can't trust his higher ups and the conspiracy is so big even his ex-senator father can't help him. Jackson will have to think on his feet, exploiting loopholes in the system and trusting only his network of lower-level but powerful friends scattered across key D.C. departments. Together, they will be able to help him get to the bottom of a mystery that has already claimed four lives.
60 MINUTE MAN - Time... it's our most precious commodity. Some of us have too much of it, others not enough. The one thing for certain, we all live by its structure. But what if you started losing track of what you did with your time... a part of your day just disappears and you don't have a memory to show for it? Husband and father John Henderson thought he had a normal life raising his kids and designing software, until he began to notice he was losing track of time. Exactly an hour each and every day. The first time it was just plain weird. The second time it got frightening, because he snapped out of it standing over a dead body in the woods...a dead body that looked vaguely familiar to John. The discovery of this dead body will open up a growing conspiracy in which John believes he never should have been involved. Now, John's life has become a battle between the two parts of himself: the 23-hour good guy who's trying to uncover the truth of what happens during his lost hour, and the 60-minute dark part of himself that's doing things with a cold-blooded skill. What happens to him during the hour? Who is telling him what to do? And more importantly, how is he being controlled for 60 minutes every day? As the conspiracy threatens to pull John's life apart, his relationship with his family is put to the test. Even John's friends are not who he thought they were, as his actions during his lost time start affecting more lives and, eventually, could impact the future of the United States.
BROTHERS & SISTERS - As kids, brothers and sisters share many laughs, work through many arguments and form many bonds. As adults the same rules apply but it gets a lot more complicated when they've all grown into very different people... united by a gene pool. The adult children of Henry March, along with their respective families, have gathered to celebrate a birthday. What they don't know is that tonight the patriarch will die. With this safety net gone, everyone will be forced to face the reality of their lives. Kitty's radio success has led to a TV pundit job in Los Angeles, but her New York boyfriend just proposed. Charlie and Nora can't work with each other but somehow they have to in order to save the family business. Bryan's well ordered life is shaken by the news his ex-wife is moving his 8-year- old son to Texas. Justin's kicked nicotine but other addictions and his gulf war distress keep him from moving forward. The challenges of an autistic son are pushing Nora to the breaking point. Set in Los Angeles, this multi-generational family works to balance their personal lives with the family business, their siblings, and a grieving mother.
DAY BREAK - Did you ever have a day so bad you couldn't wait to get past it? The kind of day nothing goes your way, and everything turns out wrong. What would happen if you couldn't put this day behind you... literally? Today Detective Brett Hopper will be accused of shooting state attorney Emilio Garza. He will offer his rock solid alibi. He will realize he's been framed. And he will run. Then he will wake up and start the day over again. This time he'll do it differently � and will continue to � until he finds out who's framing him, gets his gang witness to court to testify, and until he saves the lives of his loved ones. Hopper has only one advantage in his favor � he remembers everything he did the "day prior" that didn't work. It's a painful way to learn because he also carries the bruises and battle scars from every mistake-filled day. Hopper must find the delicate balance between doing what's important and what's right to get through this killer day and move on to tomorrow.
DRIFT - The human mind is a complex mystery. It allows us to feel emotions, to process everyday life, to think, and to dream. It also determines how we deal with extremes situations... such as the extreme grief felt by the loss of a loved one. New York Police Detective Ray Hakansovich lost his young daughter in a gruesome act of revenge and his mind handled this trauma by saddling him with narcoleptic drift... a form of post-traumatic stress insomnia. This "drift" gives him an edge in solving homicides as the lack of sleep bestows on him a photographic memory which provides a unique insight into every crime scene. But, along with the lack of sleep come vivid hallucinations of his departed daughter who seemingly follows and challenges him on every case. Detective Hakansovich spends the nights wandering the glimmering streets of New York City... mourning his daughter, figuring out how to get back his estranged wife, and working to solve some of New York's most horrible homicides. Although none will ever be as horrible as the one that keeps him awake every day...
