You're reading PILOT BUZZ CENTRAL!
#5 Babylon Fields
Who picked it up? No one! CBS turned it down!
When does it air? Unfortunately, probably never.
Who stars? Ray Stevenson, Kathy Baker, and Amber Tamblyn, among others.
Why should you care? The pilot combined a dark tone with offbeat comedy to create an atmospheric thriller unlike anything else on television. Surprisingly, in addition to the comedy and overarching spookiness the show also packed an emotional wallop. The "zombies" evoked as much interpersonal terror as they did terror from dead people coming back to life. And the mystery? The best since Lost and Desperate Housewives premiered three years ago!
Why should you worry? CBS picked up losers like Moonlight over this.
Bottom line? CBS screwed up. While they have made no secret of their plan to gain buzz from critics, watercoolers, and internet outlets, they did little to fuel that buzz. This show would have done it. The acting is exquisite, the writing surprisingly gripping, and the comedy rich. It is easily the best pilot most people won't see next year.