Category — Pilot Watch

Pilot Watch: Heller brings showrunning skill to ‘Mentalist’ — He might not have the super-cerebral skills of Patrick Jane, the title character in “The Mentalist,” but showrunner Bruno Heller will definitely use his head to make his new show worthy of an international TV audience.

Pilot Watch: Studio offerings in comedy and drama — Studio offerings in scripted comedy and drama scheduled to debut on the broadcast networks during the 2008-09 television season.

Pilot Watch: Star producers key L.A. Screenings slate — With the annual TV selling bazaar known as the L.A. Screenings under way at the major studios around town, the continued impact of the recent Writers Guild of America strike is surely being felt in the diminished number of offerings. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a gamechanger or two in the bunch.

Pilot Watch: Studios pitching fall TV shows — Hundreds of global TV buyers in town for the L.A. Screenings ventured to the studios Monday to view pilots and presentations of shows announced at last week’s upfronts.

Pilot Watch: A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate — A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate

Pilot Watch: A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate — A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate

Pilot Watch: A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate — A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate

Pilot Watch: A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate — A rundown of the network’s current pilot slate

Pilot Watch: Network makes series commitment to drama — It’s apparently the show so nice, they announced it twice.

Pilot Watch: Pilots fit network’s character-driven brand — USA Network has picked up a pair of pilots, greenlighting the FBI-themed “White Collar” and the comedic medical drama “Royal Pains.”

Pilot Watch: Fox channel renews ‘Secrets,’ preps YouTube series — The Fox-owned MyNetworkTV has commissioned 13 new hours of “Magic’s Biggest Secrets Revealed” and given the go to a You Tube-inspired clip series called “Funniest Moments.”

Pilot Watch: CCH Pounder to explore ‘Warehouse 13′ — CCH Pounder has been added to the cast of Sci Fi Channel’s paranormal drama pilot “Warehouse 13.”

Pilot Watch: ‘Empire’ comedy about eccentric billionaire — Kelsey Grammer has joined the cast of ABC comedy pilot “Roman’s Empire,” from Ashton Kutcher’s Katalyst Films, CBS Paramount Network TV and ABC Studios.

Pilot Watch: Night of programming set to launch Sept. 14 — Media Rights Capital has put the finishing touches on its first-ever Sunday night schedule for the CW, lining up two dramas, a comedy and a reality skein.

Pilot Watch: ABC, Turner push first round of deals — Upfront advertising sales activity began to percolate over the weekend, and the major networks are preparing for the onslaught of dealmaking on advance blurb commitments for the 2008-09 season that will hit in earnest this week.

Pilot Watch: Move follows Fontana and Levinson’s departure — Peter Horton has been tapped to helm and exec produce the pilot to NBC’s midseason drama “The Philanthropist.”

Pilot Watch: Documentary series profiles Homeland Security — ABC has ordered the unscripted series “Border Security USA,” which takes a docu-style look at the men and women who handle homeland security.

Pilot Watch: New shows include ‘Making the Rock Band’ — MTV has pacted with hip-hop star 50 Cent to search for the nation’s next street-smart business mogul.

Pilot Watch: ‘30 Rock’ scribe sells workplace comedy — NBC has greenlit a workplace comedy from “30 Rock” scribe Jonathan Pollack.

Pilot Watch: ‘Young’ Broadway actor cast in untitled pilot — Roger Bart has joined the cast of the untitled ABC pilot penned by David Hemingson for 20th Century Fox TV.

Pilot Watch: Slate to focus on big franchises — The CW will get a jump on the competish next season, launching Sept. 1 with a fall sked that the net is touting as its most cohesive to date.

Pilot Watch: Whedon’s ‘Dollhouse’ expected for midseason — Fox rounds out upfront week today with a sked presentation at Gotham’s City Center that is expected to put the spotlight on J.J. Abrams’ drama “Fringe” as the net’s hot new prospect for the fall and Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” for midseason.

Pilot Watch: TNT, TBS unveil fresh batch of pilots — Making good on their promise to ramp up original series, cablers TNT and TBS have unveiled a fresh batch of pilots in development with heavy-hitters including George Clooney, Joel Surnow, Peter Guber, Jon Avnet, Russell Simmons and Jerry Zucker.

Pilot Watch: New shows have female-friendly twist — CBS is going back to what execs believe the network does best.

Pilot Watch: New shows from Abrams, Whedon on deck — Fox will get a jump on the competish in August, launching with an event-laden week of two-hour premiere episodes.