or


[01/31/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: January 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 branded "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!

COMMUNITY SERVICE (NBC, New!) - David Israel and Jim O'Doherty, the pair behind the Greg Grunberg-led comedy pilot "Grand Union," have landed a new comedy project at the network and NBC Universal Television. The single-camera project, which has a pilot order from the network, revolves around a big-time real estate developer who loses everything after a legal skirmish and winds up having to perform 500 hours of community service back in his small hometown, where he pursues a lost love. Israel and O'Doherty will write the pilot script and executive produce.

CULT (The CW) - Rockne S. O'Bannon's drama pilot, about a man's (Matthew Bomer) investigation of a string of mysterious deaths and disappearances surrounding a TV series named "Cult," has been terminated following last week's announcement of the merger between The WB and UPN. The new network's limited real estate was cited as the reason by industry insiders. Warner Bros. Television was behind "Cult," which was to be directed by Yves Simoneau from a script by O'Bannon.

MR. & MRS. SMITH (ABC, New!) - A small screen version of the recent Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt-led feature, about a suburban couple secretly working as competing assassins, is being developed by its director, Doug Liman. ABC has given a pilot order to the project, which is being targeted for midseason 2007 at the earliest. Simon Kinberg, who penned the feature script, is on board to write the pilot with Liman likely directing should his schedule permit. Regency Television and Fox TV Studios are behind the hour, which will be executive produced by Kinberg, Liman and Doug Bartis via the latter two's Dutch Oven (previously Hypnotic) banner.

MORE, PATIENCE (FOX) - FOX is taking a third stab at developing Jed Seidel's ("Veronica Mars") comedy-turned-drama-turned-comedy project, about a quirky 30-year-old New York therapist named Patience More who has difficulty navigating her personal life. Mary McCormack ("The West Wing") starred in and Jon Turteltaub directed the original single-camera comedy pilot, which was shot back in 2001. The following season a one-hour version was developed but never made it to pilot. The 2006 edition, which has a cast-contigent pilot order, will revert back to the single-camera format with Gavin Polone's Pariah returning to produce along with Sony Pictures Television. Seidel, Polone and Jamie Tarses then will serve as executive producers.

UNTITLED JOE PORT/JOE WISEMAN PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Joe Port and Joe Wiseman (NBC's "The Men's Room") have landed a pilot order from CBS and NBC Universal Television for a new comedy about a young couple who must deal with the wife's large extended family. The pair will pen the pilot script and serve as co-executive producers on the project with Moses Port and David Guarascio (NBC's "Lies and the Wives We Tell Them To") executive producing.

UNTITLED TOM HERTZ PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Tom Hertz ("The King of Queens") has scored a pilot order from the Eye and Sony Pictures Television for a new comedy about a married couple, an engaged duo and a single guy. Adam Sandler's Happy Madison banner is behind the half-hour, which will be executive produced by Hertz, Sandler and fellow Madison principals Jack Giarraputo and Doug Robinson. No other details were given.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM (A.K.A. UNTITLED GABRIELLE ALLAN PROJECT) (CBS) - Gabrielle Allan's ("Scrubs") comedy project for the Eye and Warner Bros. Television has received a cast-contingent pilot order from the network. The project, which Allan will write and executive produce, revolves around about three best friends with young kids - all with very different attitudes toward marriage, motherhood and their careers. The contingency is tied to casting the lead role, a woman who cuts back her workload to focus on motherhood.

WILL & GRACE (NBC) - Writer/producer Abraham Higginbotham (also of "Arrested Development" fame) has inked a seven-figure, multi-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact, which begins in June, calls for Higginbotham to develop original projects for the studio.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (NETFLIX)
· COMMUNITY SERVICE (NBC)
· CULT (CW)
· GRAND UNION (NBC)
· INSEPARABLE (CBS)
· KING OF QUEENS, THE (CBS)
· LIES AND THE WIVES WE TELL THEM TO (NBC)
· MEN'S ROOM, THE (NBC)
· MORE, PATIENCE (FOX)
· MR. AND MRS. SMITH (ABC)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· SCRUBS (ABC)
· VERONICA MARS (HULU)
· WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM (CBS)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)





[04/02/26 - 12:31 PM]
Paramount+ Greenlights New Reality Series, "Team Moms," Executive Produced by Kim Kardashian and Love Island Producers, ITV
"Team Moms" launches viewers into the world of nationally competitive youth baseball via immersion into the Legendary Prep Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona's first and only baseball prep school.

