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 (FOX)
· 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)





[05/16/25 - 11:48 AM]
"American Idol" Sunday and Monday "Disney" Nights Tower Over the Competition
Sunday's episode of "American Idol" earned 5.27 million Total Viewers and a 0.62 rating in Adults 18-49.

[05/16/25 - 11:26 AM]
Video: "Death Valley" - BritBox Original Trailer
A retired actor. A struggling young detective. They're the perfect crime-fighting duo - when they get along.

[05/16/25 - 11:02 AM]
NBC to Air Encore of "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" on Sunday, June 8
The special, which originally aired February 16 live on NBC and Peacock, has garnered 22 million viewers across all platforms.

[05/16/25 - 11:02 AM]
Video: BET+ Original Movie - Official Trailer - "To Get Her"
In a foreign country, a mother, her sister, and her friend must take matters into their own hands to rescue her missing daughter.

[05/16/25 - 10:00 AM]
Prime Video Announces Multi-Title Licensing Deal with Glitch Productions, Starting with Fan-Favorite Indie Web Series "Murder Drones"
The fan-favorite series has garnered over 270 million views on YouTube captivating audiences with its unique blend of humor, horror, and survival in a frozen post-apocalyptic world with hormonal (and sometimes murderous) robots.

[05/16/25 - 09:16 AM]
2025 NBA Western Conference Finals: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Oklahoma City Thunder or Denver Nuggets Exclusively on ESPN Platforms
ESPN's lead NBA broadcast team - Mike Breen, analysts Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson and reporter Lisa Salters will provide commentary.

[05/16/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: HBO Releases Official Trailer and Key Art for the Original Film "Mountainhead," Written and Directed by Jesse Armstrong, Debuting May 31
A group of billionaire friends get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis.

[05/16/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "The Heart Knows" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After a heart transplant, Manuel feels a personality shift and explores his donor's life, leading him to meet the widowed Vale and her community.

[05/16/25 - 08:00 AM]
"Mickey 17" Begins Streaming Exclusively on Max May 23
From the Academy Award-winning writer/director of "Parasite," Bong Joon Ho, comes his next groundbreaking cinematic experience.

[05/16/25 - 06:01 AM]
Lady Gaga Takes the Stage at Netflix Tudum 2025: The Live Event
Tudum LIVE is Netflix's global fan event, named after the iconic sound that plays at the start of every Netflix movie, series or event.

[05/16/25 - 06:00 AM]
Starz Adds Shameik Moore to Cast of "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" as "Breeze," A Pivotal Character in the "Power" Universe
Moore will join the cast as a series regular in the prequel series' upcoming fifth season, which has also been confirmed as the final season.

[05/15/25 - 03:30 PM]
CNN to Exclusively Air Live George Clooney's Five-Time Tony Nominated Broadway Play "Good Night, and Good Luck" on Saturday, June 7 at 7pm ET Across CNN Platforms
Clooney commented, "I can't tell you how exciting it is to do something that's never been done. CNN is the perfect place to bring this story of courage to so many more people than we could have ever hoped. Live TV. No net. Buckle up everyone."

[05/15/25 - 02:07 PM]
"9-1-1" Hits Six-Month High as Show Builds Toward Season Finale
Standing as the No. 1 non-sports telecast of the night in the key Adult demo, "9-1-1" delivered 6.48 million Total Viewers and a 0.63 rating among Adults 18-49 on linear.

[05/15/25 - 01:59 PM]
Max Original Documentary "Bloody Trophy" Debuts May 16
A hard-hitting journalistic investigation into the illegal rhino horn trade leads straight to Poland and exposes the shadowy involvement of the Vietnamese mafia.

[05/15/25 - 01:05 PM]
ABC News Studios Announces "Hey Beautiful: Anatomy of a Romance Scam" Begins Streaming May 20, Only on Hulu
There's big money in the lonely-hearts business with online scammers primed to take advantage of vulnerable women around the world.