Image Credit: NBCGood news for fans of Ugly Betty‘s Becki Newton, Parenthood‘s Jason Ritter, and Gilmore Girls‘ Scott Patterson! NBC has given early pickups to three new series — the dramatic thriller The Event (starring Lauren Graham’s former TV squeezes Ritter and Patterson), the comedy Outsourced, and the anthology series Love Bites (starring Newton).
Keeping reading for the official series descriptions…
* The Event is an emotional high-octane conspiracy thriller that follows Sean Walker (Parenthood‘s Jason Ritter), an Everyman who investigates the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Leila (Sarah Roemer), and unwittingly begins to expose the biggest cover-up in U.S. history. Sean’s quest will send ripples through the lives of an eclectic band of strangers, including: newly elected U.S. President Martinez (Blair Underwood); Sophia (Laura Innes), who is the leader of a mysterious group of detainees; and Sean’s shadowy father-in-law (Gilmore Girls‘ Scott Patterson). Their futures are on a collision course in a global conspiracy that could ultimately change the fate of mankind. Ian Anthony Dale (Daybreak) and Emmy winner Željko Ivanek (Damages) also star in the ensemble drama.
* Outsourced is a comedy where the Midwest meets the exotic East in a hilarious culture clash. The series centers on the all-American company Mid America Novelties that sells whoopee cushions, foam fingers and wallets made of bacon — and whose call center has suddenly been outsourced to India. Todd Dempsy (Ben Rappaport) is the new company’s manager who learns that he’s being transferred to India to run the operation. Overwhelmed, Todd discovers that his new staff needs a crash course in all things American if they are to understand the U.S. product line and ramp up sales from halfway around the world. But as strange as America seems to his eclectic sales team, Todd soon realizes that figuring out India will be more than a full-time job. Rizwan Manji (Privileged), Sacha Dhawan (BBC’s Five Days II), Rebecca Hazlewood (BBC’s Doctors), Parvesh Cheena (Help Me Help You), and Anisha Nagarajan (Broadway’s Bombay Dreams) also star as members of Dempsy’s off-shore team.
* From Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Cindy Chupack (Sex and the City), Love Bites is an hour-long romantic comedy anthology series featuring three loosely connected, modern stories of love, sex, marriage and dating. Each episode contains multiple vignettes, all illuminating the theme of love with an edgy, irreverent spin. Becki Newton (Ugly Betty) stars as Annie and Jordana Spiro (My Boys) stars as Frannie, the last two single girls standing after all of their friends get married. Annie is an infectiously bubbly optimist and Frannie is an always-a-bridesmaid realist. Their story will anchor the series, while other romantically-challenged characters will come and go each week. The pilot’s guest cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt, Greg Grunberg, Craig Robinson, Jason Lewis, and Lindsay Price.
Last week, NBC picked up the J.J. Abrams-Josh Reims spy dramedy Undercovers, bringing to four the number of new shows the Peacock has greenlit for fall.
Still no news on bubble shows Chuck, Law & Order, Mercy etc.
No word of Chuck or Heroes??
This article isn’t about dying shows with abysmal ratings, it’s about new pilots being picked up.
calm down.
Ahem, Chuck’s ratings have been rather good Ausiello is currently rating it ‘a safe bet’ based on recent comments. Although, I don’t like that this means three less slots that Chuck can fill.
“Annoyed” Chuck fans are very irritating and I for one can’t wait for the whole thing to go away…but you responding to every geek on here is just as bad, get a life.
Here’s the word on Chuck and Heroes: NBC has just filled 2.5 hours of its schedule with The Event, Outsourced and Love Bites.
But if they cancel Trauma and Mercy, that’s only a net gain of an hour. Doesn’t necessarily mean death for shows on the bubble.
Net gain of half an hour, rather.
“…anthology series Love Bites.” So, another vampire show?
I think this is the “Love, American Style”-style show that was rumored to be in development. Different stories/characters every week kinda thing.
“Love, exciting and new. Come aboard, we’re expecting you….” (sing it with me now) “The Love Boat….”
So you didn’t even bother to read the article before posting a sad cliche of a comment??
Can you read, moron?
Do you see the word ‘vampire’ anywhere in that description? Good God, people are stupid.
Love Bites is Becki Newton’s pilot, right? Yay, then!
=) i love this news too!
The bad news is that Lindsay Price is there too, so probably the series will get cancel. She is such a bad ju ju (Lipstick Jungle and Coupling)
Great artclie, thank you again for writing.
