or


[08/05/08 - 06:52 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, August 5
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!


ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? (FOX) - Twentieth Television and Mark Burnett Productions are reportedly close to moving forward with a syndicated version of the successful FOX game show in the fall of 2009. The project, like NBC's "Deal or No Deal," would feature a condensed half-hour version of the parent hourlong show. Jeff Foxworthy is expected to host both the FOX and the syndicated incarnations.


CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR (CBS, New!) - Richard Murphy's upcoming book, about Henry Sullivan, a blue-collar Los Angeles contractor who oversees high-end renovations for wealthy clients, is heading to the small screen. Shawn Ryan ("The Shield") is on board to shepherd the project, which has a put pilot commitment from the network and 20th Century Fox Television. Murphy will pen and co-executive produce the pilot with Ryan supervising and serving as its executive producer via his MiddKid Productions banner. Said hour is loosely on Murphy's own experience remodeling homes in L.A. off and on for 12 years. As for specifics, the book has Henry falling for two of his female clients, who happen to be former best friends. Anonymous's Jeff Okin, Murphy's manager, and Paul Green will also receive executive producing credits.


GARY UNMARRIED (CBS) - Ed Begley Jr. ("Recount") has joined the cast of the freshman comedy, which stars Jay Mohr as a newly divorced dad. He'll take over for Larry Miller as Dr. Krandall. His character is detailed in the casting notice as follows: "50-60, Male, intelligent, educated but a bit of a pompous blowhard. Dr. Krandall is the family therapist, who has been counseling Gary and Allison during their divorce. He is now engaged to be married to Allison, and comes to Gary's house to offer his services as a therapist to help Gary process his feelings about this awkward situation. Basically a decent guy who wants to help, Dr. Krandall mediates as Gary, Vanessa and Allison vent a few grievances." Producers are also recasting Louise, the daughter of Mohr's character. Laura Marano played the role in the original pilot. No reason for the changes were given.


HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS) - "Supernatural" alum Katie Cassidy has joined the cast of the midseason drama, about a group of friends who meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding - to terrifying results. She'll play Trish Wellington, whom the casting notice describes as: "Mid 20s, Caucasian female. The bride. Radiant, dignified, intelligent, and perfectly put-together, with her charm and lovely personality she almost seems too good to be true. The heiress to the Wellington family fortune, she has fallen in love with Henry Dunn, a local boy who used to work on her daddy's boats during the summer. Intent on having the perfect wedding, she has invited dozens of friends to spend a perfect weekend on Harper's Island. But Trish has at least two surprises in store for her." Samantha Noble originated the role in the project's initial pilot presentation. Christopher Gorham and Elaine Cassidy also star.


HYPER-CHONDRIAC (NBC, New!) - Brian Frazer's memoir, subtitled "One Man's Quest to Hurry Up and Calm Down," is being developed as a potential single-camera comedy at the network. Jason Dean Hall ("Grand Theft Auto") is on board to pen the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, with the ever-busy Ryan Murphy executive producing. Frazer's tome details his journey to resolve the stress that was causing all of his unusual ailments. The adaptation then will center on Brian, a pharmaceutical salesman who's forced to sell his wares at hospitals and, as a result, consistently thinks he's suffering from a wide range of maladies. Murphy then is on board to direct from a script by Hall, who will serve as a co-executive producer.


RISE OF THE GARGOYLE (Sci Fi, New!) - Eric Balfour ("24") is set to topline a new original movie for the cable channel about an ancient gargoyle monster whose terror is unleashed in modern-day Paris. He'll play Jack Richmond, a struggling author whose outlandish theories on pagan architecture make him the laughingstock of the academic world. Caroline Neron, Jason Salinger, Nick Mancuso and Tanya Clarke also star in the project, which is currently in production at Romania's Mediapro Studios. Muse Entertainment's Michael Prupas and RHI Entertainment's Robert Halmi Sr. are executive producing with Bill Corcoran as director, Pierre Jodoin as the director of photography and Francois Sylvestre and Andreea Stanculeanu producing.


TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS (Syndication) - Actor/reality staple Christopher Knight has been tapped to host the upcoming game show, based on the iconic Hasbro board game. Production on the series begins this week for a September 22 launch on stations across the country, including FOX affiliates in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Wheeler-Sussman Productions is producing the half-hour with Debmar-Mercury distributing.


