or


[06/09/08 - 05:21 PM]
Development Update: Monday, June 9
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!


DIRT (FX) - The cable channel has officially pulled the plug on the Courtney Cox-led drama after two seasons. Just 1.06 million viewers turned into the show's final episode on April 13 (including a 0.6 rating/2 share in adults 18-49), literally a third of its premiere audience from 2007 (3.74 million viewers, 1.8 rating/5 share in adults 18-49). ABC Studios and FX Productions were behind the hour, which was executive produced by Matthew Carnahan, Joe Fields, David Arquette and Courtney Cox.


THE INSIDER (Syndication) - Lara Spencer has reupped her contract with the "Entertainment Tonight" spin-off. The new pact will see her move permanently from New York to Los Angeles for the show's fifth-season premiere on September 8. Said date also marks the show's switch to high definition as well as the debut of its new set. As for Spencer, she'll serve as the de facto anchor following former co-anchor Pat O'Brien's decision to reduce his duties to that of special correspondent (alongside Victoria Recano and Steven Cojocaru).


NEVER BETTER (ABC) - Jane Lynch ("Two and a Half Men") and Kathleen Rose Perkins ("Tell Me You Love Me") have both come aboard the comedy pilot, about Keith (Damon Wayans), a recovering alcoholic trying to be a good husband and father. Lynch is playing Linda, Keith's AA sponsor, while Perkins is set as Claire, an AA member who has a contentious relationship with Keith. They join the previously cast Matt Winston and Nicole Ari Parker in the ABC Studios-based half-hour. David Walpert penned the pilot script which Marc Buckland is directing.


THE PRINCE OF MOTOR CITY (ABC) - Morris Chestnut ("The Game Plan") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, a gothic family soap inspired by "Hamlet" that centers on Billy (Warren Christie), a young Harvard philosophy professor forced to return to Detroit to take over the family's auto company and reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, Meg (Piper Perabo). He'll play the recurring role of Leo Moore, who's detailed in the casting notice as: "32, African-American, gorgeous, gallant, and intelligent, he is Meg's boyfriend of over a year who works with Meg's father, Paul. Leo is crazy about Meg but senses unfinished business between Meg and Billy." Andie MacDowell, Aunjanue Ellis, Benny Ciaramello and John Carroll Lynch also star in the ABC Studios-based hour, which Jack Bender is directing from a script by Hamish Linklater and Jessica Goldberg.


SAMURAI GIRL (ABC Family) - Stacy Keibler ("What About Brian") has landed a role on the upcoming limited series, about a 19-year-old Japanese girl named Heaven (Jamie Chung) who sets out to take down her adopted father's evil empire. She'll play Heaven's rival and the ex-fiancee of her love interest, Jake (Brendan Fehr). Anthony Brandon Wong, Kenneth Choi, Kyle Labine, Saige Thompson, Darryl Quon and Steven Brand also star in the project, which was created by Luke McMullen. ABC Studios and Alloy Entertainment are co-producing.


SCREAM QUEENS (VH1, New!) - The cable channel's latest reality search will focus on 10 unknown actresses as they compete for a "major" role in an upcoming horror movie from Lionsgate Films. The project, which Lionsgate is producing alongside Joke Productions, will also feature the aforementioned actresses as they are schooled by acting coach John Homa while their skills and progress will be judged by a yet-to-be-named director. VH1 has committed to eight hourlong episodes of the series, which is being targeted for a fall launch. Joke Fincioen and Biagio Messina are the executive producers with Jim Ackerman, Dave Hamilton and Jeff Olde overseeing the project for VH1.


UNTITLED BOBBY LEE PROJECT (Comedy Central) - The Bobby Lee-led comedy has been given the green light to produce a pilot. Troy Miller ("Flight of the Conchords") has been tapped to direct and executive produce the half-hour, which focuses on the "Mad TV" veteran's point of view on living in a multicultural world. The pilot then will see Lee trying to bridge the racial divide between blacks and Koreans. Lee co-wrote the project alongside Dick Blasucci and Michael Hitchcock. The trio will also executive produce via Miller's Dakota Pictures banner.


THE UNUSUALS (ABC) - Amber Tamblyn ("Joan of Arcadia") is the latest addition to the pilot, a dramedy set at a New York police precinct. She'll play Casey Shraeger, a smart detective who also is the black sheep of her wealthy family. Adam Goldberg, Harold Perrineau and Monique Gabriela also star in the project, which comes from Sony Pictures Television and creator Noah Hawley. Stephen Hopkins is directing.


