ABC Projects for the 2019 Pilot Season

DRAMA PROJECTS

100 DAYS WITHOUT FEAR (20th Century FOX Television) — Adventure drama by Akiva Goldsman (Titans, Fringe). Based on the life and blog of Michelle Poler, who embarked on a personal journey of self-discovery, vowing to conquer 100 of her biggest fears in 100 days and chronicled her journey on her blog.

CONNECT (20th Century FOX Television) — Procedural by Howard Gordon (Homeland, 24, X-Files), Rashad Raisani (The Gifted, Shades of Blue) & McG. It’s described as an adrenalized procedural about a brash hero with a gift that he will use to assist his cop brother with whom he has a troubled relationship. Each week we will see these two not only solving crimes but working to reconnect. Put pilot.

DEPUTY (eOne/20th Century FOX Television) —  Police procedural by Will Beall (Castle) & David Ayer (Bright, Suicide Squad, Training Day). Centers aroujnd  Deputy Bill Hollister, a career lawman who’s very comfortable kicking down doors and utterly lost in a staff meeting. But when the L.A. County Sheriff drops dead, Bill becomes acting sheriff of Los Angeles County, in charge of 10,000 sworn deputies policing a modern Wild West. Script commitment with significant penalty.

THE FAMILY PRACTICE (20th Century FOX Television) — Drama by Jason Winer (Single Parents, Modern Family) & Erin Cardillo & Richard Keith (Life Sentence). Set in the world of adoption, from the point of view of an eclectic group of attorneys and social workers who grapple with their own familial dysfunction while striving to create perfect families for their clients. Put pilot. 

FILTHY RICH (20th Century Fox Telecivison/Imagine Television) — Soap drama by Tate Taylor (The Help).A larger than life Southern Gothic dramedy which revolves around two strong, sharp women who will go to any length to protect their loved ones and get their due. When the wealthy CEO of the world’s largest Christian network dies in a plane crash, his wife and adult children are stunned to discover he has grown, illegitimate kids who are also in his will. When the steel azalea matriarch of the family tries to pay them to go away, these newly legitimized heirs have very different ideas and insist on not only staying in town, but becoming part of the family empire. Pilot ordered.

FORREST’S TREASURE (20th Century FOX Television) —  Family Adventure Drama by McG (Lethal Weapon) & Elwood Reid (The Chi, Close to Home). When a family from Chicago moves to a small town in Montana to pick up the pieces of their fractured lives, they find meaning and purpose in the mystery of a hidden treasure. Put pilot.

KING OF STING (eOne/Imagine Television) — Thriller drama by Dave Kalstein (NCIS Los Angeles), Damian Lewis, Brian Grazer & Francie Calfo. Living a double life, Carlos risks his life infiltrating the inner circles of the world’s most dangerous criminals WHILE trying to keep his marriage together and raise his kids in Miami — this is the story of his American Dream. based on the true story of the most successful undercover operative in DEA history, who happens to be an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala named Carlos Sagastume.

KUNG FU (Warner Bros. Television) —  Drama by Albert Kim (Nikita) & Greg Berlanti. Sequel to the 1970s TV series. A young Chinese-American woman inherits her father’s kung fu studio, only to discover it’s actually a secret center dedicated to helping members of the Chinatown community who have nowhere else to turn. With the help of a former star pupil — a smart and driven ex-Marine — she vows to continue the school’s mission. In the process, she discovers things she never knew about her cultural background and family’s heritage, including a connection to a legendary ancestor. Put pilot commitment.

LET’S SPEND THE NIGHT TOGETHER (Endemol Shine North America / 20th Century FOX Television) —  Dramedy by Tom Kapinos (Californication, Lucifer). Inspired by the French series Quadras. The entire first season takes place over the course of single night at a wedding. As we get to know the wedding party, we’ll learn surprising reveals about both their present and past. We’ll see that things aren’t always what they seem and explore the complicated bonds of love, friendship and family at different stages of life. Put pilot commitment.

