WB ORDERS FILMING OF NEW DS PILOT

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The WB's fall schedule and mid-season pick ups are just more proof not to believe the hype surrounding the pilots. The two pilots with the biggest early buzz and that many thought were no brainers for the fall, DS and LIS, are nowhere to be seen. Another show that got good buzz a bit later on and that many predicted would be picked up, Prodigy, is also nowhere to be seen. And shows that got practically no attention, Rocky Point and Global Frequency (whose pilot won't even be shot until summer), are still alive...

[jimbo]

I would like to think that out of respect for the DS fans, that John Wells and Dan Curtis Productions will make a statement indicating what plans they have, if any, for the future of the pilot.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The latest SG update has already said that "The producers of the pilot -- Warner Bros TV/Dan Curtis Productions/John Wells Productions -- will pursue all available options, including the possibility of placing the program on another network." SG also said that they'll "provide updates as soon as they become available." I wouldn't expect to hear anything more for the near future. If something works out, we'll certainly get the details. But I wouldn't necessarily expect to get a detailed report should nothing come of the efforts to find another home for the show. The more likely event would be a simple report saying that they're disappointed but nothing worked out...

[jimbo]

The latest SG update has already said that "The producers of the pilot -- Warner Bros TV/Dan Curtis Productions/John Wells Productions -- will pursue all available options, including the possibility of placing the program on another network." SG also said that they'll "provide updates as soon as they become available." I wouldn't expect to hear anything more for the near future. If something works out, we'll certainly get the details. But I wouldn't necessarily expect to get a detailed report should nothing come of the efforts to find another home for the show. The more likely event would be a simple report saying that they're disappointed but nothing worked out...

That being said and understood, I still would prefer to hear from the DS production companies.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

That being said and understood, I still would prefer to hear from the DS production companies.

I can understand your hope, but we have heard from them via SG. SG gets their info directly from DCP. And more than likely there's really nothing more to say at this point.

[jimbo]

I can understand your hope, but we have heard from them via SG. SG gets their info directly from DCP. And more than likely there's really nothing more to say at this point.

Understood. Just to make sure we are on the same page, I would of course prefer to have Shadowgram be the one to print and relay any statements from the production companies to us. Just wanted to be clear on my desire to hear from DCP/JWP in this manner and hopefully it will be soon.

[Nancy]

That being said and understood, I still would prefer to hear from the DS production companies.

You're not likely too as the production companies believe the news it out and through plenty of long standing credible resources.  Generally speaking, production companies simply do not have the manpower to all keep interested parties apprised of developments or discuss final results.

Nancy

[Brian]

And when was the last time DCP mentioned the "proposed DS Broadway musical."  That one (thank goodness) disappeared quietly. . .

[Mysterious Benefactor]

SciFiWire reports that Science Fiction & Fantasy fans were surprised not to see DS, LIS or the rumored Angel movies on the WB's schedule:

WB Light On SF&F Fare

Apparently they weren't paying attention during the last week and a half...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Let the wake begin - at least so far as the WB is concerned. Here are a pair of articles mentioning the failure of DS to get picked up:

Must-wait-and-see TV

Entertainment News
(This one requires you to enter your zip code, year of birth, and sex before you can read it)

Hailing Frequencies, Issue #250
(Scroll down to MISC)

Also:

This article dated today, seems to suggest that the people involved with the Lost In Space pilot are very confident and/or are oblvious to what is going on with the WB recently, that its pilot will go to series.
http://www.syfyportal.com/article.php?id=1362

They may still be oblivious. Just for the fun of it I went over to the Sy Fy Portal site to see what they were saying about the fate of LIS and there's a report dated yesterday indicating that TPTB behind the show feel that the WB is still interested in it. Apparently the showrunner quit over "creative differences" and their belief is that an inability to find a suitable replacement is all that kept them off of the WB's fall schedule - and as soon as they find a "qualified writer/producer," the show will be back on track for mid-season. That would certainly fly in the face of reports that the WB has turned its back on "franchise" shows. And the report is quick to conclude with the caveat that all this info comes from "the crew of the show" and "no official announcement has been made by The WB." So, either the show's crew really is lost in their own fantasy space world, or the reports of the death of franchise series at the WB are a load of bull....

You can check out the entire article here

[Philippe Cordier]

...
So, either the show's crew really is lost in their own fantasy space world, or the reports of the death of franchise series at the WB are a load of bull....

You can check out the entire article (URL)

MB, your link brought me to an article on "Lost in Space," and all related links from that page are also to articles on "Lost in Space."   

[Mysterious Benefactor]

You can check out the entire article (URL)

MB, your link brought me to an article on "Lost in Space,"

That's exactly what you should have been taken to - that link was to the LIS article that I'd summarized. 

[jimbo]

Just some thoughts...

What impact will the WB's passing on the DS pilot have on the HODS/NODS restoration project? Will the new interest generated by the WB DS pilot be sufficient to have WB now support the project?

Just how does a studio shop a filmed pilot to another network and how do they try to generate interest? Does the production company make a formal presentation to the other networks or is it as simple as using the telephone? Just curious.

How soon will the DS actors be released from their WB contracts? I need to assume that the window to shop a pilot must be small because of this time constraint.

Will Fox-TV bite again? I was recently reminded how several years ago Fox-TV ordered a new DS pilot script. Wonder if they still have an interest in DS?

[Darren Gross]

I believe Wb television makes a formal presentation to other networks to see if they are interested and then takes it from there.

The WB passing on the pilot has a huge effect on the restoration...Hopes for it essentially have gone down in flames along with the pilot...

If a series had been picked up or if another network picks it up, that would change things drastically, but as it is, the pilots failure make restoration seem even less likely now.

[Philippe Cordier]

That's exactly what you should have been taken to - that link was to the LIS article that I'd summarized. 

Oh!  Sorry, guess I was reading quickly and assumed that the third article you referred to was also about DS!