UNTITLED POLITICAL THRILLER (AMC) - Jason Horwitch and Joshua Maurer's drama for the cable channel has been given the green light to produce a pilot. The untitled hour revolves around a secret society that pulls the strings on the world political stage and an analyst at a national think tank who discovers that his employers are not who they seem to be. Horwitch penned the pilot and is executive producing alongside Maurer. Production is set to begin in October.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [august 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· 24 (FOX)
· ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER? (NICKELODEON)
· CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR (FOX)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GARY UNMARRIED (CBS)
· HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS)
· HYPER-CHONDRIAC (NBC)
· RECOUNT (HBO)
· RISE OF THE GARGOYLES (SCI FI)
· RUBICON (AMC)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· SUPERNATURAL (CW)
· TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS (SYNDICATION)





[06/05/24 - 04:01 PM]
"Tamron Hall" Increases Week to Week in All Key Target Demos
"Tamron Hall" also posted its highest performance in Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 in more than 1 year.

[06/05/24 - 01:02 PM]
Academy Award-Winner Marion Cotillard Joins the Fourth Season of "The Morning Show"
Cotillard will star as Celine Dumont, a savvy operator from a storied European family.

[06/05/24 - 12:04 PM]
"The Voice" Announces Fan-Favorite Original Coach Adam Levine and Country Superstar Kelsea Ballerini, Making Her Debut, As They Join Returning Coaches, Music Heavyweights Michael Buble and John Legend
NBC's four-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series "The Voice" returns for season 27 in spring 2025 with an electrifying coaching panel.

[06/05/24 - 10:46 AM]
"College Hill: Celebrity Edition" Returns June 20th, Only on BET+
New semester - new celebrity crew hitting the books at Xavier University. We're going to see if they can balance academic life with the streets of the Big Easy.

[06/05/24 - 09:31 AM]
Video: "Desperate Lies" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Due to a rare phenomenon, a woman finds herself pregnant with twins by two men. Over time, she strives to keep her family united - and her secrets hidden.

[06/05/24 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Nat Geo Debuts Trailer for James Cameron's "OceanXplorers" in Celebration of World Ocean Day
The breathtaking series will premiere August 18 on National Geographic and all episodes will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

[06/05/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "The Mole" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
The unpredictable, high-stakes competition series is hosted by journalist Ari Shapiro.

[06/05/24 - 07:59 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Viewership Up Again
The June 2 edition featuring the St. Louis Cardinals at the Philadelphia Phillies averaged 1,653,000 viewers, up three percent from the comparable game last season.

[06/05/24 - 07:46 AM]
Paramount+ Renews Fan-Favorite Series "Criminal Minds: Evolution"
The upcoming season will premiere tomorrow, Thursday, June 6, exclusively on Paramount+.

[06/05/24 - 07:01 AM]
First Look at "Emily in Paris" Season 4
Just like Emily Cooper, the fashion is evolving and will be bolder than ever in Season 4.

[06/05/24 - 07:00 AM]
BritBox International and BBC Announce "Agatha Christie's Towards Zero," with A Star-Studded Cast
Academy Award-winning screen icon Anjelica Huston leads a stellar ensemble cast for the new three-part adaptation of "Towards Zero," now filming in Bristol and Devon.

[06/05/24 - 06:03 AM]
"Dexter: Original Sin" Adds James Martinez, Christina Milian, Alex Shimizu and Reno Wilson as Series Regulars for Highly Anticipated Prequel for Paramount+ with Showtime
Production commences today in Miami, with Emmy nominee Clyde Phillips returning as showrunner and executive producer.

[06/05/24 - 05:46 AM]
Peacock Reveals the Next All-Star Cast for the Third Season of Emmy Award Winning Reality Competition Series, "The Traitors"
The new season will be hosted again by the impossibly stylish and devastatingly witty Alan Cumming.

[06/04/24 - 04:02 PM]
Groundbreaking Japanese Romance Reality Series "The Boyfriend" Sets Sail on July 9
Over the course of a month, a group of men live under one roof and run a coffee truck together to connect and hopefully meet their one true boyfriend.

[06/04/24 - 04:01 PM]
New Cast Added to Mae Martin Thriller "Wayward" (fka "Tall Pines")
Said additions include Sydney Topliffe, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Patrick J. Adams, Patrick Gallagher and Josh Close.