10 Most Interesting Looking Comedy Pilots

by Julian Spivey
We’re only a few weeks away from the network upfronts presentations where the broadcast networks will unveil their 2013 Fall season television schedules, including, of course, all of the new pilots that they have picked up.
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Below is a list of the 10 comedy pilots that I hope will get picked up the most. Now, it’s always incredibly hard to determine what will make a good series without actually viewing the pilots, so this list is basically going off of pilot synopsizes and cast.

10. Ex-Men (CBS)
“Ex-Men” follows a young guy played by Chris Smith (who frankly I’ve never heard of) who finds camaraderie living among the more experienced guys he meets in a short-term rental complex. Co-stars include Kal Penn, Jerry O’Connell (who’s unfortunately known as a series killer) and Tony Shalhoub. Honestly I can take or leave Penn and O’Connell … Emmy-winner Shalhoub (in his first post-‘Monk’ series) is the reason for my interest here. 

9. Jacked Up (CBS)
“Jacked Up” stars Patrick Warburton, a much underrated comedic actor, as a beloved, recently retired professional baseball player who finds out that life after baseball isn’t as easy as he figured it’d be. Between my love of baseball and Warburton’s fantastic sarcastic humor this could be right up my alley. Veteran television actress Tyne Daly will co-star. 

8. Untitled Jim Gaffigan Project (CBS)
The Jim Gaffigan sitcom pilot that is currently untitled will reportedly be based off of the popular stand-up comedian’s life at home with his wife and five kids. The series will be set in New York City and Gaffigan’s onscreen wife will be played by Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino. Gaffigan’s humor is something that should be family friendly and apply to the screen in a likely similar vein as Ray Romano in “Everybody Loves Raymond” and Kevin James in “The King of Queens.”

7. Untitled Craig Robinson Project (NBC)
Craig Robinson has been one of the funniest cast members over the last few seasons on “The Office” and for this reason I believe it will be interesting to see what he can do in a starring sitcom role of his own. In this currently untitled project for NBC Robinson will star as a musician who is forced to adjust to his new life as a middle school music teacher. The show will also feature the talented Jean Smart in a supporting role.

6. Untitled Andy Samberg Project (Fox)
The only possible Fox sitcom pilot on my list features former “Saturday Night Live” funnyman Andy Samberg in the lead role and revolves around a diverse group of detectives at a New York precinct, which is one of the more interesting sitcom synopses of pilot season. Not only should Samberg bring in a young audience for the network, but the series will also feature one of my favorite television actors in Emmy-winning Andre Braugher, who will get the chance to show his comedic chops after so many great dramatic roles over the years.

5. Brenda Forever (NBC)
Much like Craig Robinson (see number seven), Ellie Kemper has been one of the bright spots on the great NBC sitcom “The Office” over the last few seasons and I can’t wait to see what she can and will do in a lead role. Kemper will star in “Brenda Forever” an interesting concept that will follow her in current day life and her as a 13-year old (played by Daija Owens). If done right this could be another fun and quirky female role in the vein of Zooey Deschanel on “New Girl” or Mindy Kaling on “The Mindy Project.”

4. Trophy Wife (ABC)
The only possible ABC sitcom on this list stars Malin Akerman as a reformed party girl who finds herself thrown into a family when she falls in love with Bradley Whitford, who has three kids and two ex-wives. The series will also feature Marcia Gay Harden and Michaela Watkins (I’m not sure, but I would imagine as Whitford’s exs). I honestly don’t know how believable Akerman and Whitford are as a couple just based on both age and looks, but I do know that the Emmy-winning Whitford has been one of my favorite television actors ever since “The West Wing” and is really my main interest in this pilot.

3. The Crazy Ones (CBS)
“The Crazy Ones” is comedy legend Robin Williams’ first venture back to television since the late ‘70s/early ‘80s sitcom classic “Mork & Mindy” that put him on the map … and is the main reason for my intense interest here. The sitcom will feature Williams and the popular Sarah Michelle Gellar in a father-daughter workplace at an advertising agency. The series will also feature the talented James Wolk in a supporting role.

2. Untitled Will Arnett/Greg Garcia Project (CBS)
Will Arnett’s last two sitcoms (“Running Wilde” & “Up All Night”) didn’t fare too well, but he’s still one of the hottest commodities for sitcoms come pilot season and for good reason. I have a feeling that Arnett could be right at home in this untitled Greg Garcia created project that will feature him as a recently divorced man whose life is complicated when his parents move back in with him. The series will feature the talented Margo Martindale, Beau Bridges and J.B. Smoove. Garcia has created two of the best sitcoms on television of the last half dozen years or so with “My Name is Earl” and “Raising Hope” so expectations for this one are high.

1. Untitled John Mulaney Project (NBC)

 
John Mulaney is an incredibly witty and talented stand-up comedian who may not be known to many television viewers (which hopefully won’t work against him too much), but if they don’t know his name or face they certainly know his work, as he is the “Saturday Night Live” writer who writes for Bill Hader’s much-beloved Stefon character. Mulaney will star in this Lorne Michaels produced sitcom that is loosely based on his life. The show features a talented supporting cast that includes current ‘SNL’ cast member Nasim Pedrad, as well as acting vets Martin Short and Elliott Gould.
 
Let us know which comedy pilot you would most like see make a network schedule come the fall in the comments section below …