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[12/21/07 - 06:31 PM]
Development Update: Week of December 17-21
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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!
AMC ORIGINAL SERIES (AMC, New!) - The cable channel has added four new projects to its development slate. Said efforts will eventually result in one of two pilots the network plans to order next year. The other pilot will be based off its previously announced projects. As for the newcomers, they are: "Fort Smith," from "24's" Robert Cochran, about Isaiah Parker, who polices the Five Points - comprised of five different Indian tribes - with his posse in the lawless post-Civil War West; an untitled hour from Alison Anders and Terry Graham, about Comanche leader Quanah Parker, who fights the U.S. Army for the rights to his tribe's land; "Greenfields," from playwright Nicky Silver ("Raised in Captivity"), about a psychiatrist who breaks his patient out of jail; and "Uninvited Guest," from "Less Than Zero" screenwriter Harley Peyton and Mandalay's Peter Guber and Elizabeth Stephens, about a character who suffers from multiple personality disorder.
THE AMERICAN MALL (MTV, New!) - MTV is teaming with "High School Musical" producers Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush for a romantic comedy/musical set at a mall in the vein of the Disney Channel sensation. Nina Dobrev and Rob Mayes will topline the project, about Ally, a high school grad/singer-songwriter (Dobrev), who battles to save her mother's music store and to keep the boy she loves (Mayes), a musically gifted young janitor who fronts a garage band. Autumn Reeser also stars as Ally's mean-girl adversary Madison, the spoiled and ruthless heiress to the owners of the mall, while Wade Allain-Marcus, Bianca Collins, Rodney To, Neil Haskell, Brooke Lyons, David Baum, Blythe Auffarth, Yassmin Alers, Bresha Webb, Neil Haskell and Al Sapienza round out the cast. Production is set to begin next month at a mall in Provo, Utah with Shawn Ku ("Pretty Dead Girl") directing. Borden is producing "Mall," which was originally set up as a feature at Columbia Pictures prior to "Musical's" release, with Rosenbush and Arata Matsushima serving as executive producers. "Mall" then will premiere this summer with a DVD release a couple of days later.
BACKYARDS & BULLETS (NBC) - The Peacock has opted not to move forward with the drama pilot, about a suburban Neighborhood Watch group gone awry. The news comes as a result of the network letting its options on the cast expire. The show's ensemble included Abigail Spencer, Billy Burke, Casey LaBow, Enuka Okuma, Jessalyn Gilsig, Kristen Lehman, Lou Diamond Phillips, Mathew St. Patrick and Richard Ruccolo. Charles McDougall directed the Sony Pictures Television/Pariah-based hour from a script by Ed Decter and John J. Strauss. Pariah's Gavin Polone and Jamie Tarses also served as executive producers.
COCO CHANEL (Lifetime, New!) - The cable channel is developing a biopic/mini-series about the famed fashion icon featuring Barbora Bobulova and Shirley MacLaine as the designer in the early and later periods of her life, respectively. Christian Duguay ("Human Trafficking") is on board to direct the Alchemy Television Group-based project, which is currently filming. Enrico Medioli ("Once Upon a Time in America") penned the script while Lux Vide SpA, Pampa Productions, Rai and France 2 are co-producing alongside Alchemy. The two-part effort, which is being done in cooperation with Chanel's estate, tracks her upbringing in an orphanage outside Paris through her move to reinvent herself in her 70s, after spending years in exile.
KAYA (MTV) - MTV development chief Tony DiSanto confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter this week the series, the network's first scripted effort in more than five years, won't be returning for a second season. "Kaya" opened its 10-episode run on Monday nights following "The Hills" before being banished to Saturday nights after failing to capitalize on said lead-in. DiSanto however was quick to note the network still plans to push forward in the scripted genre as several projects are in the works, including an untitled effort from Adam Ripp and Steven Wolfson as well as "Darius," from "Law & Order" veteran Michael S. Chernuchin.
SAINT OF CIRCUMSTANCE (FOX, New!) - "The Office" alum David Denman is set to topline a new single-camera comedy pilot for FOX about a man going through a midlife crisis who quits his dead-end office job to be a paramedic on the night shift. "Scrubs" star Zack Braff is in talks to direct the ABC Studios-based half-hour, which was created by Braff's brother, Adam ("Andrew Henry's Meadow"). Denman then will play the lead role of Wayne with the Braffs executive producing alongside Emile Levisetti. Production on the pilot is expected to begin after the WGA strikes concludes.
UNTITLED CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER PROJECT (ABC) - ABC Studios has extended the options on the entire cast of the multi-camera comedy pilot, about a family man (Cedric the Entertainer) who always has been the proud breadwinner but has difficulty adjusting when his wife's (Regina Hall) hobby turns into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Production on the project, which also stars Charles Malik Whitfield, Jasmine McNeal, Melissa Peterman, Peter Mackenzie and Steven Wash, Jr., was completed in October. Ken Whittingham directed from a script by co-creators Cedric the Entertainer, Michael Soccio and Rock Reuben.
WIFE SWAP (ABC) - Lifetime's purchase of the show's off-network rights from Disney-ABC Domestic Television on Tuesday (read the story) is said to be valued at $250,000 per episode. The four-year pact, which begins in October, gives the cable channel the right to play reruns of the series twice a day.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[01/23/21 - 09:24 AM]
Friday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC, FOX Top Demos; CBS Leads Total Viewers
"Shark Tank" and "Blue Bloods" lead the night in said categories.
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[01/22/21 - 01:56 PM]
Groundbreaking Series "America's Most Wanted" Returns with Emmy Award-Winning Journalist Elizabeth Vargas as Host, Premiering in March on FOX
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[01/22/21 - 01:29 PM]
Robert Kirkman's "Invincible" to Premiere March 26 on Amazon Prime Video
The first three episodes of season one will premiere Friday, March 26, with new episodes available each Friday following, culminating in an action-packed season finale April 30.
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[01/22/21 - 12:37 PM]
"Walker" Rides Off with The CW's Most Watched Series Premiere in 5 Years
The CW spins the numbers for Thursday, January 21.
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[01/22/21 - 12:06 PM]
The Next Episode of "Your Honor" to Air Sunday, January 31st on Showtime
The Bryan Cranston-led limited series will take a break this Sunday before returning with the first of its final three episodes.
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[01/22/21 - 11:05 AM]
Homicide Detective Series "The Murders" Available to Binge on Sundance Now Beginning Thursday, February 4
The series revolves around Kate Jameson (Jessica Lucas), a rookie homicide detective in Vancouver whose negligence resulted in a fellow officer's death.
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[01/22/21 - 11:01 AM]
Join the "Fright Club" with Jack Osbourne and the Ghost Brothers - New Series Launches Tuesday, February 9 on discovery+
A special first look of the premiere episode will air on Travel Channel on Friday, January 29 at 9:00/8:00c, in advance of the series' launch on discovery+.
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[01/22/21 - 11:00 AM]
"Saturday Night Live" Returns Live Coast-to-Coast with Five Consecutive Shows Beginning Jan. 30
John Krasinski, Dan Levy and Regina King are among the hosts on tap.
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[01/22/21 - 10:01 AM]
New Series, Films, Specials and More from AMC Networks' Extensive Library All Available on the Premium Streaming Bundle in February
Newly announced highlights include early access to AMC's "Ride with Norman Reedus" season five beginning Sunday, February 28, ahead of the linear premiere in March.
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[01/22/21 - 09:42 AM]
"Behind Every Man" Returns on OWN on January 30 Featuring Lamar Odom/Sabrina Parr, Big Sean/Myra Anderson, Faith Evans/Stevie J, Will & Heather Packer and More
Each episode of "Behind Every Man" follows the unique life-story of a strong Black woman who has supported and strengthened the success and fame of the man in her life.
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[01/22/21 - 09:26 AM]
Thursday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC's Game Shows Hold Off Competition
The Alphabet continues to lead the night in both total viewers and adults 18-49.
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[01/22/21 - 09:15 AM]
Bravo's "Southern Charm" Two-Part Reunion Begins Thursday, January 28 at 9PM ET/PT
Host Andy Cohen joins Craig Conover, Kathryn Dennis, Austen Kroll, Shep Rose, and season newcomers Leva Bonaparte, Madison LeCroy and John Pringle as they revisit a season of exhilarating highs and shocking lows.
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[01/22/21 - 09:00 AM]
HGTV Renews "Help! I Wrecked My House" Starring Home Reno Expert Jasmine Roth
After attracting more than 16 million viewers to its debut run, the network has ordered eight fresh, one-hour episodes of the series, which follows Jasmine as she salvages botched do-it-yourself home projects.
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[01/22/21 - 07:15 AM]
AMC Renews "Eli Roth's History of Horror" for Third Season
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[01/22/21 - 06:31 AM]
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The stakes are high as Captain Glenn Shephard puts his trust in an all-new crew as they sail along the sparkling coast of Croatia to provide an unforgettable, luxurious experience for the guests and their over-the-top requests.
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