CBS has stocked up on four comedies for the 2013-14 season, including a new entry from Chuck Lorre and a domestic vehicle from Greg Garcia. The Eye also picked up two dramas.
CBS has a number of notable faces coming to its sked, from Josh Holloway (pictured) and Toni Collette on the drama side to Anna Faris (pictured) and Robin Williams on the half-hour front. Comedy is clearly a big focus for the Eye next season. The network is expected to order at least one or two more half-hours prior to its sked unveiling on Wednesday at Carnegie Hall.
On the drama front, “Lost” fans will cheer the return of Holloway to network TV in “Intelligence.” Drama from ABC Studios/CBS TV Studios revolves around an elite federal agent whose crime-fighting abilities are enhanced by a microchip implanted in his brain. The pickup from the Eye marks a big win for the Alphabet studio’s efforts to broaden its sales slate beyond Mouse House nets. It’s also a coup for CBS to land Holloway, who has been hotly pursued by networks for leading-man roles ever since “Lost” bowed out in 2010.
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The other drama getting the nod was Jerry Bruckheimer TV/Warner Bros. TV’s “Hostages,” toplined by Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott, which revolves around a family caught up in a grand political conspiracy.
The big surprise among the Eye’s initial drama orders is the one that was not include, the redo of “Beverly Hills Cop,” which had been seen as a lock for the sked. Sony Pictures TV immediately began shopping the property, produced by Shawn Ryan and Eddie Murphy, to other nets.
Meanwhile, the Eye made the official it’s-over call for “CSI: NY” after nine seasons, and also axed frosh dramas “Vegas,” which bowed with promise last fall, and “Golden Boy.”
The end of “CSI: NY” leaves the mothership “CSI” as the lone active series in the franchise. “CSI” was picked up last month for a 14th season.
Comedy orders went to Lorre’s “Mom,” Garcia’s “The Millers,” “We Are Men” and “Crazy Ones.”
“Mom” stars Faris as a newly sober mother who moves to Napa Valley to get her life back together. Allison Janney also stars in the laffer penned by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky and Gemma Baker.
“Millers,” from CBS TV Studios, has the enviable ensemble of Will Arnett, Margo Martindale, J.B. Smoove and Beau Bridges. It brings Garcia back to the net where he fielded “Yes Dear” more than a decade ago.
“We are Men,” also from CBS TV Studios, revolves around a guy who finds friends at a short-term rental complex. The ensemble of the Rob Greenberg-penned pilot includes Chris Smith, Kal Penn and Tony Shalhoub.
“Crazy Ones,” from 20th Century Fox TV, brings comedian Williams back to series TV for the first time since “Mork and Mindy” launched his career in the late 1970s. He costars with Sarah Michelle Gellar in a father-daughter workplace comedy penned by David E. Kelley.
Here are the descriptions:
DRAMA
HOSTAGES
EP/W/D: Jeffrey Nachmanoff
EP: Rick Eid
EP: Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, Omri Givon, Rotem Shamir, Chayim Sharir
Based on the Israeli format created by Alon Aranya, Omri Givon and Rotem Shamir
Studio: Jerry Bruckheimer Television i/a/w Warner Bros. Television
Cast includes:Toni Collette, Dylan McDermott
Logline: A family is caught in the middle of a grand political conspiracy that will change their lives forever.
INTELLIGENCE
EP/ Writer: Michael Seitzman
EP/Dir: David Semel
EP: Tripp Vinson
EP: Rene Echevarria
Studio: CBS Television Studios/ABC Studios
Cast includes: Josh Holloway, Marg Helgenberger, Meghan Ory
Logline: INTELLIGENCE is centered at US Cyber Command, and focuses on a unit that has been created around one agent with a very special gift, a microchip that has been implanted in his brain that allows him to access the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
COMEDY
WE ARE MEN (formerly Untitled Rob Greenberg)
Half-hour, single camera
Creator: Rob Greenberg
EP: Rob Greenberg, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum
Writer: Rob Greenberg
Studio: CBS Television Studios
Director: Rob Greenberg
Cast includes: Chris Smith, Kal Penn, Tony Shalhoub, Jerry O’Connell
Logline: A young guy finds camaraderie living among the more experienced guys he meets in a short-term rental complex.
MOM
Half hour, multi-camera
EP: Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky
Producer: Gemma Baker
W: Chuck Lorre & Eddie Gorodetsky & Gemma Baker
Studio: Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television
Cast includes: Anna Faris, Allison Janney
Logline: A newly sober single mom tries to pull her life together in Napa Valley.
THE MILLERS ( Formerly known as UNAUTHORIZED GREG GARCIA PROJECT)
Half- hour, multi-camera
EP/W: Greg Garcia
D: James Burrows
Studio: CBS Television Studios
Cast includes: Will Arnett, Margo Martindale, J.B. Smoove, Beau Bridges
Logline: a recently divorced guy’s life gets more complicated when his parents have marital problems of their own.
CRAZY ONES
Half-hour, single camera
EP/W: David E. Kelley
EP/W: Dean Lorey
EP: Bill D’Elia, John R. Montgomery, Mark Teitelbaum
EP/Director: Jason Winer
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
Cast includes: Robin Williams, Sarah Michelle Gellar
Logline: Father/daughter workplace single-camera half-hour comedy set in the world of advertising.
