TVSquad

I've confessed before -- or should I say shouted from the rooftops -- that I am a Joss Whedon fan. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of my all-time favorite shows and I still mourn its loss (the comic books just don't give me my Buffy fix).

This season, I was hopeful when Reaper arrived on the scene. It seemed to have some of the same elements that I liked about Buffy: demon lore, a Scooby gang, a story arc, and a lighthearted, humorous side to a subject that could be very dark.

So how does Reaper measure up to Buffy? When I actually did the breakdown, I was pleasantly surprised. A very interesting outcome, indeed....

I mentioned the other day that Harold Perrineau had joined the CBS pilot Demons. They've now cast the main character, Gus, and the winner is Ron Eldard. If you were paying attention, you might have seen him in the short-lived Men Behaving Badly or Blind Justice. Otherwise, think of him as the paramedic with issues that was dating Carol early in the ER run. It's not the best piece of casting I've ever seen. Eldard has never proven that he can be the dramatic lead for a show, but stranger things have happened.

Meanwhile, over at CBS, Hugh Jackman (Wolverine!) is producing something called Viva Laughlin. Lloyd Owen (Miss Potter) will star as a family man trying to open a casino in Laughlin, NV. Word is that Jackman will appear in the pilot and may have a recurring role on the series. Given just that bit of knowledge, I'm intrigued by the possibilities.

Today marks the big return of Lost, so it seems as good a time as any to see what Harold Perrineau is up to now that Michael has sailed off into the sunset with WAAAAALT! Back in September Anna mentioned some movie work the former Lost star had lined up. Now comes word that he has signed on to co-star in the CBS pilot Demons.

The show tells the story of an ex-Jesuit priest and psychologist named Gus who performs exorcisms. Perrineau will star as another priest who is the longtime friend and confidante of Gus. That's a little light on details, but makes me think of the short-lived Skeet Ulrich vehicle, Miracles, on ABC. Just knowing that little bit though, I'd say Demons has a tough road ahead. Religion is always a tough sell.

It's just a pilot at this stage, so there is no telling if it is even going to go to air, but it does make one less and less confidant that any of those Michael/Walt resolutions that the Lost producers have hinted at will actually bear fruit. The Hollywood Reporter article also mentions that there was talk of Perrineau returning to Lost, but they could not come to an agreement.

Keeping with its promise of shying away from procedurals, CBS has ordered pilots for two seemingly unusual series. The first is centered around an ex-priest who travels around performing exorcisms. It's called Demons. It's being created by Barbara Hall, who also created Joan of Arcadia, and executive produced by movie man Joe Roth.

The second series is called Swingtown and it sounds like it's bound for a 10 pm time slot. The series is set in the 1970s and is about a bunch of married couples who swap spouses. It's being created by Mike Kelley, writer and executive producer of The O.C.

Pilot season, by the way, is soon upon us. January is traditionally the time of year when the networks request pilots from all the television veterans and wanna-bes who have been pitching them this fall.