or


[01/10/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: January 10
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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

DA VINCI'S INQUEST (CBC) - Thunderbird Films and Program Partners are looking to import repeats of the Canadian crime drama, currently airing its seventh season, to U.S. audiences. The pair will showcase "Inquest," which stars Nicholas Campbell as a coroner who works with homicide detectives, forensic investigators and pathologists to bring murderers to justice, at the annual NATPE convention in Las Vegas later this month. Program Partners' Ritch Colbert told Daily Variety: "There's a huge appetite by cable networks in the States like Spike, USA, A&E and TNT for these kinds of series." 87 episodes have aired to date on CBC.

GAYS ON STRIKE (A&E, New!) - Stephen Mazur ("Liar Liar") is set to write a new original movie for the cable channel. The project, which is being likened in tone to the feature film "In & Out," centers on a young gay couple who inadvertently spark a strike by every gay person in America to protest for their right to get married. No other details were given about "Strike," which is set up at Storyline Entertainment ("Chicago," "The Reagans").

IN THE GAME (ABC) - Christine Baranski ("Happy Family") is the latest addition to the cast of the midseason comedy, which also stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alyson Hannigan and Ed O'Neill. Baranski will play the senior reporter on the fictional sports show that's the focus of the series. Baranski had been attached to the FOX midseason comedy pilot "Spellbound" which apparently will not go forward to series. Touchstone Television and Handprint Entertainment are behind "Game," which is executive produced by Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs.

THE LANCE KRALL SHOW (Spike TV, New!) - The cable channel has committed to eight episodes of a new improv series featuring "The Joe Schmo Show" alum Lance Krall and his comedy troupe, the Whole World Theater. Krall played "Kip, the Gay Guy" on "Schmo's" first season. Production has been completed on all eight half-hours of the series, which features everything from man-on-the-street segments to crank calls, with Krall himself writing and directing each installment. Sarah Baker, Phil Cater, Annie Humphrey, Rob Poynter, Michael Sweeney, Loren Tarquinio and Anna Vocino also star in the project, which was executive produced by Krall and his manager Rory Rosegarten. "Krall" reportedly will be paired with Spike's signature Thursday series "MXC" beginning in the spring however no firm dates have been set.

LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY/WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE (Syndication) - Buena Vista Television has confirmed both syndicated series have been cleared in at least 60% of the country through the 2007-08 season. The news means each project is a go for three additional seasons.

THE MOUNTAIN (The WB) - As expected, the Frog confirmed over the weekend the freshman drama has been officially canceled. "The Mountain" averaged a paltry 1.92 million viewers over the course of its 13-episode run with only the reality entry "Big Man on Campus" (1.86 million on average) faring worse overall this season for the network.

THE SOPRANOS (HBO) - Taking a cue from its successful sale of "Sex and the City" to TBS and local stations across the country, HBO has begun talks to sell repeats of the show's six season run to basic cable networks starting in the fall of 2006. It's understood TNT, A&E, Spike TV, USA, FX and Lifetime are among the networks the pay channel is targeting. While TBS paid a relatively modest $450,000 per episode for "Sex," HBO hopes to sell "The Sopranos" for as much as $1.8 million per episode. The pay channel however had similar hopes for "Sex," but had to settle for the six-figure license fee once all was said and done. Like "Sex," HBO already has edited versions of the series in the can but it's likely even more cuts will be done to avoid FCC scrutiny. Industry insiders however say the show's serialized nature means a hefty seven-figure per episode fee is extremely unlikely. Twentieth Television recently sold FOX's serialized drama "24" for a modest $250,000 per episode to A&E while stand-alone fare such as "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" earned a blockbuster $1.92 million between USA and Bravo.

THE TONY DANZA SHOW (Syndication) - Buena Vista Television reportedly is close to ordering a second season of the freshman syndie talk show. So far stations in 90 markets have agreed to carry the series through the 2005-06 season, good enough for a 60% clearance rate. Buena Vista nevertheless hasn't given the firm go ahead. Among the stations reupping were WABC New York, WPVI Philadelphia and KGO San Francisco, three of ABC's largest affiliates.

