or


[02/07/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: February 7
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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

Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our newly revamped "Series in Development" charts. Visitors can now filter our listings by network, genre and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!

24 (FOX) - James Morrison ("Point Pleasant") has joined the cast of the FOX drama in a recurring role. He'll play Bill Buchanan, a high-ranking officer who joins the show's C.T.U. in their terrorist hunt.

ALL IN (A.K.A. UNTITLED ANNIE DUKE PROJECT) (NBC) - The Peacock has added another comedy pilot to its 2005-06 season roster, as the network has given a cast-contingent commitment to its Annie Duke-inspired project. The comedy, which is based on the life of Duke - a world poker champion, tracks a single mom who's a whiz around the poker table, but who could use some of those same smarts in raising her kids. The project is set up at Lisa Kudrow and Dan Bucatinsky's Warner Bros. Television-based Is or Isn't Entertainment. Jack Burditt ("I'm With Her") will write the pilot script and executive produce along with Kudrow and Bucatinsky.

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (FOX) - Ben Stiller ("Meet the Fockers") is set to guest star on an upcoming installment of the sophomore comedy. He'll play Tony Wonder, a rival magician to Will Arnett's character. It's not clear when Stiller's installment, which was shot on Friday, will air.

BLIND JUSTICE (ABC) - Brennan Elliott ("Strong Medicine") has scored a recurring role on the upcoming midseason drama. He'll play a nightclub owner with a criminal past who begins dating Marisol Nichols' character. No air date was given for Elliott's first episode.

BOOK OF DANIEL (NBC) - Aidan Quinn ("Third Watch") has been cast as Daniel Webster in the drama pilot, a dysfunctional family drama about a Vicodin-popping Episcopalian priest (Quinn) who finds himself speaking routinely with a hip, modern Jesus, who appears as a vision and offers valuable guidance. Quinn's involvement lifts the cast-contingency on the pilot's production. In addition, Sony Pictures Television has come aboard as a co-production partner on the NBC Universal Television project while James Frawley has been tapped to direct. Frawley helmed the pilots for such series as "Ed," "Thieves," "Jack & Jill" and "Kate Brasher." Jack Kenny and Flody Suarez are the executive producers.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC) - Nick Chinlund ("The Chronicles of Riddick") has landed a recurring role on the hit freshman drama. He'll play Detective Sullivan, a police detective who is investigating the death of Christine Estabrook's character. Chinlund's first episode is set to air on February 20.

EMPIRE (ABC) - Executive producer Tony Jonas has inked a two-year overall deal with Touchstone Television, ending his 15-year stay at Warner Bros. Television. The pact calls for Jonas to move his self-titled production banner to Touchstone, where he'll develop new comedy and drama projects for the studio.

FOR ONE NIGHT (Lifetime, New!) - Raven Symone ("That's So Raven") is set to topline a new original movie for the cable channel. She'll play a black teenager who, with the help of a newspaper reporter, braves decades of segregation to stage the first interracial high school prom in the history of their small town. No other details were given about the project, which is expected to air later this year on the network.

HOMETEAM (Syndication, New!) - Former "The Apprentice" contestant Troy McClain is set to host a new weekend syndicated offering which helps people buy and decorate their own homes, including providing money for a down payment as well as a year's worth of mortgage payments. Litton Entertainment is behind the project, which has been cleared for a fall 2005 launch in such markets as Philadelphia (WCAU), Boston (WCVB), Norfolk, Va. (WTVZ) and Richmond, Va. (WRLH).

KEVIN HILL (UPN) - Samantha Corbin-Miller ("ER," "The Practice" and "Crossing Jordan") has been named the new showrunner of the freshman drama beginning with its 19th installment this season. She'll join Alex Taub, Bruce Davey and Nancy Cotton as an executive producer on the series, which comes from Icon Productions and Touchstone Television. Meanwhile, Leila Arcieri ("XXX") is set to reprise her role of Monroe McManus - the highly motivated, cutthroat legal adversary of Taye Diggs' character - for three upcoming episodes of the series.

LAWS OF CHANCE (ABC) - KaDee Strickland ("The Stepford Wives") has scored the lead role in the drama pilot, about the life of unconventional Houston assistant district attorney Kelly Siegler, whose 95% success rate in court was partly due to her theatrical presentation in arguing cases. Gary Glasberg, Gina Matthews and Grant Scharbo are the executive producers of "Chance," which comes from 20th Century Fox Television and Roundtable Ink.

THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW (Syndication) - Talk show host Montel Williams, who just launched a new talent agency called Letnom Management, has confirmed he's under contract with the series through September 2006 and is in talks for an extension.

NEW CAR SMELL (FOX, New!) - "Lucky" creators Robb and Mark Cullen have received a pilot order from FOX for a new comedy about a used-car dealership. No other details were given about the project, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television.

REUNION (FOX) - Amanda Righetti ("North Shore") and Dave Annable ("Spellbound") are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about the lives of six close friends from their high school graduation in 1986 to their 20th reunion in 2006. Righetti's attachment likely means 20th Century Fox Television has released the "North Shore" actors from their contracts, meaning it's highly unlikely the series will return for a second season. Jon Harmon Feldman is behind the project, which comes from Warner Bros. Television and Steve Pearlman and Andrew Plotkin's Class IV banner.

