And then there were none. The last two broadcast pilots that had remained in production as of Friday night — Fox comedy This Country, starring Seann William Scott and produced by Lionsgate, and the CW/WBTV drama The Lost Boys, a reimagining of the cult classic movie — have shut down production. Both had a couple of days left to finish the shoots.
I hear The Lost Boys‘ production was suspended over the weekend, while This Country filmed Monday before everyone was sent home.
This leaves the CBS/WBTV multi-camera comedy B Positive, from Chuck Lorre and Marco Pennette and starring Thomas Middleditch and Annaleigh Ashford, as the only completed broadcast pilot, with Fox’s This Country, the CW’s The Lost Boys and Kung Fu, and NBC’s Ordinary Joe starring James Wolk having shot footage for potential presentations.
As we reported on Friday, whether the crop of 2020 pilots will be produced will depend on how long the production delay lasts. The longer the coronavirus crisis-related shutdown goes on, the more likely is that many — if not all — pilots are not made, and the networks make pickup decisions based on other factors, like big production commitments. In that case, the nets also will likely rely more than they normally would have on bringing back bubble shows.
This Country, based on the BBC series, comes from Jenny Bicks, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate, Fox Entertainment and BBC Studios. The show follows the daily lives of cousins who are trailed by a documentary crew as they go to a small town to study young adults and their current concerns in an idiosyncratic surrounding.
The CW’s retooled pilot for The Lost Boys comes from Heather Mitchell and Rob Thomas and is based on the 1987 Warner Bros movie. The lead cast includes Branden Cook, Lincoln Younes and Ruby Cruz.
For a list of TV shows that have been halted across broadcast, cable and streaming, click here.
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