UNTITLED BARRY LEVINSON/TOM FONTANA PROJECT (The WB, New!) - Longtime collaborators Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson ("Oz," "Homicide: Life on the Street") have booked themselves a new drama pilot, this time at the Frog. The project, which focuses on the lives of New York City college students enrolled in a course about human sexuality and behavior, is set up at HBO Independent Productions and will shoot in New York City. "Homicide" scribe Julie Martin co-created the series with Fontana and will co-write the pilot script. Fontana, Martin, Levinson and Jim Finnerty will then serve as executive producers of the project.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· 24 (FOX)
· BEDFORD DIARIES, THE (WB)
· BIG MAN ON CAMPUS (WB)
· GAYS ON STRIKE (A AND E)
· HAPPY FAMILY (NBC)
· IN THE GAME (2004 VERSION) (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2005 VERSION) (ABC)
· JOE SCHMO SHOW, THE (SPIKE TV)
· LANCE KRALL SHOW, THE (SPIKE TV)
· LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (USA)
· LIVE WITH KELLY AND MARK (SYNDICATION)
· MOUNTAIN, THE (WB)
· MXC (SPIKE TV)
· OZ (HBO)
· REAGANS, THE (SHOWTIME)
· SEX AND THE CITY (HBO)
· SOPRANOS, THE (HBO)
· SPELLBOUND (FOX)
· TONY DANZA SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)
· WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE (SYNDICATION)





[04/25/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Earnhardt" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
Start your engines. "Earnhardt" premieres May 22 on Prime Video.

[04/25/25 - 09:12 AM]
One Hell of A Week in New York City with "The Walking Dead: Dead City" Beginning Sunday, April 27 through Wednesday, April 30
AMC is partnering with iconic NYC establishments and events, including the Empire State Building, Citi Field, the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon, PopUp Bagels and more, featuring merchandise giveaways and the show's iconic Walkers.

[04/25/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Sirens" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Worried about her sister's too-close relationship with her billionaire boss, a scrappy everywoman seeks answers at a lavish seaside estate.

[04/25/25 - 08:00 AM]
Peacock Sets Streaming Debut Dates for Focus Features' "Black Bag" and Universal Pictures' "Love Hurts"
Steven Soderbergh's "Black Bag" streams exclusively on Peacock beginning May 2; while Jonathan Eusebio's "Love Hurts" is due on May 9.

[04/24/25 - 01:04 PM]
Saddle Up! New Docuseries "Not Her First Rodeo" Lands at Hulu and Freeform
From ABC News Studios, "Not Her First Rodeo" is a six-part docuseries inside the adrenaline-fueled world of professional bull riding.

[04/24/25 - 12:12 PM]
Jeffrey Dean Morgan Asks Where the X Am I? in NBC's New Travel Competition Series "Destination X," Premiering Tuesday, May 27 at 10 P.M. ET/PT
Viewers can catch an exclusive sneak peek of the series after the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3 at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT and MT, and 7:30 p.m. PT on NBC.

[04/24/25 - 12:00 PM]
"Yellowjackets" Sets Record with Most Watched Season in Series History on Paramount+ with Showtime
The series is now the number two most-streamed global Showtime original ever, only behind "Dexter: Original Sin."

[04/24/25 - 11:00 AM]
The "83rd Annual Golden Globes" to Air Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, on CBS
Nominations for the Golden Globes will be announced on Monday, December 8.

[04/24/25 - 10:31 AM]
Video: "Football Parents" - Official Teaser - Netflix
When it comes to their children's amateur football careers, this group of parents has no shame, no chill - and a peculiar sense of team spirit.

[04/24/25 - 10:30 AM]
FOX Unveils Its Summer 2025 Schedule, Featuring New and Returning Unscripted Series and All-New Episodes of "Animation Domination" Favorites
Look for new episodes of "Bob's Burgers," "Grimsburg," "Family Guy" and "The Great North" beginning Thursday, May 29.

[04/24/25 - 10:14 AM]
Love, Desire, and Shocking Twists in TLC's New Series, "90 Day: Hunt for Love"
Set in Tulum, Mexico, these love-hungry alums have loved, lost and learned a few lessons along the way.

[04/24/25 - 10:04 AM]
New Season of "Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan" Premieres Friday, May 9 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
With gold prices surging to new records, the modern-day rush is on.

[04/24/25 - 10:01 AM]
Oxygen True Crime's "Unknown Serial Killers of America" Premieres Sunday, May 18 at 7 P.M. ET/PT
Each hour-long episode of "Unknown Serial Killers of America" profiles the horrific stories of these unconscionable criminals, and delves into what transformed them into evil monsters.

[04/24/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Love Death + Robots" Volume 4 - Official Trailer - Netflix
The Emmy-winning anthology of twisted tales from strange worlds returns, with stories featuring MrBeast and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

[04/24/25 - 10:01 AM]
"Saturday Night Live" Closes Out Milestone 50th Season with Three Back-to-Back Shows in May
Walton Goggins and Scarlett Johansson will follow the previously announced Quinta Brunson as hosts.