or


[01/18/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: January 17-18
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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

DANCE NATION (FOX, New!) - "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller and "American Bandstand" legend Dick Clark are looking to team with FOX for a new primetime dance competition series which looks to crown one person (or a couple) the best dancer(s) in the country. No format details however have been released as it's not exactly clear how the series would work. More than likely contestants will be asked to learn a particular style of dance each week and compete in a live contest, with viewers or celebrity judges making the eliminations. The project is set up at Clark's Mandalay Mosaic Media Group-based production company and Fuller's 19 Entertainment with the pair executive producing. It's also not clear if "Dance" is related in any way to Fuller and Clark's also-in-the-works revival of "American Bandstand" (read the story).

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS PRE-SHOWS - In the battle of the cable pre-shows, E!'s "Live From the Red Carpet," hosted by Star Jones Reynolds, averaged a 2.12 metered-market household rating, double that of Joan and Melissa Rivers' coverage on the TV Guide Channel (1.06 metered-market household rating).

IN JUSTICE (ABC, New!) - Writer/producers Robert & Michelle King ("The Vertical Limit") have booked a pilot order at the Alphabet and Touchstone Television for a new drama about a group of impassioned lawyers who aid the wrongly convicted. Stu Bloomberg is also on board to executive produce the project with the Kings.

IN THE GAME (ABC) - Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has opted out of joining the cast of the Jennifer Love Hewitt-led comedy as Sara Gilbert ("Roseanne") has been brought in to replace her. No reason for the change was given. Gilbert's character will also now be listed only as a guest star and not a series regular.

LENNIE ROSE (ABC, New!) - Krista Vernoff ("Wonderfalls") and Ken Olin ("Alias") have received a cast-contingent pilot order from ABC for a new dramedy about a single woman trying to find love and make it big in New York. Touchstone Television is behind the project.

NIGHT STALKER (ABC) - Frank Spotnitz's revival of the 1970s cult series has been given the green light to produce a pilot by ABC. The project, which is set up at Touchstone Television, is the result of Spotnitz's overall deal at the studio (read the story). "Stalker" revolves around a hardboiled journalist's investigations into freakish occurrences.

SOCCER MOMS (ABC) - Don Todd ("life as we know it") and Marla Ginsburg's ("Highlander: The Series") drama project has been given a cast-contigent pilot order. The project, which is set up at Touchstone Television, revolves around two suburban housewives who team up as private investigators.

SUPER BOWL XXXIX COMMERCIALS (NFL Network, New!) - Those only interested in the Super Bowl's commericals can avoid the game entirely and check out "Super Bowl XXXIX Commercials," a half-hour special airing on the cable network that consists of all the spots that ran during the game on FOX. The special will air right after the game (at approximately 10:00/9:00c) on Sunday, February 6 as well as replay the following night at 6:30/5:30c as well as twice on February 8 (times TBA).

SUPERNATURAL (The WB) - David Nutter ("Smallville") has come aboard to direct and executive produce the drama project, which has been given the green light to produce a pilot. Writer/producer Eric Kripke ("Tarzan") created the project, which is set up at McG and Stephanie Savage's Warner Bros. Television-based Wonderland Sound and Vision, and will executive produce along with Nutter, McG and Savage. "Supernatural" revolves around two brothers who travel the country hunting down supernatural beings.

TILT (ESPN) - The cable channel's second original drama series posted 2.0 million viewers (1.60 household rating) for its debut on Thursday. Said numbers were down 23% from the opener to its previous original "Playmakers" (2.6 million viewers, 2.41 household rating) but up significantly from the network's Thursday, 9:00/8:00c time period average.

TRU CALLING (FOX) - As long expected, FOX topper Gail Berman confirmed at the network's session at the TCA Winter Press Tour the series has been axed. FOX nevertheless hopes to run the completed episodes in the future: "We finished six episodes of 'Tru Calling,' and we anticipate putting them on air at some point," Berman told reporters. As for why the show got cut, Berman said: "What changed for us was when we saw 'Point Pleasant,' we really felt we had a show that was incredibly compatible with 'The O.C.' So our thoughts changed, not so much about 'Tru Calling,' but the possibility of not only having an exciting show and a winner at 8 o'clock, but also something that could really make headway for us at 9 o'clock in an incredibly competitive time period."

TRUE (The WB) - Anne Heche ("Everwood") has been cast in the lead role of the comedy pilot, about a woman whose boyfriend breaks up with her while she is in labor with their baby, forcing her to move back in with her parents. Heche's involvement lifts the cast-contingency on the project, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television. Kari Lizer ("Will & Grace") created "True" and will executive produce.

