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[05/17/05 - 12:00 AM] Development Update: May 16-17 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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!
CELEBRITY JUSTICE (Syndication) - Telepictures has reportedly pulled the plug on the half-hour syndicated newsmagazine, which focuses on the legal troubles of celebrities. The show averaged a paltry 0.9 household rating for the week ending on April 24, a dip of 31% in year-to-year comparisons. The news comes in spite of executive producer Harvey Levin's various cable appearances as part of Michael Jackson trial coverage. Production however is expected to continue through the end of the 2004-05 season.
E! SUMMER ORIGINAL SERIES (E!) - The cable channel has announced it plans to debut five new original series this summer as well as a revival of its one-time late-night staple "Wild On!" Two newcomers will launch next month: "Fight for Fame" (Sundays at 10:00/9:00c beginning June 5), in which five aspiring actors compete for the chance to sign with a major talent agency, and "Party at The Palms" (Wednesdays at 10:00/9:00c starting June 15), a weekly look at the nightlife at the famed Las Vegas casino. In July, look for "Kill Reality," a behind-the-scenes look at New Line Cinema's upcoming horror film "The Scorned," the cast of which includes several former reality TV stars. And in August, E! will launch "Cattle Drive," a "Simple Life"-esque series in which the children of the rich and famous (including the kids of Yahoo! CEO Terry Semel and rocker Pat Benatar) are sent to work a cattle drive and "The Girls Next Door," an eight-part series chronicling the lives of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends at the Playboy Mansion. As for "Wild On," Tara Reid is in negotiations to host the 13-episode revival however no firm premiere date has been set.
RUN'S HOUSE (MTV) - The cable channel is moving forward with its latest "follow the celebrity" reality series, this time focusing on former Run-DMC member Reverend Run. Said project, which will bow in the fourth quarter of this year, will track Run (real name: Joey Simmons) as he juggles family life and records his first solo album. Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and his Bad Boys Entertainment banner is behind the project, which was originally announced back in March (read the story). It's not clear how many episodes will be shot.
SCARLETT (Lifetime) - Executive producers Robert Hewitt Wolfe and Hans Beimler confirmed to TrekToday.com that Lifetime has given a cast-contingent pilot order to the drama project, about an Anne Rice-esque gothic horror writer who after moving into an old mansion in New Orleans finds her fictional characters are starting to come to life. "What this means is that as soon as we find ourselves an amazing female lead, we'll officially be in pre-production," Wolfe told TrekToday. "Shooting will follow in ten or so weeks from then. So if you know any terrific late-20s, early-30s actresses who want to move to New Orleans for a five year run on a super cool gothic/romance/thriller, let us know." To read the original report, click here.
UNSCRIPTED (HBO) - A spokesperson for the pay channel confirmed to Mediaweek on Monday the series will not return for a second season. "It was a fun, experimental show that ran its course," said the source. The news marks Section Eight's (Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney's production company) second cancellation by HBO in as many years ("K Street" being the other). The series wrapped its 10-episode run in February. Click here to read the original report.
VENUS & SERENA: FOR REAL (ABC Family) - The cable channel's reality entry about the everyday lives of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams has been slated to premiere Thursday, July 21 at 10:00/9:00c. ABC Family has committed to six half-hour episodes of the series.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[06/06/25 - 12:56 PM] Saddle Up! "The McBee Dynasty: Bravoleb Watch Party" Begins Monday, June 9 at 9PM ET/PT on Bravo and Streams Next Day On Peacock Join fan-favorite Bravolebs Craig Conover & Austen Kroll, Kristen Doute & Brittany Cartwright, and Kate Chastain & Fraser Olender as they giddy up for season 2 by diving into all the family and farmhand drama from season 1.
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[06/06/25 - 12:31 PM] Video: Paramount+ with Showtime Unveils Trailer and Additional Cast for "Noah's Arc: The Movie" Premiering Friday, June 20 Michael M. Jones, Tory Devon Smith, Cocoa Brown, Novi Brown, Angela Beyince, Josca, Evari Pickett, Tjay Williams and Robb Sherman will join the previously announced cast in the movie.
