or


[04/24/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: April 20-24
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!

A&E ORIGINAL SERIES (A&E) - The cable channel has confirmed both "Inked" and "Criss Angel: Mindfreak" will debut their second seasons on Wednesday, May 31 while newcomers "Driving Force" and "Gene Simmons' Family Jewels" will bow on Monday, July 17 and Monday, August 7 respectively. In addition, both "Dog the Bounty Hunter" and "The First 48" have been given fourth season renewals (joining the previously announced pick-ups of "Intervention" and "Dallas S.W.A.T."). Finally, A&E has given an eight-episode order to its reality project "Sons of Hollywood" (a docu-soap featuring celebrity kids Randy Spelling, Sean Stewart and Dave Weintraub). The I Candy-based series, from executive producers J.T. Taylor, Nancy Dubuc, Robert Sharenow and Michael Morrison, is set to launch in the first quarter of 2007. And if that wasn't enough, Irwin Entertainment has booked a pilot order at the network for "The Beach," a docu-soap about the lifeguards who live, work and party in Orange County's Huntington Beach.

BARABOO 2010 (NBC)/GENERATIONS (CBS) - Emmy-winner Cheryl Holliday ("King of the Hill") has signed a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with NBC Universal Television. The pact will cover her duties on the cast-contingent pilots "Generations" (for CBS) and "Baraboo 2010" (for NBC) should either move forward to series. In addition, she'll develop other new projects for the studio as well as potentially join one of its existing series.

GILMORE GIRLS (The WB) - Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and fellow executive producer Dan Palladino won't be returning for the show's seventh season, the pair confirmed on Thursday. "Despite our best efforts to return and ensure the future of 'Gilmore Girls' for years to come, we were unable to reach an agreement with the studio and are therefore leaving when our contracts expire at the end of this season," they said in a joint statement to the press. The news comes in spite of a reported $5 million offer by Warner Bros. Television to oversee what many speculate will be "Gilmore's" final season on the soon-to-launch CW network. It's understood the Palladinos were holding out for a two-year commitment from the studio, a demand hampered by the cast only being signed through the 2006-07 season. In their place, writer David Rosenthal has been tapped as showrunner.

HBO ORIGINAL SERIES (HBO) - Recently launched promos on the pay channel indicate "Deadwood's" third season will bow on Sunday, June 11 at 9:00/8:00c. That same night look for "Entourage" to debut its third season at 10:00/9:00c followed by the premiere of newcomer "Lucky Louie" - HBO's first multi-camera sitcom - at 10:30/9:30c.

HUSTLE (AMC) - The cable channel has confirmed the series will return for its third season of six episodes on Saturday, July 1 at 10:00/9:00c. The series wrapped its initial 12-episode run - featuring its six-episode freshman and sophomore efforts - earlier this month.

THE JANICE DICKINSON MODELING AGENCY (Oxygen) - The Janice Dickinson-led reality series - in which the former "America's Next Top Model" judge starts her own Hollywood modeling agency - reportedly will debut on Tuesday, June 6 at 10:00/9:00c.

MAKE IT HAPPEN (ABC, New!) - eBay is partnering with Tom Mazza's Madison Road Productions and executive producers Flody Suarez ("The Book of Daniel") and Jay Blumenfield & Tony Marsh ("Family Business") for a potential new reality series in which a team of experts help families identify their "hidden treasures" and put them up for auction on the famed web site in order to raise funds for making the family's dreams come true. Casting is currently underway on the project (visit here for more info), which could be ready to air as early as this summer. Blumenfield and Marsh then would serve as showrunners on "Happen" with Suarez and Mazza also executive producing.

MTV ORIGINAL SERIES (MTV) - Promos currently running on the cable channel indicate the Jamie Kennedy-led "Blowin' Up" will launch on Tuesday, May 16 at 10:30/9:30c. Meanwhile, "Laguna Beach's" spin-off "The Hills" has had its premiere bumped from May 24 to May 31 at 10:00/9:00c. And lastly, look for "Pimp My Ride," "Making the Band" and "Run's House" to return with new installments on Thursday, June 15 (exact times TBA).

SCRUBS (NBC) - Bill Callahan, a co-executive producer on the series, has inked a two-year, seven-figure pact with producer Touchstone Television. The deal will keep Callahan on board the veteran comedy should it return next season as well as give him the option to develop new projects for the studio.

UNTITLED PAUL ABDUL PROJECT (Syndication, New!) - CBS Paramount Domestic Television reportedly is developing a new syndicated project around "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul. No details about the format or other specifics were released. Abdul also serves as a special correspondent on the company's "Entertainment Tonight."

