or


[03/17/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: March 17
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!

BEYOND (FOX) - Rachel Perry ("Pepsi Smash") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about the scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and their efforts to win the next space race, following an unspecified global crisis. She'll play Sunny, a young scientist at said lab, in the 20th Century Fox Television/Imagine Television-based hour, which also stars Seth Gabel, Adrian Lester, Jonah Lotan and Rachael Stirling. Breck Eisner is directing the project from a script by David Self with Brian Grazer and David Nevins also serving as executive producers.

DRIFT (ABC) - Jason O'Mara (Charles Conti on "In Justice") has booked the lead role in the drama pilot, about a New York City detective who suffers a major emotional trauma, leaving him with insomnia and little long-term memory. O'Mara's involvement is in second position to any potential second season of "In Justice." Chazz Palminteri, Naelee Rae and Vanessa Ferlito also star in the Touchstone Television-based hour, which comes from director Paul W.S. Anderson and creator John Glenn. Chris Brancato, Jeremy Bolt and Bert Salke also serve as executive producers alongside Anderson and Glenn.

FACELESS (FOX) - Kevin Alejandro, a recent guest star on "Without a Trace," has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a federal prosecutor (Sean Bean) who goes undercover as a criminal in order to take down a sprawling underworld organization. He joins the previously cast Reed Diamond, Stana Katic and Clifton Powell in the 20th Century Fox Television/Flame Television-based hour, which comes from creator Dario Scardapane and director Joe Carnahan. The pair also serve as executive producers alongside Flame's Tony Krantz, Evelyn O'Neill and Daniel Rappaport.

THE GUYS (ABC) - Bumper Robinson (Jackson on Hallmark's "Jane Doe" movies), Stephen Tobolowsky (A.S.A. Don Haffman on "C.S.I.: Miami") and David Anthony Higgins (Craig Feldspar on "Malcolm in the Middle") are the first to be cast in the comedy pilot, about a group of dads who become friends through their kids' playgroup. Craig Doyle is behind the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, which Rob Schiller is directing with Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum also serving as executive producers.

MY EX LIFE (A.K.A. UNTITLED RICH APPEL PROJECT) (CBS) - Rich Appel's comedy project, about a divorced couple who remain best friends and share custody of their kids, is now running under the title "My Ex Life." The 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour was originally in the works for last season but has since been rolled to 2006-07 series consideration. Appel penned the pilot script and is executive producing, with Andy Cadiff attached to direct.

N.C.I.S. (CBS) - Paramount Domestic Television has sold the off-network rights to the CBS drama to USA for a whopping $750,000 per episode, the same amount the network paid for its parent series "J.A.G." back in 1998. The five-year pact gives the cable channel the exclusive weekday rights to the series beginning in 2008 as well as the option for additional runs on sibling channel Bravo. The deal however won't include once-a-week repurposing of current episodes that's becoming commonplace for most off-network runs. Outside of the USA pact, Paramount plans to sell weekend only repeats of the series to local stations also starting in 2008.

PINK COLLAR/UGLY BETTY (ABC) - Charlotte Ross has opted out of the drama pilot "Ugly Betty" in favor of another ABC pilot, the comedy "Pink Collar." She's believed to be playing Claire Shoop in the Alicia Silverstone-led half-hour, about the nature of female relationships within the workplace. Her character is detailed in the casting notice as: "About 30, married to Lawson. Claire is Hayden's best friend at AAI or closest enemy, the jury's still out. Claire is a needy, neurotic workaholic whose rise at AAI has been planned down to the month. Handed a Project Manager job (which Hayden wanted) that will chew up every minute of the next 15 months of her life, Claire is self-diagnosed as pregnant on the very same day. Claire panics, worried her pregnancy will affect her career. Through closed door maneuvering, she gets Hayden assigned to the project, telling herself that it's to help Hayden restart her career, unable to admit it's because she can't handle it without her."

Ryan Michelle Bathe also stars in the HBO Independent Productions-based project, which Alan Poul is directing from a script by creator Patricia Breen. As for "Betty," Vanessa L. Williams (Elizabeth Bauer on "South Beach") has reportedly been tapped to replace Ross. She'll join the previously cast Alan Dale, America Ferrera, Ashley Jensen, Eric Mabius, Becki Newton, Ana Ortiz and Tony Plana in the Touchstone Television-based hour, which comes from executive producers Salma Hayek, Silvio Horta, Ben Silverman, Jose Tamez and Teri Weinberg. Richard Shepard is directing from a script by Horta.

