or


[02/01/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: February 1
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 newly branded "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!

AMERICAN CRIME (FOX) - The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama project has been given the green light to produce a pilot. Tyler Bensigner ("Cold Case") is behind the hour, which revolves around a team of media-savvy defense attorneys who handle high-profile cases. Feature director David McNally ("Coyote Ugly") is directing the Warner Bros. Television-based project and will executive produce along with Bruckheimer, Bensinger and Jerry Bruckheimer Television's Jonathan Littman.

FLIGHT 93 (A&E) - A whopping 5.9 million viewers tuned into the original movie's premiere on Monday, making it the highest-rated program in the 22-year history of the network. Said broadcast also hit network highs among adults 25-54 (2.9 million), 18-49 (2.7 million) and 18-34 (1.0 million).

HIM & US (ABC) - Anthony Stewart Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has been tapped for the lead role in the comedy pilot, about an over-the-hill gay British rock star (Head) and his relationship with his long-time manager and the rest of his colorful entourage. Head joins the previously cast Ashley Williams in the Touchstone Television/Edelstein Co.-based half-hour, which comes from executive producers Cindy Chupack, Michael Edelstein, Bob Halley, Elton John and Bruce Roberts. Charles Shyer will direct the single-camera project from a script by Chupack.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE LAW (CBS) - Joshua Jackson ("Dawson's Creek") is the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about a group of smart legal associates trying to make partner at a powerful Washington, D.C.-based law firm while dealing with a host of moral, ethical and legal challenges. Jackson will play Mark Clayton, a first-year associate at the firm whose career takes an unexpected turn when he is assigned the case of a death row inmate. In addition, Danny Cannon ("C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation") is on board to direct the hour, which comes from "C.S.I." showrunner Carol Mendelsohn and CBS Paramount Network Television.

NINE LIVES (ABC) - Jessica Collins ("Tru Calling") is understood to have joined the cast of the drama pilot, about the lives of nine strangers who share a bond after experiencing a 52-hour hostage crisis. She joins the previously cast Chi McBride in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour. No specifics about her character were given. In addition, Emmy-winner Alex Graves ("The West Wing") has signed on to direct the project (not Rodrigo Garcia as previously reported), which comes from creators Hank Steinberg and K.J. Steinberg.

SOUTHERN COMFORT (FOX) - Greg Yaitanes, who's helmed the pilot to FOX's "Bones" last season, has signed on to direct the drama pilot, an ensemble crime drama about the wife of a mob boss who's thrust into running their Biloxi, Mississippi-based organized crime operation. He'll also serve as an executive producer on the 20th Century Fox Television-based project along with Joe Gayton, Tony Gayton and Ken Topolsky. Yaitanes signed a one-year holding deal to direct pilots for the network back in July (read the story).

STUDIO 7 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (NBC) - Timothy Busfield ("The West Wing") and stage actor Michael Stuhlberg ("The Pillowman") are the latest additions to the drama project, about the lives of those that work on a long-running "SNL"-esque sketch-comedy show based in Los Angeles. Details on their respective characters weren't released. The duo join the previously cast D.L. Hughley, Steven Weber and Matthew Perry in the Warner Bros. Television/Shoe Money Productions-based project, which comes from Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme.

UGLY BETTY (ABC) - Richard Shepard ("The Matador") is set to direct the drama pilot, about an unattractive but efficient secretary (America Ferrera) at a fashion magazine. Shepard, who helmed the pilot for "Criminal Minds" during the past development season, will work from a script by Silvio Horta. Touchstone Television is behind the hour, which is executive produced by Horta, Reveille's Ben Silverman and Ventanarosa's Salma Hayek and Jose Tamez.

UNTITLED DONAL LOGUE PROJECT (ABC) - The Donal Logue-led comedy pilot, about a pair of working class guys who resolve to rob a celebrity, has been given the go-ahead to produce a pilot. "Ed" creator Rob Burnett and Jon Beckerman are behind the Touchstone Television-based half-hour, which Burnett will direct from a script by the duo. Logue himself will also serve as a producer on the project, which is set to begin production next month in New York.

UNTITLED SHANA GOLDBERG-MEEHAN PROJECT (ABC) - Shana Goldberg-Meehan's ("Friends") comedy project, about two sisters with very different childhoods - one was born while their parents were poor, the other after they struck it rich - who come to live together, has been given a cast-contingent pilot order. Goldberg-Meehan wrote the pilot script and will executive produce for Warner Bros. Television.

