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[01/11/08 - 06:17 PM]
Development Update: Week of January 7-11
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!
30 DAYS (FX) - Host/executive producer Morgan Spurlock has inked a two-year overall deal with Fox Television Studios. The pact calls for the prolific filmmaker to develop series projects - both for broadcast and new media - for the company via his Warrior Poets banner. He'll also continue his work on the FX series, a co-production of Reveille and Actual Reality, which will roll out its third season sometime this year. Separately, Spurlock is set to debut his new film "Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?" at Sundance later this month.
A&E ORIGINAL SERIES (A&E) - The cable channel is moving forward with three new original series, all of which are expected to roll out in the coming months. First up is "Crime 360" (Base Productions, 17 episodes), a one-hour effort that uses CGI visualizations and state-of-the-art 3-D photography to look at the evidence in investigations of actual crimes. Next is the half-hour "Manhunters: Fugitive Task Force" (Stars & Stripes Media, 11 episodes), which focuses on the work of a Manhattan-based federal agency whose job is to join with state and local agencies to track down dangerous felons on the lam in the greater New York/New Jersey area. Finally, there's "Rookies," a docusoap which tracks a group of recent police academy graduates in their first year on the job. A&E plans to air the series as two separate incarnations - one in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana (Tiger Aspect USA, eight episodes) and another in Tampa, Florida (The Greif Co., eight episodes). The executive producers of the aforementioned projects are John Brenkus and Mickey Stern on "Crime 360," Gary Tarpinian, Stuart Goodman and Vincent Scarza on "Manhunters," Charles Brand, Jamie Munro, Lawrence Cumbo and Christine Connor on the Jefferson Parish edition of "Rookies" and Leslie Greif and Adam Reed on the Tampa edition of "Rookies." For A&E, Rob Sharenow and Laura Fleury will executive produce "Crime 360" and "Manhunters" with Sharenow, Neil A. Cohen and Stephen Harris on "Rookies" (Jefferson Parish) and Sharenow, Cohen and Andy Berg on "Rookies" (Tampa).
APATOW PRODUCTIONS (New!) - Filmmaker Judd Apatow, the mind behind the cult series "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared," has inked a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact gives the studio first crack at any of Apatow's TV efforts. In addition, former 20th executive Nicholas Weinstock has been tapped as the head of development for Apatow's self-titled banner.
DIRT (FX) - The cable channel has announced the show's second season will bow on Sunday, March 2 at 10:00/9:00c. Its return however will be short-lived: only seven of 13 ordered episodes were completed before the WGA strike.
INSEPARABLE (FOX) - Shaun Cassidy's ("Invasion") drama script, previously set up at CBS for 2003-04 season consideration, is being redeveloped by FOX and ABC Studios. The project, a modern-day Jekyll and Hyde tale about a partially paralyzed forensic psychiatrist with a split personality whose alter ego is a charismatic criminal, was resurrected by the studio as part of his overall deal. In an interesting twist however, FOX has given the go ahead to cast the hour despite Cassidy not turning in a revised draft of the script due to the WGA strike. No official pilot order however will be given until Cassidy's updated script is completed.
SONS OF ANARCHY (A.K.A. FOREVER SAM CROW) (FX) - Charlie Hunnam, Scott Glenn and Katey Sagal have all been cast in the pilot, a drama set in the world of motorcycle clubs. Hunnam will play the lead role of Jackson "Jax" Teller, who's described in the casting notice as follows: "25-33, Caucasian. Handsome in a broken cowboy kind of way, an expert mechanic with lots of tattoos and scars on his arms, he is the vice-president of SAMCRO, and is the son of the founder, John Teller. The motorcycle club life is all he has ever known, but Jax is starting to have his doubts -- doubts that could invalidate the last 32 years of his life. Jax is a paradox on two wheels: he's intelligent, sensitive and reflective, yet quick-tempered and dangerously reactive, a man who can anguish over his sick child yet drive a pool cue into an enemy's groin. Jax's enemies are multiplying these days: rival Latin and White Supremacist gangs have joined forces to rip off SAMCRO's stash of weapons. The father of a premature baby (born too soon because his pregnant ex-wife Wendy took too many drugs while carrying the baby), Jax has been studying his late father's journals, and he's begun to question SAMCRO's "outlaw = criminal" business model. He begins to foster a belief that his club's commitment to the MC lifestyle may not have to include selling arms. But this shift in philosophy seems destined to bring him into deadly confrontation with his foster father, Clay Morrow." Glenn then is set as Jack's aforementioned stepfather, the president and patriarch of the club, with Sagal as Jack's mother and the matriarch of the club. In addition, Allen Coulter has signed on to direct the hour while Fox 21 has been tapped to co-produce alongside FX Productions. Kurt Sutter penned the pilot script and is executive producing alongside Art Linson and John Linson. Production is set to begin in mid-February.
THE TWO COREYS (A&E) - The network has renewed the Corey Haim/Corey Feldman series for a second season of 10 half-hour episodes. RDF USA ("Wife Swap") and Tijuana Entertainment ("Breaking Bonaduce") are behind the project, which is expected to return sometime in the spring. Haim and Feldman, longtime friends best known for their various 1980s films, were last seen feuding at the end of season one and apparently have not seen each other since. The new season then will pick up as they finally reunite and decide whether to work through their differences or part ways. While exact numbers weren't released, A&E noted the show's first season delivered a 28% and 40% growth from the network's primetime average among adults 25-54 and 18-49, respectively. Feldman and Haim also serve as executive producers alongside RDF's Greg Goldman, Chris Coelen and Tony Yates; Tijuana's Troy Searer and John Foy; and A&E's Rob Sharenow, Michael Morrison and Scott Lonker.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[03/05/15 - 02:44 PM]
Little Women Take a Bite Out of the Big Apple with Lifetime(R)'s "Little Women: NY" Premiering on March 25
Viewers first got a glimpse of New York's Lila Call, when she made waves with the "Little Women: LA" cast and now they'll get to see her in action on her home turf with her group of east coast besties.
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[03/05/15 - 01:13 PM]
Samantha Bee Heading to TBS - Former "Daily Show" Correspondent Signs Up to Host Comedy Series
The new show, which is in the early stages of development, is being planned as a platform for Bee to apply her smart and satirical point of view to current and relevant issues.
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[03/05/15 - 01:08 PM]
Great American Country Renews Three Popular Series
The network announced the renewal of season two of "Flippin' RVs" (Justin and Anna Scribner), season three of "Junk Gypsies" (Amie Sikes and Jolie Sikes) and season four of "Celebrity Motor Homes" (Blair Herter).
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[03/05/15 - 11:58 AM]
Nickelodeon's "Kids' Choice Awards" Host Nick Jonas, Platinum Selling Rapper Iggy Azalea with Grammy-Winner Jennifer Hudson, And Award Winning Pop-Rock Band 5 Seconds of Summer to Perform at This Year's Show
"We are so excited to be nominated and perform at the Kids' Choice Awards! It's our first time at the show and it's going to be awesome!" said 5 Seconds of Summer.
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[03/05/15 - 11:53 AM]
Starz Announces Elisabeth Shue and Jason Schwartzman to Guest Star on "Blunt Talk"
Shue and Schwartzman will both appear as possible guests for Walter Blunt's (Patrick Stewart) nightly cable news show "Blunt Talk."
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[03/05/15 - 11:41 AM]
#BieberRoast Roasters to Include Hannibal Buress, Chris D'Elia, Natasha Leggero, Ludacris, Shaq, Snoop Dogg, Martha Stewart and More!
This year's dais will also feature some of today's hottest comedians including Hannibal Buress, Chris D'Elia, Natasha Leggero and Jeffrey Ross.
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[03/05/15 - 11:31 AM]
NBC's "Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon" Returns with Brand New Episodes
Special half-hour episodes will air Saturday, March 7 and April 11 at 8:00/7:00c.
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[03/05/15 - 11:17 AM]
Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers Deliver Decisive February Sweep Wins
NBC spins the late-night numbers for the February sweeps period.
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[03/05/15 - 10:59 AM]
"Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief," Highlighting Stories of Former Church of Scientology Members, Who Detail Their Lives as Followers, Debuts March 29 on HBO
Alex Gibney profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how the church cultivates true believers, detailing their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion.
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[03/05/15 - 10:35 AM]
AMC Continues the "Mad Men" Celebration with the Release of a Series of Tributes
Bryan Cranston, David O. Russell and Gayle King, among others, reminisce about the pilot, memorable moments and the end of the "Mad Men" era.
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[03/05/15 - 10:06 AM]
Cast and Creators of NBC's Hit Comedy "Undateable" Up the Fun at SXSW with Comedy Showcase and Panel
Co-creator and executive producer Bill Lawrence will lead the comedy tour with series stars Chris D'Elia, Brent Morin, Ron Funches and Rick Glassman.
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[03/05/15 - 10:06 AM]
Four Conference Champions Punch NCAA Tickets on FOX Sports 1
FOX Sports 1, for the second consecutive year, is the exclusive home for the entire BIG EAST Men's Basketball Tournament from Madison Square Garden in New York City, including on-site studio coverage throughout the event.
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[03/05/15 - 10:00 AM]
"ACM Presents: Superstar Duets!," A New Entertainment Special Featuring an Unprecedented Lineup of Country Music Legends Performng Alongside This Year's ACM Award Nominees and Chart-Topping Artists, To Be Broadcast Friday, May 15 on CBS
Dierks Bentley, Clint Black, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Sam Hunt, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Ronnie Milsap, Darius Rucker, Dwight Yoakam, Alabama, Eli Young Band and Florida Georgia Line among those slated to appear.
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[03/05/15 - 09:33 AM]
Series Premiere of "CSI: Cyber" Posts Significant Gains in the Time Period and Versus Year Ago
CBS spins the numbers for Wednesday, March 4.
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[03/05/15 - 08:46 AM]
Smithsonian Channel(TM) Investigates the Real Story That Inspired CBS' Limited Event Series "The Dovekeepers"
The new one-hour special, "Siege of Masada," premiering Friday, March 27 at 9:00/8:00c, examines the evidence behind this powerful legend.
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