or


[03/25/10 - 12:05 AM]
Development Update: Thursday, March 25
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:

Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our signature "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!


THE GATES (ABC) - Marisol Nichols, Rhona Mitra, Victoria Platt, Justin Miles, Skyler Samuels, Travis Caldwell and Colton Haynes have all joined the cast of the upcoming drama, about Nick Monohan (Frank Grillo), "a big-city cop who becomes chief of police in a seemingly sleepy planned community, the Gates, where he discovers there's more to the residents than meets the eye." Nichols is believed to be playing Nick's wife, Sarah, "who relocates to the community looking for a fresh start," with Caldwell as their teen son Charlie. Samuels then is set as Andie Bates, a local girl who Charlie quickly falls for.

Meanwhile, Haynes is playing Brett Crezski, Andie's boyfriend, a star linebacker for the football team who also happens to be a werewolf. Miles is on board as Marcus Jordan ("mid-twenties, eager, sometimes too much so"), one of Nick's deputies. Then there's Mitra as Claire Radcliff, a housewife/vampire who's not as keen on assimilating as her husband/fellow vampire Dylan (Luke Mably). And finally, Platt is understood to be playing Peg Mueller, the owner of an exotic/magical tea shop whose less-than-scrupulous pupil Devon (Chandra West) sets up her own shop across the street. Grant Scharbo and Richard Hatem are behind the Fox Television Studios-based hour, due this summer.


GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC) - ABC Studios has confirmed to Entertainment Weekly co-star Katherine Heigl has officially departed the series. "By mutual agreement, Katherine Heigl has ended her successful run as Dr. Isobel Stevens," reads the statement. "The studio wishes her well. Everyone at 'Grey's Anatomy' is now focused on delivering a shocking season finale and a great show for seasons to come." Heigl last appeared in the show's January 21 episode.


LIVIN' ON A PRAYER (CBS) - Lindsay Sloane ("Help Me Help You") is set to star opposite Kyle Bornheimer in the comedy pilot, about a Pittsburgh couple (Sloane, Bornheimer) who are dating - and mulling the next stage of their relationship. She'll play Gina, "a waitress who fantasizes about running her own business." Jaime Pressly and Joe Manganiello co-star in the half-hour, which comes from 20th Century Fox Television and co-creators Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, Joe Kelly and Kourtney Kang. Pamela Fryman is directing.


LOVE BITES (NBC) - Jennifer Love Hewitt, Greg Grunberg, Lindsay Price, Jason Lewis and Craig Robinson are all set to guest star in the drama pilot, "an anthology of love and sex," Entertainment Weekly reports. As for specifics, the opener revolves around three stories of "firsts." Grunberg will play Judd, a married Venice Beach tattoo artist who improbably meets the only person on his "Celebrity Exemption List" (i.e., the list of famous people you get to sleep with if you ever get the chance) - Hewitt, as herself - while on a flight to a friend's bachelor party.

Hewitt replaces Alyssa Milano, who was originally featured in the script. Robinson then is believed to be playing Bowman, Judd's single friend who encourages him to approach Hewitt. Meanwhile, Lewis is playing either Jordan, a handsome stranger who the promiscuous Frannie (the previously cast Jordana Spiro) hooks up with while pretending to be like her virgin best friend Annie (Becki Newton); or Carter, a handsome lawyer that returns home after being fired to find his fiance Liz (Price) seemingly cheating on him. Marc Buckland is directing the Universal Media Studios-based hour from a script by Cindy Chupack.


MIKE & MOLLY (CBS) - Melissa McCarthy ("Samantha Who?") has booked the title role on the comedy pilot, about "Mike (Billy Gardell), an overweight, charming police officer, and Molly (McCarthy), a pretty and plump woman, who meet at Overeaters Anonymous." She joins the previously cast Katy Mixon, Nyambi Nyambi, Reno Wilson and Swoosie Kurtz in the half-hour, which comes from Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions. Mark Roberts penned the script while James Burrows is directing.


PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC) - Executive producers/showrunners Robert Rovner and Jon Cowan are departing the series after two seasons. No reason was given for the pair's exit while no immediate replacement has been named. Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Mark Gordon and Mark Tinker also serve as executive producers.