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL (VH1)
· BARABOO 2010 (NBC)
· BEACH, THE (A AND E)
· BLOWIN' UP (MTV)
· BOOK OF DANIEL, THE (NBC)
· BUY IT NOW (ABC)
· CRISS ANGEL: MINDFREAK (A AND E)
· DALLAS SWAT (A AND E)
· DEADWOOD (HBO)
· DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER (A AND E)
· DRIVING FORCE (A AND E)
· ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT (SYNDICATION)
· ENTOURAGE (HBO)
· FAMILY BUSINESS (SHOWTIME)
· FIRST 48, THE (A AND E)
· GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS (A AND E)
· GENERATIONS (CBS)
· GILMORE GIRLS (CW)
· HILLS, THE (MTV)
· HUSTLE (AMC)
· INKED (A AND E)
· INTERVENTION (A AND E)
· JANICE DICKINSON MODELING AGENCY, THE (OXYGEN)
· KING OF THE HILL (HULU)
· LUCKY LOUIE (HBO)
· MAKING THE BAND (MTV)
· NEWPORT HARBOR: THE REAL ORANGE COUNTY (MTV)
· PIMP MY RIDE (MTV)
· RUN'S HOUSE (MTV)
· SCRUBS (ABC)
· SONS OF HOLLYWOOD (A AND E)
· UNTITLED PAUL ABDUL PROJECT (SYNDICATION)





[06/03/26 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "BAKI-DOU: The Invincible Samurai" Part 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
Baki and the strongest Underground Arena fighters face a threat of historical proportions: the resurrected Musashi Miyamoto, Japan's greatest samurai.

[06/03/26 - 12:46 PM]
HBO Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of Emmy-Winning Original Series "Six Feet Under"
The series debuted June 3, 2001 and ran five seasons from 2001 to 2005, concluding its final episode on August 21, 2005.

[06/03/26 - 11:01 AM]
"Saturday Night Live" Season 51 Was #1 Among All Broadcast Comedy Series in the 18-49 Demo and #2 Among All Entertainment Series
The most-watched telecast of the season across all platforms was 10.1 million viewers on December 20 with host Ariana Grande and musical guest Cher.

[06/03/26 - 10:31 AM]
Lamont "The Reaper" Roach Jr. and William "El Camaron" Zepeda to Battle for the WBC Lightweight World Championship
Headlining TNT Sports and DAZN's "The Fight," a new monthly live boxing series, the 12-round championship showdown will be broadcast co-exclusively in the United States on TNT and truTV and worldwide on DAZN and presented by Golden Boy Promotions in co-promotion with TGB Promotions and ProBox Promotions.

[06/03/26 - 10:04 AM]
The 158th Edition of The Belmont Stakes Returns to FOX Sports
The 2026 running of the Belmont Stakes marks the final time the storied third leg of the Triple Crown will be contested at Saratoga Race Course before returning to the newly renovated Belmont Park in 2027.

[06/03/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: Trailer and Key Art Debut - Hulu's "Never Change!"
"Never Change!" premieres June 17, 2026, on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S., and on Disney+ internationally.

[06/03/26 - 09:46 AM]
Netflix Announces New Adult Animated Comedy Series "Dealies"
A savant salesman. A gentle gladiator. A quiet virtuoso. A summoner of the divine. And the poor soul who hired them. All part of the staff at Dealies, a big box store.

[06/03/26 - 08:00 AM]
Chilling Hit Detective Drama, "Inspector Ellis," Starring Sharon D Clarke Returns to Acorn TV on Monday, July 6
Additional episodes will premiere weekly on the platform.

[06/03/26 - 07:31 AM]
Video: "Chris & Martina: The Final Set" - Official Trailer - Netflix
This documentary explores Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova's decades-long dominance of women's tennis - and a friendship even cancer couldn't upset.

[06/03/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV unveils New Trailer for Highly Anticipated Limited Series "Lucky"
"Lucky" will make its global debut on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 15, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through August 19.

[06/03/26 - 07:00 AM]
Fans Power UFL on ESPN to Significant Viewership Growth Across 10-Week Regular Season
ABC alone accounted for eight of the top 10 most-watched games.

[06/03/26 - 06:54 AM]
ESPN's "We're Going" Campaign Turns Animated in Celebration of Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5
Each spot adds to ESPN's Year of the Super Bowl celebration, with more spots set to debut up until kickoff in Los Angeles in February 2027.

[06/03/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Oasis" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a young woman mysteriously vanishes from a luxury resort, staff and guests alike become suspects - trapped inside until the truth comes out.

[06/03/26 - 06:01 AM]
Marcello Hernandez to Host "The 2026 ESPYS Presented by Capital One" at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center
This year marks The ESPYS return to New York City, where the show will air live from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

[06/03/26 - 06:00 AM]
TNT Sports Caps Its Most Watched NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs with Its Most Watched Conference Final Ever
The record-setting series helped propel TNT Sports' overall coverage of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs to an average of 1.4 million viewers across TNT, TBS, truTV and HBO Max, up 50% from 2025 through the Conference Final.