# Amazon Prime Video "Pilot Season"



## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

I guess this belongs here ?

http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/19/amazon-pilots/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.ht...d_t=101&pf_rd_p=1535338122&pf_rd_i=2676882011



> The mega-retailer this morning has made available pilot episodes for 14 new original series, crowdsourcing its programming block by soliciting viewer feedback


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I figured since Amazon has now put up their pilot program it might be a good idea for a single thread.

Amazon Pilots

For those that don't know, Amazon put up 14 shores that you can watch for free and they are looking for people to vote on which ones they should turn into series.


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## TheDewAddict (Aug 21, 2002)

I watched Zombieland. It was okay, but lacked a lot of what made the movie great. It looks like it would be a fairly expensive show to make for Amazon, i.e. it's not like they build a few sets and just use those, they'd need quite a lot of places to film.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

I tried watching Zombieland last night but just kept getting the coming soon message. Nice to know it's been fixed.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I watched Alpha House. I was kind of meh on it. I laughed at one point, but couldn't even tell you what it was now. 

I actually liked Betas. It started off weak, but by the end I felt like I could watch more with a little fine tuning. I like the lead though which he was on the Canadian show CW has been running about LA. I forget the name now.


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## dcrowell77 (Dec 27, 2007)

Did anyone actually get the download option for these pilots? It just kept taunting me with the option...


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## stahta01 (Dec 23, 2001)

dcrowell77 said:


> Did anyone actually get the download option for these pilots? It just kept taunting me with the option...


I gave up on the download option; it took me at least 6 tries to get the on-line option to work for the Alpha House preview.

I had to OK some many things to get Firefox with NoScript to get it to play.

Tim S.


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## supasta (May 6, 2006)

I watched Alphas and Those Who Can't earlier tonight. 
I enjoyed both for whatever reason. I would be up to watch a second episode of each.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I tried Browsers and man that was pretty bad. 

I also tried Dark Minions, but I turned it off after a few minutes. 

Onion News Network on the other hand I loved. It was like a parody of The Newsroom.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Are these pilots available on Amazon Prime Instant video?


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I would imagine they would show up under free. They are under instant video when you go to the Amazon page.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

I've watched the 8 comedy pilots. I wasn't impressed with any of them, but none of them were as awful as I expected


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

They make it way too difficult to download it to your TiVo - I gave up.


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## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

I watched "Those Who Can't" and "Betas".

I've seen a lot of worse pilots episodes on network television for sure.


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## Cainebj (Nov 11, 2006)

post script...

amazon contacted me overnight and said that the pilots cannot be downloaded to a TiVo so if you wanna watch you have to do it online.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

Cainebj said:


> post script...
> 
> amazon contacted me overnight and said that the pilots cannot be downloaded to a TiVo so if you wanna watch you have to do it online.


I watched on my Roku. I thought Alpha House was very funny.


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## Test (Dec 8, 2004)

Only boxes that support Amazon Prime streaming videos will play these. It's annoying because they don't even allow airplay from their iOS app and I gave up my Roku for an apple tv. 

Zombieland was ok, I can see how it could get better. One gripe with it (and I see it's a popular gripe online) is the fact that it's the same characters/different actors. I get that they would never be able to afford the originals and this type of switch has been done before. I just don't get why they couldn't tell the story from four other peoples perspectives.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

Test said:


> Zombieland was ok, I can see how it could get better. One gripe with it (and I see it's a popular gripe online) is the fact that it's the same characters/different actors. I get that they would never be able to afford the originals and this type of switch has been done before. I just don't get why they couldn't tell the story from four other peoples perspectives.


That was my thinking.

Other thought is that this is definitely a "pilot" of pilots. Reminds me of the stuff Fox and WB put out in their infancy.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

Watched Zombieland and The Onion show. Loved The Onion and kinda liked Zombieland. Watching Alpha House right now.

I couldn't get Zombieland to play through Chrome on my PC. It would play about 10 seconds and freeze. I ended up watching it on the Amazon app on my Xbox 360. Played great there.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

just finished onion news empire, laughed all the way through. 

a high quality spoof of the newsroom, and i hope it makes it...only wish i could have downloaded to tivo.


