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)





[05/27/26 - 01:16 PM]
"WWE: Made in America" Special Premieres This Friday, May 29, at 11 P.M. ET on USA Network
As part of USA Network's America 250 celebration, the one-hour special traces the evolution of a regional business into a global powerhouse, examining how the company mirrored the American spirit across five decades.

[05/27/26 - 01:01 PM]
Bravo's "Southern Hospitality" First-Ever Two-Part Reunion Event Begins Wednesday, June 3 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Republic Garden & Lounge comes to life in New York as host Andy Cohen sits down with the entire cast on an immersive reunion set inspired by King Street and the crew's stomping grounds.

[05/27/26 - 12:31 PM]
Prime Video Unveils New and Returning Canadian Originals at 2026 Amazon Upfront
Prime Video also debuted trailers for "Young Farts Trailer Parts," executive produced by Jacob Tierney and premiering July 17, and "Operation Deception."

[05/27/26 - 12:17 PM]
USA Sports Announces 2026 Schedule for Inaugural Season of New Pac-12 Football Coverage on USA Network
USA Network's 22-game slate features multiple appearances by all eight Pac-12 schools with at least one home game for every team, showcasing each unique gameday experience throughout the Pac-12.

[05/27/26 - 12:16 PM]
FOX Sports Unveils Powerhouse 2026 College Football Schedule
In 2026, FOX Sports is home to 137 college football games across the FOX family of networks - including 89 Big Ten conference games across FOX, FS1 and BTN.

[05/27/26 - 12:02 PM]
2025 National Champion Indiana Hoosiers, Michigan Wolverines, and Iowa State vs. Iowa Headline Early-Season Big Ten Football Schedule Across NBC and Peacock
NBC Sports' Big Ten coverage starts on Saturday, August 29, as the USC Trojans host the San Jose State Spartans at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

[05/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
Powerhouse Presentations, Ranked Showdowns and Conference Clashes Fuel ESPN's Blockbuster Broadcast Schedule for the 2026-27 College Football Season
More than 1,000 games will be set for ESPN networks with every showdown streaming on the ESPN App.

[05/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
The CW Network Unveils 2026 College Football Schedule
The season kicks off with a Week 0 ACC non-conference game as New Mexico State visits Florida State for a primetime showdown on Saturday, August 29 at 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT.

[05/27/26 - 10:01 AM]
Prime Video Orders Three New Animated Series from GenAI Creators' Fund, Backed by Amazon MGM Studios and AWS
Powering all of this is Project Nara, Amazon MGM Studios' purpose-built AI production platform for cinematic storytelling, built on AWS.

[05/27/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Marvel Animation's "X-Men '97" Season 2 - Official Trailer
Time to get the X-Men back to the 90s.

[05/27/26 - 09:01 AM]
"Project Runway" Reveals 22 Designers for Its 22nd Season
Season 22 debuts in the evening on July 9 on Freeform and will stream shortly after on Hulu and Disney+, followed by weekly airings.

[05/27/26 - 09:00 AM]
"The Book of Mormon" Original Cast to Perform at "The 79th Annual Tony Awards" Live Sunday, June 7 on CBS
The entire original cast, including Tony Award nominees Josh Gad, Andrew Rannells and Rory O'Malley and Tony Award winner Nikki M. James, will take the stage to celebrate the show's 15th anniversary on Broadway.

[05/27/26 - 08:31 AM]
Spotify & Netflix Partner with Jay Shetty to Bring "On Purpose" Video to Both Services
Netflix will bring the visual series to its members worldwide, while Spotify will serve as the global sales representative for the show and offer fans the flexibility to seamlessly watch or listen within a single app.

[05/27/26 - 08:06 AM]
Video: BritBox Debuts Teaser Trailer and Announces September 15th Premiere Date for "Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence"
The six-part adaptation of the Agatha Christie novels and short stories stars Antonia Thomas, Josh Dylan, and Imelda Staunton.

[05/27/26 - 08:04 AM]
Modern Greek Noir Thriller "Save Me" Makes U.S. Debut on the Viaplay Streaming Service Beginning Thursday, June 18
The eight-episode crime drama follows a missing-person investigation that soon spirals into the hunt for a serial killer.