MOVE (The Jackal Group) —  Musical dramedy by Mary J. Blige & Silvio Horta (Ugly Betty). Follows an accomplished choreographer who, in order to redeem her damaged reputation in the cutthroat music/dance world, sets her sights on creating a flawless tour for a diva pop singer. To get the coveted gig, though, she’ll have to fend off competition from her arch rival…who happens to be her former assistant. At the same time, she must act as mother hen to her talented, but often difficult, team of dancers who depend on her. Script commitment plus penalty.

NEXT (20th Century FOX Television) —  Thriller drama by Many Coto (Dexter, 24:Legacy), John Requa and Glenn Ficarra (This Is Us). A brilliant but paranoid former tech CEO joins a Homeland Cybersecurity team to stop a terrifying A.I. outbreak that threatens us all.

PRODIGAL SON (Warner Bros. Television) —  Produced by Greg Berlanti & Chris Fedak (Deception, Chuck). Follows Malcolm Bright, whose gift gives him the ability to know how killers think, how their minds work. Why? Back in the ‘90s, his father was one of the worst—a notorious serial killer called “The Surgeon.” That’s why Bright is the best criminal psychologist around; murder is the family business. Bright uses his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve crimes and stop killers, all while dealing with a manipulative mother, annoyingly normal sister, a homicidal father still looking to bond with his prodigal son, and his own constantly evolving neuroses. Put pilot. 

PULLER (Sony Pictures Television) —  Thriller drama by Gary Oldman, Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva) & Carla Kettner (Bones). Centers around John Puller, an investigator with the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division. Puller, a decorated former Army Ranger, faces the most difficult case of his life when his brother, a convicted traitor, escapes from a maximum security prison. Together with Veronica Knox, an army intel specialist, Puller searches for his fugitive brother. In the book series, John and Veronica solve the most difficult of crimes while John secretly battles to restore his family honor. Script commitment plus penalty.

REMEDY (20th Century FOX Television) — Medical drama by Katie Lovejoy. Remedy Shaw, is a young female medical professional with a rare neurological condition that allows her to literally feel her patients pain. As she enters the impersonal, evidence-based medical system for the first time, she discovers that her unique ability to empathize with patients allows her to do more than cure sickness; it heals people. Script commitment with penalty.

SAFE HARBOR (20th Century FOX Television) —  Drama by Sheldon Turner & McG. Focuses on an investigative branch of the U.S. Coast Guard in Miami Beach as they confront a wide array of crimes and catastrophes on land and sea. Willfully putting themselves in harm’s way, these “Coasties” embody the honor and bravery it can take to save a life. Put pilot commitment.

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL (20th Century FOX Television) —  Police soap by Robert Specland & Marc Platt (La La Land). Explores a tight-knit group of Washington D.C. cops with focus on the wildest, most dangerous shift of the week, giving us an in-depth look at the police force from the top down, Lieutenant to rookies, and how the job affects each of their lives, and how their lives affect the job.

SISTERS (Endemol Shine North America) —  Drama by Jason Katims (Parenthood, Friday Night Lights) & Annie Weisman (The Path). Based on the Australian series. Only child Julia Bechly finds her life turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. As she dutifully tracks down her emerging group of siblings,  Julia discovers that whilew she has a sea of brothers, she only two sisters – both of whom quickly become a part of her now redefined family. Put pilot.

STRANGERS (Sony Pictures Television) — Thriller by Jeff Davis (Teen Wolf, Criminal Minds) & Josh Berman (Drop Dead Diva). Based on Dean Koontz’s novel. The story of several different people, thousands of miles apart, from different walks of life, finding themselves struck by unusual fears and sudden phobias. A novelist in California suffers unbearable sleep terrors. In Boston, a surgeon’s intense panic attacks threaten her career. A priest in Chicago dreads the rise of the moon. An ex-Marine develops a paralyzing fear of the dark. They’re all connected by a forgotten trauma, repressed memories now surfacing and leading each of them to one destination: a small motel in Nevada where a dark secret lies hidden–one that could change the course of humanity itself. Script commitment plus penalty.