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## Test (Dec 8, 2004)

mwhip said:


> That was my thinking.
> 
> Other thought is that this is definitely a "pilot" of pilots. *Reminds me of the stuff Fox* and WB *put out in their infancy*.


Yes!



NorthAlabama said:


> just finished onion news empire, laughed all the way through.
> 
> a high quality spoof of the newsroom, and i hope it makes it...only *wish i could have downloaded to tivo*.


TiVo (or Amazon) have to get on the ball with that and bring Prime instant to the one box.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

Did not like Browsers. When the third song kicked in, I quit watching. I 100% am not interested in a sitcom musical. 

Betas, Alpha House and Dark Minion were all ok. I would watch more of each. 

Watching Those Who Can't now.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

Test said:


> TiVo (or Amazon) have to get on the ball


i don't think this is a tivo/amazon prime issue. it looks like the pilots are available to all amazon instant video customers, it was just a failure of amazon to license the pilots for download, according to amazon customer service.

i was told that it had been discussed as recently as yesterday about making the pilots available for tivo download from amazon instant video in the future.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

netringer said:


> Are these pilots available on Amazon Prime Instant video?


Answer: Yes.

I watched Alpha House. It was GOOD! At first I thought the Murray making a cameo was Brian Doyle-Murray.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Just watched the Onion News Network.

It was outstanding, but I'm wondering if they can keep that pace of gags up for entire seasons.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

The Onion had 2 other shows on TV in the past. One was sports and the other was a news cast. I thought both of those were great. To be honest, I'm not even sure they are still on.

I sure hope Amazon gives the show a chance. Easily my favorite of the 7 I watched.


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## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

Isn't ONN just the new Not Necessarily the News?


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I definitely remember Not Necessarily the News. I remember loving Sniglets. I bought all the Sniglet books.


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

SupaNatural bordered on being offensively funny. Zombieland wasn't awful either.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

One more vote for Onion News. Alpha House is still my favorite but ONN comes close.


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## Marc (Jun 26, 1999)

Beryl said:


> SupaNatural bordered on being offensively funny.


I actually surprised myself by enjoying SupaNatural. I wasn't expecting much from it since I didn't think I'd like it as an animated show, but I enjoyed the two main characters, and the transition from supernatural object of the apocalypse to a "hater" unexpectedly amused me.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

SupaNatural was the only one I didn't watch. I couldn't find it on my Xbox 360 Amazon app. I was able to find all the other ones using the search. I'll have to look again after seeing some of you liked it.


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## NorthAlabama (Apr 19, 2012)

mwhip said:


> Isn't ONN just the new Not Necessarily the News?


yes, and no. both are news parodies, but nntn is closer to snl skit comedy, with a laugh track. onn is dry humor satire. i love both!

update: onion news empire is now availble on amazon instant video for dl to tivo, hd too.


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## Magister (Oct 17, 2004)

Onion News Empire is great, I hope it makes it.


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## MikeAndrews (Jan 17, 2002)

Magister said:


> Onion News Empire is great, I hope it makes it.


Put the podesss on 7, and ready the jibbleflan!


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## Langree (Apr 29, 2004)

Of the ones I've watched, Dark Minions, Zombieland, and Betas I'd give a second chance to, I wanted to like Those Who Can't, but as it went on it got less and less funny.


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## JohnB1000 (Dec 6, 2004)

The Verge says "Not ready for Prime time: almost all of Amazon's new shows are terrible"

http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/24/4260916/prime-time-amazon-shows-are-terrible


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

JohnB1000 said:


> The Verge says "Not ready for Prime time: almost all of Amazon's new shows are terrible"
> 
> http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/24/4260916/prime-time-amazon-shows-are-terrible


I think that describes The Verge and their podcast better than the Amazon pilots.


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## Magister (Oct 17, 2004)

Dark Minions seems like a crazy little show. I would watch it if it made it to a full season.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

Magister said:


> Dark Minions seems like a crazy little show. I would watch it if it made it to a full season.


