or


[02/13/12 - 10:40 PM]
Development Update: Monday, February 13
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!


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (ABC) - Yves Simoneau ("V") has signed on to helm the drama pilot, an epic fantasy re-imagining of the classic tale. Jonathan E. Steinberg penned the script to the project, which comes from ABC Studios and Gary Fleder's Mojo Films. (Deadline.com)


DO NO HARM (NBC) - Alana De La Garza ("Law & Order: LA") and Ruta Gedmintas ("The Borgias") are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about Jeffrey Kohn, a brilliant neurosurgeon who wrestles with his dangerous alter-ego, Ian Price, that threatens to wreak havoc on his personal and professional life. The former will play fellow doctor Lena Steck ("attending neurologist; strong willed; confident") with Gedmintas as Olivia Case ("delicate features; fragile by nature"), Kohn's former fiance. Michael Mayer is directing the Universal Television-based hour from a script by David Schulner. (Deadline.com)


GOTHAM (ABC) - Director Francis Lawrence ("Kings") is set to reteam with Michael Green on the drama pilot, about "a female cop who, after pursuing a seemingly unsolvable case, discovers a magical world that exists within New York City." 20th Century Fox Television is behind the hour, which Erwin Stoff is executive producing alongside Green. (Deadline.com)


LET IT GO (FOX) - Zachary Levi ("Chuck") has booked a lead role on the single-camera comedy pilot, about "a married couple, his best friend and her sister as they try to navigate, negotiate and sometimes manipulate society's unspoken rules." He'll play Ben, one half of the aforementioned couple, in the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, from creator D.J. Nash. Fedora Entertainment's Michael Wimer and Peter Tolan also serve as executive producers on the project, production of which was contingent on casting Levi's role. (Deadline.com)


LIVING LOADED (FOX) - Michael Marc Friedman is the latest addition to the Mike Vogel-led comedy pilot, about a loose partying blogger of the popular blog who is forced to change his career plans when he becomes an NPR radio host. He's on board as his best friend Bobby ("a roughneck with skin like a catcher's mitt"), a roofer. Rob McElhenney and Rob Rosell are all behind the single-camera project, which is set up at FX Productions. (Deadline.com)


MIDNIGHT SUN (NBC) - Brad Anderson ("Fringe") is set to direct the drama pilot, about a police investigation into disappearance of a remote cult which taps into a grander political conspiracy. Lisa Zwerling penned the Universal Television-based hour, which is based on Noah Stollman and Oded Davidoff's Israeli drama "Pillars of Smoke." (Deadline.com)


MUST HIRE (FOX) - Adam Bernstein ("30 Rock") has been tapped to direct the comedy pilot, about an uptight, young executive who hires his dad for an entry level position and is shocked to discover that his new hire is a disruptive office clown. Eli Jorne and Reed Agnew are behind the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, production of which is cast-contingent. (Deadline.com)


POLITICAL ANIMALS (USA) - Brittany Ishibashi has boarded the upcoming Greg Berlanti-penned drama, about Elaine Barrish, a divorced former First Lady and current Secretary of State, who struggles to keep her family together while simultaneously dealing with the crises of the State Department. She's set as Anne Ogami, the shy, bohemian, Asian-American girlfriend of Barrish's son/chief of staff Douglas (Jimmy Wolk). Warner Horizon Television is behind the project, due this summer. (Deadline.com)


THE SELECTION (The CW) - Mark Piznarski ("Gossip Girl") has been tapped to direct the drama pilot, set 300 years in the future, about "a poor young woman who is chosen by lottery to participate in a competition to become the next queen of a war-torn nation at a crossroads." He'll work from a script by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, which is based on the upcoming series of books by Kiera Cass. Warner Bros. Television is producing. (Deadline.com)


SINGLE BLACK FEMALE (BET, New!) - "The Game" masterminds Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil have booked a new drama at the cable channel which "chronicles the work and family life of a black woman who is the host of a popular Atlanta-based talk show in the vein of 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'" Said duo recently inked an overall deal with BET back in May, which included a series and several pilot commitments. No other specifics were given about the project. (Deadline.com)


