For Global Frequency, the path from print to primetime is laden with as much mystery and intrigue as the graphic novel itself.  The spy series is back in business after some industry-changing hurdles which stretch back half a decade.  In early 2004, The WB ordered a trial episode based on the popular 12-part comic book series created by Warren Ellis, starring Michelle Forbes as agent Miranda Zero, with Josh Hopkins and Aimee Garcia in team roles.  But while the pilot was being filmed, the network changed presidents and took a new direction.  Global Frequency and Angel were left off the schedule—The WB’s final season—in favor of lighter fare such as Related and Twins.  In a covert twist at the time, someone illegally leaked the entire 45-minute Global pilot onto the internet, which incensed studio execs, Ellis blogged, as the industry was just coming to grips with the computer age.  The highly-stylized video became (and still is) an international sensation online, but the groundswell of support went nowhere…until now.  The CW has commissioned sci-fi guru Scott Nimerfro to write a new script, Production Weekly reports, introducing the intel system that exists to counter world governments’ secret projects, ranging from rogue military threats to paranormal phenomena.  There are reportedly more than a thousand field agent “experts” on the Global Frequency, but their identities are unknown until they meet on a mission.  If you were a fan of Jennifer Garner in Alias, this series should be on your radar.  Ellis’ stand-alone comic stories were compiled into two paperback volumes, Planet Ablaze and Detonation Radio.  Time will tell if this high-profile project crosses over to television—a clandestine story of survival.

They sing, they dance, they spy, they cheer…and, of course, they look really good doing it!  They’re players in the game of TV development, with six new scripted series being prepped for 2010 consideration by The CW.  Here’s a sneak peek, courtesy of THR: 

Confessions of a Backup Dancer:   Based on an anonymous 1989 expose, this drama explores the glamorous and gritty behind-the-scenes world of a major pop tour from the point of view of the star’s dance troupe.  Ilene Chaiken, edgy creator of The L Word, is penning the project. 

Nashville:   Mark Schwahn (creator of One Tree Hill) is teaming with country superstar Brad Paisley and creative indie producer Neal Dodson for a show set in Music City USA.  It centers on a young female singer destined for stardom and a young male songwriter whose career path is uncertain.  Schwahn is also working on a CW drama about a spy school for girls.  

Plymouth Rock:   A sci-fi soap from Veronica Mars mastermind Rob Thomas (pictured), the series is set aboard a spaceship and revolves around young people headed to a distant planet with a mission to colonize and repopulate to save the human race. 

The March Sisters:   Described as Sex and the City meets Little Women in Manhattan, the dramedy is headed by Jill Gordon, a writer/producer from The Wonder Years and My So-Called Life.  Here, working-class siblings try to make it in the wealthy, glamorous world of Park Avenue. 

Last week, the network also gave the greenlight to Cheer!, a pilot from Tom Welling based on Cheer: Inside the Secret World of College Cheerleaders (see blog entry).

 There certainly are some talented execs behind these six projects—and a lot of variety.  Talk about it.

It’s tough to be grounded when you work 35,000 feet in the air.  And CW viewers will enjoy an intimate peek into the lives of charismatic flight attendants in Fly Girls, a new reality docu-series debuting midseason.  Five Virgin America stewardesses jet from one exotic locale to the next, while pursuing good times, great parties, adventure and love.  Founded in 2007, the airline has “reinvented the experience of flying,” its vp notes, “with mood-lit cabins, concierge-like service, and a sophisticated vibe,” winning Best Domestic Airline honors two straight years.  Think about this challenging occupation—long hours in the air, layovers in intriguing cities, demanding or sometimes fascinating passengers, split-second decision-making.  Fly Girls will show us a rarely-seen perspective of the industry.  Eight half-hour episodes have been ordered, and there’s a good chance they’ll be paired with another 30-minute midseason reality series, Blonde Charity Mafia, which chronicles three social mavens in the Washington, D.C. inner circle.

Eric Millegan, who plays forensic anthropologist “Dr. Zack Addy” on Bones, is coming to Cuyahoga Falls.  The 26-year-old actor will greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photos at Blockbuster Video, 86 Graham Road, on Thursday, September 3 from 4:30-6pm, Ohio.com reports.  Now entering its fifth season, the investigative drama also features David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel, and will premiere weekends on WBNX beginning Oct. 3.  Eric’s character was involved in the series’ most controversial and shocking twist to date, landing young genius Zack in a mental institution for a crime he may have committed thru the mind-control of serial killer Gormogon.   Off-screen, Eric is an accomplished stage performer and vocalist.  Bones fans will want to take advantage of this rare chance to meet one of the key stars visiting Northeast Ohio.

Word-of-mouth can sometimes be the best advertising, and this summer The CW is relying on its tech-savvy viewers to generate buzz for new and returning series.  You want to be the first to see exclusive Fall previews for Supernatural, Smallville and One Tree Hill?  They’re being released here online long before hitting the airwaves.  Not only are bloggers thrilled with this new marketing trend, fans are reacting to the sizzling viral videos as expected—by talking and texting.  Network producers have outdone themselves with some truly creative pieces, including a faux real-estate tour of Melrose Place, “TV to Talk About” image promos for each new drama (The Beautiful Life version is great), behind-the-scenes “Making of Melrose Place” videos filmed by the cast, and several helpful up-to-speed recaps.  Smallville’s Season 9 teaser has drawn raves; check it out below, and visit our individual show pages for more fresh, first-look material.

