by Denise Petski, Deadline
We’re getting the first look at some of CBS’ new comedy and drama series for the 2021-22 season. The network has released the trailer for its new comedy series Ghosts, starring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar. You can read about each and watch below.
Ghosts — Comedy
Ghosts is a single-camera comedy about Samantha (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar), a cheerful freelance journalist and up-and-coming chef from the city, respectively, who throw both caution and money to the wind when they decide to convert a huge rundown country estate they inherited into a bed & breakfast—only to find it’s inhabited by the many spirits of deceased residents who now call it home. The departed souls are a close-knit, eclectic group that includes a saucy Prohibition-era lounge singer, a pompous 1700’s Militiaman, a ‘60s hippie fond of hallucinogens, an overly upbeat ‘80s scout troop leader, a cod-obsessed Viking explorer from 1009, a slick ‘90s finance bro, a sarcastic and witty Native from the 1500s, and a society woman and wife of an 1800’s robber baron who is Samantha’s ancestor, to name a few. If the spirits were anxious about the commotion a renovation and B&B will create in their home, it’s nothing compared to when they realize Samantha is the first live person who can see and hear them. Joe Port & Joe Wiseman, Mathew Baynton, Jim Howick, Simon Farnaby, Laurence Rickard, Ben Willbond and Martha Howe-Douglas; Alison Carpenter, Debra Hayward, and Alison Owen (Monumental Television); and Angie Stephenson (BBC Studios) are the executive producers for CBS Studios in association with Lionsgate Television and BBC Studios’ Los Angeles production arm. Trent O’Donnell is an executive producer (pilot only) and directed the pilot from a script by Port & Wiseman. Based on the BBC Studios distributed format. Ghosts stars Rose McIver as Samantha, Utkarsh Ambudkar as Jay, Danielle Pinnock as Alberta, Brandon Scott Jones as Isaac, Richie Moriarty as Pete, Asher Grodman as Trevor, Sheila Carrasco as Flower, Román Zaragoza as Sasappis, Devan Chandler Long as Thorfinn, and Rebecca Wisocky as Hetty.
Pilot Line Producer: Don Tardino
Pilot Art Director: Sarah Pott
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by Peter White, Deadline
Medical drama Good Sam, starring Sophia Bush, and bowling comedy Smallwood fronted by Pete Holmes have been picked up to series by CBS.
The pick-ups come ahead of CBS’ upfronts on Wednesday and follow a busy day of pick-ups, renewals and cancellations at ABC and NBC.
Good Sam and Smallwood are expected to be for fall, as per traditional CBS practice, but that has yet to be confirmed.
Both Good Sam and Smallwood were seen as frontrunners in their genre with Good Sam considered a solid medical drama for the network that has been looking for a curative franchise, and pro bowling comedy Smallwood was getting early buzz as an easy fit into the traditional CBS’ comedy brand.
Good Sam stars One Tree Hill and Chicago P.D. star Bush as a talented yet stifled surgeon, who embraces her leadership role after her renowned and pompous boss falls into a coma. When he awakens and wants to resume surgery, however, it falls to her to supervise this overbearing blowhard who never acknowledged her talents – and also happens to be her father.
Jason Isaacs, Edwin Hodge, Skye P. Marshall, Michael Stahl-David, Davi Santos, Omar Maskati and Wendy Crewson also star.
It comes from writer Katie Wech, Jennie Snyder Urman and Sutton St. Productions banner and CBS Studios. Wech, Snyder Urman and Joanna Klein with Tamra Davis directing and EPing the pilot.
Pilot Costume Designer: Luke Reichle
Pilot Canadian Costume Designer: Katy Siracusa