[04/02/26 - 12:01 PM]
Jamie Bell and Charlie Heaton Lead a New Generation of "Peaky Blinders" and First Look of Bell as Duke Is Revealed
Jessica Brown Findlay, Lashana Lynch, and Lucy Karczewski are also on board.

[04/02/26 - 12:01 PM]
"Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" Returns for One Last Spell This Summer on Disney+ and Disney Channel
Executive producer Selena Gomez to make her directorial debut with the premiere episode.

[04/02/26 - 11:44 AM]
First-Ever "American Idol" Simulcast on ABC and Disney+ Surges Double Digits
Season to date, "American Idol" averages 5.11 million Total Viewers and stands as one of the few shows to notch year-over-year gains this season.

[04/02/26 - 11:11 AM]
Sarah Drew and Eric Johnson to Headline "When I Said I Do" (wt), The New Movie Inspired by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black's Beloved Duet of the Same Name
The movie is set to premiere Saturday, May 23 at 8/7c as part of the network's upcoming spring "Love of a Lifetime" original movie slate.

[04/02/26 - 11:07 AM]
Thursday Night Heats Up as "9-1-1: Nashville" and "9-1-1" Soar to Best Performance of the Season
On linear over three days, "9-1-1" earned 5.94 million Total Viewers, also nearly matching the show's previous season high in January.

[04/02/26 - 11:05 AM]
Hulu's Critically Acclaimed Comedy Series "Deli Boys" Returns for a Second Season on May 28
Andrew Rannells and Kumail Nanjiani join as recurring guest stars for the second season, alongside series regulars Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, Poorna Jagannathan and Fred Armisen.

[04/02/26 - 10:58 AM]
ESPN to Present WNBA Expansion Draft Friday, April 3
Malika Andrews will host the special, joined by analysts Carolyn Peck and Monica McNutt.

[04/02/26 - 10:31 AM]
Louis C.K. to Headline the Hollywood Bowl May 5 as Part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest
This summer, his newest stand-up special, "Ridiculous," will premiere globally on Netflix.

[04/02/26 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Special "Ramy Youssef: In Love" Debuts April 17
Whether it's his marriage, being a dog parent, AI, or religion, Ramy comes at everything with his own brand of heart and humor.

[04/02/26 - 09:36 AM]
Netflix Wins Hot Package "The Corrections"; Orders Limited Drama Straight-to-Series Starring Meryl Streep
The series - from Paramount Television Studios - will be directed by Cord Jefferson, and written and adapted by author Jonathan Franzen.

[04/02/26 - 09:10 AM]
Video: "Smiling Friends" - Final Episodes Trailer - Adult Swim
Watch the final two episodes of "Smiling Friends" on Sunday, April 12.

[04/02/26 - 09:01 AM]
"Sofia the First: Royal Magic" Premieres May 25 on Disney Jr. with the First 8 Episodes Streaming Next Day on Disney+
It was also announced today that Moana, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Cinderella, Aurora and Elena of Avalor will make special appearances throughout the series, offering guidance, wisdom and support when Sofia needs it the most.

[04/02/26 - 08:35 AM]
New Faces Join "The Chi" Ensemble Cast for Its Final Season on Paramount+
Daryl Dunning II, Biko Eisen-Martin, Akilah A. Walker, Laila Odom, Liza Jessie Peterson, and Anthony B. Jenkins are among the latest additions.

[04/02/26 - 08:35 AM]
Great American Media Sets "An Accidental Arctic Christmas," Reuniting Beloved Fan Favorites Cameron Mathison and Jill Wagner, From Executive Producer Candace Cameron Bure
Maya Rose Skabar also stars in the film, which will premiere as part of the upcoming all-star Great American Christmas on Great American Pure Flix, Great American Family, and GFAM+.