Its all fine and good but would ya just renew chuck already?
Any word on “The Strip”?
I saw it- really really funny. NBC needs to pick it up.
The first one sounds sort of interesting. (Or maybe I just really like Laura Innes and Scott Patterson.)
No news about Chuck? Come on NBC your killing me! Renew Chuck already please!!
This article is about new pilots being picked up, not dying shows with abysmal ratings.
stfu.
If all you ‘Chuck’ geeks would simply watch the show, instead of pirating it online, it would not be in danger.
All of us “Chuck” geeks do watch the show live, that’s why the ratings are staying stable.
Isn’t Outsourced based on a movie? I saw a small low-budget movie with this plot, and maybe even the same title, on Netflix Watch Instantly awhile ago.
You are right – same plot an all I saw that movie as well.
You are correct – same title, and the synopsis sounds exactly like at least the first few episodes will be re-creating the plot of the movie.
With such a small group of Indian actors in America, it’s a shame Ayesha Dharker wasn’t asked to reprise her roll as Asha. I like her a lot.
That was a really funny movie. I don’t know if non-Indian people would understand the humor though. And please no Ayesha Dharkar. She looks like a frog.
Was the movie any good?
The movie was fantastic.
I really liked that film.
Yep, same name and same plot as the Movie. I saw the movie too on Netflix. I loved the movie; it was very funny. I have doubts that the show can live up to the movie, but I guess I’ll give it a try. And yes, I agree, they should have asked the female Indian love interest to reprise her role. I really can’t imagine anyone being as great as she was in the film.
I am really hoping for The Cape. Fantastic pilot script, plus I love superhero type shows and Summer Glau. Since insiders have said it’s between The Event and The Cape I’m now a little worried…
Me too, I really want to see The Cape.
Superheroes + Summer Glau on my TV again = awesome. I hope it gets picked up. (But even more than that, I hope Chuck gets renewed!)
I want the Cape to be picked up too. Hopefully Ausiello will answer my question about it this week.
hmm..
the first one sounds promising, mostly because of the cast members, comedy’s are hard to place, the idea always sounds a bit far fetched. will it be good or will it not, we’ll have to wait and see.
hmmmmmmm, will love bites be like lipstick jungle, if so not interested. really not interested period.
sounds really lame, a procedural love story show? cbs should have picked that one up..
tsk tsk nbc…
the first one reminds me of a show that was on ABC a few years ago, Traveller, which, in turn, reminds me of a show that was on Fox a few years before, Vanished
I thought the exact same thing. Traveler all the way. Jason Ritter even looks a tiny bit like Matt Bomer. Maybe if this show gets cancelled, he can have multiple guest appearances on Chuck and then star in his own USA show…
Outsourced was a really good movie. I will give the TV show a chance.
I just want to know about Chuck! NBC needs to bring it back. Is Outsourced based on the movie of the same name? It sounds EXACTLY like it and all I have to say is “meh”. I’ll watch it if they bring back Chuck, otherwise I’m leaving NBC for good.
Agreed. My husband and I promised to stop watching NBC all together if they do not renew Chuck. I am willing to sacrifice the Thursday night line up for Chuck. NBC needs to wake up and get a clue.
You all need to get a clue. Stop spamming every article about NBC with your Chuck whining.
None can doubt the veracity of this arictle.
I bet is ‘Chuck’ gets canned, NBC will get higher ratings from shows that bring in a lot more viewers.
Ratings talk, web postings don’t do s—.
I doubt NBC will get any better ratingd with 5 million dedicated Chuck fans who will not watch another live show on the Nothing But Chowderheads network. They do not now nor will they ever have a show that will do better in the blackhole of network television time slot.
Outsourced sounds funny…in a sad but true on our economy kind of way.
I actually think it sounds silly – and not in a good way. 2 maybe 3 episodes tops.
i was thinking the same thing.
does NBC really think Americans are going to enjoy seeing a comedy show about what happens in the lives of the people who have taken jobs the used to be in America if not for outsourcing??? there’s nothing funny about this. not in today’s economic market.
Wait, Jordana Spiro is in Love Bites? What does that mean for My Boys? It’s one of my favorite shows!
i know! i love My Boys and am sad that this probably means there won’t be more of it.
Does this mean that My Boys is over after the new season airs in July?
That’s what I want to know too. But since Lindsay Price is guest starring and all her shows get canceled, maybe there is hope she will stay with My Boys.
I was wondering the same thing!!!! please say no!! i love my boys!! i miss it!
Finally! This is just what I was looknig for.