Amazon Pilots, Part III: The "Comedies"

I know I am late in my comments on Amazon's proposed "comedy" pilots, which in some cases I would not call comedies but rather mini-dramas.  Unlike my earlier comments on The After, I found that all three of these half-hour pilot had merit.  To remind you, here are the three pilots in question:

-- Mozart in the Jungle (half-hour comedy):  Sex, drugs — and classical music — see what happens behind the curtains at the symphony.

-- The Rebels (half-hour comedy):  Julie is in over her head when her husband suddenly dies, leaving her the owner of a pro football team. 

-- Transparent (half-hour drama):  A family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel after a dramatic admission. 

Of the three, Transparent probably hits you at the deepest level as Jeffrey Tambor, best remembered as the father in Arrested Development, plays a very different role as a father trying to share a part of himself with his self-centered and spoiled children (yes, Mr. Tambor is leading another strange family).  It seemed to last much longer than your traditional 30-minute show and quickly profiles of the family members as well as the challenges ahead.  While the kids think their dad is dying, what you have here is a situation where a new person is trying to emerge later in life with great trepidation.  I look forward to seeing more.

Mozart in the Jungle has an unfortunate name, but the dueling symphony conductors played by Gael Garcia Bernal and Malcolm McDowell is fun to watch.  As you watch the mingling musicians (a much better title for the show), you get the impression that this will be an adult Glee or more believable Smash, which is good for television since we have plenty of cops and vampires but very few shows that cover the arts. 

Among the three new pilots, The Rebels is the most traditional and therefore the least likely to gain traction.  The antics of the fumbling football team would probably get old over time, but the show promised some good storylines and solid acting by Natalie Zea, who I miss in Justified and enjoyed during her short appearance in Under the Dome.  

And now the rest of the story.  Variety reports Amazon has decided to pick up four of the five pilot, with The Rebels left in the cold.  Of course, I believe The After should be banished from the screen with the light-hearted The Rebels to fill the hole, but it appears the crowds have spoken.  I am just happy that three good shows will soon be available for Amazon audiences.  The battle between Amazon and Netflix continues, and we are all the winners.