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[08/05/08 - 06:52 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, August 5
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!
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? (FOX) - Twentieth Television and Mark Burnett Productions are reportedly close to moving forward with a syndicated version of the successful FOX game show in the fall of 2009. The project, like NBC's "Deal or No Deal," would feature a condensed half-hour version of the parent hourlong show. Jeff Foxworthy is expected to host both the FOX and the syndicated incarnations.
CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR (CBS, New!) - Richard Murphy's upcoming book, about Henry Sullivan, a blue-collar Los Angeles contractor who oversees high-end renovations for wealthy clients, is heading to the small screen. Shawn Ryan ("The Shield") is on board to shepherd the project, which has a put pilot commitment from the network and 20th Century Fox Television. Murphy will pen and co-executive produce the pilot with Ryan supervising and serving as its executive producer via his MiddKid Productions banner. Said hour is loosely on Murphy's own experience remodeling homes in L.A. off and on for 12 years. As for specifics, the book has Henry falling for two of his female clients, who happen to be former best friends. Anonymous's Jeff Okin, Murphy's manager, and Paul Green will also receive executive producing credits.
GARY UNMARRIED (CBS) - Ed Begley Jr. ("Recount") has joined the cast of the freshman comedy, which stars Jay Mohr as a newly divorced dad. He'll take over for Larry Miller as Dr. Krandall. His character is detailed in the casting notice as follows: "50-60, Male, intelligent, educated but a bit of a pompous blowhard. Dr. Krandall is the family therapist, who has been counseling Gary and Allison during their divorce. He is now engaged to be married to Allison, and comes to Gary's house to offer his services as a therapist to help Gary process his feelings about this awkward situation. Basically a decent guy who wants to help, Dr. Krandall mediates as Gary, Vanessa and Allison vent a few grievances." Producers are also recasting Louise, the daughter of Mohr's character. Laura Marano played the role in the original pilot. No reason for the changes were given.
HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS) - "Supernatural" alum Katie Cassidy has joined the cast of the midseason drama, about a group of friends who meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding - to terrifying results. She'll play Trish Wellington, whom the casting notice describes as: "Mid 20s, Caucasian female. The bride. Radiant, dignified, intelligent, and perfectly put-together, with her charm and lovely personality she almost seems too good to be true. The heiress to the Wellington family fortune, she has fallen in love with Henry Dunn, a local boy who used to work on her daddy's boats during the summer. Intent on having the perfect wedding, she has invited dozens of friends to spend a perfect weekend on Harper's Island. But Trish has at least two surprises in store for her." Samantha Noble originated the role in the project's initial pilot presentation. Christopher Gorham and Elaine Cassidy also star.
HYPER-CHONDRIAC (NBC, New!) - Brian Frazer's memoir, subtitled "One Man's Quest to Hurry Up and Calm Down," is being developed as a potential single-camera comedy at the network. Jason Dean Hall ("Grand Theft Auto") is on board to pen the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, with the ever-busy Ryan Murphy executive producing. Frazer's tome details his journey to resolve the stress that was causing all of his unusual ailments. The adaptation then will center on Brian, a pharmaceutical salesman who's forced to sell his wares at hospitals and, as a result, consistently thinks he's suffering from a wide range of maladies. Murphy then is on board to direct from a script by Hall, who will serve as a co-executive producer.
RISE OF THE GARGOYLE (Sci Fi, New!) - Eric Balfour ("24") is set to topline a new original movie for the cable channel about an ancient gargoyle monster whose terror is unleashed in modern-day Paris. He'll play Jack Richmond, a struggling author whose outlandish theories on pagan architecture make him the laughingstock of the academic world. Caroline Neron, Jason Salinger, Nick Mancuso and Tanya Clarke also star in the project, which is currently in production at Romania's Mediapro Studios. Muse Entertainment's Michael Prupas and RHI Entertainment's Robert Halmi Sr. are executive producing with Bill Corcoran as director, Pierre Jodoin as the director of photography and Francois Sylvestre and Andreea Stanculeanu producing.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS (Syndication) - Actor/reality staple Christopher Knight has been tapped to host the upcoming game show, based on the iconic Hasbro board game. Production on the series begins this week for a September 22 launch on stations across the country, including FOX affiliates in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Wheeler-Sussman Productions is producing the half-hour with Debmar-Mercury distributing.
