January 4, 2012 02:00 PM PDT

Pilot Scoop: The CW Eyes Potential Cult Hit From Gossip Girl Duo

Get More: News, Pilots

Gossip Girl EPs Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage are putting a new twist on the hour-long thriller.

In its first pilot pickup of the year, The CW has ordered Cult, a one-hour drama from Schwartz, Savage and fellow exec producer Len Goldstein that centers on a series of mysterious disappearances that are linked to a TV series called (yep, you guessed it) Cult.

A young female production assistant working on the show joins a journalist blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating the crimes seen on the program.

Rockne O’Bannon (V, Farscape) penned the script and will also serve as an EP.

Thoughts?

Want Scoop and Spoilers Sent Directly to Your In-Box? Sign Up for the TVLine Newsletter Now!



Tags: , , ,

Comments (49)

  • Anyone else take this as a sign they might be closing up shop on Gossip Girl?

    Comment by George – January 4, 2012 02:02 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • I hope sooo! However, it bugs me that every CW show has a female lead. It’s called feminism. I thought Pedowitz wanted to expand its demo.

      Comment by Phil – January 4, 2012 04:12 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

      • I know. There’s too many women and gays on television now. Not to mention people of color. We need more white, straight men getting focused on.

        Comment by Thomas – January 4, 2012 04:23 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

        • Yeah, I don’t know if you’re just being sarcastic, but you got it right! And I’m not being sarcastic. However, I do not support the racism stuff.

          Comment by Kyle King – January 4, 2012 05:10 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

          • Well, I was being sarcastic. There’s no shortage of straight, white male leads on television. And considering most shows have 6 to 8 characters, it’s ridicules that there aren’t more homosexuals and other minorities on television, in leading roles or otherwise.

            Comment by Thomas – January 4, 2012 08:12 PM PDT  

      • Supernatural, Nikkita, Vampire Diaries are not particularly made just for girls. Majority of the TV audience are women. I am male and no problem with show with women in the lead. I just wish CW would be willing do be more diverse. Instead of another typical soap. Why not try more edgier shows in the vein of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars.

        Comment by George – January 4, 2012 08:43 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

        • Or they could just bring back Veronica Mars. xD

          Comment by Kneef – January 5, 2012 09:19 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

          • ^ This!

            Comment by Miranda – January 10, 2012 04:55 PM PDT  

          • yeah! goooooood idea! miss that show :(

            Comment by silly – January 19, 2012 06:25 AM PDT  

    • I take it as a sign that they’ve got a newly opened production company and they’re producing more shows.

      Comment by Thomas – January 4, 2012 04:12 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I’m more concerned about Hart of Dixie. These two should have enough work to do! But I guess Chuck is ending, so that frees up a little.

    Comment by Mike – January 4, 2012 02:04 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Given the mess that Gossip Girl has become in just 5 seasons, I think these two should be banned from anything with television.

    Comment by Ashley – January 4, 2012 02:04 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Hell, the synopsis of the show doesn’t even sound that enthralling…

      Comment by Miranda – January 10, 2012 04:56 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • That actually sounds really good. Kind of meta-ish but suspenseful. (Knowing that duo it may not be stylized as I’m visualizing it, however.)

    Comment by Michael – January 4, 2012 02:04 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • i’ll be watching. josh always do greats firts seasons. he screw his own shows after, but the music is very great, sooo. i’m also looking forward to the carrie diaries and to the cw’s show with j.j. abrams and mark schawahn

    Comment by nath – January 4, 2012 02:08 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Seems like an interesting idea. Looking forward to checking it out. Hope it’ll have staying power.

    Comment by Xayian – January 4, 2012 02:08 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Can Rockne O’Bannon get Ben Browder on the show. I could definetely get behind the show then, I still miss Farscape.

    Comment by Kathy K – January 4, 2012 02:09 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • I would totally watch if they get ben browder for this.

      Farscape was a great show.

      Comment by Mal – January 4, 2012 03:25 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • It’ll have a good first season and then get progressively worse before being cancelled. Can a Schwartz show go any other way? If only he’d actually stuck to Gossip Girl rather than leaving it to others. That show could have gone on for much longer but it’s very much heading towards cancellation at the moment.

    Comment by CK – January 4, 2012 02:10 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Sounds interesting! of course it depends how they planned to incorporate the show and the disappearances!
    For me it seems more like a Supernatural replacement!

    Comment by Mare – January 4, 2012 02:32 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • i always give schwartz shows a chance. even though i didn’t stick with ‘chuck’, maybe on dvd in the future. but, idk… doesn’t sound like something that can become a hit on of all networks, the cw. but it’s worth a shot, i guess.

    Comment by ken – January 4, 2012 02:37 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I will watch as long as it stars young people. I like that this network is a safe place for teens and young adults. With the new president of the CW, I just hope the new shows don’t start starring people over 30 like every other network…ugh.

    Comment by Snapy – January 4, 2012 02:47 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Yeah, we don’t want any good actors on or anything

      And you realize that most of the actors on the CW are either close to 30/past 30?

      Comment by Emma – January 4, 2012 03:05 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

      • Most of the actors are over 30? Really? Gossip Girl cast averages mid-20s, 90210, Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle are mostly early 20s.

        Comment by Lincoln – January 4, 2012 05:16 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

        • Please ignore Emma. Her ignorant post has already demonstrated she’s an idiot.