TROOPER (CBS) - Craig Gillespie ("My Generation") is set to direct and executive produce the drama pilot, about a common-sense mother who becomes a New York state trooper. Aron Eli Coleite penned the hour, from the Warner Bros. Television-based Jerry Bruckheimer Television. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED KEVIN WILLIAMSON PROJECT (FOX) - Shawn Ashmore and Valorie Curry are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about a diabolical serial killer (James Purefoy) who uses technology to create a cult of serial killers and the retired FBI profiler (Kevin Bacon) who finds himself in the middle of it. Ashmore is on board as one of the younger agents who assists Ryan Hardy (Bacon), presumably Mike Weston ("eager; more brains than brawn"), with Curry as Denise ("a sweet faced girl of 24"), Hardy's nanny. Kevin Williamson is behind the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, to be directed by Marcos Siega. (Deadline.com)


WHITE VAN MAN (ABC) - J.K. Simmons ("The Closer") has joined the cast of the Kyle Bornheimer-led comedy pilot, about a man who is forced to put his dreams on hold in order to take over the family handyman business from his father. He'll play said father, Tony, in the ABC Studios-based half-hour, based on Adrian Poynton's U.K. series of the same name, from director Michael Fresco and writer Bobby Bowman. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Peter Mensah will recur on "True Blood" as Kibwe, Chancellor for the Authority (Deadline.com); upcoming guest star Kelli Williams has been upped to series regular on "Army Wives," while Lawrence Gilliard has been tapped for a five-episode arc (Deadline.com); Bradley Whitford will turn up on "Parks & Recreation" as Pawnee's departing city councilman whose seat Leslie (Amy Poehler) is vying for (HuffingtonPost.com); and Jaime Ray Newman will return to "CSI: NY" as the late Claire Taylor for its eighth season finale (TVLine.com).






  [february 2012]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· 30 ROCK (NBC)
· ARMY WIVES (LIFETIME)
· BEAUTY & THE BEAST (ABC)
· BEING MARY JANE (BET)
· BORGIAS, THE (SHOWTIME)
· CHUCK (NBC)
· CLOSER, THE (TNT)
· CSI: NEW YORK (CBS)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DO NO HARM (NBC)
· FAMILY TOOLS (ABC)
· FOLLOWING, THE (FOX)
· FRINGE (FOX)
· GAME, THE (BET)
· GOSSIP GIRL (CW)
· GOTHAM (ABC)
· KINGS (NBC)
· LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES (NBC)
· LET IT GO (FOX)
· LIVING LOADED (FOX)
· MIDNIGHT SUN (NBC)
· MUST HIRE (FOX)
· MY GENERATION (ABC)
· PARKS & RECREATION (NBC)
· POLITICAL ANIMALS (USA)
· SELECTION, THE - 2012 VERSION (CW)
· TROOPER (CBS)
· TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
· V (ABC)





[05/21/24 - 11:00 AM]
HBO Original Documentary Series "Ren Faire" Debuts June 2
For half a century, 86-year-old George Coulam, known to his employees as King George, has reigned with an iron fist over the Texas Renaissance Festival, the largest such "faire" in the world.

[05/21/24 - 10:32 AM]
Video: "Worst Roommate Ever" Season 2 - Sneak Peek - Netflix
Roommate wanted? Desperation leads to danger - and even death - in one's own home as real-life nightmares of con artists, criminals and killers unfold.

[05/21/24 - 10:31 AM]
Netflix Renews Shane Gillis Scripted Comedy "Tires" for Season 2 Ahead of Series Premiere on May 23
As previously announced, Netflix has also ordered a new standup special from Gillis, to premiere in 2025.

[05/21/24 - 10:24 AM]
"60 Minutes" Makes Television History - The CBS Newsmagazine Is America's #1 News Show for the 50th Straight Season
This is the first time any program on television has reigned as #1 for five decades.

[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 - 09:04 AM]
HGTV Renews Hit Series "Ugliest House in America" and Greenlights Four-Episode Spin-Off Series "Scariest House in America" Both Starring Actress and Comedian Retta
"Not sure how I got roped into this," said Retta. "I don't do scary. I don't like to be scared. I don't like scary movies. Halloween is my least favorite holiday but here we are."

[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.