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[06/26/08 - 05:04 PM] Development Update: Thursday, June 26 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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!
DAMAGES (FX) - Timothy Olyphant ("Deadwood") is the latest addition to the show's second season cast. He'll play a man who becomes entangled in the life of Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) as she deals with her boss, Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), when the firm takes a new client (William Hurt). No other specifics about his character were released.
PRINCE OF MOTOR CITY (ABC) - Daniel Zacapa, Aidan Quinn and Rutger Hauer have all landed roles on the drama pilot, a gothic family soap inspired by "Hamlet" that centers on Billy Hamilton (Warren Christie), a young Harvard philosophy professor forced to return to Detroit to take over the family's auto company after his father's death. Hauer will play the recurring role of Billy's late father, William Hamilton, who's detailed in the casting notice as follows: "Late 50s-70, Caucasian, he is Billy's uber wealthy, powerful late father (known as "the John Wayne of the auto industry") who died in an accident at the old East Foundry Factory. When he was alive, he ran the Hamilton Motor Plant in Detroit, and was directly responsible for the livelihood of 50,000 of people. Though Billy remembers him as difficult and cold, William was apparently supporting the dreams and aspirations of many of his workers, including Marty Korman, by sending their kids to schools they could never otherwise afford."
Quinn then is set as Charlie Hamilton - "Late 40s-50s, Caucasian, classically handsome, he is William's overshadowed younger brother who has worked for Hamilton Motors without complaint for many years. He and William weren't exactly close, but Charlie gets along well with William's estranged son, Billy, who always looked up to him. Charlie, who has plans to make Hamilton more eco-friendly, considers the company and factory workers to all be family, and it's this inclusive attitude that causes Billy to appoint Charlie as the head of Hamilton Motors." - with Zacapa as Marty Korman (also recurring) - "Late 40s-50s, a factory worker who is warm and very blue collar and suffers from high cholesterol, he is Josh's father who lets Billy crash at his house when he's in town for his father's funeral. Marty reveals that despite his "Iron Fist" reputation, Billy's father William was extraordinarily generous, and the person responsible for Josh's law school education." Andie MacDowell, Aunjanue Ellis, Benny Ciaramello, John Carroll Lynch and Piper Perabo also star in the ABC Studios-based hour, which also features Morris Chestnut and Sharon Lawrence. Jack Bender is directing from a script by co-creators Hamish Linklater and Jessica Goldberg.
PUSHING DAISIES (ABC) - Barry Sonnenfeld has inked a new one-year deal with Sony Pictures Television. The pact calls for Sonnenfeld to develop new scripted projects for the studio. In addition, Sony will be given access to all of Sonnenfeld's unscripted development on a first-look basis as well as be given first position for any of his directing duties. He'll also remain attached to helm the studio-based pilot "The Kingdom," which is still looking for a network home. Said deal won't affect his duties on the Warner Bros. Television-based "Daisies" where he remains an executive producer and his helming commitment to the HBO pilot "Suburban Shootout."
THE STARTER WIFE (USA) - Hart Bochner and Brielle Barbusca have joined the cast of the Debra Messing-led series while Alia Shawkat, Krista Allen, Ronny Cox, James Black, Reggie Austin and Daniel Gerroll have all landed recurring roles. Bochner will play Zach (formerly known as Lanny), whom the casting notice describes as follows: "42-52. A handsome man who sports the writers' uniform of jeans, sneakers, t-shirt and blazer. He leads a workshop for very serious writers but likes his blonde bimbos like every other separated man. If Molly weren't so appropriate for him "he'd be all over her." He keeps her off-balance - does he like her for her body or her writing?" Barbusca then is set as Jaden Kagan, the daughter of Messing's character - "7 and cognitive. She is Kenny and Molly's daughter, a sweet little girl who's growing up among the off-spring of Hollywood's elite. She pesters her mom for an iPhone (because all her friends have one) and later is heard telling her friend how to barter for better lunches." Bethany Whitmore played said role in the original limited series.
