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[07/16/08 - 08:05 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, July 16
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!
CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS) - Executive producers Carol Mendelsohn and Naren Shankar have confirmed William Petersen is departing the series as a full-time cast member. Petersen, who already was set for a reduced role on the show's upcoming ninth season (read the story), will exit in episode 10. Nevertheless, he'll continue as an executive producer on the series alongside his producing partner Cynthia Chvatal and make occasional guest appearances. As part of the build up to Petersen's exit, Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), Lady Heather (Melinda Clarke) and "The Miniature Killer" are all expected to make return appearances. Entertainment Weekly further reports that to help fill Petersen's (as well as Gary Dourdan's - who was killed off in the season finale) void, Liz Vassey and David Berman have been upped to regulars while casting has begun for a new regular ("a male professor with a genetic quirk") in addition to the previously announced Lauren Lee Smith. Lastly, feature director William Friedkin ("To Live and Die in L.A.") has been recruited to helm the show's upcoming 200th episode following last year's duties on the episode "Cockroaches."
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC) - Newcomers Joshua Moore, Kendall Applegate and twins Charles and Max Carver are all set to join the cast of the show's upcoming fifth season. They'll play Parker, Penny, Porter and Preston, respectively, the children of Tom and Lynette Scavo (Doug Savant and Felicity Huffman) who, due to the show's "flash forward," are now five years older. Zane Huett, Kerstin Pinkerton, Brent Kinsman and Shane Kinsman all originated said roles.
IRREPARABLE HARM (HBO, New!) - Writer Jesse Wigutow ("Eragon") and director Eugene Jarecki ("Why We Fight") are developing a new telefilm at the pay channel about the true story of Frank Snepp, the head of the CIA's strategic analysis in Saigon during the Vietnam War. The project, which Jarecki is also executive producing, will track Snepp as he returns to the U.S. after the fall of Saigon and, after being conflicted over what had just happened, decides to reveal the true story of the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam. Said account, detailed in his book "Decent Interval: An Insider's Account of Saigon's Indecent End, Told by the CIA's Chief Strategy Analyst in Vietnam," ultimately led to a court battle with the CIA. Wigutow's script then will be based on Snepp's second book, "Irreparable Harm: A Firsthand Account of How One Agent Took on the Agency in an Epic Battle Over Free Speech." Paula Weinstein and Spring Creek's Palak Patel are also executive producing.
LIFE ON MARS (ABC) - "October Road" alum Jonathan Murphy has joined the cast of the newcomer, about a modern-day police detective (Jason O'Mara), who, after a car crash, finds himself mysteriously transported back to 1973 and still working as a detective. Murphy will play Chris Skelton, a jittery young detective who is new to the department. His casting is part of a post-pilot revamp of the series by incoming executive producers Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg. Michael Imperioli also stars.
SCRUBS (ABC) - Bill Lawrence and Zach Braff confirmed during the show's panel at the TCA the latter will likely depart the series after its upcoming eighth season. Like William Petersen (see above) however, Braff says he's open to returning as a guest star and/or director. "My sense is this is my last year," Braff told reporters. "If the show does continue like he's saying, like an 'ER' kind of thing, I would love to come back and visit and definitely direct some - and do craft service if they need some help." In any case, production on the show's 18-episode order will be completed next month. Also confirmed at the panel: the series will finally switch to HD for its eighth season; six two- to four-minute webisodes are being shot to help promote the show's move to ABC; and upcoming guest stars include Courteney Cox, Lee Thompson Young, Aziz Ansari, Betsy Beutler and Eliza Coupe.
SINCERELY, TED L. NANCY (FOX, New!) - Ted L. Nancy's book "Letters From a Nut" is once again being targeted for the small screen, this time by FOX. The network has given a cast-contingent presentation order to the project, which centers on a regular guy who, after suffering through too many faulty products and customer service mishaps, decides to take on the corporations by writing letters that "seek to avenge the consumer frustrations of people everywhere." Barry Marder, Chuck Martin, Gary Auerbach and Rob Lee are all behind the Lionsgate-based half-hour, which is being likened to a "Borat"-like mockumentary style, featuring him doing outrageous stunts involving regular people. ABC previously took at stab at bringing the book to the small screen back in 2002. Lionsgate, Auerbach's Go Go Luckey Productions and Lee's Bayonne Entertainment subsequently picked up the rights last year (read the story).
SIT DOWN, SHUT UP (FOX) - Sony Pictures Television and most of the show's writing staff have settled their dispute over the animated comedy's status as part of the IATSE's Animation Guild. "This contract is a compromise -- an improvement over the standard TAG terms we were initially offered but not full WGA coverage," said writers Mitch Hurwitz, Josh Weinstein, Rich Rinaldi, Aisha Muharrar, Alex Herschlag, Laura Gutin, Dan Fybel, Aaron Ehasz, Michael Colton and John Aboud in a joint statement. "Compromises are never easy nor satisfying, always less comforting than a clear victory. We know that this is part of an ongoing struggle." Not agreeing to terms however were Bill Oakley, Weinstein's longtime writing partner, and Ken Keeler. A statement from the WGA, where the writers were trying to move the show to, noted that "when Sony offered to pay 'WGA equivalent residuals' and to give each writer up to $200,000 in additional compensation through a blind script deal, most of the writers decided to accept. We understand why they did so but wish they hadn't. Had they stuck together we believe that they would have won WGA coverage for 'Sit Down, Shut Up!'"
