THE RUNWAY – YOUR 2017 PILOT SURVIVAL GUIDE: ABC DRAMAS

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10 days in the valley

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Ten Days in the Valley

Logline: Superstar news producer and fiercely loving mom Laura Price isn’t crazy: She knows her daughter Serena is going to be murdered. She doesn’t know who the murderer is or why she’l be killed, but she knows exactly when it will happen, where, and how. Despite this, all of her attempts to keep her daughter safe fail, and Serena’s fixed, unmovable, terrifying fate keeps her directly in the path of her killer.
Cast: Paula Patton
Creators: Stephen Tolkin (W / EP), Ivan Fecan (EP), Joseph Broido (EP)
Studios: ITV Studios, Thunderbird Entertainment

Okay, so ABC’s really got a thing for single moms. After Unit Zero and The Gospel of Kevin, this is the third ABC pilot with an important single mom character. And the second with a shaggy, rock-and-roll love interest.

I can sort of see why this one’s straight-to-series. As an overworked television producer who’s not exactly a good mother, Jane is a flawed, compelling protagonist. The first turning point is her daughter Lake’s disappearance, providing a strong central mystery to power the series. Suspects abound, characters keep secrets from each other, and the pacing feels real-time and intense.

That said, I can’t quite see how the show could run beyond a limited episode order. Once Lake is found, the show’s over. I’d be curious to see what plans ABC has for this.

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1 Comment

  1. I think the “Ten Days in the Valley” page is mixing up two pilots: the logline and Paula Patton are from “Somewhere Between,” a different series. Ten Days in the Valley is about an overworked TV producer and is led by Kyra Sedgwick.

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