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[03/11/08 - 05:37 PM]
Development Update: March 10-11
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!
DRIVING AROUND WITH JONI (HBO, New!) - Jhoni Marchinko ("Men in Trees") has scored a pilot commitment from the pay channel for a new comedy about an eccentric, successful 40-year-old widow who spends her days driving around Los Angeles with her French bulldog, looking for meaning in her life after the sudden death of her husband. The project was originally set up at Warner Bros. Television where Marchinko had an overall deal prior to its termination during the WGA strike. Marchinko then will pen and executive produce "Joni" while Warner Bros. will still retain a piece of the show but not be creatively involved.
ELEVENTH HOUR (CBS) - Marley Shelton ("Grindhouse") has been tapped as the female lead in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama pilot, about Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell), a special science adviser to the government who - with his feisty female bodyguard Rachel Young (Shelton) in tow - saves people from the worst abuses of science. Ashley Jensen originated Shelton's role in the U.K. version. Danny Cannon is directing the hour from a script by Mick Davis with the pair executive producing alongside Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman for Granada International and Warner Bros. Television.
HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS, New!) - Feature writer Ari Schlossberg ("Hide and Seek") has booked a pilot presentation order from the Eye and CBS Paramount Network Television for a new horror-themed drama that unfolds during the course of a season as a group of friends meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding. "Jericho's" Jon Turteltaub is on board to direct and executive produce alongside his Junction Entertainment partners Karim Zreik and Dan Shotz. The latter pair then will serve as co-executive producers, as will Schlossberg.
MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL (CBS) - Josh Cooke ("Big Day") is set to star opposite Tim Peper in the multi-camera comedy pilot, about two best friends who own a bike shop and whose relationship becomes complicated when one (Peper) starts dating the ex-wife of the other (Cooke). Mike Sikowitz is behind the half-hour, which is set up at Sony Pictures Television.
THE SAINT (New!) - Barry Levinson, Tom Fontana, Jorge Zamacona, Bill Macdonald, Roger Moore and Geoffrey Moore are set to team to produce an independently financed two-hour TV movie/backdoor pilot based on Leslie Charteris's famed novels about debonair international thief Simon Templar. Zamacona and Macdonald previously set up the project at TNT last season (read the story) but it didn't move forward. The rights subsequently reverted back to them, after which Fontana and Levinson came aboard. Nehst Studios is behind the project while James Purefoy ("Rome") in talks to topline. Production then is set to begin next month with filming in Budapest, Hungary, New York and Puerto Rico. Since the 1997 feature starring Val Kilmer, both UPN (director John McTiernan and producer ATG in 2000) and ABC (writer Stephen Nathan and producer FremantleMedia North America in 2004) have taken stabs at developing a new small screen take.
UNTITLED NICK LACHEY PROJECT (MTV, New!) - Nick Lachey is developing a "Fame"-esque reality series set at his alma mater, the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati. The untitled project then would track its students, blending their performances with a narrative about what takes place in the school. Marc Platt and Russell Heldt are executive producing alongside Lachey.
WORST WEEK (CBS) - Erinn Hayes ("The Winner") has landed the female lead in the comedy pilot, about a guy named Sam (Kyle Bornheimer) and his rocky relationship with the parents of his fiancee (Hayes) during a family holiday. Her character, Melanie "Mel" Cook, is further detailed in the casting notice as follows: "30. Sam's fiancee. She's a beautiful, warm woman who is unaffectedly striking, even when she's not wearing any make-up. Currently in her first trimester of pregnancy, Mel is throwing up on a regular basis and just trying to soldier on until she's feeling better. Very attached to Sam, she's hoping that his visit for Dick's birthday will sweeten up her parents and set the stage for their announcement of Mel's pregnancy and engagement. However, Sam's surreal string of blunders, gaffes and boneheaded misfortunes make it very hard for Mel to convince her folks that Sam is indeed Mr. Right." Jay Malone also stars in the half-hour, which comes from Universal Media Studios and executive producers Jimmy Mulville, Marc Buckland and Matt Tarses.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[03/13/14 - 11:10 AM]
Saying Goodbye Has Never Been So Funny! MTV's "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory" One-Hour Series Finale Airs Tonight at 10:30 P.M. ET/PT on MTV
Rob is going out with the most outrageous and insane stunt of all time as he partners with Chevy to break a Guinness World Record for the "Farthest Reverse Ramp Jump by a car in history."
