or


[12/19/08 - 06:15 PM]
Development Update: Friday, December 19
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!


BORED TO DEATH/HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA (HBO) - The pay channel has issued eight-episode commitments to both comedy pilots - the Jason Schwartzman-led "Bored to Death" and the Bryan Greenberg/Victor Rasuk-toplined "How to Make It in America." The latter half-hour revolves around Ben (Greenberg) and his friend Cam (Rasuk), enterprising twentysomethings who hustle their way through New York determined to achieve the American dream. Shannyn Sossamon and Scott "Kid" Mescudi also star in the project, which comes from creator Ian Edelman and fellow executive producers Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, Rob Weiss and Julian Farino (who also directed the pilot). "Death" then centers on Jonathan (Schwartzman), "a struggling thirtysomething Brooklyn writer with a drinking problem who, after a painful breakup with his girlfriend, decides to emulate his heroes from the novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett." Jonathan Ames is behind the project, which also co-stars Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis. Sarah Condon, Dave Becky, Stephanie Davis and Troy Miller are executive producing alongside Ames. Alan Taylor helmed the pilot.


COCAINE COWBOYS (HBO, New!) - Frequent collaborators Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay are teaming up once again, this time for a drama at the pay channel about the early days of cocaine trafficking in Miami. "Cold Case" creator Meredith Stiehm has been tapped to pen the hour, which is inspired by Billy Corben's 2006 documentary of the same name. The project is set up at Bruckheimer's Warner Bros. Television-based banner, marking the first collaboration between the studio and HBO. Bruckheimer, Bay and Stiehm then will executive produce alongside Jonathan Littman with KristieAnne Reed serving as a consulting producer.


THE KARENSKYS (CBS) - Desi Lydic has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about a woman (Sasha Alexander) who returns to her hometown and is reunited with her large, eccentric family. She'll play Bernadette, the woman's sister. Mather Zickel, Tinsley Grimes and Todd Stashwick also star in the half-hour, which comes from Universal Media Studios and creator Linwood Boomer. Pamela Fryman is directing while Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun are executive producing alongside Boomer.


THE MIDDLE (ABC) - Charlie McDermott is the latest addition to the Patricia Heaton-led comedy pilot, which tells the story of a middle-class Midwestern family through the eyes of the mother (Heaton). He'll play Axel, the oldest child. DeAnn Heline and Eileen Heisler are behind the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, which Julie Anne Robinson is directing.


PERFECT 10 (ABC Family) - Brett Cullen ("Lost") and Peri Gilpin ("Frasier") have both joined the cast of the drama pilot, about three families dealing with the trials and tribulations of the world of competitive gymnastics. They'll play Mark and Kim Keeler, the parents of the Olympic hopefuls Becca (yet to be cast), the dedicated, focused one; and Payson (Ayla Kell), immature, happy-go-lucky one. Also signing on are Rosa Blasi and Jason Manuel Olazabal as Ronnie and Alex Cruz, parents to Kaylie (Josie Lopez, "a girl who wants to stay small and limber for her sport but is clearly growing into a woman") and Bradford (Marco James, "equally attractive but a lot more clueless"). And rounding out the third clan are single mom Chloe Kmetko (Susan Ward) and her kids Emily (Chelsea Hobbs, "perhaps the most naturally gifted gymnast, she has had only scattershot training, but was born to do this") and Brian (Wyatt Smith, "a cute smart ass who happens to be in a wheelchair with paralysis"). Holly Sorensen is behind the hour, which comes from Adam Cohen, Cara Tapper and Joanna Vernetti's Super Delicious Productions.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [december 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· BORED TO DEATH (HBO)
· COCAINE COWBOYS (TNT)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FRASIER (NBC)
· HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA (HBO)
· KARENSKYS, THE (CBS)
· LOST (ABC)
· MAKE IT OR BREAK IT (ABC FAMILY)
· MIDDLE, THE (ABC)





[05/20/25 - 01:53 PM]
PBS America @ 250 Marks Nation's Semiquincentennial with Expansive Programming Beginning Spring 2025 and Through 2026
As part of the largest national and local engagement effort in its history, PBS member stations will pay homage to the country's founding with events in more than 75 markets nationwide.

