'Body Politic': The best pilot you won't see next season

By Rick Porter

May 22, 2009 7:29 AM

The CW picked up four new series for next season this week, and they all seem to fit in with the network's existing shows and mission to attract young female viewers.

That's all well and good. But in focusing so intensely on the flow of its schedule and its narrow target audience, the network may have passed on the best pilot it had, a drama called "Body Politic."

A couple caveats here: I haven't screened any full pilots yet, so my opinions are based on a limited amount of script reading, trailers and preview clips and what I've been able to gather from the pilot-season chatter leading up to this week's upfronts. And the consensus on "Body Politic," which is about a young congressional staffer ("Friday Night Lights'" Minka Kelly) and her friends working on or around Capitol Hill, is that it's pretty darn good.

How good? Take a look at these clips from the pilot, which also stars Gabrielle Union, Jason Dohring, Jenny Wade and Jay Hernandez (and, though not seen in the clips, Brian Austin Green and Tim Matheson as Kelly's senator father). The writing (Jason Rothenberg and Bill Robinson created the show) feels pretty sharp, and the cast was one of the better ones assembled this pilot season.

I don't want to knock the choices The CW did make -- the network had a pretty strong pilot season, and the four shows it picked up look either pretty decent ("The Vampire Diaries" and "Parental Discretion Advised") or at least like natural fits with current series ("Melrose Place" and "The Beautiful Life"). And there's a chance, however slight, that "Body Politic" could still find a home. Dawn Ostroff, The CW's entertainment president, didn't close the door completely on the show when I asked her about its chances (though of the pilots the network didn't pick up, the "Gossip Girl" spinoff is more likely to get a midseason spot).

Failing that, it also feels like a show that could work on ABC (though its schedule for next season is probably crowded enough) or perhaps a cable channel like TNT. But I'm not getting my hopes up.

Every pilot season ends with potentially strong shows getting tossed onto the scrap heap. Having seen some evidence that "Body Politic" could have been a very good show, though, makes its demise a little harder to take.

in Fall TV Preview, TV Network Upfronts, TV News

Permalink

| Comments (67)

E-mail

67 Comments

I actually think the show seems more like an ABC show. I actually thought it was weird for the CW to even order it to pilot since it obviously doesn't fit into their narrow-minded programming decisions. Oh well, I do hope it finds a home somewhere because I love Jason Dohring and I would give the show a shot just because of him.

SLP | May 22, 2009 8:02 AM

Oh, no. Do we have to start campaigns now just to get decent shows ON the air?

ClearlyDemented | May 22, 2009 8:25 AM

I definitely think it was the CW's best pilot, but as the above poster mentioned, it looked like it should be on a major network, not the CW.

Iz | May 22, 2009 8:26 AM

WHEN IS DAWN OSTROFF GOING TO BE FIRED? Her idiocy has been living on borrowed times since her hiring. When "90210" still can't garner more than its current 1.7 million viewers and "Melrose" tanks, then will she finally be shown the door?

BHM1304 | May 22, 2009 8:32 AM

Upon reading all of the CW pilot descriptions whenever they leaked...I was most excited for THIS one! But then...starting a few weeks ago when there was buzz about every other pilot and it seemed as though the existence of this one was being ignored...I knew it was doomed. Thanks for sharing the clips.
For a network that hawks the importance of politics and voting when it's trendy to do so, I couldn't have imagined a show that was a better fit - both thematically and demographically. Vampire Diaries looks like suck (har har) and since 90210 isn't exactly a huge hit, I don't expect it's trashy cousin to become one either.
Grrr.

Rachel | May 22, 2009 9:05 AM

Reaper. Gone! Life. Gone! I am steamed that two of the better shows are *sigh* GONE!. The CW did nothing to keep Reaper going. Nada, Zilch, nothing.

Life was creative, witty, good acting, but I guess that wasn't enough for NBC.

NBC and the CW give hope to the jacka#*es of the world. Fear not a good show, Canceled. Good acting, canceled.

So disappointed.

Digusted | May 22, 2009 9:08 AM

Thank you so much for saying what so many of us are thinking!! I am a huge fan of Jason Dohring's work and would love to see him back on television again..soon. The Body Politic looked like a great vehicle for his talent and a promising show with a contemporary story and a winning cast. I hope someone recognizes this and gives it a chance!!

Kathi | May 22, 2009 9:14 AM

Put it in the 9 pm Friday slot instead of a re-run of ANTM! I wasn't a huge fan of Moonlight but I loved Jason Dohring in Veronica Mars. Promise me the sarcasm and wit of Logan Echolls again, and I'll watch live on Friday as much as possible.

Ellie | May 22, 2009 9:23 AM

I know it really doesn't fit with Smallville, but why not put it on Fridays at 9pm rather than a repeat of something that is already on?

Dean | May 22, 2009 9:25 AM

I know it really doesn't fit with Smallville, but why not put it on Fridays at 9pm rather than a repeat of something that is already on?

Dean | May 22, 2009 9:25 AM