SOMEONE LIKE YOU (20th Century FOX Television) —  Relationship drama by David Gould (Mars). Explores our most core human need, the desire for connection. Led by a brilliant social researcher turned CEO, our team of hired multi-generational “Kin” shapeshift into spouses, siblings, parents, sons and daughters…filling the void in the most vulnerable moments, for someone like you.

SWITCH (Warner Bros. Television) — Sci-fi drama by Len Wiseman (Lucifer, Spleepy Hollow). What if you could quite literally drive the body of another human being? Welcome to the world of Switch – an adrenaline-fueled procedural detailing the exploits of the FBI’s newest undercover unit, the Switch Division, a task force created to allow an agent to go undercover inside the body of another human being. Or at least that’s the theory. Unfortunately, type-A Louise “Lou” Fawkes can’t find an agent insane enough to try her new technology. Enter Harry “Mac” Macallister – a sloppy, loose-cannon, former undercover burnout who will enjoy nothing more than the opportunity to spend each week inside the bodies of various criminals – except perhaps watching Lou pull her hair out trying to control him.

TRIAGE (20th Century FOX Television) — Medical drama by Zoanne Clack (Grey’s Anatomy) & Ilene Chaiken (Empire, The L Word). Reinvents the medical drama by interweaving three distinct phases of a group of doctors’ lives, as they explore cutting-edge medical techniques, and face challenges both personal and professional.

THE TRIBE (20th Century FOX Television) —  FBI drama by Monica Macer (Queen Sugar). Set inside the New York City field office of the FBI featuring the stories of three female agents as they struggle to balance their professional and personal lives. The series explores the personal lives of our heroines juxtaposed with the demands of protecting America from its greatest threats. Script commitment plus penalty.

UNTITLED 24 PROJECT (20th Century FOX Television) —  Drama by Brian Grazer, Howard Gordon & Jeremy Doner. Prequel to the original series that will trace the origin story of CTU agent Jack Bauer.

UNTITLED FEMALE RANGERS PROJECT (20th Century FOX Television) —  Drama by Ilene Chaiken (The L Word, Empire) & Matt Cook. Centers on Lauren Crawford Flynn, one of only two females in the legendary and notoriously tough Texas Rangers, who balances the demands of her intense, high stakes job in a male dominated world with the challenges of being a single mom to a young teenage daughter. Script commitment with penalty.

UNTITLED JOSEPH C. WILSON (20th Century Fox Television) —  Crime drama by Ice Cube & Joseph C. Wilson. A larger-than-life District Commander sets out to do the impossible – transform one of the most crime-ridden districts in Baltimore by transforming the hearts and minds of both his officers and the residents they’re sworn to protect.

UNTITLED VAUN VILMOTT (20th Century Fox Television) —  Thriller drama by Todd Harthan (Crash, Rosewood) & Vaun Wilmott (Prison Break). Centers around FBI Director Dole Green, who is framed for a brazen, well-orchestrated attack at the agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.. His carreer in shambles, Dole will use any means necessary to protect his family and get his life back.

WITNESSES (20th Century Fox Television) —  Police drama by Melissa Scrivner-Love & Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Based on french series “Les Témoins”. In her first weeks back on the Lexington, KY, police force after a mysterious 10-year hiatus, 35-year-old rookie detective Sandra Perkins finds herself working the worst homicide the region has seen in over a decade. In order to end thie killer’s spree, Sandra must seek answers from Helen Lane, retired Homicide Detective who should have been Sandra’s mentor, but who is actually the reason Sandra left the force years ago. Our two heroines must work through the dark past they share in order to prevent more innocent victims of a killer they both thought had been put to rest years ago.

COMEDY PROJECTS

ALICE (Warner Bros. Television) — Multicamera comedy by Diablo Cody (Juno) & Liz Astrof (2 Broke Girls). Based on the '70s TV series Alice, which in turn was based on the 1974 feature film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Centers on Long Island housewife Alice Hyatt, who has finally worked up the courage to leave her cheating husband. She drives cross-country to Arizona with her teenage son Tommy, and gets a job as a waitress at a roadside diner where the staff becomes their new surrogate family. Put pilot.

