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\n\tIn hindsight, maybe the broadcast networks should\u2019ve always done as few as eight pilots a year. That\u2019s how many NBC ordered this season \u2014 five dramas and three comedies \u2014 and the crop may have produced as many strong series contenders as the contingents of 20-25 pilots the networks used to pick up in a single year back in the day.<\/p>\n
\n\tGoing into internal screenings this week, there was solid buzz on virtually all eight NBC pilots. Not much has changed as the screenings did not seem to whittle down the batch of pilots significantly, so testing results may help break some ties. <\/p>\n
\n\tNBC is now moving to the final stage of preparations for its May 11 upfront presentation, locking in the 2026-27 schedule, and the holes that need filling may be the deciding factor which pilots get ordered to series. Word is that the final pickup and cancellation decisions won\u2019t come until late next week. <\/p>\n
\n\tThat said, the early NBC pilot frontrunners, the Dan Goor\/Luke Del Tredici single-camera comedy starring Jake Johnson, now titled Sunset P.I.<\/strong><\/em>, and The Rockford Files <\/strong><\/em>reboot starring David Boreanaz, have remained strong. <\/p>\n \n\tSunset P.I.<\/em>, in particular, is considered the undisputed frontrunner of the entire pack, with its series order considered a formality as a potential companion for St. Denis Medical. <\/em><\/p>\n \n\tThe field is wider on the drama side but The Rockford Files <\/strong><\/em>is believed to still be a sure bet, with Boreanaz getting a lot of props for his take on the classic PI, delivering the right mix of rugged charm and dry wit.<\/p>\n \n\tNBC\u2019s strategy of hiring established TV stars for its pilots seems to be paying off as the actors are winning over those who have seen the pilots. Emily Deschanel and Taylor Schilling are both getting high marks for their performances in Key Witness <\/strong><\/em>(fka untitled Dean Georgaris\/John Fox) and What The Dead Know,<\/strong><\/em> respectively. <\/p>\n \n\tThat could be one of the two ties that would need breaking. NBC is said to be keen on picking up a new female-led procedural that could be paired with the network\u2019s stalwart, Law & Order: SVU. What The Dead Know,<\/em> from SVU <\/em>producer Wolf Entertainment, was developed with that compatibility in mind, I hear, but Key Witness <\/em>has strong support too. I hear the two may be vying for one slot. <\/p>\n \n\tAlso getting positive feedback and in the running for an order is drama In the Line of Fire<\/strong><\/em> (fka Protection<\/em>, which is more serialized than the pure procedural pilots and has a strong family element. Peter Krause is the star, Hope Davis the female lead, with sources praising how good the two are together. <\/p>\n \n\tPuzzled,<\/strong><\/em> starring Damon Wayans Jr., has been, well, puzzling. It is \u2014 quiet intentionally \u2014 lighter and funnier than the other drama pilots, with Wayans Jr. cracking jokes as he solves crimes. That is not necessarily NBC\u2019s drama brand; Puzzled<\/em> is more in line with ABC\u2019s current light procedural bent. While considered a longer shot for a series order than others, NBC brass are keeping Puzzled <\/em>in play in case an hourlong drama is needed to follow a half-hour comedy on the schedule, I hear. <\/p>\n \n\tAnother possible bake-off situation is emerging on the multi-camera comedy side where two pilots, Newlyweds<\/em><\/strong>, starring real-life married couple T\u00e8a Leoni and Tim Daly (with some scene-stealing guest star action from the project\u2019s executive producer Jamie Lee Curtis), and Jill & Ginger<\/strong><\/em> (fka untitled Kari Lizar), starring Katey Sagal and Jane Lynch, have come in at a similar level, with great chemistry between the two leads on both projects. <\/p>\n \n\tThere is a small chance for both to go; the more likely scenario is for one to be picked up as a companion to Reba McEntire\u2019s Happy\u2019s Place. <\/em><\/p>\n \n\tNBC this afternoon made its first cancellations for 2026-27, single-camera comedy Stumble<\/em> and drama Brilliant Minds<\/em>. That is not helping much in cracking the pilot puzzle as those slots would easily be taken by Sunset P.I.<\/em> and The Rockford Files. <\/em><\/p>\n \n\tBeyond that, NBC has a mix of four drama pilots and two bubble drama series, Law & Order <\/em>and The Hunting Party,<\/em> to work with. (On the comedy side, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins<\/em> is looking good for renewal, likely with another shorter order.) <\/p>\n \n\tThe more pilots the network wants to pick up to series, the more bubble shows it will have to cancel as NBC\u2019s primetime inventory is limited, with NBA basketball and NFL football accounting for a significant chunk of the real estate.<\/p>\n \n\tPeacock is a wild card. An NBC drama pilot could conceivably get picked up by the sibling streamer instead, though it is unclear how realistic that scenario is. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n