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[06/06/25 - 10:42 AM] "Live with Kelly and Mark" Soars with Star-Studded Week "Live" ranked as the No. 1 talk show in syndication for 121 consecutive weeks across all key measures.
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[06/06/25 - 10:03 AM] Video: Peacock Releases Trailer for True Crime Documentary "The Gilgo Beach Killer: House of Secrets" Premiering Tuesday, June 10 After the arrest of the alleged Gilgo Beach killer, this documentary goes inside the suspects home for the first time, where exclusive commentary from his own family unravels a chilling portrait of a man accused of living a double life and hiding dark secrets under their own roof.
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[06/06/25 - 07:30 AM] Following +30% Surge in Viewership for the Season 4B Premiere, Showtime Renews "Couples Therapy" The series follows world-renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik as she deftly guides couples through real-life therapy sessions.
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[06/05/25 - 11:06 PM] Max Original Documentary Series "Most Wanted: Teen Hacker" Debuts This September The series follows the illegal exploits of Finnish hacker Julius Kivimäki, known as Aleksanteri Kivimäki, who rose to infamy after forcing a U.S. passenger plane to make an emergency landing, shutting down PlayStation globally and orchestrating several dangerous SWAT attacks - including one targeting the family of an FBI agent.
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[06/05/25 - 08:01 PM] A Tender Tale Unfolds: "The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity" Premieres July 6 Serialized on the official Weekly Shonen Magazine app, Magazine Pocket, the manga has distinguished itself in the shonen genre, selling over five million copies as of June 2025.
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[06/05/25 - 12:30 PM] Shocking Limited True Crime Docu-Series, "Butchers of L.A.," Premieres Thursday, June 26 on SundanceTV, Sundance Now and AMC+ Airing weekly, the three-part series sheds new light on the horrifying crimes of the "Freeway Killers" who terrorized Southern California over two decades.
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[06/05/25 - 11:01 AM] ESPN Events Announces 17-Game College Football Bowl Schedule for 2025-26 Season Bowl Season will begin Saturday, December 13, with the 10th edition of the ESPN Events' Cricket Celebration Bowl.
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[06/05/25 - 11:01 AM] Truths and Rumors Come to a Boiling Point When Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" Returns for a New Season on Thursday, July 10 at 9 P.M. ET/PT Housewives Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti and Katie Ginella return for an unforgettable season as the ladies set out to uncover the truth, restore trust, heal broken bonds and everything that lies between.
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[06/05/25 - 11:01 AM] BET Announces the Highly Anticipated Return of "Ms. Pat Settles It" for a Third Season As previously announced, BET Media Group extended its multi-year overall deal with Patricia "Ms. Pat" Williams under which she will produce and perform in new series and other projects across BET.
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[06/05/25 - 11:00 AM] Prime Video Reveals Premiere Date, First Look Images, and Teaser Art for "Butterfly," Starring and Executive Produced by Daniel Dae Kim The spy-thriller series will premiere all episodes on August 13 and also stars Reina Hardesty, Piper Perabo, and Louis Landau.
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[06/05/25 - 10:32 AM] ESPN Reveals 33-Game College Football Bowl Season Slate for 2025-26 The postseason slate, including 17 ESPN Events' owned-and-operated bowls, starts Saturday, December 13, and runs through Friday, January 2.
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[06/05/25 - 10:04 AM] "My Big Fat Fabulous Life," "90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After?" and "Welcome to Plathville" Return This July This July, TLC expands its summer slate with the return of three hit series - each offering new beginnings, evolving relationships, and unforgettable personalities navigating love, family, and personal growth.
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[06/05/25 - 10:01 AM] Starz Renews "The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast" for Season Two The docuseries, which dives deeper into the real stories of the Black Mafia Family figures who inspired the "BMF" scripted series, will also serve as a complement to the fourth season of "BMF," premiering Friday, June 6.
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