or


[10/31/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: October 27-31
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!

AMERICAN CRIME (FOX, New!) - Uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer is returning to FOX as the network has ordered a drama pilot from the Warner Bros. Television-based Jerry Bruckheimer Television for a new legal drama set in the world of high-powered Los Angeles lawyers. Tyler Bensinger ("Cold Case") and David McNally ("Coyote Ugly") are on board to respectively write and direct the project as well as executive produce along with Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman. As for plot specifics, it's understood the show will focus on the forensics of law, examining how "celebrity" lawyers go about freeing their clients, most of whom are either very rich or involved in high-profile cases.

CHEERLEADER (MTV, New!) - The cable channel has ordered a pilot for a new reality series that follows a year in the life of an ultracompetitive cheerleading squad in Kentucky. Laurie Girion ("R U the Girl With T-Boz and Chili") is behind the project, which is set up at Fox TV Studios. Girion recently signed an overall deal with the company. No other details were specified.

FUTURAMA (Comedy Central) - The cable channel has purchased the off-network rights to all 72 episodes of the animated comedy from Twentieth Television. The five-year pact, valued at an impressive $400,000 per episode, calls for the network to take over the show's off-network run from the Cartoon Network beginning in January of 2008. The deal however is only exclusive to cable television as Twentieth still has the option to sell "Futurama" reruns to local broadcast stations across the country. The "Futurama" pact comes on the heels of Comedy Central's off-network purchase of Buena Vista Television's "Scrubs" earlier this year (read the story).

GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC) - Writer/producer Jim Parriott ("Threat Matrix") has signed a seven-figure, multi-year overall deal with the show's producer Touchstone Television. The pact calls for him to continue his role as showrunner on the hit medical drama as well as develop new series projects for the studio. Said deal replaces the previous pact Parriott inked with Touchstone prior to "Grey's" launch earlier this year.

HIM AND US (A.K.A. UNTITLED ELTON JOHN PROJECT) (ABC) - The long-in-the-works Elton John-produced project has received an official green light to produce a pilot. The single-camera comedy revolves around the relationships between the fictional rock star Max Slash (an amalgam of "male divas" such as Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, David Bowie and John himself) and the people near him (including manager Freddy Lazarus). Cindy Chupack ("Sex and the City") wrote the pilot script and will executive produce alongside John, Michael Edelstein ("Desperate Housewives"), John's business manager Bob Halley and songwriter Bruce Roberts. John and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin will also write original music for the series (the title "Him and Us" comes from John's recent CD "Peachtree Road," a track he wrote specifically for the TV project).

JAKE IN PROGRESS (ABC) - Charlotte Ross ("N.Y.P.D. Blue") has joined the cast of the John Stamos-led comedy, which will return for its second season in January. She'll play Annie, the previously unseen ex-fianc�e of Stamos's character, whose unexpected arrival causes him to have thoughts about settling down, even though Annie is engaged to someone else. No other details were given.

JUDGE MARIA LOPEZ (A.K.A. UNTITLED JUDGE MARIA LOPEZ PROJECT) (Syndication) - Sony Pictures Television has cleared the Maria Lopez court series in 35% of the country for a September 2006 launch. So far "Lopez" has been cleared in seven of the top 10 markets - WPIX-TV New York, WCIU-TV Chicago, KYW-TV/WPSG-TV Philadelphia, WBZ-TV/WSBK-TV Boston, KBHK-TV/KPIX-TV San Francisco, KTVT-TV/KTXA-TV Dallas and WUPA-TV Atlanta - with additional clearances expected to be announced shortly. The project is a result of a talent holding deal Lopez, the first female Hispanic judge appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court, signed with Sony earlier this year.

KNIGHTS OF THE SOUTH BRONX (A&E) - The Ted Danson-led telefilm, about an English teacher who struggles to better the lives of poor children from the South Bronx, has been slated to premiere Tuesday, December 6 at 8:00/7:00c.

LIFE OF LEISURE (ABC, New!) - Guy Shalem (TBS's "Worst-Case Scenario") has set up a new improvised comedy (a la "Curb Your Enthusiasm") at the Alphabet about a depressed twentysomething man who decides to move back in with his parents and discovers they've settled into a retirement community for active seniors. Producer Fox TV Studios shot a 12-minute pilot presentation on spec with ABC then committing to an outline of the show's full first episode.

MY BIG BREAK (TV Land, New!) - Scott Sternberg Productions (A&E's "Spying on Myself") has booked a six-episode order from the network for a "Before They Were Stars"-esque series about a celebrity's first big break in showbiz. Actors Katey Segal and Jim Belushi were featured in the pilot to the half-hour project, which is expected to bow sometime next year.

MY NAME IS EARL (NBC) - Writer/producer Barbie Adler ("Arrested Development") has inked a two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact calls for Adler to continue in her role as a co-executive producer on the hit comedy "My Name Is Earl" as well as develop new projects for the studio.

