NBC was the first network to get into the pilot game this year with green lights being handed down in the last two weeks for new shows – none of which were based on pre-existing IPs. However, that all changed when Fox ordered the Minority Report pilot, and now they’ve ordered a few more for the coming season.
Indeed, Fox has now ordered pilots for the U.S. Luther remake, a new iteration of Frankenstein, a new original drama titled Rosewood and a new comedy from Mindy Project executive producer Charlie Grandy titled 48 Hours ‘Til Monday.
As it stands, some of the orders such as Luther and Frankenstein don’t come as much of a surprise. However, Luther and Frankenstein could have drastic ramifications on Fox’s existing slate of series.
The network is set to premiere Backstrom – a new series about a cynical but genius cop from Bones’ Hart Hanson – this week, and the Luther order could stack the odds against the new series. If Backstrom isn’t a home run out of the gate, it’s very possible the network won’t give the show a chance to grow when it already has a near identical series with a more recognizable name waiting in the wings.
Regarding Frankenstein, the series could put a dent in Sleepy Hollow’s ability to find itself again, something the network already said it was planning on doing heading into season 3. If Sleepy Hollow is going to go more procedural, will it now have to compete with a new supernatural cop show (Fox’s Frankenstein is about a “morally corrupt retired cop” brought back to life as a younger, stronger version of himself), or will Fox use the new show to help Sleepy in a back-to-back block during the week? It’s a lot to think about.
The other two series on the list, Rosewood (a “close-ended, investigative series“) and 48 Hours ‘Til Monday (“a comedy about one husband’s desperate struggle to not let every weekend go completely to hell“) will have the biggest battles heading into the new season because they’re the least likely to receive series orders unless their pilots test through the roof.
With all the competition from established brands, it’s going to be hard for Fox to greenlight these shows to series – Rosewood in particular since it shares similarities with the disastrously rated Gracepoint. However, if there’s one thing TV needs right now, it’s more originality and less adaptation.
If reports are to be believed, Fox is hoping to order seven dramas and seven comedies this pilot season, so there’s still room for the network to even out its IP-heavy slate.
Of course, the biggest reason that idea could potentially become a reality is because Empire has smashed records across the board and given Fox the title of having the most watched new show of the season. With that in mind, the rest of the orders could still go in a variety of different directions.
Stay tuned for more news on the Luther remake and Frankenstein.