I thought it was an interesting idea. You always see these evil empires and all their faceless minions. How about a show about 2 of those minions??


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

netringer said:


> Put the podesss on 7, and ready the jibbleflan!


 That show was funny. I'll have to try out some of the others because so far all of the pilots I've seen so far are worth watching.


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## grant33 (Jun 11, 2003)

I watched Alpha House. I chuckled a few times. I'm probably nitpicking since I'm a Duke fan, but for some reason it really bugged me that they said the Duke basketball coach was some guy named Digger Mancusi. I mean I didn't expect them to say Coach K was going to run for senate, but it seems weird to use the name of the college with arguably the most famous active basketball coach and successful program for the last 30 years and then make up a new coach's name. I mean he's the coach of the U.S. Olympic basketball team. It was weird that they used real politicians names which set it in the "real world", but then used that fake name. Why not just say "the famous basketball coach".


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## ewolfr (Feb 12, 2001)

http://hollywonk.com/post/51640298918/pilots-greenlit

Amazon just announced which shows have been given the go ahead for a full season:



> Comedy pilots Alpha House and Betas, along with kids' pilots Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumbleaf, have been given the greenlight to begin production on a full series of episodes that will air exclusively on Prime Instant Video later this year and in early 2014.


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## Ment (Mar 27, 2008)

I guess I was the only one who thought Zombieland had some promise. It got slagged on reviews tho and didn't make it thru the Amazon selection process.


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

Bumping up for the latest crop.

*The After* - good pilot and decent actors (especially Aldis Hodge from "Leverage"). I hope it makes it if it doesn't turn into a "Lost" experience.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

I watched the Rebels which was good. It felt like a USA show.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Beryl said:


> Bumping up for the latest crop.
> 
> *The After* - good pilot and decent actors (especially Aldis Hodge from "Leverage"). I hope it makes it if it doesn't turn into a "Lost" experience.


I thought _The After_ was good, but the end gave me some serious doubts.

I'm going to try to watch _Bosch_, _Transparent_, and _Mozart in the Jungle_ yet today. The Rebels, being a show centered on a sport, just isn't in my wheelhouse and I have no interest in kids shows so I'll skip those pilots.


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## innocentfreak (Aug 25, 2001)

scandia101 said:


> The Rebels, being a show centered on a sport, just isn't in my wheelhouse and I have no interest in kids shows so I'll skip those pilots.


I don't care about sports and found it enjoyable. It is only 30 minutes.


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## philw1776 (Jan 19, 2002)

*BOSCH* was excellent. Very well cast and true to Michael Connelly's excellent books settings and characterization.


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## caslu (Jun 24, 2003)

I checked out 'The After' and would definitely watch more.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

Bosch was great. I can't see this not making it to series.
Mozart in the Jungle was good but I won't be disappointed if the pilot is the only episode ever made.
Transparent is something I need to look at again because I got distracted and missed some stuff.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Beryl said:


> Bumping up for the latest crop.
> 
> *The After* - good pilot and decent actors (especially Aldis Hodge from "Leverage"). I hope it makes it if it doesn't turn into a "Lost" experience.


Thanks. 
I guess I'll check out "The After" right now since I need something to watch.

I enjoyed Betas and Alpha House with Alpha House being my favorite. New episodes can't come soon enough.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I enjoyed The After. I hope that they make it into a series, but realistically I don't expect it.


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## Big Deficit (Jul 8, 2003)

Of what I watched?

The After - Liked it though I feel I've seen it before. Decent production values.
The Rebels - Fun to watch. Anything with Natalie Zea can't be all bad  . You could easily call this 1st and Ten 2!
Bosch - Meh. Though this one would be the one I'd enjoy most, but it wasn't. Maybe I'm just burned out on brooding detective shows?
Transparent- Hated this one. I'm not a soap opera fan and the "twists" were telegraphed a mile off.

Haven't seen Mozart yet and the rest look like kids shows.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

I liked Bosch pretty well. Felt very true to the original character.

