or


[04/24/08 - 05:14 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, April 24
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!


BAD DADS (FOX, New!) - Jim Durham, director of the National Child Support Center, is set to be the focus of a potential new reality series at the network. Said project, which comes from 3 Ball Productions ("Unan1mous"), tracks the pseudo-"Dog the Bounty Hunter" as he hunts down deadbeat dads and forces them to pay child support. Production has already been completed on the pilot, which showcased Durham as he confronts a wealthy man at his country club over leaving his ex-wife financially destitute. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services estimates that as of 2006, the nation's cumulative uncollected child support stood at about $105 billion. Durham's National Child Support Center then serves as an option for those who've been abandoned by the courts, where they get to keep 67% of whatever he collects on their behalf. 3 Ball principals JD Roth and Todd A. Nelson are the executive producers.


BURN NOTICE (USA) - "Battlestar Galactica" co-star Tricia Helfer has booked a multi-episode arc on the show's upcoming second season. She'll play Carla, Michael's "sleek, sexy and lethal 'handler,' who often comes across as unaffected and slightly amused by him." Series creator Matt Nix told TVGuide.com: "To protect the people he loves, Michael is forced to work for Carla � his only link to the people behind his burn notice." Look for the new season to bow on Thursday, July 10 at 10:00/9:00c.


GOOD BEHAVIOR (ABC) - Patrick Adams and Mae Whitman are the first to be cast on the drama pilot, which centers on the matriarch of a family of criminals who straightens out her brood after her husband ends up in the clink for five years. Whitman will play Roxy, the family's smart teen daughter who has been blackmailing her principal and selling hall passes and permission slips, while Adams is set in the dual role of Van and Haden, the couple's identical twin sons, one a successful young lawyer and one a dimwit who still lives at home and plots ill-fated schemes. Rob Thomas is behind the project, which is set up at ABC Studios. Charles McDougall is directing.


HUNG (HBO, New!) - Colette Burson and "The Riches" creator Dmitry Lipkin have landed a script order from the pay channel for a new dark comedy about a well-endowed man who figures out a way to take advantage of his physical gift. Said commitment, which has a significant penalty attached, marks the first by incoming HBO Entertainment president Sue Naegle. As for specifics, "Hung" centers on a man who was once a high school sports legend, but is now plodding along in middle age as a struggling father and high school basketball coach. His luck begins to change, however, when he figures out a way to use his best asset. Burson and Lipkin, who are not only writing partners, but also a married couple, created the project and are executive producing alongside Blueprint Entertainment's Michael Rosenberg. The script was originally set up the now defunct Maverick Television, Rosenberg's shop with former partner Guy Oseary.


KINGS (NBC) - Newcomer Allison Miller has landed the female lead in upcoming drama series, about a pure-hearted young warrior (Christopher Egan) who joins the court of the charismatic and authoritative King Silas (Ian McShane). She'll play Michelle Benjamin, Silas's daughter who falls in love with Egan's character. Sebastian Stan also stars in the Universal Media Studios-based hour, the pilot of which Francis Lawrence is directing from a script by creator Michael Green.


MAD MEN (AMC) - Gabriel Mann ("The Bourne Supremacy") has scored a recurring role on the show's second season, due in July. He'll play Arthur, a wealthy, educated man of privilege who becomes associated with Betty (January Jones). No other details were given. Production began this month on the new season.


MY BOYS (TBS) - Nia Vardalos ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding") has landed a three-episode arc on the upcoming second season of the series, which premieres Thursday, June 12 at 9:30/8:30c. She'll play Andy Franklin's (Jim Gaffigan) "work wife" in the comedy. No other specifics were released.


MY NAME IS EARL (NBC) - Co-producer Hilary Winston has inked a two-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television. The pact calls for Winston to be loaned out to the 20th Century Fox Television-based "Earl" during the first year of the pact, where she'll be promoted to producer next season. Subsequently, she'll develop new series projects for the studio.


MYTHOLOGICAL X (CBS) - Amir Talai ("The Winner") is set to round out the cast of the drama pilot, about a woman (Elizabeth Reaser) who, after learning from a psychic that she already has dated the man she's supposed to marry, revisits all her past relationships in the hopes of finding him. He'll play Cyrus, formerly known as Kir, on the project. The original casting notice detailed the character as follows: "28-32. Asian-American. He is Fishy's best friend from college. He graduated high school at the age of fourteen and felt his accomplishments could end there. He's a lazy stoner and the self-proclaimed king of observational humor. He's extremely lucky without putting forth any effort. He's the guy who seems to always have cash though he hardly ever works. He can sleep until noon then find twenty bucks on the street while successfully hitting on a girl who is completely out of his league." Adam Rothenberg, Alexandra Breckenridge and Rachel Boston also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, which Timothy Busfield is directing from a script by Diane Ruggiero.


