ABC details its 13 comedy pilots under consideration for next season - plus their initial logs.
AMERICAN JUDY - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: "I do." When Judy Jennings (Judy Greer) said those two little words, her life went down the rabbit hole. Suddenly Judy became an instant stepmom to two kids. Oh, Judy... be afraid, be very afraid. Judy left the excitement of city life to join her husband Dean in the 'burbs, only to find her world completely turned upside down. Forget the lack of upscale boutiques or cultural events; Judy didn't realize she married into a family with some seriously fuzzy boundaries. Dean's Double-D ex-wife, the tough-talking town Sheriff (Elaine Hendrix), drops in unannounced, to shower after her workouts. Her stepson, Chuck Norris (named by The Sheriff, of course) surprises Judy at the most inopportune moments. And her mother-in-law, Judy "One" (Mimi Kennedy), raids the fridge whenever she feels like it and judges her parenting skills. Judy's clearly out of her element and feels like small town hospitality isn't always hospitable. Finding a friend may take some time, but until then, she's always got her family. From executive producers Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont (Made of Honor, Surviving Christmas, Can't Hardly Wait), Ira Ungerleider (How I Met Your Mother, Friends), and David Gardner, Peter Principato, and Paul Young (Reno 911!), and director Beth McCarthy-Miller (30 Rock, Up All Night), comes this hilariously quirky new comedy about feeling like a fish out of water in your own family.
COUNTER CULTURE - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: Welcome to the Wagon Wheel Diner. Proudly serving Waverly, Texas since 1952. You could call it a greasy spoon, but the Haynes sisters might make you eat your words, right along with the Blue Plate Special. Here, every order comes with a side of Texas style sass mixed with sibling rivalry, which is why the regulars love this place. Meet Joyce, Nonie, and Billie Haynes, co-owners of the Wagon Wheel. They're opinionated, often inappropriate, and sometimes politically incorrect (hummus = "terrorist food"). They have a habit of letting their family drama get in the way of running the diner. But when they stir up the hornet's nest, it always comes from a place of love. Through the years, between the broken hearts and broken dreams, their family roles haven't changed a bit. Joyce (Emmy Award Winner Margo Martindale) is the oldest sister and always knows what's best. She's about to become a first-time grandma and is pretty darn certain "Corduroy" is a bad name for her grandson. Having survived cancer, Joyce can be tough as nails, and won't hesitate to play the "cancer card" when it suits her. Nonie, the middle child, is a dreamer who still to this day, at the age of 55, wants to fly the coop but just can't quite get up the nerve. And then there's Billie, the baby, who's working on putting her wild ways behind her. After an AA meeting, she used the church baptismal pool to do a little "freshening up," which led to an embarrassing excommunication. Oops! Keeping a watchful eye over everything is Aunt Lee (Doris Roberts), the high-haired Southern Belle who strives to keep the Haynes sisters on the straight and narrow, along with Alonzo the cook. While manning the grille, Alonzo dispenses advice to the sisters in short order, like their own personal philosopher/guru. Executive producers Stephnie Weir (MadTV) and Claudia Lonow (Accidently on Purpose, Cashmere Mafia) create an ensemble comedy that combines southern charm and family values with a heaping helping of down-home humor.
DOWN TO EARTH - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: How well do you know your neighbors? Meet The Weavers: Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty (Lenny Venito). Marty, in hopes of providing a better life for his wife and three kids, recently bought a home in "Hidden Hills," a gated New Jersey townhome community with its own golf course. Hidden Hills is so exclusive that a house hasn't come on the market in 10 years. But one finally did... and the Weavers got it! It's clear from day one that the residents of Hidden Hills are a little... different. For starters, their new neighbors all have pro-athlete names like Larry Bird, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Reggie Jackson, and Dick Butkus. Over dinner, Marty and his family discover that their neighbors receive nourishment through their eyes and mind by reading books, rather than eating. The Weavers soon learn that the entire community is comprised of aliens from Zabvron, where the men bear children and everyone cries green goo... from their ears. The Zabvronians have been stationed on Earth for the past 10 years, disguised as humans, awaiting instructions from home, and the Weavers are the first humans they've had the opportunity to know. As it turns out, the pressures of marriage and parenthood are not exclusive to planet Earth. Two worlds will collide with hilarious consequences as everyone discovers they can "totally relate," and learn a lot from each other. Dan Fogelman (the writer of Cars, Tangled, and Crazy, Stupid, Love), Director Chris Koch (Workaholics, Modern Family), Jeff Morton (Modern Family) and Aaron Kaplan (GCB, Terra Nova) executive produce this new comedy about close encounters of the 3rd kind, in New Jersey.