The After was somewhat interesting, but they left it too wide open. I'd have liked to have a clue as to what caused the breakdown, the loss of time, etc. I'm afraid it could get stupid pretty soon (although I was pleased that the characters were not taking stupid pills as is so often the case these days). I would watch it if it got picked up.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

Mozart was my favorite of the group but I also enjoyed Bosch and After a lot. Transparent was the weakest, even though I love anything with Jeffrey Tambor in it.

After does have a similar vibe to the movie This is the End but without the humor.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

eddyj said:


> (although I was pleased that the characters were not taking stupid pills as is so often the case these days)


And yet they did realistically stupid things. In "this kind of show," too often you have the know-it-all who thinks he should be in charge, and everybody else reacts. Here, everybody had their own reasons for overestimating their own importance, growing naturally out of their character history, which led to everybody giving orders and not reacting except to be peeved that nobody was listening to them. Very realistic. 

It's interesting that this is the umpteenth time for Chris "X-Files" Carter to try to prove he isn't a one-trick pony. And maybe this could be it. I thought the revelations were a little random, and he has a history of just throwing things out and not really working them together into a coherent story, but if he tries something new (like planning ahead), this could be good. And either way, it would be good for a while, until the inconsistencies pile up too much.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Rob Helmerichs said:


> And yet they did realistically stupid things.


I don't mind that at all. It is when "smart" characters start acting in ridiculously idiotic ways that I lose it.


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## Rob Helmerichs (Oct 17, 2000)

eddyj said:


> I don't mind that at all. It is when "smart" characters start acting in ridiculously idiotic ways that I lose it.


Absolutely. It's just nice to see somebody getting people being naturally stupid instead of forcing them to be stupid.

Naturally stupid people are almost as rare on television as naturally smart people. (Raylan Givens being a wonderful exception to both!)


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## Beryl (Feb 22, 2009)

Big Deficit said:


> Bosch - Meh. Though this one would be the one I'd enjoy most, but it wasn't. Maybe I'm just burned out on brooding detective shows?


I wasn't terribly disappointed but wasn't as "wow'd" as I expected to be given the excellent actors. I was happy to see Scott Wilson with the same look from his role as Herschel from The Walking Dead. I'd watch if it survives.


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## Hoffer (Jun 1, 2001)

I watched The After and Bosch. I don't see watching either show if they make more episodes. 

I liked the cast of The After as I like and recognized some from other shows. The one thing that saved it was showing the demon thing at the end. The entire show I was wondering if they were going to give us a hint what was up and I was glad they finally did. 

Bosch didn't seem any different than the other 100 cop shows already out there. Except he liked to swear a lot.


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## DUDE_NJX (Feb 12, 2003)

The kid show with the blind neighbor was cute and quite charming actually.
Why can't Disney channel make shows like that? Instead everything is a hyperactive caricature.


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## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

DUDE_NJX said:


> The kid show with the blind neighbor was cute and quite charming actually.
> Why can't Disney channel make shows like that? Instead everything is a hyperactive caricature.


I watched this one. I really wanted to like it more than I did.


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## DUDE_NJX (Feb 12, 2003)

Seeing how engaged my kids were, I was quite pleased with it.


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## scandia101 (Oct 20, 2007)

innocentfreak said:


> I don't care about sports and found it enjoyable. It is only 30 minutes.


Watched The Rebels today.
It was ridiculous.


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## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

I couldn't make it through "Bosch." I like post-apocalyptic stories, so I am curious about "The After," but I'm afraid the rest it will be as lame as the pilot was. (Perhaps the French woman is making me be too lenient on it.)

"Transparent" was... not that funny. "Mozart in the Jungle" should've been right up my alley as a thirty-something fan of orchestral music, but I thought most of it was pretty cringe inducing.


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## Edmund (Nov 8, 2002)

Amazon is making series of 4 of the pilots:

http://www.vulture.com/2014/03/amazon-gets-ready-for-a-big-sophomore-season.html?mid=imdb


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## JohnS-MI (Jan 25, 2014)

I'm glad they picked up Mozart in the Jungle, which was my favorite in the group. I'll probably watch Bosch too; not sure about The After.

