ABC Passes On Numerous Pilots Including Anthony Anderson's "Public Defenders"

ABC has passed on numerous pilots this season, including the Anthony Anderson comedy, Public Defenders, though most will be shopped to other platforms and networks, according to Variety.

What’s Happening:

ABC has reportedly passed on numerous projects, including comedies Public Defenders and Keeping It Together, as well as dramas like The Hurt Unit and Judgement.
However, ABC Signature plans to shop The Hurt Unit to other networks and platforms, and 20th Television plans to shop Public Defenders and Judgement.
The decision to pass on these titles comes after ABC made the majority of its pickup and cancellation decisions last month, and unveiled a fall schedule featuring unscripted shows in the wake of the current writer’s strike.
It is believed that The Hurt Unit and Judgement were likely not picked up after ABC took hold of 9-1-1 after Fox canceled it.
Public Defenders starred Anthony Anderson and followed four inexperienced public defenders, up to their earholes in student loan debt, who work tirelessly to keep their clients out of jail. Along the way, they have to rely on each other to navigate their first defendants, the absurd court system, and the copy machine that always jams.
Anderson plays the public defenders’ boss and it also starred Erika Henningsen, Arturo Castro, Kimrie Lewis, Natasha Lopez and Isaiah Dòdó-Williams in the pilot, which was written by Eddie Quintana and directed by Randall Einhorn.
Keeping it Together, the only pilot not being shopped according to the report, was a remake of the BBC’s British comedy Motherland.
The project starred Ellie Kemper as Julia, a working mom for whom nothing is working so she goes looking for her village. With the help of new friends Calvin, played by Karan Soni, and Liz, played by Michaela Conlin, Julia discovers she just might succeed at balancing work and parenting from time to time. This is a comedy for anybody who’s dropped their kids at school, breathed a sigh of relief … then realized it’s Sunday. Judy Greer also starred.
It comes from writers Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Michael Showalter directed the pilot and executive produced alongside Smolinski, Kemper, Horgan, Mountford, Stacy Greenberg and Kira Carstensen for Merman Television, Paul Feig and Dan Magnante for Feigco Entertainment as well as Holly Walsh and Helen Serafinowicz.
The Hurt Unit comes from Promised Land creator Matt Lopez and former SEAL Team showrunner John Glenn with The Amazing Spider-Man and (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb helming the pilot.
It follows a highly skilled team of trauma surgeons and nurses who race into the field to treat the patients who won’t make it to the hospital in time. When the sick and the injured can’t get to the ER, the Hurt brings the ER to them.
Melissa George stars as the female lead alongside Ben McKenzie, Ashley Romans, Michelle Ortiz and Augustus Prew.
Legal soap Judgement, which comes from former Charmed showrunner Joey Falco, was handed a pilot order in December, which was headlined by Sex/Life star Sarah Shahi and played out over two timelines. Fifteen years from now, a woman, played by Shahi, being vetted for a Supreme Court seat recounts her experience at a prominent D.C. law firm in 2023, where the only thing more controversial than the cases was her messy love life, caught between two feuding brothers, played by Reid Scott and François Arnaud. Now, with a Supreme Court seat on the line, all of her darkest secrets are at risk of coming out, threatening her nomination, her reputation, and her marriage. Portia Doubleday, Christine Adams and Ken Kirby also starred.
The news of these series not being picked up comes while ABC is still undecided on Home Economics, The Rookie: Feds, and the backdoor pilot spinoff of The Good Doctor, The Good Lawyer.
Last Month, ABC picked up the Kaitlin Olson fronted pilot, High Potential, to series, which was expected as the pilot was reportedly the clear frontrunner this development season.