Imagine a world in which a CW show has an actual chance of winning an Emmy. Thanks to network boss Dawn Ostroff, that world is slipping through her fingers. We mean no disrespect to shows like Gossip Girl and Smallville, but if the CW ever wants us to take it seriously as a trademark network of our generation, it needs to branch out from its usual routine of picking up shows geared for a younger audience. The Body Politic is a cure to that problem. In fact, The Body Politic would bring a new level of respect to the CW that we've yet to see since the network kicked off in 2006. We've screened the pilot and read the script several times, and each time we're dumbfounded by why The Body Politic is not on the fall TV schedule. Get a sneak peek at the series below, along with everything you need to know about BP that will make you say, "Dawn! Pick this show up!" Plus an update on how the Brian Austin Green/One Tree Hill drama would affect the series. Introducing the cast of The Body Politic: Minka Kelly leads the cast as the dynamic Frankie. A small-town bartender turned U.S. Senate staffer, she's plain in the very best sense of the word, which is why she's so relatable. Frankie moves into a brownstone with several other senatorial aides, including Gabrielle Union's Jessica, Jay Hernandez's Ben and Brandon Scott's Miles.
Running up the ladder from there is Jim Sperlock (Ben Shenkman), who's directly under Senator Webster (Tim Matheson). Adding an interesting aspect to the group is Charlie (Jason Dohring) as Frankie's neighbor and a reporter on the Hill who doesn't mind getting a little dirty. Rounding out the cast as the ballsy presidential aide is Lucky Evans, played
by Brian Austin Green. These characters are all trying to change the world, but as Frankie says in the pilot, "They wind up being changed by it."
Why You'll Like the Show: This is not a remake of a movie or book, it doesn't have to follow any rules, and it's not predictable. Plain and simple, Frankie is really just a girl trying to make a difference in the world, while tracking down her father: Matheson's Senator Webster, who's also her boss. But keep that on the down-low, because Webster doesn't know that she's his daughter...yet.

The Brian Austin Green Factor: B.A.G. may have been offered a role on One Tree Hill, but sources tell me he couldn't officially accept it even if he wanted to. He's contractually tied to The Body Politic until his option runs out, which is very soon. His role in BP is actually unique, relatively to the other characters, and I hear the producers are really impressed with his work. If it had to come down to it, he could be recast, but that may make the CW even more skittish about picking the show up midseason.
The Network Politics: Here's what we know about Body Politic's realistic prospects for a pickup: There's one slot open for a midseason show. The frontrunners for that position are the Gossip Girl spinoff and The Body Politic. If the CW doesn't want to be predictable, it will make the right decision and go with the latter, but we can only hope for that as of now. Sources close to the show tell me they are "definitely hopeful that it gets picked up. It is a project that we care about deeply and we're doing all that we can to make it a reality." The very few clips we have posted below do not do the pilot justice; however, you can make a difference by passing on the word about The Body Politic and sounding off in the comments below. Beg, plead, get angry! Show Dawn Ostroff that The Body Politic would be a great addition to the network.