UNTITLED POLITICAL THRILLER (AMC) - Jason Horwitch and Joshua Maurer's drama for the cable channel has been given the green light to produce a pilot. The untitled hour revolves around a secret society that pulls the strings on the world political stage and an analyst at a national think tank who discovers that his employers are not who they seem to be. Horwitch penned the pilot and is executive producing alongside Maurer. Production is set to begin in October.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[08/28/26 - 08:31 AM]
Netflix Announces New Sci-Fi Series "Arrivals: A New Manifest Mystery" Set in the Universe of the Global Phenomenon
The project reunites the creative team behind Manifest, with original creator and showrunner Jeff Rake returning alongside former co-executive producers Margaret Easley and Laura Putney, who now step into the role of co-creators and co-showrunners.
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[08/28/26 - 08:14 AM]
FOX Sports' Award-Winning Series "Voices" Returns with All-New Episode "United by the Beautiful Game" Sunday, August 30 on FOX
Anchored by veteran host Mike Hill, the episode brings together some of the most compelling feature stories from across FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage, including the stars who took the world stage to the communities that made the historic tournament their own.
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[08/28/26 - 07:00 AM]
Weekly Original Sports Series "NFL Play Action" to Launch on Paramount+ September 9
Executive produced by NFL MVP and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Skydance Sports, and the NFL, the magazine-style studio show debuts on September 9 and tackles 360 degrees of the NFL for a co-viewing, family audience: football, fashion, food, follies, and more.
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[08/28/26 - 06:01 AM]
Emilio Sakraya Is Koza in "One Piece: The Battle of Alabasta"
A familiar face from Alabasta has arrived.
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[08/28/26 - 05:01 AM]
Apple TV to Premiere Season One of Comedy "Small Prophets" on October 7
"Small Prophets" is a comic tale of the eccentric Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley) who, since his darling Clea disappeared seven years ago, has lived a very ordinary life.
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[08/27/26 - 09:30 PM]
"Big Brother" Achieves Two Guinness World Records Titles, Presented During Historic Milestone 1,000th Primetime Episode
During the live show, Guinness World Records official adjudicator Michael Empric officially presented host Julie Chen Moonves with the certificates for the two titles.
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[08/27/26 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Plastic Beauty" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a gifted ER surgeon is thrust into cosmetic medicine, her clash with a celebrity doctor exposes the greed and desire beneath the glamour.
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[08/27/26 - 02:08 PM]
Andre "3000" Benjamin Officially Joins the Cast of "Scooby-Doo: Origins"
The live action series is coming to Netflix in 2027.
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[08/27/26 - 01:37 PM]
Video: "Eternally Yours" Official Trailer - Premieres October 8 on CBS
The series follows Charles and Liz, a charming, married 500- year-old vampire couple whose relationship has survived centuries because, as vampires, divorce isn't exactly an option.
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[08/27/26 - 01:30 PM]
"The Price Is Right" and "Let's Make a Deal" Honor 60 Years of "Star Trek" with Special Episodes Airing Tuesday, Sept. 8 on CBS
It's a celebration six decades in the making and will be one for the starship logs.
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[08/27/26 - 01:15 PM]
"Star Trek" Boldly Celebrates 60 Years on Sept. 8
Additional 60th anniversary celebrations will continue throughout the remainder of 2026.
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[08/27/26 - 12:36 PM]
America's Most High-Stakes Trivia Show Is Back on an All-New Special Advance Premiere of "The Floor" Sunday, September 13, on FOX
The special telecast will be followed by the one-hour season finale of "American Dad."
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[08/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
Hulu Renews Hit Drama Series "Furious" for a Second Season
Views for episode 7 were up 40% from the premiere (based on 1 day views).
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[08/27/26 - 11:15 AM]
Paramount+ Renews Carl Weber's "Black Hamptons" and "Family Business," and Tyler Perry's "Divorced Sistas" and "Zatima" for Additional Seasons
These series are a testament to the deep connection these characters and their worlds have built with fans season after season.
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[08/27/26 - 11:13 AM]
Amazon MGM Studios Orders "Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone" to Series, Starring Penn Badgley from David Hemingson
The project is based on Benjamin Stevenson's bestselling novel.
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