It's coming down to the wire for the pilots vying for a time slot on the broadcast networks' schedule for next season, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and that includes the much-talked-about Gossip Girl spinoff at our beloved.

The latest on that?

As we reported last week, Melrose Place and Vampire Diaries are considered locks, with modeling drama Beautiful Life, Life Unexpected (formerly Light Years) and second-year sleeper Privileged battling for the third and final slot.

The Gossip Girl spinoff - which debuted as part of the second season's penultimate episode, "Valley Girls," in still under consideration, but now for midseason.

In other words, the executives don't see a place for it right now, but if it's fine-tuned a bit, and there's a time slot open in early 2010, it could be penciled in.

Better than nothing, right?

Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.