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[05/06/03 - 12:00 AM] Pilot Update: May 6 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from various wire reports each morning:
THE ORTEGAS (FOX) - FOX has committed to 13 episodes of "The Ortegas," a comedy pilot originally developed by NBC. The Peacock had informed the producers of the series, Pariah TV and Hat Trick Productions, over the weekend that the project would not likely make the network's fall schedule. The pair was then permitted to shop the comedy around to other networks. The fact that it landed at FOX is no surprise as the network was in a heavy bidding war with NBC last summer for the rights to "The Kumars at No. 42," the British series upon which "The Ortegas" is based.
Newcomer Al Madrigal stars as a talkshow host whose studio happens to be in his family's backyard. Guests of his program then have to mingle with the Ortegas clan (which includes Cheech Marin). FOX has agreed to the same heavy provisions NBC promised to originally land the series, including covering the entire cost of producing the show as part of its license fee (an estimated $750,000 per episode).
ZILCH & ZERO (TNN/Spike TV) - The newly rebranded Spike TV has ordered a pilot for "Zilch & Zero," a Flash animated series from John Leguizamo. The project, a co-production by Spike TV and Rebel Films, will be written by Geoffrey Whalen and Scott McCauley with Leguizamo executive producing. Here's how the channel describes the series (via press release), which is being targeted for the network's upcoming animation block:
"Zilch and Zero are two best friends and comedic slackers who work in a video store and spend their day critiquing the latest films to come out on DVD. These characters are cinephiles and are consumed by movie trivia -- including anything and everything involved with the production of the flick -- right down to the dates, directors and even mishaps which occur on set. And, they love nothing more then reciting their favorite, over-the-top movie lines. ZILCH & ZERO is set in a small movie/video rental shop and features the two best friends in their daily life, which is full of hilarious interactions with friends and customers."
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[10/27/25 - 01:06 PM] ESPN and Sony's Beyond Sports Forge Expanded Agreement, Deepening ESPN's Commitment to Innovation and Audience Expansion with More Animated Telecasts With this new agreement, ESPN will produce animated telecasts for a NFL, NHL, NBA, and WNBA game across The Walt Disney Company and ESPN platforms during the 2025-26 season.
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[10/27/25 - 12:03 PM] Second-Most Viewed NBA Opening Week on ESPN Since 2014; "Inside the NBA" Averaged 1M Viewers in Its Opening Week Debut on ESPN Last week's NBA coverage averaged 2.2 million viewers.
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[10/27/25 - 11:53 AM] Video: Trailer and Key Art Debut - "Joy to the World" The film, starring Chad Michael Murray, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Ayesha Curry and more, premieres November 1 on Disney+ and Hulu.
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[10/27/25 - 11:18 AM] ESPN Updates NHL Exclusive Games for 2025-26 Season Five national exclusive games have been updated across ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu, beginning December 4 with the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets (ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu) at 7:30 p.m. ET.
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[10/27/25 - 11:03 AM] Wildlife Series, "Vantara: Sanctuary Stories," Hosted by Biologist and Adventurer Forrest Galante Premieres Friday, November 7 at 9PM ET/PT on Animal Planet Hosted by Forrest Galante, the six-episode series will take audiences on a visually stunning journey into Vantara, the world's largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility that offers lifelong care for some of the most magnificent animals on Earth.
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[10/27/25 - 10:01 AM] Video: "Paul McCartney: Man on the Run" - Official Teaser Trailer - Prime Video The documentary film from Morgan Neville will premiere on Prime Video in February 2026.
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[10/27/25 - 09:38 AM] Video: Tubi's "Sidelined 2: Intercepted" Reveals Trailer The sequel will focus on freshman star quarterback Drayton (Noah Beck) as he struggles with the weight of expectations after a devastating setback, while dancer Dallas (Siena Agudong) begins to question the future she thought she wanted.
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[10/27/25 - 09:34 AM] Date Announcement: Hulu Original Docuseries "Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth" The two-part docuseries will premiere in full on Monday, November 10 on Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, and Disney+ internationally.
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[10/27/25 - 09:00 AM] Video: Watch the All-New Promo for "Fear Factor: House of Fear" Hosted by Johnny Knoxville, the iconic reality competition "Fear Factor" is coming back bigger, bolder and more daring as "Fear Factor: House of Fear!"
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[10/27/25 - 08:30 AM] High-Octane Thriller "The Assassin" to Premiere Exclusively on AMC+ Thursday, November 20 The exhilarating six-episode series sees retired assassin Julie (Keeley Hawes) and her estranged son Edward (Freddie Highmore) forced to work together in a fight for survival, testing their dysfunctional relationship to its limits.
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[10/27/25 - 07:24 AM] ID Unpacks Stranger-Than-Fiction Colorado Case in "The Rocky Mountain Mortician Murder" The three-part docuseries, due November 26, unpacks the shocking case that rocked a small, close-knit Colorado community to its core.
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[10/27/25 - 07:00 AM] Paramount+ Set to Premiere Psychological Thriller "Little Disasters" on December 11 The series focuses on a decade-long friendship among Jess (Diane Kruger), Liz (Jo Joyner), Charlotte (Shelley Conn) and Mel (Emily Taaffe), four expectant mothers who were thrown together with little in common apart from their due dates but have been there for one another throughout motherhood.
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[10/27/25 - 06:02 AM] Video: "Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks" - Official Trailer - Peacock Original This three-part docuseries celebrates the history and legacy of Universal Destinations & Experiences.
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[10/27/25 - 04:01 AM] "City of Shadows," The New Netflix Thriller Arrives on December 12 A macabre crime has taken place at La Pedrera - Casa Milà: a burned body has been discovered on the façade of Gaudí's iconic building.
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[10/26/25 - 07:00 PM] HBO Max Announces Early Debut of "IT: Welcome to Derry" Episode Two in Celebration of Halloween The episode will also air on HBO on Sunday, November 2 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
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