or


[02/01/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: February 1
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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

THE ASHLEE SIMPSON SHOW/NEWLYWEDS: NICK & JESSICA (MTV) - MTV has confirmed both series will wrap their respective seasons on Wednesday, March 30.

CONFESSIONS OF A DOG (NBC) - Bill Lawrence and Eric Weinberg's ("Scrubs") comedy project has received a cast-contingent pilot order from the Peacock. "Dog," which revolves around a womanizer who decides he has to reform his behavior, is set up at Lawrence's NBC Universal Television-based Doozer Productions. Weinberg will write and executive produce the project along with Lawrence.

CONVICTION (CBS) - Jon Avnet ("Boomtown") has signed on to helm the drama pilot, about a defense attorney-turned-prosecutor who crafts his cases by telling a detailed story. Ed Redlich, Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly are behind the project, which is set up at Timberman's Warner Bros. Television-based 25C Productions.

DREAM JOB (ESPN) - The third season of popular ESPN talent search will launch Sunday, February 20 at 10:00/9:00c. Unlike previous seasons however, this edition will involve former athletes vying to earn a spot as a football analyst.

EARLY BIRD (NBC, New!) - Former "The Late Show With David Letterman" head writer Rodney Rothman has scored a cast-contingent pilot order from NBC for a new comedy about a twentysomething guy who moves into a retirement community. The project, which is based on the writer's upcoming book of the same name, is set up at NBC Universal Television and 3 Arts Entertainment. 3 Arts' David Miner and Howard Klein will executive produce alongside Rothman ("Game Over," "Undeclared").

EL CENTRO (FX, New!) - Donal Logue ("Grounded for Life") is set to star, write and executive produce a new drama pilot for the cable channel, about a sheriff in Mexicali, the desert region along the California-Mexico border. FX has given a script order to the project, which will also be executive produced by brothers John Dahl ("Rounders") and Rick Dahl ("Red Rock West"). No director or studio however is currently attached.

THE EVIDENCE (ABC) - Gary Fleder ("Blind Justice") has been tapped to direct the drama pilot, a new procedural crime drama which, unlike most of its brethren, will present all the evidence and then try to deconstruct the crime. The project is set up at the Warner Bros. Television-based John Wells Productions with Dustin Thomason and Sam Baum executive producing.

FAMILY BUSINESS (Showtime) - The successful late-night reality series will return for its third season on Friday, March 18 at 11:00/10:00c.

FAMILY PLOTS (A&E) - Season two of docu-reality series is set to premiere Sunday, March 6 at 9:00/8:00c. The newly relocated series will then serve as a lead-in to "Intervention," which premieres that night at 10:00/9:00c.

FOR LOVE OR MONEY (NBC) - E! is set to rebroadcast all six episodes of the show's first season on Friday, February 11 beginning at 1:00 p.m. eastern.

HEIST (A.K.A. THE PIERRE JEWEL HEIST) (USA) - The James Marsters-led ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel") telefilm has been slated to air Friday, March 18 at 9:00/8:00c. Here's how USA's press materials describe the project: "A thief from the age of six, Bobby Comfort bounced in and out of prison for years. When he turns twenty-two, Bobby finally settles down and starts a family, determined to lead a calmer life. Bobby, however, soon is lured back into the only profession he knows, agreeing to help a friend rob a string of high-end New York City hotels. When their forays prove extremely lucrative, Comfort once again embraces his talent for crime. While his unsuspecting family believes he is traveling for business, Bobby and his partner are having the time of their lives conning wealthy socialites, culminating in the largest jewel heist in American history."

JOAN OF ARCADIA (CBS) - The show's creator, Barbara Hall, has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall development deal with Paramount Network Television. The pact calls for Hall to remain as the showrunner of "Joan" through at least the 2005-06 season as well as develop new projects for the studio. In addition, CBS will also have a first-look option on any projects that result from the deal.

KOJAK (USA) - The Ving Rhames-led take on "Kojak" is set to kick off on Sunday, March 27 at 9:00/8:00c with its two-hour pilot. Chazz Palmenteri and Roselyn Sanchez also star.

