or


[02/08/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: February 8
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!

BOBBY CANNON (A.K.A. UNTITLED KEVIN SORBO PROJECT) (ABC) - The Kevin Sorbo-led, Barry Kemp-produced comedy pilot is officially a go, as the Alphabet has greenlit production. The project stars Sorbo as a pro football quarterback nearing retirement who has to mentor his replacement while figuring out what to do with the rest of his life. Kemp ("Coach") is writing and executive producing the project, which is set up at Touchstone Television where he has an overall deal, along with Eric Gold.

BOOK OF DANIEL (NBC) - The pilot's producers have clarified NBC's original description of the project, which reads "['Book of Daniel'] offers a provocative take on a family with a religious bent. An Episcopalian reverend and father [the recently cast Aidan Quinn] finds himself speaking routinely with a hip, modern Jesus, who appears as a vision and offers valuable guidance to help him navigate through family issues, church politics (especially as they involve a rehabilitation clinic run by the church) -- and his own personal issues." Quinn's character actually speaks with just "Jesus," not a "hip, modern Jesus" as NBC's press release indicates.

CRUMBS (ABC, New!) - Marco Pennette ("I'm With Her") has scored a comedy pilot order from the Alphabet for a new comedy about two estranged brothers, one gay and one straight, who wind up running the family business when their parents get divorced. The project is set up at Brian Robbins and Mike Tollin's Touchstone Television-based Tollin-Robbins banner.

IN THE GAME (ABC) - The Alphabet has pulled the plug on the Jennifer Love Hewitt/Ed O'Neill-led midseason comedy following the production of its second pilot episode. The project, about a father (O'Neill) and daughter (Hewitt) who work together at a fledgling sports channel, had previously been given a six-episode order by the network. The show's revamped pilot was shot last month with ABC deciding to shelve the project this week. Touchstone Television and Handprint Entertainment were behind "Game," which was executive produced by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah.

JOINT CUSTODY (ABC, New!) - Joel Stein, the former Time columnist behind last year's failed Colin Hanks-led comedy pilot at ABC, has set up a new project at the network. The new effort - a comedy about a recent college graduate who comes home and discovers that his parents have divorced and realizes that he must now take care of his eccentric family - also comes from writer/producer Regina Stewart ("Still Standing") and director Shawn Levy ("Cheaper by the Dozen"). It's not clear however if the project is set up at 20th Century Fox Television, where Levy has a development pact.

THE LIBERTY (FX, New!) - Actor William Baldwin, producer Robert Cooper ("Medical Investigation") and feature writer Eric Guggenheim ("Miracle") are set to team for a new original movie at the cable channel. Said project revolves around the true story of seven U.S. special forces veterans who escaped wrongful imprisonment in Brazil via the Amazon after being recruited by a former special forces commander to escort weapons bound for pro-U.S. rebels in Ghana. Cooper and Baldwin will executive produce the project, with Guggenheim writing the script and Baldwin attached to star. Integrated Films and Management's Steve Whitney & Andrew Trapani, Landscape Entertainment's Gregg Goldman and Dan Gagliasso are also attached as co-executive producers.

NEIGHBORS (ABC, New!) - Writers Matt Gross ("Joe Somebody") and Michael Caleo ("Rescue Me") have scored a pilot commitment from ABC for a new comedy about dueling neighbors forced to contend with one another when their wives and children become unlikely friends. The project, not to be confused with State Street/Sony Pictures Television's "Neighbors" (also for ABC), is set up at Touchstone Television.

POOL GUYS (FOX, New!) - Writer/producers Alexandra Rushfield and Jennifer Konner ("Undeclared") have booked a comedy pilot at the FOX, about two 21-year-old best friends who live in Tarzana, California, clean pools for a living and share the ultimate dream: to clean the pool at the Playboy Mansion. The project, which the pair will write and executive produce, is set up at Regency Television.

SALLY (A.K.A. UNTITLED SALLY FIELD PROJECT) (ABC) - Holly Hester's ("The Drew Carey Show") comedy pilot at the Alphabet has been given the green light to produce a pilot. The project, stars Sally Field as a middle-aged woman who gets a life makeover, and decides to get divorced and find a job. Field's involvement is understood to be the result of a talent deal she signed with Conan O'Brien's NBC Universal Television-based Conaco banner last year (read the story). Hester and O'Brien will executive produce the project alongside Conaco's A.J. Morewitz and Jeff Ross.

