Namtar here…
Every year at San Diego’s Comic-Con ABC premieres a new fall network show. With the past two conventions, series such as “No Ordinary Family,” and “Pan Am” have held the same spot on the floor as the new show known as “The Neighbors.”
From outside the booth, a structure resembling a normal suburban garage could be observed, but looks can be deceiving. The people working the booth were dressed in similar clothing and held a “fake” homemade pie while innocuously inviting convention goers to take a peek inside. Without suspicion, a line began to form to indoctrinate the masses. So what did attendees see when they went inside? See for yourself!
Here is the basic synopsis for the show:
How well do you know your neighbors? Meet The Weavers: Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty (Lenny Venito). Marty, in hopes of providing a better life for his wife and three kids, recently bought a home in “Hidden Hills,” a gated New Jersey townhome community with its own golf course. Hidden Hills is so exclusive that a house hasn’t come on the market in 10 years. But one finally did… and the Weavers got it! It’s clear from day one that the residents of Hidden Hills are a little… different. For starters, their new neighbors all have pro-athlete names like Larry Bird, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Reggie Jackson, and Dick Butkus. Over dinner, Marty and his family discover that their neighbors receive nourishment through their eyes and mind by reading books, rather than eating. The Weavers soon learn that the entire community is comprised of aliens from Zabvron, where the men bear children and everyone cries green goo… from their ears. The Zabvronians have been stationed on Earth for the past 10 years, disguised as humans, awaiting instructions from home, and the Weavers are the first humans they’ve had the opportunity to know. As it turns out, the pressures of marriage and parenthood are not exclusive to planet Earth. Two worlds will collide with hilarious consequences as everyone discovers they can “totally relate,” and learn a lot from each other. Dan Fogelman (the writer of Cars, Tangled, and Crazy, Stupid, Love), Director Chris Koch (Workaholics, Modern Family), Jeff Morton (Modern Family) and Aaron Kaplan (GCB, Terra Nova) executive produce this new comedy about close encounters of the third kind in New Jersey.
So what happened inside the garage after the trailer was screened? Everyone received a t-shirt with “The Neighbors” title prominently displayed on the front, and a badge with their new pro-athlete name to proudly wear on the convention floor. The naming ceremony was especially straightforward and clever. (Namtar’s name has been officially changed to Shaquille O’Neal.)
In hindsight, this is a show that has been done before, but on a larger scale. Similar to NBC’s hit sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun” with John Lithgow, the Weaver family will be the minority in a neighborhood full of aliens. As stated, this will be a social commentary on modern day society delving into marriage and parenting. No doubt politics, social customs, and sex will figure in with some degree. This show has the proper elements to be a comedic hit, but must keep the laughs fresh and fast. The differences and similarities between humans and Zabvronians will undoubtedly be the source material for the show. The network’s presentation at comic-con was imaginative and well thought out. The show certainly is worth checking out when it premieres on ABC.
“The Neighbors” will air this fall on Wednesdays at 9:30|8:30c. The comedy series stars Lenny Venito, Jami Gertz, Simon Templeman, Toks Olagundoye, Tim Jo, Isabella Cramp, Clara Mamet, Ian Patrick, and Max Charles. Marshall Boone, Dan Fogelman, Aaron Kaplan, Chris Koch, and Jeffrey Morton will executive produce.
Sources: nukethefridge.com, IMDb