AN AMERICAN BAND (20th Century FOX Television) — Musical single-camera comedy by Gail Berman. Centers around the harmonic and discordant adventures of The Wyldes, a diverse and dysfunctional Northern California family that can’t get a single thing right with each other, except for the music they’ve been making for the last 25 years as a multi-generational family band.

BEST LIVES (CBS Television Studios) —  Single-camera comedy by Diasy Gardner (The Goldbergs, Downward Dog). A brother and sister both find themselves who starting over after a divorce. The child-free brother, who just left a one-year marriage with a cat, is convinced he’s going through the exact same thing as his overstretched sister, who just left a 10-year marriage with a kid, and doesn’t get that their challenges are at completely different scales of magnitude. Ultimately they pull each other through, and discover that the elusive best lives they’ve been chasing are with each other.

DANNY ISSUES (Warner Bros. Television) —  Multicamera comedy by Michelle Nader (2 Broke Girls) & Morgan Murphy. About two flawed sisters who are reunited with their ne’er-do-well father after the loss of their mother, leading all three to realize that sometimes what they thought was the problem is actually the solution. Put pilot commitment.

EIGHT (20th Century FOX Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Alison Bennett (You’re the Worst) & Rob Rosell (New Girl, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). After a whirlwind romance that resulted in a baby and a wedding (in that order), children of divorce Jillian and Trevor attempt to carve out their own family’s identity, with eight grandparents there to offer eight million different opinions.

HANGING ON (Warner Bros. Television) —  Multicamera comedy by Diablo Cody & Sabrina Jalees (Powerless). To escape the boredom of retirement and a strained relationship, Phyllis and her husband make a cross-country move from North Carolina to a house across the street from their lesbian daughter and her new fiancé. Unexpectedly, moving far away from their old life and being inspired by their daughter’s relationship brings them closer together. Starring Sabrina Jalees.

HOME ECONOMICS (Lionsgate Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Michael Colton, Eric & Kim Tannenbaum. Follows three adult siblings: one in the 1 percent, one middle-class, and one barely holding on. Script commitment with penalty.

HOOD RIVER (20th Century Fox Television —  Multicamera comedy by Travis Bowe (Family Guy) Centers around a diverse group of people who work and congregate in the town’s brewery. The core relationship is based on two characters, Pete and his mother, Sandy, who are based on Bowe and his mom’s real relationship that he reluctantly admits is more of a mother/daughter relationship.

IT TAKES TWO (Lionsgate Television) —  Single-camera comedy inspired by the Property Brothers. nFollows two entrepreneurial twin brothers who decide to join forces in the real estate business when they realize they are stronger together than apart. Script commitment.

I JUST DO (Warner Bros. Television) —  Multicamera comedy by John Beck, Ron Hart (Liv & Maddie) & LeBron James. An African-American family therapist (Spencer) and his loving and expressive Latina wife live beyond their means in an upper-middleclass neighborhood, where they are raising twin teenagers with the “help” of their intrusive parents. The co-mingling of Black and Latino cultures gives a unique perspective on the universal challenges of marriage and family. Script commitment with penalty.

JILL AT HER WORST (Warner Bros. Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Tim Hobert (The Middle). Devoted mother Jill  puts her family’s needs before her own, making her a flawed, funny mess – as narrated by her husband, who loves her dearly.

LAST STOP BAY BRIDGE (Sony Pictures Television) —  Multicamera comedy by Andy Roth (One Day At A Time) & Doug Robinson (The Goldbergs). Eght people of different ages and ethnicities form friendships and rivalries, as they commute by subway from their gentrifying neighborhood in Brooklyn to their respective jobs in Manhattan. Ispired by Roth’s own upbringing in Manhattan where he rode the subway to school every day and formed the most unlikely and life changing relationships. 

MEAN JEAN (20th Century FOX Television) —  Multicamera comedy. From the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia team. Focuses on the unconventional family set-up of a woman, her new wife and her ex-husband all living under the same roof while raising two kids. Starring Leah Remini, Kaitlin Olson & Rob Riggle.  Ordered to pilot/pilot rejected.