ENEMIES - It's almost impossible to know how love turns to hate. Even harder to know why someone would turn against a lifelong friend. Is there a moment when everything changes or is it the slow erosion of a lifetime? In eighth grade, when Mickey's family moved to John's Chicago neighborhood, they became fast friends. Now as adults, they're on opposite sides of a stand-off. On one side, John honors his father's life of public service as an honest policeman. On the other, Mickey's rising fast in the criminal syndicate his father helped build. Two families and two former friends that are connected forever, regardless of careers, because Mickey's sister married John. When in the last two decades did they cross the line from friends to enemies? How did their fathers influence them? And how will their dangerous careers threaten their families now?
HOLLIS & RAE - In a small southern city everyone knows everyone and they're all up in each other's business. And that makes it much more difficult to get away with murder. Best friends Hollis and Rae have a lot in common. Born and raised here, they both chose careers in law enforcement. Police detective Rae investigates the crimes and prosecutor Hollis puts the bad guys away. But that doesn't mean that they always see eye to eye. Rae refuses to bend the truth, even if it means a bad guy gets away. Hollis doesn't understand why Rae would want to get married because she's perfectly happy with the married man she's secretly seeing. But that won't stop her from being Rae's maid of honor. And another thing, if Rae's getting married to Jim, why'd she kiss her police partner Henry last night?
A HOUSE DIVIDED - Every action results in a reaction...although some reactions are bigger than others. Today, though, could be the biggest in U.S. History. In western Kansas, farmer Tom Sampson is forced to choose between paying taxes and losing his farm. He chooses his family's farm in a stance of self-preservation. But, when his reporter cousin makes him into a local media hero for standing up to the government, Tom's seemingly small move of defiance sparks an underlying resentment among his fellow farmers. One West Point professor (Dylan McDermott: "The Practice"), closely watching the rising tension, notices similar characteristics to other world events... both historical and current day... and reasons that the United States may be facing a second civil war.
MEN IN TREES - Finding a good man in today's world isn't as difficult as some women think. You just have to watch out for the signs. You wouldn't drive with a blindfold on, but for some reason, women continue to date with one. Relationship coach Marin Frist (Anne Heche: "Everwood," "Six Days Seven Nights") knows what to look for, what to avoid, and what will make her happy. As the many fans of her two best-selling books could tell you, we're all in charge of our own happiness. Marin's personal happiness includes the upcoming wedding to her "perfect man." But like many people full of advice, Marin fails to apply it to herself. On her way to a speaking engagement in Alaska she learns that her fianc� has cheated on her...the wedding plans are instantly over. Slapped in the face with personal failure, she's now snowed in and stuck in a small town full of the one thing she really doesn't need: available men. Marin's friends and publisher try to lend long-distance support, but the fact remains Marin's been living with her eyes closed for too long. Now that they're finally open, she sees the amazingly beautiful world surrounding her, and, for the first time, she'll have the chance to stop and breathe. If she could get the raccoon out of her hotel room, this place might be perfect.
MR. & MRS. SMITH - No description released.
OCTOBER ROAD - They say "you can't go home again." Perhaps because everything you left has changed; or worse, stayed the same. They also tell you "never to burn your bridges." That's so when you do try to go home, you won't find everyone there hates you. When Nick Garrett was 18 he packed up his truck and said goodbye for a summer road trip, but somehow one summer turned into 10 years. He's since become a literary celebrity in Manhattan, dating supermodels, and living off the fame and fortune from his best-selling novel and movie � a story based on his hometown friends. To the literary world, Nick defined a generation... to his hometown, he's betrayed them by telling secrets and painful truths, or worse yet, leaving some of them out entirely. The book hurt them all, especially Hannah, the love of his life, and Eddie, a good friend he was supposed to go into business with 10 long years ago. Now, without inspiration for a new book, Nick returns to his hometown and finds that while the townies haven't changed, their feelings towards him have. To make matters worse his new job teaching at the local college makes him part of the college crowd on the "other side" of October Road...something no townie aspires to... and creates an even deeper rift between him and his former friends. The bridge is burned, again. Regardless, Nick's going to stick around for a while and see if he can repair his relationships. Plus, he has a sneaking suspicion that Hannah's precocious and brilliant son just might be his too.
