On JAquaman became the first original program to bow on iTunes. Then, someone at The CW inadvertently uploaded the image below to their website, inciting a firestorm of questions like “Had Aquaman actually been on the schedule at one point?” and “Why would the network have scheduled it behind America’s Next Top Model?”įanboys never got any answers to those questions, but they did get to watch their favorite Atlantean take to the seas. Ostroff claimed the show was still in contention for midseason but, shortly after her presentation concluded, it became clear that wasn’t true. Ostroff took the stage in New York City that May, the fishy comic book adaption was conspicuously absent. Prevailing wisdom suggested that Aquaman would be The WB offering chosen to join The CW’s schedule. But, that’s a tangent I won’t get started on. Of the two UPN pilots, Runaway got the go-ahead because it was thought to pair nicely with 7 th Heaven, a show that Ostroff chose to renew after incredibly high series finale numbers. Feeling confident about the plethora of current shows she had to choose from, Ostroff and her team only shot four pilots in the spring of 2006 two from each network (UPN: Runaway, Liz Tigelaar’s Split Decision The WB: Aquaman, Hidden Palms). And thus, The CW was born.Īmalgamating the programming of two seemingly disparate networks was a responsibility that fell to former UPN topper Dawn Ostroff. decided to merge the two networks into what they perceived would be a legitimate power player. It was because of this, and the ever shrinking TV market, that Time Warner and CBS Corp. In fact, they had lost a combined $2 billion over the course of a decade. After 11 years on the air, neither network had become the ratings juggernaut their respective parent companies desired. In January of 2006, both The WB and UPN were facing major financial losses. When discussing a failed pilot, context is of the foremost importance. Not among that crop was Aquaman, one of the most talked about pilots of that development season and arguably the network’s best chance at a breakout hit. Runaway and Hidden Palms, the network’s two new dramas, were among the lowest rated programs to air on broadcast television during the 2006-2007 season, while The CW’s lone comedy addition, The Game, is more commonly associated with the BET Network these days. Can you name them? If not, don’t feel too bad. The CW launched 3 new scripted series over the course of its inaugural season. He frequently updates his Twitter status, and infrequently updates his blog. Ambrecht has spent the last year or so working a series of short-term production gigs, while contributing to Miso. A student of television and a disciple of the late Brandon Tartikoff, Wesley graduated from Cornell University’s esteemed Department of Communication in 2011. What happened? And can we learn from Aquaman? Let’s find out. However, it never actually made it to series, in one of the more staggeringly confusing decisions of recent memory (as my guest will momentarily discuss). 2006’s Aquaman is a pilot most of you have probably heard about, and many of you have probably seen. Today, we move into the contemporary era of television and a somewhat special case. Can’t believe the week is almost through. Surely there is more to the varying successes than simply visual effects and budgets, right? It is important to note that animated series centered on comic book heroes have thrived for years, and continue to do so. *Our discussions will focus solely on live-action superhero series. This theme will take a look at some of the high-profile attempts to make superheroes fly on the small screen and consider what worked and what did not.* Networks have attempted televised adaptations of popular superhero characters for decades, but most of them have failed, commercially, creatively or (in most cases) both. Superheroes are big business for film.īut on television? Geesh. New Batman and Spider-Man films are soon to come. This summer season kicked off with Whedon’s Avengers, perhaps the most anticipated film in the genre and one that succeeded all expectations. These characters have become massive properties in the film industry over the last 20 years (especially the last 10-12), driving many of the highest-grossing movies of all-time. We had such great success with the week devoted to Joss Whedon-produced series back at the first of the year that I thought it would be fun to take another stab at it.Įvery day this week, a guest and I will take on a famous (or in a few cases, infamous) pilot focused on a famous comic book superhero. Welcome friends, to the second Test Pilot Special Theme Week. Series legacy: As a series? None to speak of Yet, one of the more high-profile “non-orders” in recent memory
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