UNTITLED TINA FEY PROJECT (NBC) - Jack McBrayer ("Arrested Development") and Rachel Dratch ("Saturday Night Live") have both reportedly joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about the head writer of a variety show (Tina Fey) who has to manage her relationships with the show's volatile star and executive producer. McBrayer will play Kenneth, who's described in the casting notice as: "20s. A bright and chirpy Clay Aiken-type who works as an NBC page, (giving tours to visitors) and takes his job very seriously." Dratch's role however wasn't specified. The pair join the previously cast Tracy Morgan. Fey, JoAnn Alfano, Lorne Michaels and David Miner are the executive producers of the pilot, which comes from Michaels' NBC Universal Television-based Broadway Video.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [february 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· 30 ROCK (NBC)
· ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (NETFLIX)
· BONES (FOX)
· BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN)
· CAPITAL LAW (CBS)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· DAWSON'S CREEK (WB)
· ED (NBC)
· FLIGHT 93 (A AND E)
· FRIENDS (NBC)
· HIM & US (ABC)
· JUSTICE (FOX)
· KNIGHTS OF PROSPERITY, THE (ABC)
· NINE, THE (ABC)
· SEPARATED AT WORTH (ABC)
· SOUTHERN COMFORT (FOX)
· STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (NBC)
· TRU CALLING (FOX)
· UGLY BETTY (ABC)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)





[06/06/24 - 03:00 PM]
Apple Renews Hit, Star-Studded Comedy Sensation "Palm Royale" for Season Two
Set in high society Palm Beach in the powder keg year of 1969, "Palm Royale" is a true underdog story that follows Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig) as she endeavors to break into Palm Beach high society.

[06/06/24 - 02:00 PM]
"Next on Netflix: Animation" Previews New and Returning Preschool, Family, Adult, Anime Series and Films Coming Up in 2024 & Beyond
Today, Netflix got animated previewing an exciting lineup of animated films and series coming in the next year.

[06/06/24 - 01:59 PM]
Prime Video Announces New Stand-Up Comedy Special "Sam Morril: You've Changed"
Taped at the Historic Wilbur Theatre in Boston, MA which Morril sold out nine times last year, the one-hour special will premiere in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on July 9 on Prime Video.

[06/06/24 - 01:36 PM]
Adult Swim Sets U.S. Premiere Date for Supernational Animated Comedy "Psi Cops"
The series follows Kydd (Chris Nielsen) and Felixx (Bart Batchelor) who join a rag-tag group of experts at the secret agency Psi Cops to investigate alleged sightings of aliens, ghosts, demons, and other hocus-pocus nonsense.

[06/06/24 - 01:15 PM]
Acorn TV and CJZ Commission Second Season of Hit Australian Drama "Darby and Joan"
The series stars Bryan Brown and Greta Scacchi as former cop Jack Darby and English nurse Joan Kirkhope, respectively, who collide in the Australian outback and become entangled in a string of intriguing mysteries.

[06/06/24 - 01:01 PM]
Thunderbird Entertainment's Great Pacific Media Announces New Projects, Slate of Renewals for 2024 and 2025
"Highway Thru Hell," "Timber Titans" and "Deadman's Curse" are among the company's returning series.

[06/06/24 - 12:23 PM]
"Impractical Jokers" Moves to New Home on TBS with Season 11 Premiere Thursday, July 11 at 10PM ET/PT
Starring comedy trio Brian "Q" Quinn, James "Murr"?Murray and Sal Vulcano, the hidden camera series reached 11.1M total viewers across truTV and TBS last season.

[06/06/24 - 12:03 PM]
Bravo Marks the 100th Season of Housewives When "The Real Housewives of Orange County" Returns for Season 18 on Thursday, July 11 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Returning this season are Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and Jennifer Pedranti.

[06/06/24 - 12:01 PM]
BET+ Renews Darkly Comedic Original Series "Average Joe" Starring Deon Cole for Second Season
The series, originally released on June 26, 2023, broke ground for BET+ quickly becoming the #1 scripted drama series on the platform in its debut week.

[06/06/24 - 11:31 AM]
The Countdown to Bowl Season Begins: ESPN's Postseason Presentation Kicks Off Saturday, Dec. 14
ESPN platforms are the home of Bowl Season, with 33 college football bowl games live on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

[06/06/24 - 10:00 AM]
HBO Original Documentary "Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple" Debuts June 22
The documentary will have its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Festival.

[06/06/24 - 09:14 AM]
Prime Video Orders "Countdown" Starring Jensen Ackles, from Derek Haas
The 13-episode series was developed for Jensen Ackles, who is also under a first-look television deal with Amazon MGM Studios.

[06/06/24 - 09:01 AM]
Peacock Announces Fourth Season of Kevin Hart's Talk Show, "Hart to Heart," with New Batch of Celebrity Guests
This season's guests include industry powerhouses Ben Affleck, George Lopez, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Samberg, Judd Apatow and Niecy Nash.

[06/06/24 - 09:01 AM]
AMC Networks Announces September 29 Premiere for "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon - The Book of Carol" and Debuts New Photos from the Highly Anticipated Second Season
New images of the highly anticipated six-episode second season of the series, which stars fan-favorites Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride, were also released.

[06/06/24 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Trailer and Key Art Debut - Hulu Original "Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini"
Keith and Sherri Papini's seemingly idyllic family life is shattered when Sherri vanishes from their northern California neighborhood, triggering a frenzied search that becomes news around the world.