Zap2it TV Listings Zap2it Movie Showtimes Zap2it On-Demand Guide
WHAT TO WATCH

Pilots: ABC Loads Up on Laughs

Network greenlights five comedies

January 24, 2007

Dysfunctional paramedics, an amnesia-stricken woman and a smug family are among the folks who will potentially try to turn around ABC's sitcom fortunes next season.

The network has ordered five comedy pilots, including one from the producers of "24" and one from former Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch, the showbiz trade papers report. The others come from veterans of "Grounded for Live," "Ugly Betty" and "Committed."

The paramedic show, titled "The Call," has been given a formal green light after ABC won a bidding war with FOX over the show. Created by David Hemingson ("Kitchen Confidential"), it follows a group of L.A. paramedics, with each episode taking place in real time.

The "24" team of Robert Cochran, Joel Surnow and Howard Gordon will executive produce the pilot with Hemingson.

"Sam I Am" comes from writer Don Todd ("Ugly Betty," "Brother's Keeper"), who conceived the story with novelist Cecelia Ahern. It's about a woman who wakes up from a coma with no memory of her prior life.

McCulloch, who's written for "Saturday Night Live" as well as "The Kids in the Hall," is behind "Carpoolers," about a group of guys who ride to work together. He's executive producing with David Miner and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of DreamWorks TV.

Former "Grounded for Life" writer Erica Rivinoja penned the script for "Family of the Year," about a New Mexico clan whose string of awards for their town's outstanding family is challenged by another family. She's executive producing with Pam Brady ("The Loop").

Finally, "The Middle" revolves around the matriarch of a middle-class Midwestern family. It comes from Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline ("Committed," "How I Met Your Mother").

Fall TV

What's new, what's coming back and what to watch.


Emmy Awards

Find everything you need to know about the 2008 Primetime Emmy Awards.


Pick your favorite channels

Customize our TV listings to show only the channels you care about.


Get Zap2it delivered

Sign up for our new daily e-mail newsletter so you'll always know what to watch and where to watch it.

Photo galleries

'Chocolate News'

2008 American Music Awards Nominees

'Iconoclasts'

'Max Payne'

'Crash' The Series

More photo galleries »

Most Viewed Stories

It Happened Last Night

From Inside the Box Blog

Big Brother

TV Gal

Lost

Television Without Pity

Nielsen Top-Rated Shows