Real-estate tour of Melrose Place
TBL promo: TV to Talk About

From coast to coast, the reviews are in—and critics are raving about The CW’s new fall lineup, the network strategy, and individual shows.  Here’s a small sampling:

• “Most on-target development: The CW.  A cohesive lineup of culturally-relevant shows engages viewers on myriad platforms.”  - Broadcasting & Cable
• “The theme of the campaign (TV to Talk About) reflects how successful CW executives have been in scheduling series that generate some of the most pervasive buzz for any new primetime shows.”  - NY Times
• “CW has transformed its primetime lineup into one sleek body of fantasy soaps.”  - Washington Post
• “Melrose Place looks like high-gloss, over-the-top trashy fun; and vampires, especially cute ones (Ian Somerhalder, pictured), are hot right now with the network’s target audience.”  - TV Guide
• “For fans of the departed WB, there is a show coming that’s reminiscent of that netlet: The Vampire Diaries.”  - USA Today
• “The Beautiful Life: The return of Mischa Barton and a backstage pass to the scandalous world of modeling…beautiful indeed.”  - TV Addict
• “Parental Discretion Advised feels reminiscent of the WB hit Gilmore Girls.”  - MediaWeek
• “Melrose was an instant favorite before a page was written.”  - Hollywood Reporter
• “The TV show I can’t miss: Gossip Girl.  It’s the next generation of Sex and the City.  The cast is beautifully vapid.  Love it!”  - Life & Style Weekly

The Beautiful Life finished shooting its series pilot this week in Montreal, and someone behind-the-scenes has posted nearly 50 short backstage video clips. They’ll introduce you to much of the impressive cast, including Mischa Barton, Sara Paxton, Ben Hollingsworth, Nico Tortorella and Ashley Madekwe, as well as guest-stars (and hopefully recurring actors) Corbin Bleu and Jordan Woolley. Only 23, Mischa has been a tabloid favorite for so long, it’s almost surreal to see her in front of the camera. “It feels great to be back on set again,” she blogs. “I really like the structure that series television brings to my daily schedule. Couldn’t have written a better-suited project myself. I’ve always enjoyed fashion, and now I get to play a character who’s immersed in it.” The Beautiful Life follows a coed group of models—at much different career stages—living together in NYC, and you’ll be drawn in to these charismatic personalities right away. The series is competing with five other dramas for a place on The CW’s fall schedule, which will be announced on May 21. Take a look at some of the videos and post your thoughts.

Two original reality series will debut this summer on The CW: Hitched or Ditched and Blonde Charity Mafia. Premiering after the May 26 finale of Reaper, Hitched centers on couples who’ve been dating for years—and are given an ultimatum to either set a wedding date within a week, or break up altogether. Of course, each featured couple will be put through a series of personalized exercises to test their relationship. The show is hosted by Tanya McQueen (pictured) from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Following its six-week run, Blonde Charity Mafia will then take over the Tuesday timeslot. It’s a docu-drama about Washington, D.C.’s most influential 20-something Alpha Girls, the ladies with the hottest ticket in town. From Congressmen to Capitol Hill staffers, everyone vies for an invitation to their social events—and Mafia exploits are played up Gossip Girl-style on latenightshots.com. Along with the summer announcements, the network decided against an early fall launch prior to September, Variety reports, and will likely follow the pattern of last year’s head start around Labor Day.

For Colin Egglesfield, the route to Melrose Place began on the Yellow Brick Road, winding across international runways, with a much-ballyhooed trek into Pine Valley. In fact, you’ve no doubt seen his face countless times without realizing he’d one day become a leading man on MP2. Colin has been on the network radar since his heroic role in Lost in Oz, an ambitious 2002 pilot for The WB which never advanced to series. Most recently, he gained a horde of fans while playing the long-lost son of Erica (Susan Lucci) on All My Children—in a weird soap twist, he’d unknowingly survived Erica’s controversial TV abortion in the early ‘70s. Between those projects, Colin continued his career as an acclaimed—and prolific—model for such designers as Ralph Lauren, Versace and Calvin Klein, both in print and fashion shows. Click here for a sample of his work. The former premed student is also a clothing entrepreneur through his company, Shout Out!, which markets t-shirts and handbags that consumers can customize daily with their own Velcro messages. Asian beauty Stephanie Jacobsen (Jesse on Terminator) just booked a condo on Melrose Place alongside Colin, joining Katie Cassidy, Michael Rady, Ashlee Simpson and Jessica Lucas, with one male actor yet to be cast before filming begins.

More young people than ever became involved in the recent presidential election, so maybe the time is ripe for a CW drama set in the nation’s capital. The Body Politic filled out its primary cast with more familiar names, including Brian Austin Green (BH: 90210, Terminator) and film hottie Gabrielle Union. Joining them are Jenny Wade, currently Ben’s demon girlfriend on Reaper; Jay Hernandez (Crazy/Beautiful); and the previously announced Jason Dohring (Logan on Veronica Mars) and Minka Kelly (Lyla on Friday Night Lights). For veteran Tim Matheson, this is the third CW pilot he’s filmed. In 2006, he costarred with Christopher Egan in The Prince; and the following year, he joined The World According to Barnes. Neither show was picked up. However, having played the vice president on The West Wing, Tim knows his way around Washington. Back in 2000, The WB stepped into the political arena with seven episodes of a Dick Wolf midseason drama, D.C., featuring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Gabriel Olds. Later, there were Kennedy overtones in the network’s young adult series, Jack & Bobby. Government always provides an intriguing backdrop for relationships, so it’ll be fun to see how this stellar cast fares when the fall schedule is finalized over the next seven weeks.