THE UNLIMITED (ABC, New!) - Sean Bailey ("Project Greenlight") has booked a $500,000 put pilot commitment from the Alphabet for a new drama about a Texas basketball coach who discovers that his recently deceased father was actually one of the world's most brilliant minds and that he's inherited his genius. Bailey, who penned the pilot on spec, will executive produce via his Idealogy banner. Said company was formed last year after Live Planet, his partnership with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Chris Moore, got out of the TV and film business to focus on new media.
UNTITLED GREG DANIELS/MICHAEL SCHUR PROJECT (A.K.A. UNTITLED OFFICE SPIN-OFF PROJECT) (NBC) - "Saturday Night Live's" Amy Poehler is in final negotiations to join the cast of the Greg Daniels/Michael Schur project, which is no longer being billed as a spin-off of "The Office." Poehler would join the previously cast Aziz Ansari on the project, which will air after "The Office" on Thursday nights next year. Full details about the show obviously still remain under wraps. Poehler presumably will exit "SNL" or take on a reduced role.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[08/15/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Upload" - Official Trailer - Hulu
The show's first three seasons are now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
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[08/14/26 - 11:31 PM]
Disney Sets the Stage for What's Next in Entertainment at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
Other TV highlights include "Oswald," an all-new live-action animated hybrid series based on the classic character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
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[08/14/26 - 11:09 PM]
Development Update: Week of August 10-14
Updates include: Starz's "SWAT: Exiles" land early renewal; Hulu cancels "Deli Boys" after two seasons; and Disney+, HBO Max pass on projects.
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[08/14/26 - 09:23 PM]
Season 2 of the Emmy Award-Winning Series "Ahsoka" Premieres Exclusively on Disney+ January 20
The new season, which once again stars Rosario Dawson in the titular role, is a story set after the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, which has Ahsoka confronting what it means to be a Jedi, while the galaxy faces a formidable opponent in Grand Admiral Thrawn.
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[08/14/26 - 09:02 PM]
Video: First Look at Marvel Television's "VisionQuest" on Disney+
Marvel Television's "VisionQuest," an all-new original series coming exclusively to Disney+ October 14, concludes the epic trilogy that began with 2021's groundbreaking, award-winning "WandaVision" and 2024's acclaimed "Agatha All Along."
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[08/14/26 - 08:30 PM]
Video: "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Drops Electrifying Season Three Teaser Trailer at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event
Season 3 of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" marks the first time that the third book - "The Titan's Curse" - comes to screen and is the third installment of Disney Hyperion's bestselling book series by acclaimed author Rick Riordan.
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[08/14/26 - 07:58 PM]
Global Video Game Phenomenon "Kingdom Hearts" Greenlit for First-Ever Original Television Series on Disney Channel and Disney+
The series reimagines the iconic adventure with a brand-new story that will expand on the universe of Kingdom Hearts while celebrating the characters that have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world.
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[08/14/26 - 01:45 PM]
ABC News Is No. 1 on Sunday Morning and Friday Night
"20/20" saw year-to-year increases in all key target demos: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
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[08/14/26 - 12:01 PM]
HBO Max Renews Original Comedy Series "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" for a Second Season
New episodes are being released weekly on HBO Max, with the season finale scheduled for release on Thursday, September 24.
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[08/14/26 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix Expands Young Adult Slate with New Series "Sid & Zoey," "Sunshine Girls" and More
Plus: "Finding Her Edge" to begin production on Season 2; and Randall Park joins the cast of "Minimum Wage."
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[08/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
Stream "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" on Disney+ September 2
The galaxy's favorite duo is bringing the adventure home.
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[08/14/26 - 08:47 AM]
FOX One to Live Stream IROC Presented by Chevrolet as Part of FOX Sports' Coverage of Historic Freedom 250 Weekend in Washington, D.C.
The races bring together legendary names from NASCAR and INDYCAR, including Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Labonte, Bill Elliott, Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti, all piloting authentic historic IROC Pontiac Firebirds.
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[08/14/26 - 03:22 AM]
Video: New Season Update - "Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya" - Prime Video
Seasons two and three are now in development.
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[08/13/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Mousetrap" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A reclusive writer wakes to find his identity stolen - and must ally with a ruthless loan shark to reclaim his life from a man known as "The Rat."
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[08/13/26 - 03:39 PM]
ESPN Delivers Its Second Most-Watched WNBA Regular Season Game in 30 Years of Coverage!
The New York Liberty-Indiana Fever matchup averaged 2 million viewers on Tuesday, August 11.
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