[08/14/12 - 11:15 PM] Development Update: Tuesday, August 14 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!
GETTING ON (HBO, New!) - "Big Love" creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer are back in business with the pay channel, this time for a comedy based on the BBC Four series of the same name about "put-upon nurses, anxious doctors and administrators as they struggle with the darkly comic, brutally honest and quietly compassionate realities of caring for the elderly in an overwhelmed healthcare system." BBC Worldwide Productions is behind the half-hour, which has a pilot order. BBC Worldwide Productions is producing alongside Olsen and Scheffer's Anima Sola Productions banner. Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner and Geoff Atkinson also serve as executive producers with Lisa Bellomo producing. (Deadline.com)HANNIBAL (NBC) - Lara Jean Chorostecki ("Copper") has joined the cast of the drama, a contemporary take on the Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) characters from Thomas Harris's novels. She'll play sleazy tabloid reporter Freddie Lounds, a role originated on the big screen by Stephen Lang in 1986's "Manhunter" and Philip Seymour Hoffman in 2002's "Red Dragon." Caroline Dhavernas also stars as Dr. Alana Bloom with Laurence Fishburne as Jack Crawford. Bryan Fuller is behind the Gaumont International Television-based hour, the pilot for which is being directed by David Slade. (TVLine.com)LOW WINTER SUN (AMC) - Lennie James ("Hung") is the latest to score a role on the drama pilot, a contemporary story of murder, deception, revenge and corruption in a world where the line between cops and criminals is blurred. He'll play Joe, "who is described as part cop, part perp," in the AMC Studios-based hour, which also stars Athena Karkanis, James Ransone, Mark Strong and Ruben Santiago Hudson. Chris Mundy penned the script while Ernest Dickerson is in talks to direct. (Deadline.com)UNTITLED LAGRAVENESE & GOLDWYN PROJECT (AMC) - Joe Anderson ("The River") has signed onto the drama pilot, about Adam Powell, a District Attorney who uncovers new evidence that prompts the reinvestigation of a sensational murder case. He'll play Terry Kaminski, "a man of Polish descent convicted of a crime." Marin Ireland stars in the fellow AMC Studios-based hour, which Tony Goldwyn is helming off a script by Richard LaGravenese. (Deadline.com)AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Blair Underwood has inked a talent holding deal with Universal Television, where the studio-based Tagline Television will develop a potential project for the actor (Deadline.com); Disney Channel staple Debra Martin Chase has signed a two-year overall deal with sibling ABC Studios (Deadline.com); Bob Odenkirk will return to "How I Met Your Mother" as Marshall's former boss Arthur Hobbs (TVLine.com); Kathryn Erbe is set to reprise her "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" role of Alexandra Eames on "SVU" this season (TVLine.com); Tommy Dewey is bound for "The Mindy Project" as "a successful lawyer who isn't afraid to go after things he likes when he sees them" while NBA stars Amar'e Stoudemire, Baron Davis and Danny Granger will play themselves in the show's fourth episode (EW.com,TVLine.com);
Sheryl Lee Ralph will guest on "Smash" as the mother of Jennifer Hudson's character (Vulture.com); Rachel Dratch is bound for "Up All Night" as "a Valley Copies employee and fan of Maya Rudolph's Ava who is overjoyed when she's given some special Ava Show memorabilia" (THR.com); Vernee Watson and Tom Wright will visit newcomer "Ben & Kate" as the parents of Echo Kellum's Tommy (THR.com); Emily Procter will appear in two episodes of "White Collar" as a "highly ambitious and pragmatic Assistant Special Agent" brought in to shake up the office (TVGuide.com); Enrique Murciano and Wendy Moniz have both booked arcs on ABC's "666 Park Avenue"(TVGuide.com); and Grammy-winner Emilio Estefan has signed a development deal with 20th Century Fox Television (Deadline.com).
[06/19/13 - 01:39 PM] TNT Bumps Newcomer "72 Hours" to Friday Nights The reality competition series, which had been airing on Thursdays at 9:00/8:00c, will relocate to Fridays effective immediately.
[06/19/13 - 12:17 PM] ESPN to Present World Series of Poker Main Event To kick off ESPN's WSOP coverage, the inaugural World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific Main Event Final Table will air on Tuesday, July 23.
