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Pilot Pirate: The outlook

AfterEllen.com’s Pilot Pirate brought you the best of the 2011-12 pilot season, and now, just as the broadcast networks are set to present their fall schedules to advertisers in the coming weeks, multiple outlets are reporting on which of the more than 80 comedy and drama scripts are in the running.

Deadline.com presented a pair of reports and The Hollywood Reporter issued its report this week about which pilots stand the best – and worst – shot at getting the pickup to series. Ahead of the May 16-19 presentations in New York, here’s a consensus, thanks to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, on what’s looking good and what colder than Santana and Karofsky’s sex life.

New Angels Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor and Annie Ilonzeh are considered a lock to make it on the fall schedule via the rebooted Miami-set actioner Charlie’s Angels, with the network liking the campy factor of the modern drama.

Fairy tale drama Once Upon a Time with Jennifer Morrison and Ginnifer Goodwin in the story of Snow White’s long-lost daughter is being described as “Lost in tone and Pushing Daisies in look” and has Disney excited about synergistic opportunities for classic characters like Snow White and Prince Charming.

Marc Cherry‘s Kristin Chenoweth starrer Good Christian Bitches also has a lot going for it and could find itself paired with the scandal-plagued residents of Desperate Housewives‘ Wisteria Lane on Sundays, bumping the gay-friendly Brothers and Sisters.

Shonda Rhimes’ Damage Control – which has been retitled Scandal – is looking positive with the Kerry Washington starrer most likely replacing the ratings-challenged Off the Map, meaning we’ve likely seen the last of Carline Dhavernas on the jungle-set medical drama.

The comedy Apartment 23, starring Krysten Ritter as a New York mega-bitch who tortures her new naive Midwestern roommate has a shot to join the network’s Wednesday comedy lineup. (The cute script also stars Dawson’s Creek‘s James Van Der Beek as himself, which is a total bonus if you’ve seen his amazingly funny James Van Der Memes.)

One of the strongest drama scripts of the season, the Christina Ricci< starrer Pan Am, apparently is having cast troubles and is running in the middle of the pack, despite strong buzz surrounding the thriller.

The Ilene Chaiken executive produced Hail Mary, starring Minnie Driver as a mom-turned-PI is generating strong early buzz.

The untitled Rina Mimoun drama (formerly known as The Doctor) with Christine Lahti playing a mother who joins the family medical practice and reconnects with her adult children after the death of her husband is on the positive side of the buzz, especially since the network is in the market for a medical drama.

We may be thisclose to former Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s return to the small screen as the intriguing Ringer is considered warm despite the actress’ star power as the premise doesn’t fit the network’s traditional taste.

The comedy Two Broke Girls, with Kat Dennings and executive produced by Whitney Cummings, is generating solid buzz.

If there’s one drama I’d bet the bank on to make the fall schedule it’s Secret Circle, starring Britt Robertson (Life Unexpected) as a young witch who stands as the key to a battle between good and evil in the project based on the three-book series from Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith and executive produced by Kevin Williamson. Consider Thursdays your Williamson night.

Many of Fox’s projects skew male, however, the network is said to like Zooey Deschanel enough to be leaning toward a pickup despite rumors that the indie darling isn’t really funny in The New Girl (formerly Chicks and Dicks), the story of an unlucky in love elementary school teacher who moves in with three very clichéd guys.

Bones spin-off The Finder with Saffron Burrows is looking good after its backdoor pilot performed well in its late-April airing as part of the drama’s serialized story.

The network’s highest-profile pilot, David E. Kelley‘s Wonder Woman, starring Adrianne Palicki is in post-production and there’s no update on just how the critically panned script translated to screen. However, THR reported that Kelley’s Harry’s Law with Kathy Bates could be picked up for a second season in exchange for the network passing on Wonder Woman.

Musical drama Smash, starring Debra Messing and Katharine McPhee, is the closest thing to a lock on the network with producer Steven Spielberg said to be actively participating.

Prime Suspect lead Maria Bello has a fan in network entertainment president (and friend of the gays) Robert Greenblatt and is considered to be among the lead contenders for a series order.

The Amber Heard 1960s-set mystery/mob/musical Playboy has the network buzzing about a built-in brand name and could be among the two or three dramas the network picks up.

It doesn’t look like good news for Battlestar Galactica reunion 17th Precinct as sources told THR that the project is “weak” and “very unlikely” to make it beyond the pilot stage.

Meanwhile, lesbian comedy I Hate That I Love You is said to be cold.

Chelsea Handler‘s Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea with Laura Prepon has the network considering a female-centered comedy block.

However, Whitney Cummings’ self-titled sitcom remains a question mark as network executives are questioning if the stand-up comic’s humor is broad enough to connect with mainstream audiences.

Also looking good is the untitled Kari Lizer workplace comedy starring Sarah Paulson.

Any surprises? Disappointments?

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