DUSTY GOES TO AWESOMETOWN - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: What do you do when you catch the only woman you ever loved cheating on you with another guy? You make tracks for Awesometown. Dusty is a 24-year old Seattle architect who learns the hard way that he married his junior high school sweetheart at least 10 years too soon. After getting an eyeful of his wife in the aforementioned compromising position, he does what any sane young dude would do - he files for divorce and moves in with his buddies. But everything has changed between the sexes, since Dusty walked down the aisle. There used to be dating "rules." Now, there are no rules. It's a free-for-all, like the Wild West... only sweatier, and more complicated, due to social media. Luckily Dusty has some more experienced friends to help him dodge the dating landmines. There's Andrew, the people-pleaser and over-thinker who's in a long-distance relationship; Oliver, a self-confessed sex addict in training; and Sam, the hot, smart girl they'd all love to date. Awesometown is a raw, hilarious peek behind the curtains of what's really happening in 20-something relationships. Executive producers Adam Sztykiel (Due Date, Made of Honor), Josh Bycel (Happy Endings, Scrubs) and Jon Fener (American Dad) take you on a wild ride through the contemporary dating scene in this edgy new ensemble comedy about modern relationships.
FAMILY TRAP - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: Annie (Mandy Moore) comes from a completely normal family. They're dysfunctional, needy, high maintenance, self-absorbed, non-confrontational, and have absolutely no regard for boundaries. And now that she's moved back home, Annie's landed herself smack-dab in the middle of all the family chaos. Newlyweds Annie and Ben have just relocated to Southern California to pursue an amazing opportunity - running one of LA's hippest and most talked about new restaurants. But before they can even get the doors open, Annie gets sucked into her family's dramas. Her older sister Kate, who's always perfect, is having a meltdown because she's overwhelmed by her new baby. Sarah, her younger sister, has just gone through a divorce and is reverting to her hard-partying high school ways. Zach, her slacker baby brother has just moved in "temporarily", which is code for permanently. And her meddling mother expects everyone to drop what they're doing to pose for a family portrait. Yep, just a completely normal family, who's pulling Annie in a million different directions. Now, instead of trying to please everybody, Annie's challenge will be learning to say one little word... no. From executive producers Shawn Levy (the Night at the Museum franchise, Real Steel, Date Night, The Pink Panther), Marty Adelstein & Becky Clements (Last Man Standing), and Bob Fisher & Stacy Traub (Notes from the Underbelly, Kitchen Confidential) comes a new comedy about how to survive your family drama without going crazy.
HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: When you move in with your parents after your divorce, you tell yourself it's not forever. Even if you're living with crazy, you can survive it. Because, it's only temporary. Polly (Sarah Chalke) is a single mom who's been divorced for almost a year. The transition wasn't easy for her, especially in this economy. So, like a lot of young people living in this new reality, she turned to her parents for a little help. Polly and her daughter Natalie have moved back home with her eccentric parents, Elaine (Elizabeth Perkins) and Max (Brad Garrett), a couple who are full of life, which seems to always collide with hers. And after a year, it kind of feels like a life sentence. Polly's determined to be "the best single working mother in the Universe", the mom she never had, and so far it hasn't been a cakewalk. Polly and her parents look at life through two different lenses. Polly's too uptight. Her parents are too laid back. Polly's conservative when it comes to dating (no action, whatsoever), while her parents are still sexually adventurous. Polly's trying to have perfect parenting skills, while her parents are more relaxed. They think Polly turned out okay, so what's the big deal. Well, they say it takes a village to raise a child... and in Polly's case, this village is on fire. But with help from her best friend Gregg (the one that got away) and her lovable yet irresponsible ex-husband Julian (the one who wants her back), Polly takes her first steps toward getting a life, starting with a social one. From executive producers Claudia Lonow (Less Than Perfect, Accidently on Purpose, Cashmere Mafia), Brian Grazer (Arrested Development, 24, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights), and Francie Calfo (The Playboy Club, Scoundrels), comes a contemporary new comedy about what it takes to start over. Sometimes you need to move home, in order to move on.