SHARK (CBS) - Sarah Carter (Nadine Hodges on "Numb3rs") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a defense attorney-turned-prosecutor (James Woods). She'll play Madeline Poe, an assistant D.A. who works with Woods's character in the 20th Century Fox Television/Imagine Television-based hour, which Spike Lee is directing from a script by Ian Biederman. Imagine's Brian Grazer and David Nevins also serve as executive producers.

STEPHEN KING'S KINGDOM HOSPITAL (ABC) - Sci Fi Channel has quietly purchased the off-network rights to the short-lived ABC drama. The network's recently released April schedule indicates it plans to run the series in four-hour blocks on Tuesdays nights beginning April 11 at 7:00/6:00c.

UNTITLED CHRIS SHERIDAN PROJECT (NBC)/THE WEDDING ALBUM (FOX) - Bruno Campos has departed Chris Sheridan's comedy pilot for the Peacock in favor of the FOX drama pilot "The Wedding Album," about a wedding photographer and his assistant, who attempt to find romance in their own lives while shooting the marriages of New York hotshots. He'll play Tony in the Fox Television Studios-based hour, which comes from creators Andy Tennant and Wink Mordaunt. As for the Sheridan project, Jana Marie Hupp, Eddie McClintock and Virginia Williams still remain attached to the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, about two brothers - one's a life-long criminal while the other is an FBI agent - and their families who live next door to each other.

UNTITLED PUSSYCAT DOLLS PROJECT (The CW, New!) - The Burlesque-style dancing troupe is reportedly close to signing a development deal with the soon-to-launch network. It's understood the pact would call for the CW to develop a reality project featuring the group via Telepictures Productions and producer/director McG. No other details were given.

UNTITLED TOM HERTZ PROJECT (CBS) - Megyn Price (Claudia Finnerty on "Grounded for Life") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about couples in various stages of their relationships. No details about her character were mentioned. Patrick Warburton also stars in the Sony Pictures Television-based project, which Andy Ackerman is directing from a script by creator Tom Hertz. Jack Giarraputo, Doug Robinson and Adam Sandler of Happy Madison Productions also serve as executive producers.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [march 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· AMERICAN MEN (ABC)
· BEYOND (FOX)
· CSI: MIAMI (CBS)
· DRIFT (ABC)
· FACELESS (FOX)
· GREAT MALONES, THE (NBC)
· GROUNDED FOR LIFE (WB)
· IN JUSTICE (ABC)
· JAG (CBS)
· JANE DOE (HALLMARK)
· JANE DOE (HALLMARK)
· JANE DOE (HALLMARK)
· JANE DOE (HALLMARK)
· JANE DOE (HALLMARK)
· JANE DOE (HALLMARK)
· JANE DOE (HALLMARK)
· MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE (FOX)
· MY EX-LIFE (CBS)
· NCIS (CBS)
· NUMB3RS (CBS)
· PEPSI SMASH (WB)
· PINK COLLAR (ABC)
· PUSSYCAT DOLLS PRESENT: GIRLICIOUS (CW)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· SHARK (CBS)
· SOUTH BEACH (UPN)
· STEPHEN KING'S KINGDOM HOSPITAL (ABC)
· UGLY BETTY (ABC)
· WEDDING ALBUM, THE (FOX)
· WITHOUT A TRACE (CBS)





[10/24/25 - 02:30 PM]
Video: First Look at Upcoming New Drama "Memory of a Killer" Starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli - Premiering This January on FOX
Dempsey stars as a hitman, Angelo Doyle, leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret - he has developed early onset Alzheimer's.

[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM]
"20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board
In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.

[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week
"Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week
The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.

[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer
The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.

[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM]
FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One
Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix
Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5
Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.

[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM]
The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free
Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.

[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.

[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM]
Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock
Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.

[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM]
The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT
The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.

[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM]
Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15
The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.

[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM]
Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge"
In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.

[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak
Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.