or


[08/19/03 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: August 19
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:

THE CUT (ABC, New!) - Writer Jason Cahill ("The Sopranos") and director Gregory Hoblit ("Hart's War") have landed a script commitment for a new drama series targeted for fall 2004. The duo will serve as executive producers on the Paramount Television-based project along with actress/producer Debrah Farentino. The ensemble drama focuses on the personal lives and professional struggles of first-year med students in Boston. Farentino, who is married to Hoblit, is credited with coming up with the premise for the series after hearing stories from her friends who teach at the UCLA Medical School.

ER (NBC) - Former "Freaks & Geeks" star Linda Cardellini has joined the cast of the long-running medical drama. She'll play Samantha Taggart, a 25-year-old nurse who's also a single mom. The addition was the result of a talent deal the actress signed with executive producer John Wells. Her first appearance is set for the fifth episode this season.

EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (CBS) - The strife on the set of the CBS comedy continued this week as actress Patricia Heaton returned to work yesterday only to see co-stars Doris Roberts and Peter Boyle call in sick. Roberts cited a leg injury for her absence, while Boyle's reason was unknown, however he has a history of health problems. The news comes shortly after Brad Garrett's decision to hold out from working in order to try and renegotiate his contract. Heaton, Boyle and Roberts (all of whom are repped by the same attorney) have all reportedly expressed similar disastifaction with their current salaries and are not happy with co-creators Ray Romano and Phil Rosenthal's expected decision to end the series after the upcoming season. While it's entirely possible all of this is coincidental, CBS and the producers of the series are taking the news quite seriously. Roberts and Boyle's no-show will already push production back even further and it's not clear when they will return.

THE SIMPSONS (FOX) - Hank Azaria has won this year's Emmy for voiceover performance, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced Monday. He was recognized for his work on last season's episode "Moe Baby Blues," in which bartender Moe takes a shine to baby Maggie. The news marks Azaria's fourth Emmy win: he won two previously in the voiceover category and one for supporting actor in the ABC telefilm "Tuesdays With Morrie." The voiceover category is a juried decision, hence there are no other nominees. Azaria will be recognized at next month's Creative Arts Emmy ceremony.

UNTITLED HOLLOW MEN PROJECT (Comedy Central, New!) - Dave Foley has signed on to executive produce a pilot for the cable channel featuring the British sketch comedy group the Hollow Men. Foley will assemble a writing staff and provide advise on sketch lineups for the potential series. The group caught Foley's attention during a May showcase at the Comedy Central Stage in Los Angeles. John Moffitt ("Mr. Show") has also signed on to executive produce the project and will direct the in-studio pieces of the pilot while commercials director Danny Boyle will helm the remotes.

THE WEST WING (NBC) - Gary Cole ("The Brady Bunch Movie") is all set as the new vice president on the Peacock's drama series. He'll play Robert "Bingo Bob" Russell, a Colorado congressman who's appointed to the vacant position and immediately puts into action a few unconventional ideas. His character is expected to make several appearances this season with his first being the show's third installment this year. Cole takes over the VP role from Tim Matheson's character, John Hoynes, who resigned over a sex scandal late last season.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [august 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· CUT, THE (ABC)
· ER (NBC)
· EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (CBS)
· FREAKS & GEEKS (NBC)
· HOLLOW MEN, THE (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· OPRAH WINFREY PRESENTS: TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE (ABC)
· SIMPSONS, THE (FOX)
· SOPRANOS, THE (HBO)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)





[10/15/25 - 01:01 PM]
Season 2 Announcement - "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Deathwatch"
In this first-ever adaptation of the acclaimed stealth video game franchise, legendary agent Sam Fisher is drawn back into the field when a wounded young operative seeks out his help.

[10/15/25 - 01:01 PM]
Video: Apple TV Debuts First Look at "Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age," Featuring the Playful Snow Sloths of the Pleistocene
Narrated by Golden Globe and Olivier Award winner Tom Hiddleston, with an original score by Hans Zimmer, Anže Rozman, and Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, the five-part series premieres globally on Apple TV on November 26.

[10/15/25 - 12:30 PM]
Follow Chris Hemsworth and His Father, Craig, on a Deeply Emotional Road Trip Back in Time in "Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember"
The one-hour special premieres Sunday, November 23 at 9:00/8:00c on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

[10/15/25 - 12:01 PM]
Next on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN - November 2025
Highlights include the premiere of Hulu's "All's Fair"; the return of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"; and the debut of "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" on Disney+.

[10/15/25 - 11:14 AM]
"OWN For the Holidays" Returns for Its Seventh Year with Three Festive New Movies
"Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Christmas Showdown," and "Very Merry Mystery" will premiere on successive Saturdays beginning November 29.

[10/15/25 - 11:01 AM]
National Geographic Documents Athlete Jim Morrison's Unprecedented, Historic Ski Descent on North Face of Mount Everest on October 15, 2025
National Geographic Documentary Films once again teams with Oscar and BAFTA Award-winning directors Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin to film the exhilarating and heartbreaking odyssey for the upcoming documentary "Everest North" (wt).

[10/15/25 - 11:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces New Stand-Up Comedy Special "Kathleen Madigan - The Family Thread"
The one-hour special will premiere November 21 on Prime Video.

[10/15/25 - 10:01 AM]
"His & Hers" - Official First Look & Date Announcement
From visionary filmmaker William Oldroyd, this six-episode, twisty psychological thriller is adapted from Alice Feeney's novel of the same name and stars Tessa Thompson (who also executive produces) and Jon Bernthal.

[10/15/25 - 10:01 AM]
HBO and Raw Are in Production on a Documentary Series About the Epic Release of a Famous Whale
The series, directed by Becky Read, will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

[10/15/25 - 09:37 AM]
Viaplay November 2025 Exclusive U.S. Premieres: "Vanguard"; "Meaning of Life," Season 2; "A Life's Worth"
"Vanguard" is a five-part, award-winning drama series featuring high-stakes deals, groundbreaking innovation, and fierce family rivalries.

[10/15/25 - 09:14 AM]
MGM+ Greenlights "Bosch: Start of Watch," A New Prequel Series to the Iconic Detective Franchise
The series stars Cameron Monaghan as rookie cop Harry Bosch and Omari Hardwick as veteran officer Eli Bridges.

[10/15/25 - 09:13 AM]
"Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films" to Premiere Exclusively on Disney+ November 7
The two-part documentary provides a fascinating glimpse into the making of the Oscar-winning box office phenomenon "Avatar: The Way of Water" and a first look at the upcoming "Avatar: Fire and Ash," features exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, concept art, and interviews with cast and filmmakers.

[10/15/25 - 09:05 AM]
Video: NBC Releases Official Season 2 Trailer for Comedy Series "St. Denis Medical"
The series returns Monday, November 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC with back-to-back episodes and will be available to stream on Peacock.

[10/15/25 - 09:02 AM]
Sirens On: BAFTA-Winning "Blue Lights" Returns to BritBox for Explosive Third Season
Other November highlights include "Belgravia," "Friday Night Dinner," and "Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators."

[10/15/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "All's Fair" - Meet the Women of All's Fair - Hulu
Starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close, "All's Fair" tells the story of a team of fierce female divorce attorneys who leave a male-dominated firm to start their own.