ABC Pilots Update: ‘Triage’, ‘National Parks’ & ‘Dark Horse’ Not Going Forward; ‘Epic’ & ‘Promised Land’ Remain In Contention

ABC has made decisions on three of its five outstanding drama pilots, passing on Triage, Dark Horse and the Kevin Costner-executive produced National Parks Investigation. Meanwhile, Epic and Promised Land, whose final cuts are still being finalized, remain in consideration for midseason. They come from ABC Signature, which is believed to have options on the casts until September.

Dark Horse and National Parks Investigation will be shopped by their lead studios, Universal Television and A+E Studios, respectively. Triage, from 20th Century TV, also may be shopped.

Second-cycle medical drama pilot Triage had a rollercoaster ride. The project, told in three different time frames, did not fare well with the first cut, did significantly better with the second cut, which had promising testing results, then cooled off during screenings but had enough of a momentum to be kept in contention back in May.

National Parks Investigation, formally greenlighted earlier this year, was able to deliver a cut just before the upfronts but ABC brass felt they needed more time to make a decision on the project starring Billy Campbell.

Meanwhile, three other 2021 ABC drama pilots, Epic, Promised Land and Dark Horse, had been put on a different track and were shoot after the traditional pilot season production window for post-upfront consideration.

The fairytale-themed Epic, executive produced by Once Upon a Time creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, and the sprawling multi-generational Latinx family drama Promised Land have been receiving encouraging early feedback.

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