or


[04/14/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: April 13-14
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!

BROTHERS & SISTERS (ABC) - Marti Noxon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Point Pleasant") has joined the drama pilot as an executive producer where she'll serve as its showrunner should it be ordered to series. Noxon's involvement comes as the result of a two-year, seven-figure overall deal the writer/producer has signed with "Brothers" producer Touchstone Television. The pact also calls for her to develop new series projects for the studio. Ken Olin and creator Jon Robin Baitz also serve as executive producers on "Brothers."

C.S.I.: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS) - Liz Vassey, who plays lab technician Wendy Simms on the veteran crime drama, has inked a deal to return next season for at least 10 episodes. No other details about the pact were given.

A DAY IN THE LIFE (ABC) - Stephnie Weir ("Mad TV") has been upped to series regular on the comedy pilot, about a young couple's (Josh Cooke, Marla Sokoloff) wedding day as told from the points of view of the various participants. Weir plays the wedding planner in the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, which also stars Kurt Fuller, Miriam Shor, Stephen Rannazzisi and Wendie Malick. Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith are behind the project, which Michael Spiller is directing.

DRIVE (FOX) - Andres Saenz-Hudson (a guest star on "Criminal Minds") and newcomer Shahine Ezell are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about an underground road race across America. They'll play Winston Salazar and Sean Salazar, two brothers participating in the race. The former character is detailed in the casting notice as: "23, Hispanic. He's another racer who is participating in the contest, along with his younger brother, Sean. A couple of characters, they are riding in a stolen, pimped out Caddy. Always bickering, the duo wait for instructions on the red cell phone that links them to the contest's organizers. They are determined to win the 32 million dollar purse but they may learn that there's a big downside to this high-stakes competition."

Sean then is described as: "18, Hispanic. He's Winston's younger brother, a character who is a bit of a germo-phobe. He wants to win the big prize money, but he and his brother waste of lot of time in bickering. Sean and Winston give the disgruntled young Violet a ride in their pimped out (and stolen) Caddy." The pair join the previously cast Alan Ruck, Emily Stone and Melanie Lynskey in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which comes from creators Ben Queen and Tim Minear. Greg Yaitanes is directing.

FEAR FACTOR (NBC) - Matt Kunitz, the veteran showrunner of the NBC series, has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with Endemol USA. The pact calls for Kunitz to exit his role on the NBC Universal Television-based "Factor" at the end of this season where he'll begin developing projects for Endemol. First up, Kunitz will spearhead ABC's version of the "American Idol"-esque "Operation Triumph." Casting has already begun on said project, which could bow as early as this summer. In addition to his duties on "Factor," Kunitz also served as a consultant on the upcoming NBC series "Treasure Hunters."

FLIRT (The CW) - Marco Sanchez (a guest star on "Hot Properties"), Guy Torry (a guest star on "Blind Justice") and Marcelle Larice (Holly on "The Bad Girl's Guide") have all joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about the only man (Wayne Brady) working at a women's magazine. They'll play Simon, Jed and Allison respectively in the Touchstone Television-based half-hour, which comes from creator Barry Wernick and fellow executive producers Claudia Lonow, Kevin Kelly Brown and Lawrence Bender. Gary Halvorson is directing.

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FX) - Anne Archer (Beth Gordon on "Ghost Whisperer") has signed on to appear in four episodes of the show's upcoming second season. She'll play the wife of Danny DeVito's character on the series, which returns in June.

OCTOBER ROAD (ABC)/UNTITLED TOM HERTZ PROJECT (CBS) - Elizabeth Bogush (Max Dowling on "The Mountain") has booked guest starring roles on both projects. No details however were given about either of her characters, which are understood to be potentially recurring should they move forward to series.

ORPHEUS (CBS) - Patrick J. Adams (a recent guest star on "Numb3rs") has been confirmed as a cast member on the drama pilot, about a young man (Nick D'Agosto) whose girlfriend (Mena Suvari) is involved in a sophisticated, modern-day cult and draws him to it. He plays Barry on the CBS Paramount Network Television-based hour, which also stars Eion Bailey and Fairuza Balk. Bruce Beresford directed the project from a script by Nicholas Meyer with David W. Zucker, John McNamara, Ridley Scott and Tony Scott also serving as executive producers.

ROB & BIG BLACK (MTV, New!) - The life of professional street skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and his bodyguard/best friend, Christopher "Big Black" Boykin, are set to be the focus of a new reality series for the cable channel. MTV has committed to eight episodes of the project, which comes from "Wildboyz" executive producer Jeff Tremaine and fellow co-creator Ruben Fleisher. The half-hour series, set to launch this fall, will track the "odd couple"-esque pair as they live together in Dyrdek's Hollywood Hills home.

SHARK (CBS) - Lindsay Frost (a recent guest star on "The Unit") has been cast as the ex-wife of James Woods's character in the drama pilot, about a celebrity defense attorney-turned-prosecutor. She'll join the previously cast Alexis Cruz, Danielle Panabaker, Jeri Ryan, Romy Rosemont, Samuel Page, Sarah Carter and Sophina Brown in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which comes from creator Ian Biederman and director Spike Lee. Brian Grazer and David Nevins of Imagine Television also serve as executive producers.

UNTITLED STEINBERGS PROJECT (ABC) - Jeffrey Pierce (a recent guest star on "N.C.I.S.") has scored a guest starring role on the drama pilot, about the lives of nine hostages who endure a 52-hour hostage standoff. He'll play Randall Reese, a potentially recurring character, on the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which also stars Camille Guaty, Chi McBride, Dana Davis, Jessica Collins, John Billingsley, Kim Raver, Lourdes Benedicto, Owain Yeoman, Scott Wolf and Timothy Daly. Alex Graves is directing the hour from a script by creators Hank Steinberg and K.J. Steinberg.

UNTITLED TINA FEY PROJECT (NBC) - Scott Adsit (a recent guest star on "Monk") has been confirmed as a cast member on the comedy pilot, about the life of the head writer (Tina Fey) of a fictional sketch comedy series. No details about his character were given. Alec Baldwin, Jack McBrayer, Judah Friedlander, Rachel Dratch and Tracy Morgan also star in the NBC Universal Television-based half-hour, which Adam Bernstein directed from a script by Fey. David Miner, JoAnn Alfano, Lorne Michaels and Marci Klein also serve as executive producers.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· 30 ROCK (NBC)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· BAD GIRL'S GUIDE, THE (UPN)
· BIG DAY (ABC)
· BLIND JUSTICE (ABC)
· BROTHERS & SISTERS (ABC)
· BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN)
· CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· DRIVE (FOX)
· FEAR FACTOR (MTV)
· FLIRT (CW)
· GHOST WHISPERER (CBS)
· HOT PROPERTIES (ABC)
· IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FXX)
· MONK (USA)
· MOUNTAIN, THE (WB)
· NCIS (CBS)
· NINE, THE (ABC)
· NUMB3RS (CBS)
· OCTOBER ROAD (ABC)
· ONE, THE: MAKING A MUSIC STAR (ABC)
· ORPHEUS (CBS)
· POINT PLEASANT (FOX)
· ROB & BIG (MTV)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· SHARK (CBS)
· TREASURE HUNTERS (NBC)
· UNIT, THE (CBS)
· WILDBOYZ (MTV2)





[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.