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[05/02/08 - 05:41 PM] Development Update: Friday, May 2 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!
90210 (The CW) - Tristan Wilds ("The Wire") and Michael Steger ("The Winner") have joined the cast of the CW's "90210" spin-off. Wilds is playing Dixon Mills, the casting notice of which details him as: "Legal 18 to play 16, any ethnicity. Harry Mills took a shine to Dixon Cook long before he adopted him. Harry couldn't believe this foster kid was one of the smartest, most determined fifth-graders he'd ever seen. Sure, he had some behavioral problems. He'd get in fights weekly. He'd rarely speak unless asked a direct question. Then, when Dixon got busted for trying to steal a case of milk cartons to take home to his little foster siblings, there was some talk of sending him to an "alternative school" - a notorious place run more like a prison than school. Harry held a family meeting and made the decision to adopt Dixon. He's been a member of the family for six years. Though Dixon can still have a chip on his shoulder, his fighting/bad-boyisms seems to be a thing of the past, and the way he's opened up is nothing short of miraculous. Though he's scary-smart, he possesses no nerd trappings. He can both intimidate Annie's dates and correct their homework."
As for Steger, he's set as Navid Shirazi: "Legal 18 to play 17. Navid is of Middle Eastern descent. He holds one of the most coveted positions of power at Beverly Hills High. He's the executive producer of the journalism department's daily ten minute closed-circuit television newscast. (Half the students who work on the show are in it for the popularity boost; half are there for the serious journalism.) Navid is certainly bright, though his unique talent is his ability to make almost anything happen at Beverly Hills High. He's a consummate politician. In his three years at the school, he has charmed the faculty sponsors of nearly every organization, negotiated quid-pro-quo relationships with the major cliques and cultivated a reputation as an insider. Though Navid is friendly with scores of classmates, he learns he hasn't had a true friend until Dixon enrolls in the television class." They join an ensemble which also includes AnnaLynne McCord, Dustin Milligan, Jessica Stroup, Jessica Walter, Lori Loughlin, Ryan Eggold and Shenae Grimes. Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah and Rob Thomas are the executive producers for CBS Paramount Network Television.
ANCIENT DISCOVERIES (History) - The cable channel is moving forward with a fifth season of the series, which uses CGI, international locations and dramatic storytelling to bring life to the ancient world. Wild Dream Films has secured a $4 million contract to produce the new season, which will consist of 13 one-hour episodes. The company recently opened a new headquarters and state-of-the-art high-definition production capabilities in Cardiff, Wales.
GOOD BEHAVIOR (ABC) - Catherine O'Hara ("For Your Consideration") is in talks to topline the drama pilot, about the matriarch (O'Hara) of a family of criminals who decides that it's time for her brood to go straight after her husband ends up in the clink for five years. She would play said woman, Jackie, in the project, which comes from creator Rob Thomas and director Charles McDougall. ABC Studios is co-producing alongside Larkin-Goldstein Productions and South Pacific Pictures.
PRINCE OF MOTOR CITY (ABC) - Warren Christie ("October Road") and Andie MacDowell ("Beauty Shop") have both joined the cast of the drama pilot, a gothic family soap inspired by William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" set in Detroit's auto industry. Christie will play the title role of Billy Hamilton, who's detailed in the casting notice as follows: "Early-Late 30s, Caucasian, attractive, intelligent, introspective and charismatic ("All the boys want to be him and all the girls want to bed him"). He comes from an extremely wealthy background and teaches "Atheism, Theism and Existentialism" at Harvard. Summoned home to Detroit to attend his estranged father William's funeral, Billy is troubled to learn that, though he was disowned seven years ago when he opted to pursue philosophy instead of going into the family business, his father has left him in charge of the Hamilton Motor Plant, which is relied upon by everyone in Detroit."
MacDowell then is set as his mother Gertrude Hamilton: "Late 40s-60, Caucasian, she is William's ravishingly beautiful widow (the Butler says she "ages in reverse") and Billy's affectionate mother who visits him frequently in Boston. She reminds Billy that he and his father used to be close, especially when they worked on cars together, and she defends Billy to the board members, who are shocked that Hamilton Motors has been left in the care of the young man." They join the previously cast Aunjanue Ellis and Piper Perabo in the hour, which comes from ABC Studios and co-creators Hamish Linklater and Jessica Goldberg.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[04/23/26 - 03:13 PM] "Euphoria" Season 3 Premiere Surpasses 20M Global Viewers, Up 68% vs. Season 2 Episode 2 matched the premiere with approximately 8.5 million U.S. viewers in its first three days.