UNTITLED JOHN HEFFRON PROJECT (ABC, New!) - Former "Last Comic Standing" winner John Heffron has inked a six-figure talent holding/development deal with ABC and Touchstone Television. The pact calls for the network and studio to develop a comedy project around the comedian or cast him in one of its existing projects in development. Heffron and his manager Peter Rosegarten will also serve as executive producers on the project should the former scenario play out. Heffron previously had a development deal at NBC and NBC Universal Television as part of his prize for winning "Standing's" second season.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [october 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (NETFLIX)
· CHEERLEADER NATION (LIFETIME)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· FUTURAMA (HULU)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HIM & US (ABC)
· JAKE IN PROGRESS (ABC)
· JUDGE MARIA LOPEZ (SYNDICATION)
· JUSTICE (FOX)
· KNIGHTS OF THE SOUTH BRONX (A AND E)
· LAST COMIC STANDING (NBC)
· LIFE OF LEISURE (ABC)
· MY NAME IS EARL (NBC)
· NYPD BLUE (ABC)
· R U THE GIRL WITH T-BOZ & CHILLI (UPN)
· SCRUBS (ABC)
· SEX AND THE CITY (HBO)
· SPYING ON MYSELF (A AND E)
· THREAT MATRIX (ABC)
· UNTITLED JOHN HEFFRON PROJECT (ABC)
· WORST-CASE SCENARIO (TBS)





[05/07/25 - 03:26 PM]
MTV Greenlights TV's Longest Running Reality Competition Series "The Challenge" for Season 41
"The Challenge" season 41 returns this summer featuring fan favorite veterans Aneesa Ferreira, Leroy Garrett, and CT Tamburello.

[05/07/25 - 02:01 PM]
Video: "Power Moves with Shaquille O'Neal" - Official Trailer - Netflix
"Power Moves" follows Shaquille O'Neal as he takes on the role of President of Reebok Basketball, returning to the brand that gave him his first shot.

[05/07/25 - 02:00 PM]
FOX Doubles Down on the Laughs Renewing Comedies "Animal Control," Starring Joel McHale, and "Going Dutch," Starring Denis Leary
The single-camera shows, both wholly owned by FOX, will return in the 2025-2026 season.

[05/07/25 - 01:00 PM]
CBS Announces Its 2025-2026 Primetime Schedule
The lineup features one new comedy, four action-packed dramas, three unscripted series, 18 returning series, sports and special event programming.

[05/07/25 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Big Mouth" - The Final Season - Official Trailer - Netflix
Nothing brings out the hormones - or the heartbreak - quite like high school. These longtime friends are growing up, and it's the ultimate happy ending.

[05/07/25 - 10:29 AM]
Bravo Expands Its Programming Slate with New and Returning Series
The four new series for the upcoming year include "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island," "Ladies of London," "The Valley: Persian Style" (wt) and "Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition."

[05/07/25 - 10:03 AM]
ESPN Original Series "Rabil's Places" to Premiere June 4 on ESPN+
The five-episode series follows Paul Rabil as he explores the rich history and traditions of college and pro lacrosse and pays respects to the game's indigenous origins.

[05/07/25 - 09:55 AM]
Contractor Mike Holmes and His Kids Michael Holmes, Jr. and Sherri Holmes Return in Eight New Episodes of HGTV's "Holmes Family Rescue" on Wednesday, June 4, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Contractor Mike Holmes and his kids, home renovation experts Michael Holmes, Jr. and Sherry Holmes, will return for eight new episodes of their popular HGTV series.

[05/07/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Apple Original Films Unveils Trailer for "Echo Valley"
The film, starring Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney and Domhnall Gleeson, will make its global debut on Apple TV+ on Friday, June 13.

[05/07/25 - 08:46 AM]
Amy Poehler and Mike Schur Reunite for New Peacock Comedy "Dig" with Series Pickup
In the series, four women working at an archeological dig in Greece are at wildly different crossroads in their lives.

[05/07/25 - 08:45 AM]
CBS Tops Multiplatform Viewership in the First Full Season of Nielsen Data Release
In 35-day multiplatform viewership average per episode among all broadcast series, CBS has four of the top six new series.

[05/07/25 - 08:31 AM]
"Trainwreck" - Official Series Announcement
Starting June 10, Netflix will be launching an eight-part documentary anthology that focuses on some of the wildest and most bizarre events ever to blow up in mainstream media.

[05/07/25 - 08:08 AM]
Presenters Announced for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards Live on Prime Video
Hosted by 16-time ACM Award-winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the 60th ACM Awards will stream live exclusively for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch on Thursday, May 8.

[05/07/25 - 08:06 AM]
Apple TV+ Announces New Thriller "The Wanted Man," Starring Hugh Laurie
"The Wanted Man" charts the rise and fall of Felix Carmichael (Laurie), the elusive and powerful head of notorious British crime syndicate "The Capital."

[05/07/25 - 08:02 AM]
Hallmark Media and the Black List Announce Recipient of the Emerging Voices Partnership
Toyi Elizabeth has accepted a WGA-minimum open script deal with Hallmark Media to write and develop a television movie.