or


[05/12/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: May 9-12
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!

BIG SHOT (Showtime, New!) - Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner's Hazy Mills Productions is developing a new unflinching drama at the pay channel about pop icon Billy Joel's early years. Paul Chart ("Children of Men") is on board to write the pilot script, which opens in the mid-1970s and follows Joel's first marriage to his then-business manager Elizabeth Weber. Hayes, Milliner and Andrew Harrison Leeds - along with Joel himself - then will serve as executive producers. No other details were given.

CABLE RATINGS ROUND-UP (Various) - HBO's "The Sopranos" continued its cable dominance for the week of May 1-7 with 8.5 million viewers tuning in. Lead-out "Big Love" drew 4.0 million viewers, taking seventh place overall for the week. Outside the top 15, Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" signed off with a series-high 923,000 viewers on May 2 while "Nashville Star" closed its fourth season to the tune of 3.0 million viewers that same night (down 11.76% from its season three finale).

CROSSING JORDAN (NBC) - Jon Cowan, Robert Rovner and Kathy McCormick have been tapped as co-showrunners of the Peacock drama. They'll take over for creator Tim Kring, who's moving on to his new NBC drama "Heroes." The trio will serve alongside fellow returning executive producers Alan Arkush and Dennis Hammer. As part of the promotions, Cowan and Rovner have each signed two-year overall deals with producer NBC Universal Television while McCormick has inked a one-year deal. The former pair then is expected to focus on development for the second year of the pact.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION (ABC) - Denise Cramsey ("House Wars") has been upped to executive producer/showrunner on Endemol USA's veteran alternative series. Cramsey, who had been a co-executive producer since 2004, will take over Tom Forman, who's leaving as part of a new overall deal at CBS Paramount Network Television.

FAST INC. (MTV) - Promos currently running on the cable channel indicate the series, about the company of the same name as they "utilize their connections, craftiness, and charisma to field vintage and muscle car requests from celebrities, models, and eccentric millionaires," will launch on Monday, June 5 at 10:30/9:30c.

GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC) - Writer/producer Debora Cahn ("The West Wing") has inked a two-year overall deal with Touchstone Television. The pact, financial details of which weren't specified, calls for Cahn to join "Grey's Anatomy" next season as a supervising producer as well as develop new projects for the studio.

HBO ORIGINAL PROJECTS (HBO, New!) - The pay channel is said to be close to issuing pilot orders to two projects - "12 Miles of Bad Road," a comedy series about a Dallas matriarchy, and an untitled hour from "Deadwood" creator David Milch and author Kem Nunn ("Tapping the Source") set in the world of surfing. The former project comes from creators/executive producers Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason ("Emeril") while the latter will be co-written by Milch and Nunn with the pair also executive producing alongside Howard Rosenman. Surf legend Herb "Herbie" Fletcher and wife Dibi are also expected to serve as consultants. No specifics however were released about either project. Meanwhile, pre-production reportedly has begun on "In Treatment," a serialized drama told from the point of view of therapists and their patients. HBO is in talks to order five episodes of the series, which is based on the Israeli series "BeTipul." Hagai Levi and Steve Levinson are the executive producers.

KINGS OF SOUTH BEACH (A&E) - "Boomtown" alums Donnie Wahlberg and Jason Gedrick are set to topline the original movie, about the true story of nightclub impresario Chris Paciello, who revived the South Beach scene with aid of the mob. Tim Hunter ("Cold Case") is directing the project, which begins production this month in Puerto Rico, from a script by Nick Pileggi ("Goodfellas"). Sonny Grosso and Larry Jacobson's Grosso-Jacobson Communications is producing the movie in association with Sony Pictures Television. Delia Fine and Clay Kahler also serve as executive producers.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [may 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· 12 MILES OF BAD ROAD (HBO)
· BIG LOVE (HBO)
· BIG SHOT (SHOWTIME)
· BOOMTOWN (NBC)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· CROSSING JORDAN (NBC)
· EMERIL (NBC)
· EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION (HGTV)
· FAST INC. (MTV)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HEROES (NBC)
· HOUSE WARS (USA)
· IN TREATMENT (HBO)
· JOHN FROM CINCINNATI (HBO)
· KINGS OF SOUTH BEACH (A AND E)
· NASHVILLE STAR (NBC)
· REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY, THE (BRAVO)
· SOPRANOS, THE (HBO)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)





[01/14/26 - 12:02 PM]
NBC Will Now Offer a Special Premiere of "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins" on Sunday, Jan. 18 Immediately Following Coverage of the NFL Playoff Game
The series will return on Monday, February 23 at 8 p.m. with an encore of the pilot and a new episode immediately following at 8:30 p.m. in its timeslot premiere.