WORLD OF TROUBLE (NBC, New!) - Peter Noah ("The West Wing") has scored a pilot production order from the Peacock for a new drama about the a real-life F.B.I. unit that investigates crimes against Americans and American interests overseas. No other details were available about the project, which is understood to feature a female lead.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· ALIAS (ABC)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN)
· EVERWOOD (WB)
· IN JUSTICE (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2004 VERSION) (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2005 VERSION) (ABC)
· INTRODUCING LENNIE ROSE (ABC)
· LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (ABC)
· NIGHT STALKER (ABC)
· PLAYMAKERS (ESPN)
· POINT PLEASANT (FOX)
· SMALLVILLE (CW)
· SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX)
· SOCCER MOMS (ABC)
· SUPERNATURAL (CW)
· TARZAN (WB)
· TILT (ESPN)
· TRU CALLING (FOX)
· TRUE (WB)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)
· WONDERFALLS (FOX)
· WORLD OF TROUBLE (NBC)





[01/31/25 - 10:05 AM]
Emotions Are High, Tears Run Dry and a Web of Lies Unravel When Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Potomac" Three-Part Reunion Begins Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Housewives Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Dr. Wendy Osefo, Mia Thornton, Stacey Rusch, Keiarna Stewart and friends Jacqueline Blake and Jassi Rideaux flash back on all the fun and games throughout the season, but take each other to task for their shenanigans.

[01/31/25 - 10:01 AM]
From Creator Michael Cusack, "YOLO: Rainbow Trinity" Premieres March 9 on Adult Swim
Season three finds Australia's famed party duo, Sarah (Sarah Bishop) and Rachel (Todor Manojlovic), encountering more fun and silly characters populating their hometown of Wollongong than ever before

[01/31/25 - 09:40 AM]
CBS Thursday Line Up Returns, Up from Its Season Average
"Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage" hit a series high averaging 7.72 million viewers, and up +10% from its season-to-date average (7.02 million viewers).

[01/31/25 - 08:30 AM]
Hit Reality Sensation "Married at First Sight" Finds New Home at Peacock
Originally launched in 2014, "Married at First Sight" is a reality series that follows singles looking for a life-long partnership as they embark on a provocative experiment: getting legally married to a stranger the moment they first meet.

[01/31/25 - 08:00 AM]
Presenters Announced for "The 67th Annual Grammy Awards"
Taking the stage will be Cardi B, Gloria Estefan, Olivia Rodrigo, Queen Latifah, SZA, Taylor Swift, Victoria Monét and Will Smith.

[01/31/25 - 07:30 AM]
Video: Acorn TV Releases Trailer and Key Art for New Zealand Mystery Series "A Remarkable Place to Die"
Starring Chelsie Preston Crawford and acclaimed Australian actress Rebecca Gibney, the four-episode original series premieres Monday, February 17 on Acorn TV in the US and Canada, with new episodes releasing weekly.

[01/31/25 - 07:05 AM]
FOX Sports Announces 2025 Daytona Speedweeks On-Air Team for Its 25th Season of NASCAR Coverage
Calling the Daytona 500 for FOX Sports on Sunday, February 16, is play-by-play announcer Mike Joy, covering his 46th Daytona 500 for live TV or radio, alongside analysts Clint Bowyer, in his fifth year with FOX, and 2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2007 Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick, entering his second season in the booth.

[01/31/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" Preview
Based on the final novel in Hilary Mantel's multi award-winning trilogy, "Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light" premieres on "Masterpiece" Sunday, March 23.

[01/31/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Next on Netflix - Select Films & Series International Slate
A collection of sneak peeks and first looks from Sweden, Turkey, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Norway and Australia.

[01/31/25 - 05:01 AM]
"Caught," Netflix's New Argentinian Thriller, Premieres on March 26
The limited series is based on the novel by Harlan Coben and shot in San Carlos de Bariloche.

[01/31/25 - 02:01 AM]
Video: Netflix Unveils the Official Trailer for "Aitana: Metamorphosis"
The documentary series will invite Aitana's fans to get to know her as they have never seen her before, enjoying her greatest hits and navigating complicated bumps in a process of personal and professional growth and maturity as she continues to establish herself as one of the biggest stars of Spanish music.

[01/30/25 - 08:31 PM]
Middle-Class Ambitions Meets High-Stakes Crime: "Dabba Cartel" Arrives February 28 on Netflix
"Dabba Cartel" is a unique tale of a reluctant cartel: the lives of five middle-class women and their families are thrown into chaos when their low-key dabba service spirals into an unexpected venture - a high-stakes drug delivery operation.

[01/30/25 - 04:43 PM]
Video: Official Trailer #3 - "Common Side Effects" - February 2 - Adult Swim
The series premieres this Sunday, February 2 at 11:30/10:30c on Adult Swim, next day on Max.

[01/30/25 - 04:10 PM]
Video: Netflix Debuted Highly Anticipated Slate with New Title Announcements, New Clips, New Images, Full Slate and More
2025 marks the return of some of Netflix's most popular shows of all time and the release of huge new films and series from some of the biggest names in entertainment.

[01/30/25 - 04:01 PM]
Go on a Journey of Love and Healing This Valentine's Day with K-Romance Series "Melo Movie"
At the heart of "Melo Movie" is the rekindled romance of Ko Gyeom, played by Choi Woo-shik, and Kim Mubee, portrayed by Park Bo-young.