SECRETS OF A SMALL TOWN - Welcome to Santa Ruiz, voted America's most desirable place to live. That was before a murder and a kidnapping of twin high school girls took place here... the first serious crimes since 1909. Now everyone's in shock. People claim that things like this just don't happen here. But in this small town, everyone has secrets and there's no place to hide. Beth escaped from Santa Ruiz's small-town life when she walked out on her wedding eight years ago and she's never been back. Now as a reporter fresh from assignments in Rome and Afghanistan, Beth's come back to cover this front page story for the sake of her career. Her boss (and new fianc�), Nash, thinks she has unfinished business in Santa Ruiz and it's clear during the hostile reunion with her sister, now the town sheriff, that he was right. Beth may have a hometown advantage over other reporters, knowing the town's three big families as intimately as she does, but she won't like covering the story if the dirt she uncovers is her own. Even as her investigative reporting helps locate the kidnapped twin, she has managed to dig up other secrets revealing just how undesirable this town may really be.
SISTERS IN LAW (A.K.A. WOMEN IN LAW) - A women's role in the workplace would be unrecognizable to their grandmothers. While some will play by the old rules, some make up their own... others will just break them all without blinking, if it suits their purpose. The only link modern women have to their predecessors is the whole mother thing, and some of today's women don't even want that. The successful law firm of Wilson, Porter & Knox is a place where a women lawyer can truly make her mark. Though some women are allies, others are conniving two-faced backstabbers who will steal your clients with a smile. Lauren, returning to work after leaving her second child at pre-school, sees an awesome challenge, and with good reason. Young ambitious Caroline keeps her dating life at bay to stay focused on making partner. Marcia, the office vixen, is divorcing her ex-husband for virtually the same reason. The voice of reason is Pamela, a lesbian working-mother who's dealing with issues at home. Some women will play dirty, using every tool, including their sexuality, to get ahead.
SIX DEGREES - It's said that six people separate any one person from another. Considering the millions of people in the United States alone, it's an amazing thought that we're connected to anyone and everyone by a chain of six. Laura, a grieving single mother, begins the chain. Then to Whitney, the self-made success story who thinks her boyfriend is cheating. Move on to Steven, the artist/photographer who believes he's lost his 'eye.' Follow with Damien, who can't escape his criminal brother's shadow. Then to Mae, the girl with a dangerous past she's hiding from. And finally to Carlos, the good guy with a crush who doesn't know what he's in for. These six strangers are going about their normal lives but not realizing the impact they're having on each other � yet. It's a mysterious web of seeming coincidence and happenstance that draws these people closer to those who will change their lives forever. Even decisions made freely will seem part of a larger design begging the question if there is a greater force at work in our world, guiding us along and connecting our lives.
TRAVELER - How well do you know your friends? Would you bet your life on it? It's not what we share with our friends, but what we keep hidden that defines what kind of people we are. After spending every minute of the last two years living, working, and partying together, Jay, Tyler and Will are departing on a summer journey. But being together ends today... simple prank to rollerblade through one of New York City's most famous museums has made Jay and Tyler prime suspects in the terrorist bombing that destroyed it seconds later. The guys hope Will can help clear up this misunderstanding, but he's been missing since the explosion and they think he might be dead. Jay wants to talk to the police about finding Will, but quickly realizes they can't even prove Will exists � in every photo for the last two years, Will managed to block his face. He was their only alibi. The F.B.I. confirms a man matching Will's description died in the explosion, but also learns the explosion was triggered by a call from Jay's cell phone. It's a highly suspicious coincidence that may prove Will, the glue in their friendship, may have meticulously planned this betrayal for over two years. Perfectly framed and on the run, the friends must rely on each other to get away from the F.B.I., and try to get to the bottom of a conspiracy that has destroyed their future. But what can they do when they're merely pawns in a game of global intrigue? Flashing back to the prior two years to illustrate the formation of this friendship and Will's insidious behavior, this action-packed drama taps into our paranoia with pure adrenaline-fueled entertainment.
UGLY BETTY - In the superficial world of high fashion, image is everything. Styles come and go and the only constants are wafer-thin beauties who wear it. Where could a girl who is less than pretty and a little bit pudgy possibly fit in? If you knew Betty Suarez, you'd see how sweet, intelligent and hard-working she is. Few people ever get to know her because in the world of fashion, Betty is the oversized square peg, in the petite round hole. But finally, her looks and lack of fashion sense are going to be an asset. When publishing mogul Bradford Meade hands the reigns of his fashion magazine, Gloss, over to his son Daniel, he specifically hires Betty as his son's new assistant - mostly because she's the only woman in NYC who Daniel won't sleep with. Repulsed at first, Betty will win him over with her efficiency. Neither of them really knows the ins and outs of the fashion world, but the two of them are a formidable team against the label-wearing sharks who will do anything to see them fail. That includes many couture co-workers with botoxed smiles on their faces and knives behind their Galliano backs.