          Comment by Snapy – January 4, 2012 08:25 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Wow. Words don’t exist yet to express how incredibly stupid this post is. Heaven forbid teens should be forced to watch people over 30. What a travisty.

      Comment by Dax – January 5, 2012 09:29 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • So am I going to have to say it…this is basically a Castle rip-off.

    Comment by Captain – January 4, 2012 02:50 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Here’s what they didn’t mention. This was a show that was originally picked up by the WB 6 years ago, but never made it onto the television because of the merge that formed the CW. I don’t know how long Castle has been running for, but it seems this was thought up long before.

      Comment by Anon – January 4, 2012 04:13 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Beware VERY long post ahead…

    Sounds interesting! I quite like the idea of the show, though a shame it was once deemed “too dark”, The CW could probably used a show that’s a little darker! Ringer doesn’t quite cut it. I’m also not entirely convinced about anything in the hands of Josh Schwartz, Savage and co. who haven’t yet proved to have the ability to make a consistently good show. The OC and Gossip Girl where great in the beginning, but both fizzled out. Gossip Girl is looking particularly tired these days and has long been running out of steam. Hart of Dixie is just bad; miscast, bad writing, awkward Southern stereotypes etc. I suspect Chuck is his real labour of love; it certainly is my favourite of his shows as it has been the most consistently entertaining and fun family show. Well… what a long way to say I ain’t too sure about that Schwartz fellow, eh! Ha. Also spreading himself a bit thin no, with so many projects?! Annnnd since I’m being a negative Nelly over here… how would they sustain this concept in the long run? What would the show be about if it got a second season?! Like the idea, something a bit like Veronica Mars would be welcome, but not so sure of the network or Josh pulling it off… we shall see, I’d be happy to be proven wrong!

    Comment by TVismyradio – January 4, 2012 02:58 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • I agree with everything you said! I’ll be more on the cautiously optimistic side, though. Schwartz & Savage prove to have talent, but it’s the sustainability of the show that’s the problem alright. As you’ve said, we saw The OC and Gossip Girl fizzle out before it even hits its semi-mature years.

      I, too, suspect Chuck is Schwartz’s biggest success to date (Quality-wise, despite the always tepid ratings. Fans have been beyond passionate also.), which is why my hope is for him to work with Chris Fedak again. So many projects in the air for him lately, though, that I’m not sure if he can even keep up with what he starts. Oh well, definitely giving this project a shot anyway. Hoping some Chuck alums can be a part of it if it’s good.

      Comment by Aiden – January 4, 2012 07:05 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I really hope they cast it well and i hope Josh Schwartz will up his game a little.

    Comment by Ruba – January 4, 2012 03:06 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • This could be really interesting, though I hope there would be more overarching mystery than just case of the week stuff. I like Schwartz’s other shows (at least early in their runs) and this has talent from Babylon 5 attached to it, as well.

    Comment by bitchstolemyremote – January 4, 2012 03:27 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

    • Schwartz is only going to be producer the writer is going to be the Farscape Creator.

      Comment by luisl – January 4, 2012 04:20 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Do they have to have a hand in 90% of the show on the CW?

    Comment by dee123 – January 4, 2012 03:57 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • The CW should rethink about picking up one of thier old pilots Body Politc.

    Comment by fernando – January 4, 2012 04:48 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Really torn. Farscape is one of my favorite shows ever, and I have been waiting for Rockne O’Bannon to return. But I have no faith in Schwartz and Savage. At. All.

    Comment by portiaslegacy – January 4, 2012 05:08 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Won’t ever watch Schwartz and Savage productions after what they did to ruin Gossip Girl. No Way in Hell would I watch anything by them

    Comment by MSC – January 4, 2012 05:21 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Rockne O’Bannon? SOLD.

    Comment by J – January 4, 2012 06:09 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I can just see the articles now. “In a case of life imitating art, imitating art, students were found to be copying the crimes portrayed on the TV show ‘Cult’, a TV show about people who recreate the crimes of a TV show named ‘Cult’.”

    Comment by madhatter360 – January 4, 2012 06:19 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Hahah!

    Too bad the other commenter can’t detect sarcasm

    Comment by pv – January 4, 2012 06:52 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Definitely an interesting plot, it’d be cool to see it progress; plus if it means GG being rounded up I’m all in.

    Comment by Greg – January 4, 2012 08:19 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • How is this a premise? Sounds like an episode synopsis of Criminal Minds.

    Comment by Justin – January 4, 2012 10:38 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I am interested in this show as I like Josh Schwartz

    Comment by sarah – January 5, 2012 08:23 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Just coming from the mind of Rockne O’Bannon guarantees I’ll give it a shot.

    I would love them to work in at least one actor from Farscape or Chuck and I’m in for the duration.

    Comment by dkd – January 5, 2012 08:28 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • How about Tom Welling in a lead role?

    Comment by Maria – January 5, 2012 10:17 AM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • Wow, that sounds pretty terrible…

    Comment by Carla – January 6, 2012 08:23 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

  • I miss Farscape even after all these years. I might give this show a chance… Not too sure about the premise, though… I WAS one of the thousands of “rabid fans” who wrote/emailed/sent bras/jammed the scifi website when we found out it was being cancelled and a few years after. lol I was so pissed at how the last episode came out (it was great… it was just such a big cliffhanger).

    Comment by Steph – January 14, 2012 06:22 PM PDT  Reply To This Post

Post a Comment

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out / Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out / Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out / Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s