VIRTUALITY (FOX) - Joy Bryant, Sienna Guillory, Nelson Lee, Omar Metwally and Richie Coster have all joined the ensemble cast of the two-hour drama pilot, about Earth's first starship, which is equipped with advanced virtual reality modules. They'll play Alice Thibadeau, Rika Goddard, Kenji Yamaguchi, Dr. Eyal Meyer and Jimmy Johnson, respectively. The group joins the previously cast James D'Arcy, Jimmi Simpson and Kerry Bishe. Peter Berg is helming the Universal Media Studios-based project, which was created by Michael Taylor and Ronald D. Moore.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [june 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DIRT (FX)
· ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT (SYNDICATION)
· FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (HBO)
· INSIDER, THE (SYNDICATION)
· JOAN OF ARCADIA (CBS)
· NEVER BETTER (ABC)
· PRINCE OF MOTOR CITY, THE (ABC)
· SAMURAI GIRL (ABC FAMILY)
· SCREAM QUEENS (VH1)
· TELL ME YOU LOVE ME (HBO)
· TWO AND A HALF MEN (CBS)
· UNTITLED BOBBY LEE PROJECT (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· VIRTUALITY (FOX)
· WHAT ABOUT BRIAN (ABC)





[05/28/24 - 12:28 PM]
Latest Season of "Ugliest House in America" Starring Actress and Comedian Retta Delivers Solid Ratings for HGTV
The latest season, which debuted on Monday, April 22, attracted more than 10 million total viewers.

[05/28/24 - 12:12 PM]
Bravo's "Summer House" Two-Part Reunion Begins Thursday, June 6 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Extended and uncensored versions of the shocking reunion will be available to stream next day on Peacock.

[05/28/24 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Back to 15" - Official Teaser - Netflix Brazil
Maisa, Larissa Manoela, Klara Castanho and João Guilherme take a tour of the new set for the third season.

[05/28/24 - 10:09 AM]
MGM+ Series "Godfather of Harlem" Adds Emmy Award-Winning Actor Rome Flynn as Recurring Guest Star
Flynn will portray Frank Lucas, a country boy from North Carolina who ventured to Harlem and, after initial friction with gangster Bumpy Johnson, eventually rose to become Bumpy's fierce defender and right-hand man.

[05/28/24 - 09:39 AM]
Netflix Top 10: "Bridgerton" Continues Its Reign; "Atlas" Debuts at #1
Making their list debuts were the kids animated series "Jurassic World: Chaos Theory" in sixth place (3.8M views), the Shane Gillis comedy "Tires" in seventh (3.8M views), and the reality series "Buying London" in tenth place (1.9M views).

[05/28/24 - 09:30 AM]
New HBO Original Series "City of God: The Fight Rages On" Premieres This August on Max
This new six-episode Brazilian production takes place two decades after the events of the highly acclaimed film "City of God."

[05/28/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Follow the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders from auditions to training camp and the NFL season as they chase their dreams and a coveted spot on the squad.

[05/28/24 - 08:47 AM]
Adult Swim Unveils Programming Plans for Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Adult Swim will screen the entire first episode of the highly anticipated new series "Common Side Effects" exclusively at Annecy.

[05/28/24 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "Savage Beauty" Season 2 - Official Teaser - Netflix
With the face of Bhengu Beauty on the run, the family wrestles over control of their empire as they each fight for their own future.

[05/27/24 - 02:04 PM]
108th Indianapolis 500 Averages 5.344 Million Viewers on NBC and Peacock; Up 8% vs. 2023
The race is also the most-streamed IndyCar race ever, with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 286,000 viewers across Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms.

[05/27/24 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "Kubra" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
With new powers - and new problems - will Gökhan lead his followers to salvation or damnation?

[05/26/24 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Hierarchy" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The top 0.01% of students control law and order at Jooshin High School, but a secretive transfer student chips a crack in their indomitable world.

[05/24/24 - 11:17 PM]
Development Update: Week of May 20-24
Updates include the cancellations of Max's "The Girls on the Bus"; Freevee's "High School" and "Primo"; The CW's "The Spencer Sisters" and "Walker"; as well as Apple's "Still Up."

[05/24/24 - 01:01 PM]
For the 3rd Year Straight, "20/20" Is Friday's No. 1 Newsmagazine for the Broadcast Season Across Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54
"20/20" grew its overall audience versus the 2022-2023 broadcast season (+1%/+40,000 - 3.882 million vs. 3.842 million).

[05/24/24 - 11:53 AM]
#1 Show of the Night "Elsbeth" Finale Up +12% from Its Season-to-Date Average
CBS won Thursday night for the 13th consecutive week averaging 3.63 million viewers.