LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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EXTREME MAKEOVER (ABC) - The previously scheduled June 30 episode ("Episode 321," which had yet to air this season) will now run on Thursday, July 14 at 8:00/7:00c. Said installment will serve as a lead-in to the premiere of the ABC News limited series "Hooking Up" (previously "look@love") that same night at 9:00/8:00c.
MTV MOVIE AWARDS (MTV) - The show's 2005 broadcast was seen by 4.67 million viewers on average during its initial Thursday airing, including a 2.3 rating/7 share in adults 18-49 and a 12 share in viewers 12-34. Said numbers mark a rough 20% decline in year-to-year comparisons.
MTV ORIGINAL SERIES (MTV) - The cable channel has renewed four of its current entries ("Punk'd," "Pimp My Ride," "Meet the Barkers" and the afternoon dating show "Next") as well as committed to three new previously unannounced series ("The Reality Show," "Bad Dads, Phat Mums" and the weekday dating show "Parental Control"). "Sunday Stew" members "Punk'd" and "Pimp My Ride," both of which return with new episodes on June 26, have been extended through at least their seventh and fourth cycles respectively while "Barkers" will return for its second season at an unspecified date.
As for the newcomers, "The Reality Show" features viewers who think their life is interesting enough to make it on TV; "Bad Dads, Phat Mums" tracks two fans competing to re-create shot-for-shot a music video from their favorite artist using the fan's mother and father; and "Parental Control" allows parents fed up with their kids' current love interest get to choose new dates for their offspring. "Reality," which will include appearances by Andy Dick and other comedians, comes from Superdelicious Productions ("The Assistant") while U.K. MTV import "Dads" comes from Scout Productions ("Queer Eye") with Ben Silverman's Reveille being behind "Control."
All three freshman entries will join the previously announced "The Andy Milonakis Show" (premieres Sunday, June 26 at 10:30/9:30c), "The '70s House" (Tuesday, July 5 at 10:30/9:30c), "Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N' Out" (Thursday, July 21 at 10:00/9:00c; moved back from July 13), "Trailer Fabulous" (later this summer, exact time/date TBA), "Project Seventeen" (this fall, exact time/date TBA), "Score" (this fall, weekdays, exact dates/times TBA) and "Run's House" (October, exact date/time TBA).
NIP/TUCK (FX) - Rhona Mitra ("Boston Legal") has booked a recurring role on the cable drama as a gorgeous and tough New York detective who comes to Miami to investigate the attack against Julian McMahon's character. In addition, FX (with a small assist from Warner Bros. Television) has reportedly paid a $280,000-$320,000 bonus to both Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh. It's understood the bonuses will bring each actor's respective salary to the $60,000 per episode range for the show's third season, which begins production this week. The news comes after earlier rumblings of salary renegotiations between the actors, network and studio, a typical development at this point in a successful show's run.
SKATING WITH CELEBRITIES (FOX, New!) - Taking a cue from ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," FOX is fast-tracking a new six-episode reality competition series in which celebrities are teamed with well-known figure skaters. Arthur Smith ("Hell's Kitchen") is behind the project, full details of which have yet to be specified.
SHOWTIME DRAMA PILOTS (Showtime) - The pay channel has greenlighted a quartet of new drama pilots, all of which are being targeted for the 2006-07 season. The group includes two previously announced projects - "The Tudors" (a.k.a. "Untitled Henry VIII Project"), about the early years of Henry VIII, his first encounter with Anne Boleyn and the marriage that would turn his world upside down; and "Dexter" (a.k.a. "Untitled Dexter Morgan Project"), based on Jeff Lindsay's books about a highly respected lab technician for the Miami Dade police department who also happens to be a sociopathic serial killer. Michael Hirst ("Elizabeth"), Ben Silverman's Reveille ("The Office") and Working Title's Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan are behind the former while James Manos Jr. ("The Sopranos"), John Goldwyn ("The Secret Life of Walter Mitty") and Sara Colleton ("Live From Baghdad") are behind the latter.
The two newly announced projects are "Filthy Gorgeous," about the employees and clients of New York's most lucrative male and female escort service; and "The Bastard," about a young lawyer who schemes to claim his birthright in a wealthy dysfunctional family that owns a lavish resort. Ron Nyswaner ("Philadelphia") is behind "Gorgeous," which he'll write and executive produce with Craig Zadan and Neil Meron ("Chicago"). Robert Allan Ackerman ("The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone") is also attached to direct and executive produce. "The Bastard" comes from David Greenwalt ("Profit," "Angel"). Casting is currently underway on all four projects.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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