NIP/TUCK (FX) - "Aliens in America" co-star Adhir Kalyan has been tapped for a recurring role on the series. He'll play Dr. Raj, an intelligent, socially awkward recent medical school graduate, who just happens to be 16 years old. Said character comes on board to help Christian (Julian McMahon) with surgeries following Sean's (Dylan Walsh) stabbing. Production on the show's sixth season - formerly known as the back half of its fifth season - is underway. No premiere date has been announced.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· ALIENS IN AMERICA (CW)
· BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (SCI FI)
· BURN NOTICE (USA)
· DEADBEAT DADS (LIFETIME)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER (A AND E)
· EX LIST, THE (CBS)
· GOOD BEHAVIOR (ABC)
· HUNG (HBO)
· KINGS (NBC)
· MAD MEN (AMC)
· MY BOYS (TBS)
· MY NAME IS EARL (NBC)
· NIP/TUCK (FX)
· RICHES, THE (FX)
· UNAN1MOUS (FOX)
· WINNER, THE (FOX)





[08/26/26 - 01:56 PM]
Video: "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth" - See It First Only in IMAX November 25
Starring Brad Pitt. Written by Quentin Tarantino. Directed by David Fincher.

[08/26/26 - 01:43 PM]
Offseason Edition of the HBO and NFL Films Series "Hard Knocks" Set to Return in 2027
The series begins filming at the end of the 2026 NFL season and will debut in 2027 on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max.

[08/26/26 - 01:12 PM]
Home Is Where the Heart Is: Inside Netflix's Wave of Comfort Storytelling
Plus: "Guarding Stars," starring Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki, will premiere globally on Netflix November 18 - just in time for the holidays.

[08/26/26 - 01:00 PM]
Peacock Renews "Love Island USA" for Season Nine with Emmy-Nominated Host Ariana Madix Set to Return
Plus: Co-hosted by Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen, the highly anticipated "Love Island USA" season eight reunion special premieres Monday, August 31 at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET.

[08/26/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of August 17
"Reacher," "Sterling Point," "Ride or Die," "Off Campus," and "The Traitors" led all original series worldwide.

[08/26/26 - 10:45 AM]
"Survivor" Reveals the 21 New Castaways Competing on the 51st Edition - The First in the Series' New "Open Era" - With a Two-Hour Season Premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 23
The groundbreaking reality series, which shifts to 90-minute weekly episodes beginning Wednesday, September 30 at 8:00 PM, returns with an all-new expanded class of dynamic and determined competitors.

[08/26/26 - 10:18 AM]
BET Brings Chris "CP" Powell's Acclaimed Comedy Special "Sunday After Six" to Screens September 1
Host of the revived "ComicView: Rooftop Series," Chris "CP" Powell brings his 90-minute stand-up special to the screen, centered on relatable life experiences and everyday scenarios as a Black man.

[08/26/26 - 10:05 AM]
TNT Sports Unveils Blockbuster 72-Game NHL on TNT Schedule for 2026-27 NHL Regular Season, Starting Wednesday, Sept. 30
The season will culminate with TNT Sports' presentation of the 2027 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the 2027 Stanley Cup Final exclusively on TNT Sports platforms.

[08/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
Sarah Pidgeon Joins Aaron Taylor-Johnson in "Enigma Variations"
The limited series, adapted from the bestselling novel by André Aciman, is an intimate yet sweeping portrait of masculinity, sexuality, and modern love.

[08/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
ESPN Announces 100 Exclusive National Hockey League Games for 2026-27 Season
Of the 100 exclusive games, 53 matchups will be available on ESPN and ABC, while the remaining 47 matchups can be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.

[08/26/26 - 10:01 AM]
What's New on HBO Max This September
Highlights include Sharon Horgan's comedy "Youth" on September 20 and "4 Blocks" prequel series "4 Blocks Zero" on September 25.

[08/26/26 - 09:48 AM]
"Dolly: An NBC News Special" to Air Tonight at 9 P.M. ET
Anchored by Lester Holt, "Dolly: An NBC News Special" will look back at Parton's remarkable journey to stardom, her groundbreaking career and her lasting impact far beyond music.

[08/26/26 - 09:14 AM]
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Hosted by Kirk Franklin, Airs Sunday, August 30, on BET
Taped in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Spectrum Center under this year's theme, "Feels Like Home," the ceremony brings together gospel's most celebrated artists, trailblazers, and rising stars for a night of worship, inspiration, and world-class performances.

[08/26/26 - 09:05 AM]
ESPN Premieres "Shooting Stars" and "13.4 Seconds to Nowhere" Aug. 27
The films were developed through a collaboration between ESPN, ESPN Deportes and Tribeca Studios to bring to life compelling stories at the intersection of sports and the Latino community.

[08/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Date, Key Art & Trailer Debut - Hulu's "The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives" Season Five
Season five premieres with all five episodes on Thursday, September 10 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.