UNTITLED BRAD KERN PROJECT (The WB, New!) - "Charmed" executive producer Brad Kern has booked a new drama pilot at the Frog, about a mermaid who attempts to live on dry land in Miami. The project is set up at Spelling Television with Kern executive producing along with Aaron Spelling and E. Duke Vincent.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [february 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· 24 (FOX)
· APPRENTICE, THE (NBC)
· ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (NETFLIX)
· BLIND JUSTICE (ABC)
· BOOK OF DANIEL, THE (NBC)
· CHARMED (WB)
· CROSSING JORDAN (NBC)
· DEAL (NBC)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· ED (NBC)
· EMPIRE (ABC)
· ER (NBC)
· FOR ONE NIGHT (LIFETIME)
· HOMETEAM (SYNDICATION)
· I'M WITH HER (ABC)
· JACK & JILL (WB)
· KATE BRASHER (CBS)
· KEVIN HILL (UPN)
· LAWS OF CHANCE (ABC)
· LUCKY (FX)
· MERMAID (WB)
· MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)
· NEW CAR SMELL (FOX)
· NORTH SHORE (FOX)
· POINT PLEASANT (FOX)
· PRACTICE, THE (ABC)
· REUNION (FOX)
· SPELLBOUND (FOX)
· STRONG MEDICINE (LIFETIME)
· THIEVES (ABC)
· THIRD WATCH (NBC)





[04/26/24 - 12:07 PM]
Oxygen True Crime's "Accident, Suicide or Murder" Returns for a Fifth Season on Saturday, May 18 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
The series explores the unbelievable true stories of suspicious deaths that either initially appear to be an accident, suicide or murder.

[04/26/24 - 12:00 PM]
The "2024 American Music Awards" to Air for the First Time on CBS, Sunday, Oct. 6
The AMAs celebrate the year's top achievements in music determined by the fans, for the fans.

[04/26/24 - 11:40 AM]
#1 and #2 Court Shows "Judge Judy" and "Hot Bench" Renewed Through 2025-26 in 95% of the Country
"Hot Bench" was reupped for two more years by CBS Stations in major markets, as well as stations owned by Sinclair, Nexstar, Tegna, Scripps, FOX Stations, Gray and Weigel.

[04/26/24 - 11:00 AM]
The Word-Twisting Game Show "Lingo," Hosted By RuPaul Charles, to Premiere Friday, May 24 on CBS
Host RuPaul Charles brings his one-of-a-kind personality to this clever, competitive and unpredictable game where teams of two face off in fast-paced puzzle rounds to guess letters that reveal seemingly simple words.

[04/26/24 - 09:33 AM]
Paramount+ Announces "Apartment 7A," A New Original Film Starring Golden Globe Winner Julia Garner, to Premiere This Fall
Set in 1965 New York City, the film tells the story prior to the legendary horror classic Rosemary's Baby, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in.

[04/26/24 - 09:00 AM]
Video: China Anne Mcclain & Kylie Cantrall Perform "What's My Name (Red Version)" from "Descendants: The Rise of Red" Soundtrack in New Music Video
"Descendants: The Rise of Red" premieres Friday, July 12 exclusively on Disney+, followed by a special encore on Friday, August 9, at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel.

[04/26/24 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Secrets of the Neanderthals" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The film takes viewers on a journey from their preconceptions of Neanderthals as a dim-witted creature to a complex and creative people, through the lens of a unique, ongoing excavation and a landmark new discovery - the best-preserved Neanderthal skeleton found in over a quarter century.

[04/25/24 - 02:31 PM]
On the Heels of "The Daily Show's" Huge Ratings Growth, The Emmy Award-Winning Franchise Expands Its All-Star News Team
The show enlists Troy Iwata, Josh Johnson, and Grace Kuhlenschmidt as Correspondents.

[04/25/24 - 01:01 PM]
Greed, Lust and Wrath Turn Deadly in New Oxygen True Crime Series "Sins of the South" Premiering Sunday, May 12th at 8:00 PM ET/PT
With a deliciously delightful Southern inflected narration, each of the 12-hour-long episodes unravel the twists and turns of a?real-life?murder, highlighting the disturbing crimes of the?South and the wickedness that led to it.

[04/25/24 - 11:31 AM]
Netflix Greenlights Leanne Morgan Scripted Comedy from Co-Creator Chuck Lorre
Additionally, Morgan will do two stand-up specials for Netflix.

[04/25/24 - 11:01 AM]
Netflix & Shondaland Announce New "Bridgerton" Season 3 Product Collections & Brand Collaborations
In celebration of its upcoming Season 3 premiere, Netflix and Shondaland are announcing new product collections with leading lifestyle brands that speak to the essence of the Bridgerton universe and the underpinnings of the romantic Regency era releasing this spring.

[04/25/24 - 10:37 AM]
ABC's "Will Trent" Continues Momentum as Series Logs Highest Total Viewer Audience to Date and Highest Adults 18-49 Rating in Over a Year
After 35 days of viewing on ABC, Hulu and digital platforms, "Will Trent" continues its ratings climb in episode three of season two, growing to 11.23 million Total Viewers and marking its highest multiplatform telecast to date.

[04/25/24 - 10:07 AM]
Video: "Prom Dates" - Official Trailer - Hulu
"Prom Dates" follows best friends Jess and Hannah, who made a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom.

[04/25/24 - 10:02 AM]
HGTV Picks-Up New Season of Popular Hawaii-Based Series "Renovation Aloha"
The new season is slated to premiere in 2025.

[04/25/24 - 10:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Debuts Official Trailer and Key Art for Third Season of "Mayor of Kingstown"
In season three, a series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city, and a drug war rages inside and outside prison walls.