SOCCER MOMS (ABC) - Former "Sex and the City" star Kristin Davis has signed on to star in the drama pilot, about two suburban housewives who team up as private investigators. Davis's involvement - she'll play one of the two leads - lifts the cast-contingency on the pilot's production. In addition, Jeff Kline ("That Was Then") has come aboard as an executive producer on the project, which is set up at Touchstone Television. He'll join current executive producers Don Todd and Marla Ginsburg. As for Davis, the actress had previously signed a seven-figure development deal with HBO back in August (read the story). With Davis now attached to "Moms," it now appears the project that resulted from the pact (from writer Stacy Traub) - about a single woman who supports herself as a poker player in Las Vegas - won't go forward.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [february 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· BOBBY CANNON (ABC)
· BOOK OF DANIEL, THE (NBC)
· CRUMBS (ABC)
· DREW CAREY SHOW, THE (ABC)
· I'M WITH HER (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2004 VERSION) (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2005 VERSION) (ABC)
· JOINT CUSTODY (ABC)
· LIBERTY, THE (FX)
· MARSHA POTTER GETS A LIFE (ABC)
· MEDICAL INVESTIGATION (NBC)
· NEIGHBORS (ABC)
· NEIGHBORS (ABC)
· POOL GUYS (FOX)
· RESCUE ME (FX)
· SEX AND THE CITY (HBO)
· SOCCER MOMS (ABC)
· STILL STANDING (CBS)
· THAT WAS THEN (ABC)
· UNDECLARED (FOX)
· UNTITLED KRISTIN DAVIS PROJECT (HBO)





[02/23/26 - 01:08 PM]
Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao Saturday, September 19 Live Globally Only on Netflix
Two of the greatest icons in boxing history will meet again in the first-ever professional boxing match at Sphere in Las Vegas.

[02/23/26 - 12:07 PM]
Hulu Greenlights "The X-Files" Pilot from Ryan Coogler and Proximity Media, Starring Danielle Deadwyler
The truth is officially out there.

[02/23/26 - 12:00 PM]
CBS Series Post Strong Fall Viewership, Topping Broadcast and Streaming Rankings in Live + 35-Day Multiplatform Viewership
The CBS fall lineup scored eight of the top 10 most-watched series among broadcast competition and nine of the top 20 most-watched series among all broadcast and streaming competition for this season's episodes airing through January 4, 2026.

[02/23/26 - 11:16 AM]
Acclaimed Comedian Druski to Serve as Special Commentator for NBC's "The Voice: Battle of Champions"
Druski joins the four-time Emmy Award-winning musical competition series as its first-ever commentator, drawing from his love of music to offer unique takes on the coaches' strategy as they vie for the win.

[02/23/26 - 10:20 AM]
The Book of More-Men Is Officially Open - "The Bachelorette" Premieres Sunday, March 22, at 8/7c
22 men will answer the call for Taylor Frankie Paul when the 22nd season of "The Bachelorette" premieres Sunday, March 22.

[02/23/26 - 10:01 AM]
What's New on HBO Max This March
Catch the debuts of the limited series "DTF St. Louis," comedy series "Rooster," and a new season of "The Comeback."

[02/23/26 - 09:31 AM]
Multiple Academy Award Winning Composer Hans Zimmer to Score Netflix Thriller Series "All the Sinners Bleed"
"'All the Sinners Bleed' lives in the tension between faith, violence and redemption, the kind of moral complexity where music speaks most powerfully," said Zimmer.

[02/23/26 - 09:00 AM]
Harry Styles to Take the Stage as "Saturday Night Live" Host and Musical Guest on March 14
As previously announced, "SNL" returns this Saturday, February 28 with host Connor Storrie and musical guest Mumford & Sons.

[02/23/26 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Documentary Films Acquires Worldwide TV and Streaming Rights to "The Slightest Touch"
The documentary will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max globally, including in the UK and Ireland, later this year.

[02/23/26 - 08:01 AM]
Apple TV Unveils First Look at Season Two of "Wonder Pets: In the City"
Season two sees the return of the heroic trio of classroom pets who live in a kindergarten in New York City and travel all around the globe in their amazing "Jetcar" to rescue animals in musical, mini-opera-themed adventures.

[02/23/26 - 08:00 AM]
ESPN Signs American Tennis Legend Andy Roddick to Multi-Year Analyst Deal
Roddick, who retired in 2012 from professional tennis, will join ESPN's tennis commentator roster just prior to Wimbledon.

[02/23/26 - 07:11 AM]
ESPN Original Series "NWSL: The Final Third" to Premiere February 25
The three-episode series, produced by Words + Pictures, Omaha Productions and ESPN, follows Angel City FC, Washington Spirit and Kansas City Current through a defining NWSL season.

[02/23/26 - 07:01 AM]
Apple TV Sets New Thriller "Unconditional" to Premiere Friday May 8
"Unconditional" follows a mother-daughter vacation-turned-nightmare when 23-year-old Gali (Talia Lynne Ronn) is arrested for drug smuggling in Moscow.

[02/23/26 - 06:01 AM]
"Wednesday" Season 3 Is Now in Production - Winona Ryder, Chris Sarandon, Noah Taylor and More Join the All-Star Cast
They join previously announced Eva Green who will portray Morticia Addams' sister, Ophelia, as well as returners Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzmán and more.

[02/20/26 - 09:31 PM]
Video: "Accused" - Official Trailer - Netflix
An anonymous message. And Meera & Geetika's lives on a knife's edge.