[05/20/25 - 01:47 PM]
Apple's Critically Acclaimed Drama "Women in Blue" Lands Season Two Renewal
Featuring an entirely Latin American cast, the eight-episode second season is now in production.

[05/20/25 - 01:35 PM]
FOX Sports Races Into Times Square with Coverage of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500
FOX Sports is broadcasting the iconic event for the first time across its networks, including FOX, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app on Sunday, May 25.

[05/20/25 - 12:06 PM]
Unapologetic and Utterly "Outrageous": The Six-Part Series Following the Lives of the Infamous Mitford Sisters Premieres on BritBox June 18
Other June premieres on the streaming service include "Mr. Loverman," "Richard Osman's House of Games" and the second season of "The Good Ship Murder."

[05/20/25 - 12:00 PM]
Top 10 Week of May 12: "Nonnas" Feasts Again, with Second Week at No. 1
In English TV, "American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden" took the top spot in its first week, with 12.6 million views, followed by the grisly true story of two of the UK's most prolific murderers in "Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story," which premiered at No. 2 (8.3 million views).

[05/20/25 - 11:34 AM]
TNT Sports' Exclusive 2025 Stanley Cup Eastern Conference Final Coverage to Start Tonight on TNT, truTV & Max
On the call for the entire series will be Kenny Albert, along with commentary from Eddie Olczyk and Brian Boucher, and reporting from Jackie Redmond.

[05/20/25 - 11:17 AM]
Premiere Date Announcement: Hulu's Limited Series "Washington Black" Starring and Executive Produced by Sterling K. Brown
The series is set to premiere with eight episodes on Wednesday, July 23 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.

[05/20/25 - 11:11 AM]
Saddle Up as Bravo Heads to a New Frontier with "The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys," Premiering Monday, June 30 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
In the thrilling second season, the stakes couldn't be higher as eldest brother Steven Jr. has been left in charge of the McBee family farm and the race is on during harvest season to save it from being foreclosed.

[05/20/25 - 11:00 AM]
Emmy-Nominated Series "Off Script with The Hollywood Reporter" Returns to IFC and AMC+ on Friday, May 23 with an All-Star Lineup for Emmy Season
The new season showcases five categories of Emmy contenders, featuring themed episodes for Drama Actress, Drama Actor, Comedy Actress, Comedy Actor and Stand-Up.

[05/20/25 - 10:18 AM]
Peacock's "Poker Face" Season 2 Hits Nielsen Top 5
The series' sophomore season also debuted as the #2 streaming original based on average audience in that same week.

[05/20/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Somebody Feed Phil" Season 8 - Sneak Peek - Netflix
Fresh flavors and new friends await as globetrotting foodie Phil Rosenthal expands his culinary horizons to Amsterdam, Boston, Basque Country and more.

[05/20/25 - 10:01 AM]
Nationally Syndicated Daytime Talk Show "Karamo" Renewed for Season Four
Hosted by Karamo, a reality TV personality, Emmy Award winner, author, actor, producer and activist, "Karamo" stands out for the host's distinctive viewpoint and broad appeal, allowing him to offer insightful and sincere advice to his guests.

[05/20/25 - 09:05 AM]
"Hazardous History with Henry Winkler" Set to Premiere Sunday, June 15 at 10/9c on The History Channel
Each 60-minute episode of this nostalgia-drenched series tells the stories of the things we did for fun, for money, or out of plain boredom that you can't do anymore.

[05/20/25 - 09:03 AM]
PBS Sets New Crime Drama "Patience" Season 1 Premiere Date for Sunday, June 15
Produced by Eagle Eye Drama in association with Channel 4, the series brings a unique and authentic perspective to the crime drama genre.

[05/20/25 - 09:01 AM]
Paramount+ with Showtime Greenlights Season Four of "Yellowjackets"
The series is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls' soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness.