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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!
THE CALL (ABC) - John Francis Daley ("Kitchen Confidential") is the first to be cast in the comedy pilot, about a team of unconventional paramedics who save people's lives while screwing up each other's. He'll play Tom Timlin, who's described in the casting notice as: "Early 20s. Tom is a sweet, sweet kid - a book smart but hopelessly na�ve baby-faced twenty-one years old trainee with zero practical experience. New to the city, Tom is totally excited to be on the job but has no idea of the kind of stuff he's about to see. Tom is a ride-along in the pilot and will eventually rotate onto the team. Over-awed by Nick and Ian, Tom is basically there to do whatever is urgently needed - however unsavory it may be. He's part office intern, part errand boy, part punching bag and part little brother. Over the course of the pilot, Tom gets accosted by homeless people, nearly kills a patient, gets shot in the shoulder with a cross-bow by a Korean pet store owner. and saves a life."
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: John Francis Daley (Tom Timlin)
Writers: Dave Hemingson
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Bob Cochran (Real Time Productions), Dave Hemingson, Howard Gordon (Real Time Productions), Joel Surnow (Real Time Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
THE CAPTAIN (CBS) - Fran Kranz ("The Village") has been tapped for the lead role in the comedy pilot, about an acclaimed young filmmaker (Kranz) struggling with writer's block who moves into the famous El Capitan apartment building and navigates through the eccentricities of his neighbors there.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Fran Kranz
Writer: John Hamburg
Director: John Hamburg
Executive Producers: John Hamburg
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television
CHUCK (NBC) - Australian actress Yvonne Strzechowski has scored a role in the drama pilot, about a nerdy computer tech (Zachary Levi) who has a database of government secrets downloaded into his brain. She'll play the C.I.A. agent assigned to his case.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Adam Baldwin, Yvonne Strzechowski, Zachary Levi (Chuck)
Writer: Chris Fedak, Josh Schwartz, McG
Director: McG
Executive Producers: Josh Schwartz (College Hill Pictures), McG (Wonderland Sound and Vision)
Co-Executive Producers: Chris Fedak, Peter Johnson (Wonderland Sound and Vision)
Studio: Warner Bros. Television
FOOTBALL WIVES (ABC) - Lucy Lawless ("Battlestar Galactica") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about the wives of professional football players. She'll play Tanya, the ruthless, bitchy spouse of bad boy Jason Turner from the U.K. original.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Brian White (Kyle), Gabrielle Union (Chardonnay Lane), Lucy Lawless (Tanya)
Writer: Marco Pennette
Director: Bryan Singer
Executive Producers: Ann McManus (Shed Productions), Bert Salke (Brancato-Salke Productions), Bryan Singer (Bad Hat Harry Productions), Chris Brancato (Brancato-Salke Productions), Eileen Gallagher (Shed Productions), Marco Pennette, Maureen Chadwicke (Shed Productions)
Studio: ABC Television Studio
JUDY'S GOT A GUN (ABC) - "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" co-star Louise Lombard has landed the title role the drama pilot, about a suburban woman who balances being a single mother with being a detective investigating bizarre suburban crimes. Her character, Judy Lemen, is fully detailed in the casting notice as follows: "30s, fit, attractive, sexily muscular, Judy's a "dual personality: she's a single mom who loves action. Desperately trying to balance home and work." Recently divorced, the mother of 7 years old Brenna, Judy's a resident of suburban San Carlos, where she's recently become a police detective again, after a hiatus of five years to be with her family. In her first six months of training, Judy's a natural: courageous, loves the excitement/danger but doesn't go overboard, sensible, with a warm, sensitive touch that sometimes makes people talk. Judy enjoys the camaraderie and advice of the women who work with her, Pamela and Maya, who tell her never to let men know she's a cop - tell him she's in real estate. Though Judy's somewhat attracted to her daughter's friend's dad, Richard Palm, she's even more attracted to her colleague Gavin Lynch - though their relationship, despite the attraction, is off to a rocky start. On her first days on the force, Judy makes a good impression, some friends, and even a possible if problematic love interest."