[01/14/26 - 12:01 PM]
Ryan Hurst to Play Kratos in Prime Video's "God of War" from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios
Hurst played Thor in PlayStation's "God of War Ragnarök," bringing established familiarity with the franchise to the role of Kratos.

[01/14/26 - 12:00 PM]
HBO Max and A24 Renew Multi-Year U.S. Pay-1 Output and Library Deal
As part of the agreement, HBO Max subscribers will also have access to a library of dozens of A24 films throughout the course of the deal.

[01/14/26 - 11:49 AM]
This Valentine's Day, Tubi's YA Original Film "Kissing Is the Easy Part" Premieres Exclusively on Tubi on February 13
The romantic comedy is directed by Fawzia Mirza and based on the popular Wattpad webnovel (currently at 31.9 million reads) of the same name by Christine Duann adapted by Rebecca Webb.

[01/14/26 - 11:32 AM]
Scott Speedman-Led Series "RJ Decker" to Premiere on ABC Tuesday, March 3, Streaming Next Day on Hulu
Season 8 of "The Rookie" shifts to Mondays at 10 p.m. starting January 26, following the highly anticipated season premiere of "American Idol."

[01/14/26 - 10:36 AM]
OWN Greenlights First-Ever "Belle Collective" Spinoff in 2026, Expanding the Franchise as Its #1 Friday Night Series Returns
The franchise spotlights dynamic women who embody the strength, ambition and pride of Black female entrepreneurship, redefining what it means to be a modern southern Belle who unapologetically carves her own path.

[01/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
BET's "The Coach Vick Experience," Executive Produced by NFL Legends Michael Vick, Michael Strahan, and Deion Sanders, Premieres February 4, 2026
The emotional, high-stakes docuseries follows Michael Vick as he returns home to Virginia for the biggest challenge of his life - stepping in as a first-time head coach tasked with reigniting Norfolk State's struggling football program.

[01/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Paul McCartney: Man on the Run" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
From Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville, the film chronicles the arc of McCartney's solo career as he faces down a myriad of challenges while creating new music to define a new decade.

[01/14/26 - 08:31 AM]
Taylor Tomlinson Returns to Her Roots with Her Eagerly Anticipated New Netflix Comedy Special "Prodigal Daughter"
Tomlinson's fourth comedy special premieres globally on February 24, 2026, only on Netflix.

[01/14/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: Apple TV Debuts Trailer for Season Two of Emmy Award-Nominated "Yo Gabba GabbaLand!"
Season two brings this group together with a new roster of musical guests to create dynamic performances and original songs to help kids and families uncover life lessons through music, movement and joyful discovery.

[01/14/26 - 08:30 AM]
TLC's "90 Day: The Single Life" Returns with Second Chances, Shocking Secrets, and New Romances
The new season follows singles on their journeys to romance, some of which lead to unexpected sparks between familiar 90 Day faces.

[01/14/26 - 08:01 AM]
Season Three of the HBO Original Drama Series "Euphoria" Debuts April 12
A group of childhood friends wrestle with the virtue of faith, the possibility of redemption, and the problem of evil.

[01/14/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Lincoln Lawyer" Season 4 - Official Trailer - Netflix
On trial for a murder he didn't commit, Mickey must face a relentless DA as he fights to prove his innocence, expose the real killer and save his firm.

[01/14/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Bluff" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
As her tranquil life is shattered by the return of her vengeful former captain, a skilled ex-pirate must confront her bloody past to save her family.

[01/14/26 - 06:29 AM]
"State of Fear", The First Spin-Off of a Netflix Brazil Production, Premieres February 11
Directed by Pedro Morelli and produced by O2 Filmes, the feature is the first spin-off of a Netflix Brazil series, "Brotherhood," created by Morelli.