Dramas ‘Angels,’ ‘Bitches,’ ‘Pan Am’ and ‘Time’ in line for pickups

With new ABC Entertainment prexy Paul Lee currently hashing out a fall lineup with his executive team, insiders have tabbed four drama pilots so far that are looking strong for a pickup.

“Pan Am,” which travels back to the 1960s when the airline was an iconic brand, is on course for a series order. From creator Jack Orman, who has already been speaking to writers in anticipation of staffing up, project is from Sony Pictures Television.

With casting news that heated up the Internet and made fan boys swoon, a revamped and Miami-based “Charlie’s Angels” is looking likely as well. Starring “Friday Night Lights” vet Minka Kelly, Annie Ilonzeh and Australian actress Rachel Taylor, show would be a way for the Alphabet to connect the decades — original skein ran from 1976-81.

Alfred Gough and Miles Millar — the creators of the Superman-based skein “Smallville” — are behind the project.

“Good Christian Bitches” has had strong support for awhile and also has an excellent possibility of moving forward. Exec produced by writer Robert Harling, Darren Star and Aaron Kaplan, pilot stars Leslie Bibb as a woman who returns to her hometown after her marriage ends in scandal.

And from “Lost” writers-exec producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis is fantasy-themed “Once Upon a Time.” About a woman who is drawn to a town where fairy tales unlock her past, “Time” stars Lana Parrilla and Ginnifer Goodwin, who is just coming off “Big Love” at HBO.

ABC is expected to pick up more than those four, however. Other titles in contention are said to be Shonda Rhimes’ “Scandal,” procedural “Identity,” “Poe” and “Revenge.”

The comedy side is a little murkier, but the standouts so far are “Apartment 23” and the Tim Allen starrer “Last Days of Man.” Allen is a proven commodity at ABC — “Home Improvement” ran for eight years at the network — and there is clearly a comfort zone between the Alphabet and the thesp.

Other comedies that are definitely in the mix include “Smothered” and “Suburgatory.”

Lee is expected to begin making producer calls late Thursday and on Friday in anticipation of the net’s upfront Tuesday in Gotham.

Over at NBC, which had a busy Wednesday with the pickups of dramas “Prime Suspect” and “Smash,” as well as laffers “Whitney” and “Up All Night,” more news is expected to come shortly. Over the next 24 hours, one or two more dramas should get the good word from topper Robert Greenblatt along with the comedy inspired by Chelsea Handler’s “Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea.”

Peacock has to make all its moves soon as its the first of the Big Four to present its wares to advertisers on Monday morning in Gotham.

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