Glad they didn't pick up the one about the widow inheriting the football team.


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## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

That's interesting. I'm not an Amazon Prime subscriber currently, but if they can make "The After" and "Mozart in the Jungle" into decent series I might jump on board.


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

I thought Transparent was weak (despite my love for Tabor) but I'm very happy with the other three. Mozart was my favorite.


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## DUDE_NJX (Feb 12, 2003)

No news on kids shows?


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## DreadPirateRob (Nov 12, 2002)

Very stoked about the Bosch pick-up.


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## jsmeeker (Apr 2, 2001)

There are a few different threads that refer to Amazon pilot season, but this one seems to be the best titled one (even if it hasn't been posted to in a while)

New pilots are up. Fall 2015, for the lack of a better term.

http://zap2it.com/2015/11/amazon-2015-pilot-season-highston-patriot/

I haven't really read through recommendations yet, but am just going based on descriptions that I can see using the Amazon streaming app on the TiVo. Here is what caught my eye

One Mississippi
Highston
Good Girls Revolt


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## dylanemcgregor (Jan 31, 2003)

So far I've watched Highston, Z, Patriot, and part of One Mississippi and Good Girls Revolt. The last two both look like they would be interesting, I just got interrupted and haven't had a chance to get back to them yet.

Of the three I've seen all the way through Highston is by far my favorite. Flea and Shaq are so good in it together, that if this doesn't get picked up (or even if it does) someone should develop a show just for them.

Patriot is really interesting and has potential. The first episode is a little slow and uneven, but it's really the kind of show that takes time to develop, and the concept of a folk singing spy is just too weird for me to not want to see where it goes, so really hoping they pick this one up as well.

Z wasn't amazing, but it was entertaining and I really like Christina Ricci, so I'm pretty sure I'd watch this one too.

All in all it seems like a pretty good crop of pilots this time around.


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## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

I watched both Z and Good Girls Revolt. Both were interesting concepts, but I thought the writing was not very good at all.


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## gweempose (Mar 23, 2003)

Is there a thread for the new pilot season, or is this it? I just watched The Tick last night. I hope it gets picked up. I always liked the short lived Fox version, and this seems like it has the potential to be even better.


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## Big Deficit (Jul 8, 2003)

Tick - meh, I'm not a comic book guy. Production value was good.
Jean-Claude Van Johnson - Didn't like it at all and I like Jean-Claudes recent self-depreciating schtick. Too erratic and dumb
I Love Dick - Somewhat interesting, but a whole show for a title gag? For me, easily the best of the 3.

Only 3? Seem's like pilot season is more pilot season lite?


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

The Tick was a huge disappointment for me. 

JCVJ could end up being OK for a few laughs.


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## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

ClutchBrake said:


> The Tick was a huge disappointment for me.
> 
> JCVJ could end up being OK for a few laughs.


Not knowing anything about The Tick, it was just weird.

JCVJ was actually pretty funny, but I am not sure they can turn the premise into a good series.


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## Craigbob (Dec 2, 2006)

I liked The Tick, not as good as the Fox version, but enjoyable and I'd like to see where it goes. JCVJ was funny, but I can't see it sustaining itself for a full season, Unless they play it more like Get Smart, but i don't see that happening.

I loved that JCVD has a full cabinet of Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts. I thought I was the only one who liked those.

Haven't seen I love Dick so N/C


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## ClutchBrake (Sep 5, 2001)

IMO the problem with The Tick was a distinct lack of... The Tick. Too much focus on Arthur and his sister. 

Plus, following Warburton as The Tick is near impossible. I love Peter Serafiniczkxycxqk, but he doesn't have the physical presence Warburton brought to the role.


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## JYoung (Jan 16, 2002)

Amazon has kindly informed me via email that season 1 of the Tick will be available August 25.

Amazon.com: The Tick: Peter Serafinowicz, Griffin Newman, Valorie Curry, Brendan Hines, Jackie Earle Haley, Wally Pfister, Ben Edlund, Barry Josephson, Kerry Orent


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