Pilot season has international flair

March 05, 2008 If you thought the Academy Awards were dominated by foreigners, wait until you see this year's TV pilot season. Most foreign series don't rely on big production values but on storytelling, which also proves attractive to U.S. studios that have been searching for ways to lower production costs in the wake of the writers strike. Nine pilots ordered by the broadcast networks so far -- "Ny-Lon," "Mythological X," "Outnumbered," "Spaced," "Life on Mars," CBS drama "Eleventh Hour" and comedy "Worst Week" and NBC comedies "Father Ted" and "Kath & Kim" -- are based on international formats, as is Fox comedy "Don't Bring Frank," which is close to a pilot order.

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