UNTITLED SHONDA RHIMES PROJECT - No description released.
UNTITLED STEINBERGS PROJECT (A.K.A. NINE LIVES) - So much in life is beyond your control. One day you wake up and go to work like a regular day. Suddenly a random moment, an accident, a blessing, even a stranger, comes from out of the blue and redirects your life forever. But it's up to you to decide if that moment will stop you in your tracks or lift you up to new heights. Today nine people face just such an unexpected twist when they are caught in a bank robbery gone wrong and endure a 52-hour hostage standoff that will leave one person dead. When all is said and done, these nine people will never be the same. They will always share the common bond of what happens inside the bank... which only they'll know. And they will be forever affected and intertwined because of it. This is a dramatic character study that will keep audiences hooked from the beginning of the bank robbery to the end of the hostage standoff. Taking a twist from Lost, each episode will begin with a flashback to reveal another 10 minutes of the hostage crisis, uncovering why and how these nine strangers are still linked today.
NBC COMEDIES (10)
20 GOOD YEARS - This new comedy from the co-creator of The Cosby Show follows the adventures of two friends who finally realize that life doesn�t last forever. John Lowry and Stanley Friedman are an odd pair to be buddies. They�re polar opposites in every way and have a hard time seeing eye to eye. The one thing they can agree on is that they only have twenty good years left to live. In their moment of enlightenment, both men vow to live each day as if it is their last, despite what anyone thinks. It�s age meets anarchy and there will be no regrets.
ALPHA MOM - Thirty-year-old Jerri thinks she can do it all. Every day, she takes on the demands of being a successful lawyer, a committed PTA mother and a loving wife to her stay-at-home husband. Somehow, Jerri�s guilty conscience helps her to pretend that this is actually an acceptable way to live. This fast-paced single camera comedy looks at the funny and sometimes moving journey of a modern mom who would die for her children, and may die trying to raise them.
ANDY BARKER, P.I. - Andy Barker is a CPA who has never failed at anything � that is until his new accounting business doesn�t take off as planned. When he�s mistaken for the private detective who used to occupy his office, Andy embraces this twist of fate and takes the case. Thus begins his journey back and forth from Andy Barker, CPA to Andy Barker, P.I. Whether chiding criminals headquartered in a warehouse for �renting instead of buying,� or briefing an accounting client about municipal bonds while driving backwards down an alley pursued by Sri Lankan gangsters, Andy will always be a problem solver and a numbers cruncher.
COMMUNITY SERVICE - When Will Shepard, a prominent New York City real estate agent, loses it all � his job, his money, and his pride � he travels to a small Ohio town to find Carly Phillips, the only woman he has ever loved. Unfortunately, she�s engaged to be married. To make matters worse, Will gets into an altercation with a local police officer who just happens to be Carly�s fianc�e and he is sentenced to 500 hours of community service. Now Will is stuck in this town, out of his element, going out of his mind.
PRODIGY/BULLY - There have been famous child prodigies in history, but there has never been someone like 9-year-old Henry Tammer. He�s a child genius with a knack for intimidation � the kind of kid who skips the science fair to focus on world domination. The students in his class fear him, his teachers don�t understand him, and his family barely manages to put up with him. Prodigy/Bully is a unique comedy with heart, smarts and a whole lot of attitude.
THE SINGLES TABLE - They say the best place to meet someone is at a wedding. That couldn�t be truer for Stephanie, Ivan, Eli, Adam and Georgia. Because of their single status, and a tenuous relationship with the bride and groom, they are all seated at Table 18 � in a far corner of the wedding hall, next to the kitchen. Through the course of the reception, each person questions his or her life and vows to make a better go at it. It�s more than a bonding experience. For richer or poorer, these five kindred spirits will grow to become friends and, in some cases, lovers.