WRIGHT VS. WRONG (ABC) - Cheryl Hines and Carrie Fisher are the latest additions to the comedy pilot, about Evelyn Wright (Debra Messing), "a strong-minded, ambitious political personality who espouses the conservative, right-wing agenda." Hines will play Keri Daly, "Evelyn's liberal counterpart, Sundance catalogue attractive, smart, funny - the women are friendly rivals who enjoy verbally sparring with each other." Fisher then is set as Joan Harrington ("gruff, a pessimistic dresser"), Evelyn's manager. Melissa Rauch and Patrick Fugit also star in the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, which Andy Fickman is helming off a script by Stephanie Weir.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [march 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GATES, THE (ABC)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HELP ME HELP YOU (ABC)
· LIVIN' ON A PRAYER (CBS)
· LOVE BITES (NBC)
· MIKE & MOLLY (CBS)
· PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC)
· SAMANTHA WHO? (ABC)
· WRIGHT VS WRONG (ABC)





[05/21/24 - 10:03 AM]
Academy Award Winner Holly Hunter to Star in the Paramount+ Original Series "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy"
The series will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy.

[05/21/24 - 10:00 AM]
BBC America Sets Premiere Date for Sir David Attenborough's Major New Natural History Series, "Mammals"
Renowned naturalist and three-time Emmy Award-winner Sir David Attenborough presents the series, which reveals how mammals have conquered the Earth, uncovering the secrets to their success with their winning design, incredible adaptability, unrivalled intelligence, and unique sociability.

[05/21/24 - 09:02 AM]
BritBox Unveils Compelling Programming Slate with Premiere Date Announcements and First Looks for Exciting New and Celebrated Returning Series
Summer will see the powerful return of gritty, impactful crime dramas, starting with the June 13 return of "Blue Lights."

[05/21/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Sweet Tooth" - Final Season Official Trailer - Netflix
In this final chapter, Gus and his friends embark on a harrowing journey in hopes of curing the Sick - and finally discovering the truth about hybrids.

[05/21/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Shoresy" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Hulu
Foul-mouthed, chirp-serving, mother-loving, fan favorite "Letterkenny" character, "Shoresy" (Jared Keeso) joins the Sudbury Bulldogs of the Northern Ontario Senior Hockey Organization (aka The NOSHO) on a quest to never lose again.

[05/21/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Marlon Wayans: Good Grief" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
They say comedy is the best therapy. "Marlon Wayans: Good Grief" premieres June 4.

[05/21/24 - 09:00 AM]
Season Three of the HBO Original Drama Series "Industry" Debuts August 11
The series gives an insider's view of the blackbox of high finance following a group of young bankers as they forge their identities within the pressure cooker environment and sex and drug fueled blitz of international bank Pierpoint & Co's London office.

[05/21/24 - 08:06 AM]
Paramount+ Announces New Docuseries "How Music Got Free" to Premiere June 11
Directed by Alexandria Stapleton, the series made its world premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival.

[05/21/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Trigger Warning" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A Special Forces commando uncovers a dangerous conspiracy when she returns to her hometown looking for answers into her beloved father's death.

[05/21/24 - 08:01 AM]
Apple TV+ Announces Season Two of Hit Drama "Drops of God" Starring Fleur Geffrier and Tomohisa Yamashita
In season two of "Drops of God," Camille (Geffrier) and Issei (Yamashita) once again face a nearly impossible challenge: to uncover the origin of the world's most wonderful wine, a secret that even Alexandre Léger failed to unlock.

[05/21/24 - 07:32 AM]
ESPN+ Original Series "Up for Debate: The Evolution of Sports Media," Executive Produced by Stephen A. Smith, Now Available to Stream on ESPN+
The series delves into the evolution of sports talk debate programming across seven decades-from Howard Cosell to Stephen A. Smith to Cam'Ron-and explores how sports discourse arrived at this moment, why it's here now, and where it's going next.

[05/21/24 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Marlow Murder Club" Trailer
Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, Cara Horgan and Natalie Dew star in "The Marlow Murder Club" adapted by Robert Thorogood from his best-selling novels and premiering on "Masterpiece Mystery!" on Sunday, October 27.

[05/21/24 - 07:00 AM]
"The 67th Annual Grammy Awards" to Air Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, on CBS
This year's nominees will be announced on Friday, November 8, 2024.

[05/21/24 - 07:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases Official Trailer for "My Lady Jane"
All eight episodes will premiere on Thursday, June 27 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

[05/21/24 - 06:31 AM]
Max Is Now Live and Available to Stream in Europe
The countries include Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.