As for the other roles, Austin is playing Devon, the husband of Danielle Nicolet's character: "Early 30's. Handsome, fit, spiritual and somewhat superstitious African-American shortstop for the L.A. Dodgers. Like his high school sweetheart/wife, Chantal, Devon grew up poor in the Bronx. Recently drafted to the Dodgers from the Yankees for an ungodly salary, Devon is obsessed with his game, which seems to suffer whenever Chantal is in the stands. The wealth and perks are beside the point for him. Ultimately he is willing to move out of the house to get away from his wife to protect his game." Next up is Gerroll as David Shea: "Early 50s. Famous British movie director who makes his home in California. A Ladies' Man and a Guy's Guy, charming, attractive, witty and an absolute wreck of an abusive anti-Semitic chauvinist pig when arrested for drunk driving. He winds up in rehab and having an affair with Joan." Details about the other actors' roles weren't released. They all join returning cast members Judy Davis, Chris Diamantopoulos and special guest star Joe Mantegna.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[06/09/26 - 02:03 PM] Second Season of FX's "Adults" Premieres August 27 on FXX and Hulu The laugh-out-loud second season will feature special guest appearances by Susie Essman, Raven-Symoné, Gaten Matarazzo, Jake Shane, Isaac Powell, Ben Marshall, Zosia Mamet and more.
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[06/09/26 - 12:34 PM] Explorer Josh Gates Returns with an Action-Packed New Season of "Expedition Unknown" Wednesday, June 24 on Discovery Channel From far-flung jungles and remote waters to vast, unexplored caves, Gates pursues his boldest missions yet, hunting for vanished civilizations, diving deep to document lost wartime wrecks, and chasing groundbreaking evidence behind the world's most compelling mysteries.
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[06/09/26 - 12:01 PM] Netflix Top 10: Week of June 1 - "Office Romance" Sneaks to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10 Plus: "Michael Jackson: The Verdict" has grabbed viewers' attention, landing at No. 1 on the English TV list with 17.8 million views.
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[06/09/26 - 11:01 AM] Critically Acclaimed Olivier and Tony Award-Winning "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" Extends for a Final Time Both in the West End and on Broadway Nearly 1.6 million tickets have been sold across the West End and Broadway, with over 1,500 total performances.
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[06/09/26 - 10:37 AM] "Honest Renovations" Season 4 Streaming on The Roku Channel on August 15, 2026 Jessica Alba and Lizzy Mathis renovate the homes of deserving families.
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[06/09/26 - 10:29 AM] May Continues ESPN Studio Shows' Year-Long Viewership Success Combined, all ESPN studio shows were up 27 percent in viewership over May of 2025 and up 11% year-over-year (YOY) among younger viewers in the Persons ages 18-49 demographic.
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[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM] First Look & Date Announcement: Hulu Original "Furious" "Furious" premieres on July 27 with three episodes on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
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[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM] HBO Original Documentary "Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story" Debuts June 30 Before the internet and the ubiquity of social media influencers, there was Robin Byrd - the spirited, anything-goes New York City public access host, clad only in her signature black crochet bikini.
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[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM] ESPN Delivers Most-Watched NCAA DI Women's College World Series on Record The WCWS Finals, featuring Texas and Texas Tech, averaged 2.2 million viewers as the Longhorns claimed their second-straight national championship in the two-game series.
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[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM] "Celebrity Family Feud" Season 12 Key Art and Contestant Reveal The new season will premiere Thursday, July 9 at 8 P.M. EDT on ABC and streams next day on Hulu.
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[06/09/26 - 10:00 AM] Video: Disney+ Drops Official Trailer for Supernatural Animated Series "The Doomies," Premiering June 26 When best friends Bobby and Romy accidentally open a portal to evil, their tranquil coastal town transforms into a hotspot for terrifying creatures of doom.
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[06/09/26 - 09:28 AM] FOX Entertainment Global Secures International Sales for Breakout U.S. Series "Best Medicine" Leading the international rollout, Best Medicine will premiere exclusively on Sky and streaming service NOW in the UK and Ireland, starting on Tuesday, June 9.
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[06/09/26 - 09:01 AM] Teyana Taylor to Receive the Icon of the Year Award at the "BET Awards" 2026 Sponsored by Hyundai A true creative force, Teyana Taylor has evolved from a multiplatinum singer-songwriter into an award-winning actress, visionary director, producer, choreographer, and fashion-forward style icon.
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[06/09/26 - 08:04 AM] Video: Apple TV Debuts Delightful Trailer for "Camp Snoopy" Season Two, Premiering Globally Friday, June 26 In season two, Snoopy and the Beagle Scouts are looking forward to carefree time in the majestic landscape of Camp Spring Lake.
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[06/09/26 - 08:03 AM] Now Streaming - "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show" on Hulu Hulu is bringing the energy and spectacle the "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show" to audiences nationwide, with the special now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S.
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