day 3.101

pilot season, take 2

here's my take on the two networks i didn't hit last week - fox and the cw.

fox

the formerly fourth place net continues to climb up the ratings charts with hits like american idol, glee and (the now defunct) 24. because fox only broadcasts for two hours a night, they have considerably less space for new series - therefore, they order less (natch). so far this season the pilot gaining the most buzz is the half-hour laugher, i hate my teenage daughter. fox nabbed one of the season's most in-demand actors, my name is earl's jame pressly, to headline the series. the plot? two moms (pressly and tony award winner katie finneran) realize they're daughters are just like the girls who tormented them in high school. while i like the plot, i don't think fox has found its footing as far as sitcoms. malcolm in the middle is fox's ones success story, and i think they've tried to recreate that success with this season's raising hope. the only thing is both of those series share a very specific tone, which doesn't appeal to everyone. i think fox needs to embrace the traditional sitcom - laugh track, live audience and multicam, if they want to make something like this work. too bad they never will.

fox has been far more successful with their dramedies. a new pilot from liz meriwether (who wrote this fall's box office hit no strings attached) follows the life of elementary school teacher jessica as she moves out of her now ex-boyfriend's apartment and into a glorified bachelor pad, where three less-than-stellar dudes also live. the fact that fox landed zooey deschanel for this pilot means its bound to be good. deschanel dabbled in tv work, recurring on showtime's weeds, but has never starred. she joins her sister, emily, on the net (she currently headlines bones). it will be important for fox to pair this as-yet-untitled vehicle with a strong series (like glee) if they want it to hit. deschanel's not quite a household name, and doesn't pack enough star power to bring in a huge audience.

the cw

with even less original-programming time than fox, the cw seems to be looking at even less possible pilots. from the looks of it, the teen-centric net has only one viable pilot option - heart of dixie. from the team behind gossip girl and chuck, which just so happens to be the same creative force behind fox's former teen soap the o.c., heart of dixie will track the trials and tribulation of zoe hart, a big time manhattan doctor who inherits a practice in a small, southern town. former o.c. star rachel bilson is set to headline the series, which adds some credibility to the cw. bilson has been a hot property in tv since the o.c. left the airwaves, so its a big get - especially since bilson was attached to star in a pilot for nbc that fell through.