UNTITLED CHRIS SHERIDAN PROJECT - Paul Malone is a dutiful FBI agent. His brother Tommy is a charming thief. While they live on opposite sides of the law, they reside on the same side of the street. In this irreverent comedy, Paul and Tommy are forced by family responsibilities to spend a lot of time together, and every time they meet there is something to fight over. Can their families and the rest of the neighborhood survive Paul and Tommy�s hilarious clash of moral principals and parenting styles? Their mother seems to think so.
UNTITLED JACE RICHDALE PROJECT - The only thing harder than growing up in a house of twelve is sharing an apartment with your baby brother. But that�s what Kevin Brennan agrees to do. He and Neil are as different as night and day. Kevin is sensible, traditional, and completely unadventurous. Neil is innovative, uninhibited and he can charm his way out of any tricky situation. As time goes on, Kevin and Neil realize that they can learn a lot from each other, and their reason for staying roommates becomes less about splitting the rent and more about living a balanced life. Don�t miss this ingenious family comedy.
UNTITLED SAM SEDER PROJECT - No description released.
UNTITLED TINA FEY PROJECT - Welcome to the set of The Girly Show, a fictional television show that serves as the backdrop to Tina Fey�s new workplace comedy... where the laughs are just as big backstage as they are onstage. Liz Lemon, The Girly Show�s head writer, is being taken to the edge of reason by the show�s two stars. One has stomach problems. The other has mental problems. In order for Liz to keep her job, she must keep the talent happy and appease the brash new network president. It won�t be easy. This is a bold, star-studded comedy where anything can happen and it often does.
NBC DRAMAS (8)
THE BLACK DONNELLYS - CLICK HERE for a full description.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS - Friday Night Lights focuses on the high school football program in the small town of Dillon, Texas. This year, the Dillon Panthers are expected to go all the way. That�s a lot of pressure for Eric Taylor in his first year as coach. Nevertheless, he�s ready and willing to mold these boys into champions and encourage them to be better men. Brought to you by Peter Berg and Brian Grazer, this family drama is all about achievement, heartache, friendship and tough love.
HASKETT'S CHANCE (A.K.A. SKY) - Mark Haskett is a charismatic, but corrupt politician who has made many enemies, including members of his own family. Just as he�s about to take office as Governor of North Carolina, someone sabotages his airplane, sending him crashing to his death. But that�s not the end of Mark Haskett. His caseworker in heaven gives him a second chance at life to right his wrongs, solve his own murder and make up for lost time with his eight-year-old son. There�s just one catch � Mark must return to Earth in the body of a vagrant who has enemies of his own.
HEROES - They thought they were like everyone else...until they woke with incredible powers. In Japan, a lowly office worker can teleport at will. In New York, a struggling artist can paint the future. In Los Angeles, a discontented beat cop can hear the thoughts of others. Heroes chronicles the lives of these people, and the lives of others like them � whose destiny just might be the saving of humankind...but first they must come to grips with their newfound powers. This original, edge-of-your-seat thriller will make you wonder if there really are heroes among us.
KIDNAPPED - CLICK HERE for a full description.
LIPSTICK JUNGLE - A one-hour comedy based on the New York Times best seller. This show picks up where SEX AND THE CITY left off, following the stories of three uber-successful women who will do anything, including jeopardizing their personal and professional relationships, to get ahead. It's a racy tale of women behaving badly and manages to shrewdly flip the tables to show how gender roles are essentially interchangeable given the right circumstances.
RAINES - Los Angeles. Present day. Michael Raines, an eccentric but brilliant cop, solves murders in a very unusual way � he turns the victims into his partners. These visions are figments of Raines�s imagination, and he knows it, but when he can�t make the dead disappear, he works with them to find the killer. He talks to them. He profiles them. And he�s only free of them when the case is closed. Other detectives question Raines�s sanity. So does he, but he is unable to stop the visions from coming, and a small part of him is glad he can�t. That�s because there is one recurring hallucination he can�t live without.
STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP - Aaron Sorkin takes us behind the scenes of a fictional late-night sketch comedy series. Lately, funny has been in short supply at Studio 60. The executive producer just had a breakdown. The control room is out of control. The actors are acting up. And that�s just for starters. Now the show�s only hope at a successful future lies with two wunderkind writers (Matthew Perry and Bradley Whitford) and a headstrong new network president.
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