- In ABC's "Trophy Wife" a reformed party girl falls in love with a man who has three kids
- Anna Faris and Allison Janney star in Chuck Lorre's "Mom," which could air on CBS
- Williams and Gellar will star in CBS' "Crazy Ones" about a father and daughter
(EW.com) -- As usual, lots of comedy pilots will focus on the family — including one headlined by Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar.
But this development season is not without a few welcome surprises, like the addition of "Bridesmaids'" breakout star Rebel Wilson to one project, or CBS' coup in nabbing "House Bunny" Anna Faris for her first-ever starring role in a network comedy.
As is the case with any pilot, not every one is assured a pickup come May when the networks announce their fall TV lineups in New York.
See if you can guess what is likely to make the cut — and what deserves a special place in the dumpster. (And if you're looking for the drama pilots, those are here):
ABC
Spy (Simeon Goulden). Rob Corddry stars in this single-camera comedy pilot based on a British comedy series that centers on a well-intentioned father of a highly intelligent and verbal son, who also happens to be his complete opposite.
Untitled Cullen Project (Mark & Robb Cullen). When Terry Gannon, a recently divorced, single mother, temporarily moves in with her estranged father, a beer swilling former baseball player, she reluctantly starts coaching her son's underdog little league team and is drawn back into the world of sports she vowed to leave behind. James Caan stars.
Murder in Manhattan (Maria Maggenti). Hour-long dramedy set in NYC centering on a mother and daughter who team up as amateur sleuths.
Bad Management (Sharon Horgan, Holly Walsh). A slightly self-centered female boss at a high end luxury goods department store finds her ways challenged when the boss's son comes to town and makes youth and sex the new company focus. Horgan is also starring (as the boss).
Untitled Andrea Abbate. Karey is the clean-nosed black sheep in a family of petty thieves, drug addicts, and narcissists -- but when her brother is sent to prison, she decides to raise his kids along with her adopted African American son and give them the normal lives they deserve.
Middle Age Rage (Cheryl Holliday). About a middle aged mother who is fed up with feeling invisible and begins to speak up and demand the respect she feels she's earned.
Divorce: A Love Story (Mike Sikowitz, Daniel Lappin). A multi-camera comedy revolving around Kenny and Robin, a recently divorced couple, who were bad together but discover they're even worse apart and can't seem to stay out of each others' lives. Based on the Israeli format, Life Isn't Everything.
Trophy Wife (Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins). Reformed party girl Kate finds herself with an insta-family when she falls in love with a man, Brad with three manipulative kids and two judgmental ex-wives. Cast: Malin Akerman, Bradley Whitford, Marcia Gay Harden.
Super Fun Night (Rebel Wilson). Kimmie and her two best friends since high school have an awesome Friday night tradition of staying home in their pj's and hanging out with each other, but when Kimmie gets a big promotion at her law firm and is invited to a party by the cute transfer from the London office, she realizes that she needs to step-up her game and convince her friends to take Super Fun Night on the road. Cast: Rebel Wilson, Lauren Ash, Liza Lapira, Kelen Coleman, Kevin Bishop.
Mixology (Jon Lucas, Scott Moore). Set in the world of a sexy Manhattan bar, the high-concept comedy from the writers of The Hangover chronicles the exploits of singles in search of love -- all over the course of one night.
Pulling (Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky). The story of three dysfunctional women in their 30s living their lives the way they want, even if society tells them they should have it all figured out by this point.
Untitled Adam Goldberg (Adam F. Goldberg, Seth Gordon, Doug Robinson). A multi-generational, dysfunctional Wonder Years set in simpler times, inspired by Goldberg's own experience growing up in the '80s with a highly screwed up but loving family. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeff Garlin.
Untitled John Leguizamo. Based on John Leguizamo's life as a husband, father and fish out of water on the upper West Side of New York. Woven into this world are his privileged wife, his friends from his life back in the Bronx, his mother and grandfather who try to keep him grounded in his Latin roots, and his own kids who he worries are getting spoiled and losing touch with reality.
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Fox
Untitled Justin Halpern (aka I Suck at Girls) (Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker). Based upon the book I Suck at Girls, by Justin Halpern. A story about a boy becoming a man, and a man becoming a father, in a time before coming of age was something you could Google.
Friends & Family (David Rosen). Friends and family are the best support and the worst nightmare when two very different lovers meet and try to make a long distance relationship work. Based on the hit BBC series Gavin & Stacey. Cast: Jason Ritter.
House Rules (Justin Hurwitz, Andrew Gurland). An introverted, neurotic Wisconsin family lives in a community of over-sharers.
To My Assistant (Sherry Bilsing-Graham, Ellen Plummer). Based upon the blog and upcoming book To My Assistant, by Lydia Whitlock. Assistants at a big NY law firm band together as a family to help each other cope with the obnoxious overbearing bosses who challenge their sanity on a daily basis.
Dads (Alec Sulkin, Wellesly Wild). Two successful guys in their 30s have their world turned upside down when their dads move in with them. Cast: Brenda Song.
Enlisted (Kevin Biegel). After being in combat for several years, Pete is stationed at a military base in Florida to tackle the toughest job of them all — leading his dysfunctional brothers' squad. cast: Keith David.
The Gabriels (Andrew Gurland, Justin Hurwitz). A neurotic family with contempt for all things normal tries their best to fit into their small Midwest town where everyone knows each other and politeness reigns.