MONK (USA) - The cable channel has confirmed season three of "Monk" is set to wrap on Friday, March 4 at 10:00/9:00c.

THE NIGHT STALKER (ABC) - Director Dan Sackheim ("Hawaii") is set to re-team with fellow "X-Files" veteran Frank Spotnitz on the drama pilot, a revival of the cult classic 1972-75 ABC series. Production on the Touchstone Television-based project has been slated to begin in early March in Los Angeles where the show is set.

POWER GIRLS (MTV) - The Lizzie Grubman-led reality series, which tracks her famed PR firm, is currently scheduled to premiere on Thursday, March 10 at 10:30/9:30c.

THE PRINCE (The WB) - "Everwood" creator Greg Berlanti has signed on to executive produce the project, which has also received a green light to produce a pilot. "The Prince" tracks a rich New York family and the relationship between the father and his "anti-hero" younger son following the older son's death. The project is set up at Matt LeBlanc's Warner Bros. Television-based Fort Hill Productions as well as the similarly based Berlanti-Liddell Productions. Feature writer Jesse Wigutow ("It Runs in the Family," "8 Mile") created "The Prince," which he'll write and executive produce with LeBlanc, Berlanti, Fort Hill's John Goldstone and Berlanti-Liddell's Mickey Liddell.

THE REAL WORLD/ROAD RULES: THE INFERNO 2 (MTV) - The latest installment in the "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" franchise is set to launch on Monday, March 7 at 10:00/9:00c. An "uncensored" special about the series will also air the week prior on Monday, February 28.

REUNION (FOX) - Jon Amiel ("Eyes") is set to direct the pilot to the drama series, which tracks the friendships of six high school friends for 20 years, all over the course of a single 22-episode season. Jon Harmon Feldman ("Tru Calling") is behind the project, which is set up at Steve Pearlman's Class IV Productions and Warner Bros. Television.

SUNDAY NIGHT STEW (MTV) - The cable channel's popular Sunday franchise will return with new episodes on Sunday, March 6 beginning at 9:00/8:00c. In addition to fresh installments of "Pimp My Ride," "Punk'd" and "Viva La Bam," MTV will also launch the new hidden-camera series "Damage Control."

THE TONY DANZA SHOW (Syndication) - The talk show now appears to be a firm go for a second season, as the project has received clearance to run during the daytime on the Los Angeles Viacom stations (KCBS/KCAL). The news marks an upgrade from its current L.A. late-night home on the ABC owned-and-operated KABC. In total, "Danza" has been cleared in more than 110 markets for the 2005-06 season.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [february 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· ANGEL (WB)
· ASHLEE SIMPSON SHOW, THE (MTV)
· BLIND JUSTICE (ABC)
· BOOMTOWN (NBC)
· BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN)
· CHALLENGE, THE (MTV)
· CONFESSIONS OF A DOG (NBC)
· CONVICTION (CBS)
· COOL MONEY (USA)
· DAMAGE CONTROL (MTV2)
· DREAM JOB (ESPN)
· EARLY BIRD (NBC)
· EL CENTRO (FX)
· EVERWOOD (WB)
· EVIDENCE, THE (ABC)
· EYES (ABC)
· FAMILY BUSINESS (SHOWTIME)
· FAMILY PLOTS (A AND E)
· FOR LOVE OR MONEY (NBC)
· GAME OVER (UPN)
· GROUNDED FOR LIFE (WB)
· HAWAII (NBC)
· INTERVENTION (A AND E)
· JOAN OF ARCADIA (CBS)
· KOJAK (USA)
· MONK (USA)
· NEWLYWEDS: NICK & JESSICA (MTV)
· NIGHT STALKER (ABC)
· PIMP MY RIDE (MTV)
· POWER GIRLS (MTV)
· PRINCE, THE (WB)
· PUNK'D (BET)
· REUNION (FOX)
· SCRUBS (ABC)
· TONY DANZA SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)
· TRU CALLING (FOX)
· UNDECLARED (FOX)
· VIVA LA BAM (MTV)
· X-FILES, THE (FOX)





[05/22/25 - 01:31 AM]
Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement Lead New Disney+ British Comedy Series "Alice and Steve" (w/t)
Lifelong best friends, Alice (Walker) and Steve (Clement), see their world implode when middle-aged Steve starts dating Alice's twenty-six-year-old daughter Izzy, played by Yali Topol Margalith.