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Colm Feore (Captain Ruttgauer), Louise Lombard (Judy Lemen), Margo Harshman (Maya Spektor), Michael Michele (Pamela Coates), Steve Sandvoss (Patrick)
Writers: Michelle King, Robert King
Director: Sheree Folkson
Executive Producers: Michelle King, Robert King, Stu Bloomberg (Cabloom!)
Studio: ABC Television Studio
MR. & MRS. SMITH (ABC) - Bridgette Wilson-Sampras ("Shopgirl") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about Jane (Jordana Brewster) and John (Martin Henderson) Smith, a married suburban couple who are spies. She'll play a neighbor, a promiscuous housewife who sets her sights on John.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Jordana Brewster (Jane Smith), Martin Henderson (John Smith), Rebecca Mader
Writer: Simon Kinberg
Director: Doug Liman
Executive Producers: Dave Bartis (Dutch Oven Productions), Doug Liman (Dutch Oven Productions), Simon Kinberg
Studio: Regency Television
PHILADELPHIA GENERAL (FOX) - Ramon Rodriguez ("Day Break") is the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about a team of nurses. He's believed to be playing Patrick Quinn, who's described (via the casting notice) as follows: "28-32. Great looking. Our only male nurse and the rare guy masculine enough to look sexy in nursing scrubs. He's from the wrong side of Philly, raised by a single mother, and burdened by a brother always in trouble. As sensitive as he is sexy, Patrick deals with the male-nurse stereotypes daily, but to him it's just a job that lets him work four days a week and enjoy life the other three. He's in a sexual relationship with Jo but wants more."
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Ramon Rodriguez (Patrick Quinn)
Writer: Andy Stern, Samantha Goodman
Director: P.J. Hogan
Executive Producers: Ann McManus (Shed Productions), Barry Josephson (Josephson Entertainment), Eileen Gallagher (Shed Productions), P.J. Hogan
Co-Executive Producers: Andy Stern, Samantha Goodman
Studio: Shed Productions
SWINGTOWN (CBS) - Miriam Shor ("Big Day") has signed onto the drama pilot, which revolves around 1970s married suburban couples practicing partner-swapping. She's set as an insecure housewife who busies herself with block party organization and neighborhood politics.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Grant Show (Tom Decker), Jack Davenport (Bruce Miller), Lana Parrilla, Miriam Shor
Writer: Mike Kelley
Director: Alan Poul
Executive Producers: Mike Kelley
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television
UNTITLED DAVID SHORE/PETER BLAKE PROJECT (NBC) - Sarah Clarke ("24") is set to join her real-life husband Xander Berkeley in the pilot, a light ensemble drama with procedural elements that centers on a female cop (Famke Janssen). She'll play the younger sister and best friend of Janssen's character who sometimes gives her advice about cases.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Famke Janssen, Sarah Clarke, Xander Berkeley
Writer: David Shore, Peter Blake
Director: Tony Goldwyn
Executive Producers: David Shore (Shore Z Productions), Peter Blake
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio
WHITNEY (HBO) - Mexican-born actress Ana Claudia Talancon ("Alone With Her") has been tapped for the title role in the comedy pilot, about a beautiful, self-confident woman and her clique of young women in Miami who play and win at the game of sexual politics. Lisa Schraeger is behind the single-camera half-hour, which she's executive producing alongside Alex Gansa, Larry Kennar and Sarah Condon. Talancon's casting lifts said component off the pilot's production.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot (previously cast-contingent)
Cast: Ana Claudia Talancon (Whitney)
Writer: Lisa Schraeger
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Sarah Condon, Alex Gansa, Larry Kennar, Lisa Schraeger
Studio: TBA
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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