MALIBU COUNTRY - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: When Reba Gallagher (Reba McEntire) discovers her husband Russell, a country music legend, has a cheatin' heart... her world blows up, right along with the family fortune. Reba dreamt of becoming a country star herself, but put her career on hold to raise a family with Russell. Now, she's questioning all of that, big-time. With the ink on her divorce barely dry, Reba packs up her sharp-tongued mother Shirley (Lily Tomlin), her three kids, and the U-Haul, and heads for sunny California to begin a new chapter. Leaving Nashville in the rear view, they're moving to Malibu, to the last remaining asset they have left - a little beach house. But liberal LaLa Land is quite an adjustment for this traditional Southern Belle. From the Bentleys to the Malibu Barbies, the West Coast seems like the polar opposite of Music City, and Reba feels like an outsider. But with the support of her family, she sets about finding her voice, jump starting her music career, and embracing this chance to begin again. From country music superstar/executive producer Reba McEntire and executive producer Kevin Abbott (Last Man Standing, My Name Is Earl, Reba) comes Reba's return to series television. Malibu Country is a hilarious new comedy about new beginnings that will make your heart sing.
ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: Meet the Trotters, Del (John Leguizamo) and Rodney (Dustin Ybarra), two brothers pursuing the American Dream. But while some folks work in office buildings, the Trotters do things differently, buying and selling discounted, discontinued and slightly damaged items out of the trunk of their '78 Pacer wagon. Most days, you can find them at The Regal Hound, a bar run by Del's ex-wife Ruby Ross (Wendi McLendon-Covey) which the boys often use as an office space. Del's the risk taker, always looking for a sweet deal, whether it's unbreakable pinatas, skinny jeans that are a little burned, or a DeLorean with monster truck wheels. He's got a million big ideas. And he's just one score away from becoming the next great captain of industry. Rodney's the more conservative one, the voice of reason, who acts as Del's conscience. Raised by his brother, Rodney is constantly trying to get out of Del's shadow. And then there's grandpa, Jackie (Christopher Lloyd), a feisty former stunt man in his golden years, who thinks he's still got it. Even though their half-cocked scams and schemes usually leave the Trotter bank account running on empty, they'll be fine as long as they avoid the law and rely on each other. Based on Britain's all time favorite comedy, Steven Cragg & Brian Bradley (Scrubs, MadTV) adapt and executive produce this subversive new comedy about the slightly crooked path two brothers travel on the way to achieving success.
PRAIRIE DOGS - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: At Egg Computer Technology, a leading smartphone company, the programmers are anything but cool. They're the "prairie dogs", the cubicle dwellers, who write software code all day and pop their heads up from time to time to see what's going on. In another era, they'd be wearing pocket protectors. These underdogs do all of the technological grunt work but get none of the glory. Meet Neil (Kal Penn), a programming wiz. At Egg, he's the top dweeb, the guy the other nerds all look up to. But Neil has big dreams beyond programming. He wants to move over to the sexier, higher profile design department to work for Rams (Cary Elwes), a kilt-wearing German eccentric. The only problem is, his boss Imogene needs him too much to let him leave. Enter "Guy", a conman who's just stolen Neil's identity. He's been racking up quite a bill living an exciting life on Neil's credit cards. He may have stolen Neil's identity, but he's having a lot more fun with it than Neil ever has. Fed up with people taking advantage of him, Neil decides to confront the identity thief with the help of his friends Mazi, Roj, and Charlotte. And when they do, it leads to an unlikely friendship with "Guy", and an ingenious plan to get Neil transferred to the design department. From Jackie & Jeff Filgo (That '70s Show, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The New Adventures of Old Christine) comes an ensemble work-place comedy about taking care of business with friends in low places.
