UPDATED: Fall Pilot Review: NBC Drama

CONSTANTINE: One of DC Comics most popular characters, master of the occult John Constantine, is brought to life. Constantine is struggling with his faith as he is haunted by the sins of his past but is suddenly thrust into the role of defending humanity from the gathering forces of darkness. Cast: Matt Ryan (Constantine), Lucy Griffiths (Liv); Charles Halford (Chas); Harold Perrineau (Manny).

Bring on one of the many superhero shows for 2014.

BABYLON FIELDS: The dead are reappearing in Babylon, N.Y. and lives are regained and families reunited — whether they like it or not. These newly regenerated bodies are healing faster and growing stronger than anyone else leading to the suspicion that they might be the next step in human evolution. Cast: Meagan Good (Janine Beltran); Skeet Ulrich (Father Harries and Graham); Kyle Schmid (Thomas Wunch); Virginia Madsen (Rhonda Wunch).

Soooo, like Resurrection?

ODYSSEY: Told in three disparate stories, this is the thrilling tale of families torn apart when a female Special Ops soldier in North Africa, a corporate lawyer, and a Wall Street activist each uncover the same conspiracy between a U.S. corporation, the government, and terrorism. Cast: Anna Friel (Odelle Ballard); Jake Robinson (Harrison Wolcott); Nate Mooney (Bob Offer); Daniella Pineda (Molly Simms); Elena Kampouris (Maya Drucker); Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Frank Majors); Treat Williams (Colonel Stephen Glen); Peter Facinelli (Peter Decker).

Yeah, okay. I'll try this.

TIN MEN: A psychological crime thriller set in the near future that focuses on a fugitive robot accused of first-degree murder who may hold the key to the future of human evolution, and the young female public defender forced to fight for his cause. Cast: Patrick Heusinger (Adam Sentry); Shaun Toub (David Dashiell); Ryun Yu (Ryuji Kitamura); Kristen Connolly (Katie Collier); Vondie Curtis-Hall (Jack Garrison).

Ugh. Enough with the robots. Almost Human and Intelligence both failed this year. Besides, this just sounds like another I, Robot rip-off.

ALLEGIANCE: This high-octane thriller revolves around the O’Connor family and their son, Alex, a decorated American war hero and CIA analyst who is a true patriot and loves his country and family. Unbeknownst to him, both of his parents and his sister are part of a dormant Russian sleeper cell that has just been reactivated. Once the parents get reluctantly pulled back in, the stakes rise they are coerced into spying on their own son and turning him against his country. Cast: Gavin Stenhouse (Alex O’Connor); Margarita Levieva (Natalie O’Connor); Hope Davis (Katya O’Connor); Alex Peters (Sarah O’Connor).

It's The Americans meets Homeland.

STATE OF AFFAIRS: A key CIA attaché (Katherine Heigl) counsels the president on high-stakes incidents around the world. She balances her intense political responsibilities with a complicated personal life. Cast: Katherine Heigl (Charleston Whitney Tucker); Cliff Chamberlain (Kurt Tannen), Leslie Odom, Jr (Mitchell); President Roberta Payton (Alfre Woodard).

You lost me at Katherine Heigl.

MYSTERIES OF LAURA: Based on a Spanish format, this procedural drama with a sharp sense of humor follows a quirky female homicide detective who juggles high-stakes crime as well as her ex-husband and a devilish set of twin boys. Cast: Debra Messing (Laura); Laz Alonso (Billy); Janina Gavankar (Detective Meredith Martinez); Josh Lucas (Jake).

At first I thought this was saying that Laura was Spanish and I was like, "Uh, Debra Messing is the best casting could do?" Then I realized I couldn't read. But hey, Josh Lucas.

THE SLAP: A complex family drama that explodes from one small incident where a man slaps another couple’s misbehaving child. This seemingly minor domestic dispute pulls the family apart, begins to expose long-held secrets, and ignites a lawsuit that challenges the core American values of all who are pulled into it.

That escalated quickly.

EMERALD CITY (miniseries): Based on the 14-book series that first created the wonderful, and treacherous, Land of Oz, Emerald City is a dramatic and modern reimagining of the tales that include lethal warriors, competing kingdoms, and the infamous wizard as we’ve never seen him before. A head-strong 20-year-old Dorothy Gale is unwittingly sent on an eye-opening journey that thrusts her into the center of an epic and bloody battle for the control of Oz. Cancelled. 

Can I just say – kudos to NBC just just picthing this as a mini-series! As other shows like Terra Nova, Revolution, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Under the Dome could have / should have.

See more at http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/04/21/complete-fall-2014-pilot-list/3/