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[03/13/14 - 11:04 AM]
"Ron White's Comedy Salute to the Troops 2014" Premieres Sunday, March 23 at 9 P.M., ET/PT on CMT
Kathleen Madigan, Josh Blue, Roy Wood, Jr., Gabriel Iglesias and Geechy Guy are also featured in the 90-minute special.
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[03/13/14 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Announces Renewals for 18 Primetime Shows for Next Season
Combined with its previously announced pick-ups, CBS has now renewed 20 returning series for the 2014-2015 season, encompassing 17 hours of primetime programming.
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[03/13/14 - 10:53 AM]
Animal Planet Goes Deep Into the Colorado Rockies to Bring Fugitives to Justice in "Rocky Mountain Bounty Hunters"
The new six-part series launches Sunday, April 13 at 10:00/9:00c on the cable channel.
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[03/13/14 - 10:52 AM]
ESPN to Exclusively Unveil 2014 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Bracket
ESPN's Final Four studio team of host Kevin Negandhi and veteran analysts Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo will be on hand for in-depth analysis.
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[03/13/14 - 10:51 AM]
Golf Channel Sets Production Plans for Inaugural Drive, Chip And Putt Championship National Finals from the Home of the Masters, Sunday, April 6
The network's five hours of live coverage will include a pre-game show from the grounds of Augusta National and four hours of live competition.
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[03/13/14 - 10:18 AM]
Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers Deliver Strong Results for the Late-Night Week of March 3-7
NBC spins the late-night numbers for the week of March 3-7.
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[03/13/14 - 10:03 AM]
E! Heads to Las Vegas for "Men of the Strip," an All-New Special Chronicling the Making of Sin City's Newest Male Revue, Premiering Monday, May 26
The revue is the brainchild of Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees, Emmy nominated choreographer Glenn Douglas Packard and entertainment entrepreneur "Money Mike" Foland.
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[03/13/14 - 09:49 AM]
TBS to Offer Full-Episode Previews of "Deal With It" and "Bam's Badass Game Show" Via Social Media, Website and Mobile Apps One Week Before TBS Launch
Said series bow on Wednesday, March 19 and Monday, April 14 at 10:30/9:30c, respectively.
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[03/13/14 - 09:19 AM]
"Survivor" Grows for Second Straight Week; Sweeps Time Period and Tops "American Idol"
CBS spins the numbers for Wednesday, March 12.
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[03/13/14 - 08:54 AM]
Nickelodeon Bolsters Its Comedy-Driven Live-Action Slate with Pick-Ups of Three Series
"Henry Danger," "Bella and the Bullfrogs" and "Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn" are all on tap from the cable channel.
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[03/13/14 - 08:41 AM]
Nickelodeon to Debut Nick Jr. App with TV Everywhere, Featuring Characters, Educational Content from Top-Rated Preschool Shows
The app will be available free for iPad devices via the App Store, and will roll out on additional platforms in the coming months.
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[03/13/14 - 08:39 AM]
"Chicago P.D." Grows Week to Week by 7% in 18-49 Rating, Making the Fifth Time It Has Matched or Topped Its Prior Telecast
NBC spins the numbers for Wednesday, March 12.
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[03/13/14 - 08:26 AM]
ABC's "Modern Family" Tops "Idol" by a Best-Ever 38% in Adults 18-49 to Rank as Wednesday's #1 TV Show for the 3rd Straight Week
ABC spins the numbers for Wednesday, March 12.
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[03/13/14 - 08:24 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX, "Idol" Hold Off Demo Push by CBS
Just one tenth of a ratings point separates said networks among adults 18-49 last night.
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