RED VAN MAN - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: Jack Shea (Kyle Bornheimer) is the King of Epic Fails. When it comes to his career, he always screws things up. In the Army, he accidently shot someone. In the Police Academy, he accidently shot himself. Seminary school didn't work out much better. He's just flunked out - for the third time. So Jack is headed home to regroup, again. Jack's dad, Tony (JK Simmons), has spent his whole life building a successful hometown handyman business, but is suddenly forced to retire due to a heart condition. He loves his business and doesn't want to abandon his clients, but it's clear the time has come to pass the tool belt on to someone else. Now, armed with big dreams, power tools and a slacker assistant named Darren who calls him "pimp juice", Jack becomes the new Mr. Jiffy-Fix. As in his past job experiences, things don't go smoothly, and Jack soon discovers there's quite a learning curve to this handyman stuff. (Note to self: be careful with the nail gun.) And it doesn't help that his dad's looking over his shoulder every step of the way. But if Jack can find his sea legs, with a little help from his family including his cool Aunt Terry (Leah Remini) and his teenage cousin Mason, he just might finally make his father proud. From Bobby Bowman (Raising Hope, My Name Is Earl, Yes Dear, Family Guy) and Mark Gordon (Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds) comes a new ensemble comedy about trying to find your true calling, right at home.
THE MANZANIS - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO:When a boisterous, volatile Italian Family moves into an idyllic suburban neighborhood, the lives of everyone in the cul-de-sac will never be the same.
THE SMART ONE - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: How can people raised exactly the same see life so differently? Meet two sisters who are total opposites. Jude (Portia de Rossi) is brainy, logical, and intellectual. There's no code she can't crack. Her sister Candy (Malin Akerman) has great people skills and regular-folks appeal. If life were a popularity contest, she'd always win. And if you asked them... each would say, "I'm the smart one." Jude is single, beautiful, driven, and a little prickly (not the warm and fuzzy type). She's also a politically brilliant campaign manager. The candidate she was backing just lost the mayoral race to a former beauty pageant queen and weekend weather reporter - who happens to be Jude's sister Candy. Candy is popular, enthusiastic, a PTA mom with a loving husband - Buddy (David Arquette) - and now she's been elected to the top spot in City Hall... no doubt to her sister Jude's amazement. Their mother Helen (Jean Smart), who's no slouch in the smarts department herself, knows that Mayor Candy can't be successful without Jude's help. So she hatches a plan to get Jude to join Candy's team. Now, who's really the smart one? With Jude's braininess and Candy's connections, this combination could be dynamite - or at least explosive. It won't always be pretty, and the sibling rivalry will get intense, but in the end, these sisters always vote for each other. From Emmy-winning talk show host and executive producer Ellen DeGeneres and executive producers Donald Todd (Hart of Dixie, Samantha Who?, Ugly Betty) and Lauren Corrao (The Job), comes this smart new comedy, set against a political backdrop, about two very different sisters who will put family first, and finally learn to appreciate each other's unique gifts.
UNTITLED KARI LIZER PROJECT - HALF HOUR
SHOW INFO: Hilary Pfeiffer-Dunne (Mary McCormack) is a high-powered, overachieving corporate executive, known for being a hard-working, highly valued model of efficiency. Or so she thought. Instead of getting the expected raise and promotion, Hilary just got handed a pink slip. Now she'll make the most stunning move of her entire career - she's hanging up her smartphone to become a stay-at-home mom. Seriously, how hard can it be? If she can run two corporate offices with 80 employees, running a household with two teenagers and her husband Griffin (Greg Germann) should be easy breezy. Well, after her first week "on the job" Hilary understands why some housewives are driven to drink. She thought she was going to be raising her "children," but her children have turned into teens, and teens are a whole different animal. Their honesty will definitely keep an executive ego in check. On top of her kids not appreciating her Martha Stewart-perfect meals, Hilary can't get the hang of carpool, and instead of making friends with the other moms, she's become persona non grata. What worked in the boardroom isn't working on the home front. Hilary's learning the hard way what it takes to be a great wife and mother. Stripping off the pinstriped suit was only just the beginning. Executive producer Kari Lizer (The New Adventures of Old Christine, Will and Grace) creates a hilariously authentic comedy about losing your job and finding yourself in the process.