NEXT DOOR (Sony Pictures Television/20th Century FOX Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Nick Stoller, Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley (Uncle Buck). A multi-generational comedy about three diverse suburban couples, all at crossroads in their lives, who bond while investigating the murder of the worst person in their neighborhood.

PATTY’S AUTO (Warner Bros. Television) —  Multicamera comedy from Elizabeth Banks & Darlene Hunt (The Big C). Centers around Patty and the eclectic group of women mechanics who work at her Pennsylvania-based auto repair shop.

RICHARD LOVELY (20th Century FOX Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Billy Finnegan (Grace & Frankie). Richard Lovely is a best-selling children’s book author who hates children. After a series of unfortunate public events — and a little advice from his fictional alter ego — he’s forced to foster a little boy named Georgie to save his career.  Put pilot commitment.

SIGNIFICANT BROTHER (Lionsgate) —  Multicamera comedy by Joey Diaz, Scott King (Difficult People) and Moe Jelline (You Again). Follows a newlywed couple as their marriage is tested, but ultimately strengthened, when the husband’s estranged gay brother moves in and becomes best friends with his wife.

SUNNY D. (Lionsgate) —  Single-camera comedy by Saladin K. Patterson (The Last O.G.), Keenen Ivory Wayans (In Living Color), Eric and Kim Tannenbaum. Inspired by BBC series of the same name. Centers on Dane, a 30-year-old man who is creative, erudite and in touch with his feelings. Unfortunately, to his Caribbean-born, old-school dad, that translates to “You need a real job,” “I should’ve sent you to public school,” and “Are you crying again?” As Dane lives at home with his demanding father, doting mother and twin sister who has been trying to get rid of him since they shared the same womb, he will try to figure out what manhood means to a black millennial not quite ready to face the real world on his own. Script commitment with penalty.

TAILS (Universal Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Amy Poehler & Riki Lindhome (Another Period). Follows Erika, a woman in her late 30s, who despite the pressure she feels from the world around her, refuses to settle in any area of her life. Starring Riki Lindhome. Script commitment with penalty.

UNCLE JOEY (Lionsgate) —  Multicamera comedy by Joey Diaz, Sivert Glarum & Michael Jamin (King of the Hill, Maron). Follows a Cuban immigrant with a troubled past who’s given a second chance at life when he moves his family to an upscale suburb. Intent on being the best family man possible, Joey works to raise his young daughter with old school values in today’s rapidly changing world. Starring Joey Diaz.

UNTITLED JACK BURDITT (20th Century Fox Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Jack Burditt (Mad About You, 30 Rock, Modern Family, Great News). Set in a Nashville bar,where singers and songwriters go to chase their dreams and maybe fall in love, if only for a night

UNTITLED MICHAEL YO COMEDY(CBS Television Studios/20th Century Fox Television) —  Multigenerational comedy by Andy Fickman, Nick Adams (Bojack Horseman) & Michael Yo. Centers on a young couple whose lives are made more complicated when the guy’s over-achieving African American, PhD Scientist/Ex-Military father and scheming Asian mother show up to help them take care of their newborn baby. Starring Michael Yo.

UNTITLED MOYNIHAN & PRINCE COMEDY (Universal Television) —  Single-camera comedy by Chris Moynihan (Marlon) & Jonathan Prince (American Dreams). Centers on a couple in their 40s falling in love and blending their families, which is complicated by the constant presence of her eccentric billionaire ex-husband.

UNTITLED STEVE KOREN COMEDY (20th Century FOX Television) —  Multi-camera comedy by Steve Koren (Saturday Night Live). Two people who've spent years creating a beautiful harmonious happy relationship decide to destroy it all by adding a baby.

Jean-Maxime Renault is a TV addict based in Paris who writes about television and movies on AlloCiné (aka "the French IMDB"). In 2015 he created Season Zero, a website about television development and pilot season, which is now a part of Primetimer. Follow him on Twitter @SeasonZeroCom