[05/21/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Mercy For None" Trailer Reveals a Cold-Blooded Pursuit for Justice
After severing ties with his gang, a former gangster returns to uncover the truth behind his brother's death - embarking on a relentless path of revenge.

[05/21/25 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Glass Heart" Teaser Trailer Sets Stage for Heartfelt Musical Odyssey Ahead Of July 31 Premiere
An aspiring drummer suddenly loses her spot in the band. But when a brilliant musician recruits her for his new band, her life takes a passionate turn.

[05/21/25 - 04:01 PM]
Cho Yi-hyun and Choo Young-woo Reunite in New Fantasy Romance Series "Head Over Heels," Premiering Exclusively on Prime Video
The series premieres on June 23, with new episodes available weekly on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.

[05/21/25 - 02:57 PM]
"60 Minutes" Closes Out 2024-25 Season on Top as America's #1 News Program
CBS' flagship news broadcast grew compared to the previous year, with 16 billion minutes watched across linear and streaming.

[05/21/25 - 11:00 AM]
Season 4 of the Original Scripted Series "Family Law" Returns to The CW Network This Summer
Stars Jewel Staite and Victor Garber will return for a 10-episode fourth season on Wednesday, July 23.

[05/21/25 - 11:00 AM]
Acorn TV's Beloved Escapist Crime Drama, "The Madame Blanc Mysteries," Returns with All-New Episodes Monday, July 7
The fourth season returns to the wonderful world of Sainte Victoire, packed with unusual antiques and objéts d'art, murder, mystery, sunshine and laughter.

[05/21/25 - 10:31 AM]
Paramount+ with Showtime Sets Premiere for "Noah's Arc: The Movie" to Celebrate 20th Anniversary
The series' original stars Darryl Stephens, Rodney Chester, Doug Spearman, Christian Vincent, Jensen Atwood and WIlson Cruz return to reprise their roles in the film.

[05/21/25 - 10:30 AM]
The Buffalo Bills and the NFC East to Be Featured on HBO and NFL Films' "Hard Knocks" in 2025
"Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Buffalo Bills" debuts Tuesday, August 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO with new episodes of the five-part series premiering on subsequent Tuesdays through September 2.

[05/21/25 - 10:06 AM]
All-New Season of "Expedition Unknown" Premieres Wednesday, June 18 at 9PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
Globetrotting explorer Josh Gates embarks on his boldest and most daring adventures yet when an all-new season.

[05/21/25 - 10:03 AM]
Bravo's "Summer House" Two-Part Reunion Begins Wednesday, May 28 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Plus: A special "Summer House: Under the Covers" episode featuring unexpected never-before-seen moments from the season will air Wednesday, June 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo and available to stream next day on Peacock.

[05/21/25 - 10:01 AM]
Lifetime Greenlights New Docuseries with the Chrisley Family
In the wake of the family's controversy and upheaval with their parents sentenced to time in federal prison for bank fraud and tax evasion, the Chrisley Family is now pulling back the curtain and offering unprecedented access to their lives in a deeply personal and dramatic new series.

[05/21/25 - 10:00 AM]
What's New on Max This June
Debuts include season three of "The Gilded Age," original documentaries "Enigma" and "My Mom Jayne," and documentary series "The Mortician."

[05/21/25 - 09:48 AM]
FOX Sports Teams with Purple Heart Homes to Transform Veterans' Lives Ahead of Indianapolis 500
The initiative enables Purple Heart Homes to complete major home renovations for four local veterans in Indianapolis and highlights a shared mission to ensure veterans in the local community can age in place with safety, dignity and independence.

[05/21/25 - 09:14 AM]
NBC Delivers More Young NFL Viewers Than Any Media Partner, as "Sunday Night Football" Finishes TV Season as Primetime's No. 1 Show for Record 14th Consecutive Year
In addition, NBC delivered more NFL viewers under age 50 than any other NFL media partner across all game windows (minimum seven games), and topped all media partners in the coveted Adult 18-34 and Adult 18-49 demographics.