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[01/17/07 - 12:07 AM]
Development Update: Wednesday, January 17
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 signature "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!


AYUDA (Showtime, New!) - Simon Fields and Jennifer Lopez are developing a new "Upstairs/Downstairs"-esque single-camera comedy at the pay channel about four Latina nannies in Los Angeles. Alexa Junge ("Big Love") is behind the half-hour, which she'll write and executive produce alongside Fields and Lopez (via their Nuyorican Productions) for Sony Pictures Television.

Commitment: Script
Cast: TBA
Writer: Alexa Junge
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Alexa Junge, Jennifer Lopez (Nuyorican Productions), Simon Fields (Nuyorican Productions)
Studio: Sony Pictures Television


THE I.T. CROWD (NBC) - Joel McHale ("The Soup"), Jessica St. Clair ("The Showbiz Show with David Spade") and Richard Ayoade have all joined the cast of the hybrid multi- and single-camera comedy pilot, about the I.T. workers at a large corporation. Ayoade will reprise his role of Moss from the U.K. original while McHale is set as Roy and St. Clair is set as Jen. Chris O'Dowd and Katherine Parkinson played said roles in the British series.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Joel McHale (Roy), Richard Ayoade (Moss), Jessica St. Clair (Jen)
Writers: David Guarascio, Joe Port, Joe Wiseman, Moses Port
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: David Guarascio, Joe Port, Joe Wiseman, Moses Port
Consultant: Graham Lineman
Studio: FremantleMedia North America, NBC Universal Television Studio


PLAYING CHICKEN (FOX, New!) - Feature writers Sean Anders and John Morris ("Never Been Thawed") have booked a pilot order from the network for a new sitcom about Jake, a loud-mouthed conservative, and his brother Tim, an intellectual leftie, who are forced to live together after Jake suffers an accident that leaves him wheelchair-bound. The pair penned the pilot script and will serve as co-executive producers on the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour. Tom Werner, Eric Gold and Jimmy Miller, via their self-titled banner, will executive produce.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writers: John Morris, Sean Anders
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Eric Gold (Werner-Gold-Miller), Jimmy Miller (Werner-Gold-Miller), Tom Werner (Werner-Gold-Miller)
Co-Executive Producers: John Morris, Sean Anders
Studio: Warner Bros. Television


A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE (HBO, New!) - George R.R. Martin's bestselling fantasy series is being developed as a weekly drama at the pay channel. Screenwriters David Benioff ("Troy") and D.B. Weiss ("Halo") are on board to write and executive produce the series, with an eye toward writing each episode of each season together save one - to be penned by the author himself. It's understood each book in the planned seven-book series - which will shoot in Europe or New Zealand - will serve as the basis of each season. In addition, Martin himself, Management 360's Guymon Casady and Created By's Vince Gerardis will all receive co-executive producing credits.

Commitment: Script
Cast: TBA
Writers: George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: D.B. Weiss, David Benioff
Co-Executive Producers: George R.R. Martin, Guymon Casady (Management 360), Vince Gerardis (Created By)
Studio: TBA


UNTITLED DAMON SANTOSTEFANO PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Damon Santostefano ("Bring It on Again") has snagged a pilot presentation order for a new single-camera comedy about three thrill-seeking girlfriends who, fed up with the lying, cheating and lack of commitment by men, hit the road to settle the score with all of the men that have ever wronged them. The partially scripted project is based at Fox 21 with Santostefano apparently writing, directing and executive producing.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot (7-10 minute presentation)
Cast: TBA
Writer: Damon Santostefano
Director: Damon Santostefano
Executive Producers: Damon Santostefano
Studio: Fox 21


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2007]  
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· AYUDA (SHOWTIME)
· BIG LOVE (HBO)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GAME OF THRONES (HBO)
· IT CROWD, THE (NBC)
· PLAYING CHICKEN (FOX)
· REVENGE (FOX)
· SHOWBIZ SHOW WITH DAVID SPADE, THE (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· SOUP, THE (E)





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