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[01/19/07 - 12:37 AM]
Development Update: Friday, January 19
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!


BUSINESS CLASS (NBC) - Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein's single-camera comedy has been given a cast-contingent pilot order. The NBC Universal Television-based half-hour revolves around the absurd adventures of two traveling soda salesmen. The pair wrote the script and will executive produce alongside Dutch Oven's Doug Liman and David Bartis.

Commitment: Cast-contingent (previously script)
Cast: TBA
Writers: Bill Oakley, Josh Weinstein
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Bill Oakley, Dave Bartis (Dutch Oven Productions), Doug Liman (Dutch Oven Productions), Josh Weinstein
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio


THE CAPTAIN (CBS, New!) - "Meet the Parents" screenwriter John Hamburg has booked a pilot order from the Eye for a new single-camera comedy about a young writer whose life changes when he moves into a legendary old Hollywood apartment building. He wrote the pilot script and will direct and executive produce the half-hour, which is based at CBS Paramount Network Television.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: John Hamburg
Director: John Hamburg
Executive Producers: John Hamburg
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television


FAST FORWARD (FOX, New!) - Marla Ginsburg ("Highlander") and screenwriter Neena Beber ("How to Deal") are developing a new drama at the network about a young female attorney in New York City. Beber will pen the pilot script and executive produce alongside Ginsburg and Bob Cooper's Fox Television Studios-based Landscape Entertainment.

Commitment: Script
Cast: TBA
Writer: Neena Beber
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Bob Cooper (Landscape Entertainment), Marla Ginsburg, Neena Beber
Studio: Fox Television Studios


THE MARTINI KID (FOX, New!) - Don Woodard and Tom Maxwell ("Just Shoot Me") are set to team with Bob Cooper's Landscape Entertainment for a potential new comedy at the network. The Fox Television Studios-based half-hour is a single-camera comedy about a socially inept lawyer. Woodard and Maxwell will pen the pilot script and executive produce alongside Cooper.

Commitment: Script
Cast: TBA
Writers: Don Woodard, Tom Maxwell
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Bob Cooper (Landscape Entertainment), Don Woodard, Tom Maxwell
Studio: Fox Television Studios


PROTECT & SERVE (CBS) - The Gary Scott Thompson-produced hour, about cops living in the Los Angeles suburbs who deal with the stress of police life on and off the job, has been ordered to pilot. Mark Gibson and Phillip Halprin penned the pilot script and will apparently executive produce alongside the NBC Universal Television-based Thompson.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot (previously script)
Cast: TBA
Writers: Mark Gibson, Philip Halprin
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Gary Scott Thompson, Mark Gibson, Philip Halprin
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio


THEM (FOX) - FOX has ordered to pilot its small screen take on Michael Oeming and Daniel Berman's graphic novel "Six," about an alien agent who must locate a rogue operative on Earth and finds himself tempted by the planet's offerings. David Eick and John McNamara penned the pilot script to the CBS Paramount Network Television-based hour which Jonathan Mostow will direct. The trio will also executive produce with Circle of Confusion's David Alpert, David Engel and Lawrence Mattis serving as co-executive producers.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot (previously script with penalty)
Cast: TBA
Writers: David Eick, John McNamara
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Executive Producers: David Eick, John McNamara, Jonathan Mostow
Co-Executive Producers: David Alpert (Circle of Confusion), David Engel (Circle of Confusion), Lawrence Mattis (Circle of Confusion)
Studio:


UNTITLED ALEC SOKOLOW/JOEL COHEN PROJECT (NBC, New!) - Alec Sokolow and Joel Cohen ("Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties") are developing a new single-camera half-hour at the Peacock. The romantic comedy, full details of which weren't specified, will be written and executive produced by the duo and Bob Cooper's Fox Television Studios-based Landscape Entertainment.

Commitment: Script
Cast: TBA
Writers: Alec Sokolow, Joel Cohen
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Bob Cooper (Landscape Entertainment), Alec Sokolow, Joel Cohen
Studio: Fox Television Studios


UNTITLED DAVID ISRAEL/JIM O'DOHERTY PROJECT (NBC, New!) - David Israel and Jim O'Doherty ("The Tracy Morgan Show") have landed a cast-contingent pilot order for a new workplace comedy about the eccentric staff at a popular wildlife park. The pair wrote the pilot script and will executive produce for NBC Universal Television alongside Conaco Productions' Conan O'Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger.

Commitment: Cast-contingent
Cast: TBA
Writers: David Israel, Jim O'Doherty
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Conan O'Brien (Conaco Productions), David Israel, David Kissinger (Conaco Productions), Jeff Ross (Conaco Productions), Jim O'Doherty
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio


THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BARNES (A.K.A. UNTITLED TOM WHEELER PROJECT) (The CW) - Tom Wheeler's dramedy for the netlet has both a title and a pilot presentation order. The Warner Bros. Television-based hour revolves around two cheeky Princeton students who use their skills to help solve crimes. Andrew Plotkin and Steve Pearlman of Class IV Productions are executive producing the project alongside Wheeler.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot (previously script)
Cast: TBA
Writer: Tom Wheeler
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Andrew Plotkin (Class IV Productions), Steve Pearlman (Class IV Productions), Tom Wheeler
Studio: Warner Bros. Television


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2007]  
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· BUSINESS CLASS (NBC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FAST FORWARD (FOX)
· JUST SHOOT ME (NBC)
· MARTINI KID, THE (FOX)
· PROTECT & SERVE (CBS)
· THEM (FOX)
· TRACY MORGAN SHOW, THE (NBC)
· UNTITLED SOKOLOW & COHEN PROJECT (NBC)
· WELCOME TO THE CAPTAIN (CBS)
· WILDLIFE (NBC)
· WORLD ACCORDING TO BARNES, THE (CW)





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