The CW has put in orders for two new pilots, a navy drama called The Company Town from Helen Mirren’s husband Taylor Hackford and Supernatural executive producer Sera Gamble, and The Selection, which initially popped up during last year’s pilot season. The first one sounds like some small town military versus townie drama drama and the second seems to be the pilot that just won’t die. Let's talk about that one, first.
The Selection is based on a Young Adult novel written by Kiera Cass. THR is reporting the CW sees the series as similar to The Hunger Games, but The Hunger Games it ain’t. If you haven’t read the book, it’s about a young woman named America who lives in the future and who gets roped into a lottery to vie for the love and attention of the kingdom’s very own Prince Maxon. She’s pretty angry and feels forced into the "silly" competition, but she decides to stick it out, eventually falling in love with two dudes and finding herself caught up in a fight with the rebels, in which she has no survival skills whatsoever. I would highly suggest taking Katniss Everdeen in a Celebrity Death Match against America.
Apparently, the original 2011 endeavor didn’t work out for the series, but the project has now been retooled by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, and will hopefully bring back Aimee Teegarden, who actually seems perfect for that sort of part. If not, the CW will have to rest some of its hopes on its other pilot, which lacks all of the futuristic and dystopian mumbo jumbo The Selection pilot will have.
Hackford will executive produce, as well as direct the pilot for The Company Town. This project is a little closer to some of the other fodder we’ve seen on the CW before, but with a military bent. A scandal will occur on a Navy base, thus introducing us to civilians and military men and women living in the area, as well as plenty of drama surrounding the various characters’ storylines. In particular, a rift between two young women who were once friends will be uncovered.
Both pilots join the back-door pilot for The Vampire Diaries’ spinoff The Originals at the network.
