Three buzzed about pilots didn’t score series orders from ABC and many are wondering where they currently stand and why they didn’t make the cut. The three in question are the NYPD Blue reboot, Heart of Life, based on the John Mayer song of the same name & the Katey Sagal comedy, Nana.
At the Disney upfront press event on Tuesday morning, ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke addressed the decision not to proceed with the NYPD Blue reboot in its current form. “The bar is incredibly high, particularly on reboots,” she said. “It would be a disservice to fans if we put it on before it’s ready.” For that reason, “in concert with the producers, we decided to slow down and get it right — particularly NYPD Blue, which was a groundbreaking drama on this network,” she said.
ABC brass remains high on the prospect of the NYPD Blue reboot and they will look into tweaking it with reshoots for consideration during midseason. The new iteration of the classic cop drama stars newcomer developed on spec at 20th Century Fox TV and sold to ABC in January, going straight to pilot at the network without development there. , someone the network thinks has breakout potential, and co-stars original cast members Kim Delaney and Bill Brochtrup.
The reboot centers on Theo (Frankel), the son of Dennis Franz’s Detective Andy Sipowicz character from the original series, who tries to earn his detective shield and work in the 15th squad while investigating his father’s murder.
Heart of Life, inspired by singer-songwriter John Mayer’s song, developed on spec at 20th Century Fox TV and sold to ABC in January, going straight to pilot at the network without development there. The series is no longer in fall consideration at the network but it will undergo redevelopment. This will include a new take on the concept and a new script.
The Heart of Life pilot was a crowd pleaser at the network and had solid buzz but there were concerns about the execution. The series followed two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father.
Much like Heart of Life, Nana was developed on spec at 20th Century Fox TV and sold to ABC, going straight to pilot at the network without development. Nana had to endure recasting of its male lead opposite Sagal and that led to it being taken out of fall consideration. ABC is enticed by the character played by Sagal on Nana which is why it’s still being considered once they get it right.
Nana centered on Alex, an obsessive dad, who after the death of his wife, is forced to invite his brash and bawdy mother-in-law, Nana (Sagal), into his home to help raise the two granddaughters she barely knows.