Two Wrongs (Michelle Morgan). Two star-crossed lovers, Nick & Jenny, must contend with Nick's family's strong dislike of Jenny — the woman who left Nick at the altar seven years ago.
Untitled Dan Goor (Dan Goor, Mike Schur). A group of detectives form an odd family in their precinct in the outermost neighborhood of New York City. Cast: Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, Andre Braugher.
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NBC
Gates (Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa). A raw look at the awkward, political, and intense world of elementary school drop-off, where the other parents — love them or hate them — are somehow forced to be your new best friends. Cast: Ken Marino, Kathleen Rose Perkins.
Holding Patterns (Justin Spitzer). A multicamera ensemble comedy about a group of friends whose lives completely change after they survive a plane crash.
Untitled DJ Nash. Single-camera comedy about a son who idolizes his blind father and is bemused by his mother's new-found adolescence watches his family come closer together post-divorce.
About a Boy (Jason Katims). Comedy centering on a bachelor whose primary goal in life is avoiding any kind of responsibility until he meets a geeky young boy. Cast: Minnie Driver.
Girlfriend in a Coma (Liz Brixius). Single-camera comedy about a 34-year-old woman wakes up from a coma to find out she has a 17-year-old daughter from a pregnancy she was unaware of when her life was put on hold. Cast: Christina Ricci, Miranda Cosgrove.
Assistance (Leslye Headland). A single-camera comedy centered on an idealistic working girl assistant who is pulled between her colleague — aka work husband — and her real life fiance while trying to manage a demanding (translation: crazy) boss.
Donor Party (Alex Schemmer). Single-camera ensemble comedy is focused on an irresponsible man forced to grow up when he discovers he has children resulting from his days as a sperm donor. A new family unit develops when a single mom contacts him and he begins to have a relationship with her and the son he never knew he had.
Untitled Robert Padnick. Bright-eyed and vulnerable Matthew Hirsch is ready to find love, but needs the help of his three best friends to survive the labyrinth of mind games and human suffering that is dating in your early twenties.
Joe, Joe and Jane (Joe Port, Joe Wiseman). Comedy based on real life of Joe Wiseman and the complicated relationship between his manipulative wife Jane and his best friend Joe. Cast: Sally Pressman.
Untitled Owen Ellickson and Craig Robinson. Single-camera comedy that centers around a talented musician who adjusts to his new life as a middle school music teacher, where he maneuvers precocious kids, teacher politics, and the temptations of single moms.
Welcome to the Family (Mike Sikowitz). Cultures collide when a white family and a Latino family are bonded together by their children who fall in love followed quickly by an unplanned pregnancy. Cat: Mike O'Malley.
Untitled Victor Fresco & Sean Hayes. Comedy centers on Sean, who must figure out how to parent his 14-year-old daughter, who just moved in, while navigating a temperamental new boss at work.
Brenda Forever (David Lampson, Andrew Leeds). Stories from Brenda Miller's past and present are interwoven to give a unique portrait of how a chubby, awkward, but incredibly confident 13-year-old grew up to be a 31-year-old woman who still marches to the beat of her own drum.
Undateable (Adam Sztykiel). Multicamera young ensemble comedy centering on a group of friends dubbed the "Undate-ables," whose lives are altered when a more confident guy enters their world.
Untitled John Mulaney. A multi camera young ensemble comedy that is created, written by and starring one of the hottest young stand ups, John Mulaney. It is based loosely on his life.
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CBS
Friends with Better Lives (Dana Klein). Comedy about three best friends at very different stages of their lives.
Super Clyde (Greg Garcia). Single-camera comedy about a meek, unassuming fast food worker decides to become a super hero. Cast: Rupert Grint.
Jacked Up (Greg Malins). A beloved, recently retired baseball player finds that adjusting to retirement isn't as easy as he thought it'd be. Cast: Patrick Warburton.
The McCarthys (Brian Gallivan). A single-camera family comedy about a loud, sports-crazed Boston clan. Cast: Jacki Weaver, Jack McGee.
Untitled Tad Quill. A recently widowed father raises his 12-year old son while jumping back into the dating pool.
Crazy Ones. (David E. Kelley). Single-camera comedy about a father and daughter who work together in an advertising office. Cast: Robin Williams, Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Mom (Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, Gemma Baker). A newly sober single mom tries to pull her life together in Napa Valley. Cast: Anna Faris, Sadie Calvano, Matt Jones, Spencer Daniels, Allison Janney.
Ex-Men (Rob Greenberg). A young guy finds camaraderie living among the more experienced guys he meets in a short-term rental complex. Cast: Kal Penn, Tony Shalhoub, Jerry O'Connell, Chris Smith.
Bad Teacher (Hilary Winston). Based on the film, a sexy, foul-mouthed divorcee becomes a teacher to find her next husband. Cast: David Alan Grier.
Untitled Jim Gaffigan (Peter Tolan). Comedian Jim Gaffigan stars as the happily married and harried NYC father of five as he is in real life.
Untitled Julie Rottenberg & Elisa Zuritsky. Based on an Israeli format, a married mom struggles to balance family, life, and work in this single-camera comedy.
Untitled Greg Garcia. A multicamera project about a recently divorced man whose life is complicated when his parents decide to move in with him.
See the original article at EW.com.
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