A comedy project that didn't seem to be a heavy hitter now has a much better chance of making it to series, thanks in part to a big name attached to its pilot. ABC has gotten a pilot underway for an irreverent comedy written by the Cullen Brothers (Cop Out) and, oddly enough, the pilot isn’t rolling with even a working title right now. What it is rolling with is James Caan, and that’s a much bigger deal.
Originally the Cullen Brothers’ project landed at the network with a put-pilot commitment. In the last month the comedy started casting, and according to Deadline, a deal with the Las Vegas actor is in the latter stages. On a side note, I can see why the pilot still hasn’t nailed down a title. The untitled endeavor formerly rolled with the nondescript Safe at Home as well as the the too-descript She’s Got Balls.
The project will follow Terry Gannon, a now-single mom who moves in with the father she doesn’t get along with after a divorce upsets her life. Caan will play her father, who used to be great at baseball but now subsists on beer. During the pilot, the mother will get involved with her kid’s Little League team, drawing her back into baseball, which she had expected to leave behind for good (you know, except for the random references I'm sure her dad will make). It’s not a bad concept for a pilot, and I hope it goes to series just so I can see some lighthearted behavior from Caan in the coming year. The man is also set to appear in Magic City as a pretty tough dude, so switching into a comedy should be a pretty welcome relief for the veteran actor. We’ll let you know if the Cullen Brothers’ pilot ever gets a full series order, and hopefully a decent title.
