Well, I know what I’m doing this weekend. Amazon launched its new slate of five new original television pilots today for users to watch and comment on before the company decides which ones it wants to turn into full seasons of content.
The pilots include “The Cosmopolitans,” a show about American expatriates in Paris; “Hand of God,” which stars Ron Perlman as a judge/vigilante who receives visions from God through his comatose son; and “Hysteria,” a show about a town struck by an illness that spreads through technology. Here’s a sizzle reel that shows off what’s coming:
All in all, they look like an interesting and varied bunch. The new pilots come ahead of Amazon’s second season of original programming, which is due to kick off on September 26th with the release of “Transparent,” a dark comedy about a family dealing with long-held secrets.
Like previous pilot seasons, users will play an important role in which shows get picked up for full seasons. Amazon viewers can take a survey after watching through the pilots to provide feedback on what they think worked and didn’t work with the pilots, and user feedback can hold significant sway over what shows will finally get picked up.
The fresh crop of shows is another step from Amazon to try and better compete with Netflix’s content strategy, which has been paying significant dividends. Netflix has said in the past that the success of shows like “Orange is the New Black” and “House of Cards” has drawn users to its platform, and it’s clear that Amazon hopes that stand-out programming of its own will do the same for its streaming service.
People who aren’t interested in watching three-and-a-half hours of pilots don’t need to worry: I’ll be watching the whole crop this weekend, so stay tuned for my recommendations about which shows are worth your time.