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[04/23/26 - 02:50 PM] Goal! ESPN Airs Two Most-Viewed First Round Game 2's on Cable Ever, Continuing Successful Start to 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Monday's Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins matchup (Game 2, 7 p.m. ET) delivered 1.6 million viewers and Tuesday's Boston Bruins-Buffalo Sabres matchup (Game 2, 7:30 p.m.) delivered 1.2 million viewers, setting the new Game 2 record.
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[04/23/26 - 02:02 PM] "The Cult of Natureboy," A New Four-Part Docuseries That Offers a Raw and Unfiltered Look Inside a Modern Cult, Premieres April 28 on Hulu In 2016, a rising social media star named Eligio Bishop, also known as "NatureBoy," used his platforms to recruit followers into a group he called Carbon Nation, encouraging them to abandon their families and join his vision of a self-proclaimed Black utopia.
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[04/23/26 - 01:03 PM] Apple TV Sets New Comedy Series, Elizabeth Banks to Star and Executive Produce The series is set to begin production in Los Angeles this year.
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[04/23/26 - 12:19 PM] USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched Match in LOVB Volleyball History to Cap Inaugural Season of Record Viewership on USA Network The first Finals match on Thursday, April 16, which Salt Lake won 3-2 in a closely-contested fifth set, averaged 163,000 viewers, ranking as the most-watched LOVB game of all-time.
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[04/23/26 - 12:01 PM] FOX Renews Hit Competition Series "Fear Factor: House of Fear" for Season Two Johnny Knoxville returns to lead the high-stakes competition, where one contestant will conquer their fears, claim the grand prize, and earn the right to proclaim, "Fear Is Not a Factor!"
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[04/23/26 - 12:00 PM] A24's "The Moment" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max May 29 A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.
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[04/23/26 - 11:08 AM] Rule of Culture #2026: "Las Culturistas Culture Awards" to Air Simultaneously on Bravo and Peacock on June 17 at 9 P.M. ET/PT The show will tape Saturday, May 30 in Los Angeles at The United Theater on Broadway.
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[04/23/26 - 11:05 AM] A New Season of "Deadliest Catch" Returns Friday, May 8 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel With a new king crab population appearing far north, the fleet relocates 225 miles to St. George Island, facing colder weather and more extreme seas than any season before as they work to sustain their livelihoods in rapidly changing waters.
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[04/23/26 - 10:01 AM] Season Two of the Max Original Documentary Series "On the Roam," Starring Jason Momoa, Debuts May 14 The six-episode season will debut new episodes weekly leading up to the season finale on June 18.
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[04/23/26 - 09:30 AM] AMC Global Media's May Highlights Include "The Audacity," "Devil in Silver," "You're Killing Me," "Tales From the Crypt" and More Also featured next month is the return of Acorn TV's annual "Murder Myster May" celebrating the best in murder mysteries with a lineup of new premieres every week.
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[04/23/26 - 09:08 AM] Video: "The Great American Baking Show" Season 4 - Official Trailer - The Roku Channel Casey Wilson and Andrew Rannells welcome eight of the nation's best aspiring bakers to the tent.
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[04/23/26 - 09:01 AM] Prime Video Welcomes Cynthia Cooper, Lindsey Harding, Kara Lawson, LaChina Robinson, Teresa Weatherspoon, and Ty Young to Lineup for Expanded WNBA Coverage Today, Prime announced additions to its on-air talent lineup ahead of the league's 30th season.
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[04/23/26 - 08:31 AM] "The Chi" Sets May 22 Premiere Date for an Unforgettable Final Season on Paramount+ Produced by 20th Television, the 10-episode final season will roll out weekly every Friday.
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[04/23/26 - 08:01 AM] "A Different World" Sequel Wraps Production in Atlanta Adding Cliff "Method Man" Smith and More to Cast The show will explore the lives and loves of a new generation at the iconic fictional HBCU, Hillman College.
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