or


[01/12/09 - 06:10 PM]
Development Update: Monday, January 12
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!


BARELY LEGAL (NBC, New!) - Hilary Duff has been tapped to star in a new half-hour comedy based on the true story of Kathleen Holtz, who in November 2007 passed the notoriously difficult California bar at age 18 to become the state's youngest lawyer. Elisa Bell ("Little Black Book") is behind the project, which comes from actor/producer Rob Morrow's ("NUMB3RS") Bits and Pieces Productions and Universal Media Studios. Duff's involvement is the result of a talent holding deal the actress recently inked with the network and studio. Bell then is penning the script and executive producing alongside Morrow.


LIGHT YEARS (The CW) - Shiri Appleby ("ER"), Kristoffer Polaha ("Valentine") and Kerr Smith ("Justice") have all joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Lux (Brittany Robertson), a foster child who, on her 16th birthday, decides to track down her slacker biological father and mother, who haven't spoken since high school when their one-night stand resulted in pregnancy. Appleby then will play said mom, morning radio host Cate Campbell (Appleby); with Polaha as her dad, bar owner Nick "Baze" Basile; and Smith as Ryan, Campbell's boyfriend and co-host on the show. Liz Tigelaar is behind the CBS Paramount Network Television-based hour, which Gary Fleder is directing.


MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE (TNT) - The cable channel has ordered 10 episodes of the Ray Romano-led/produced drama about three fortysomething college buddies (Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula) who are each coming to terms with a midlife that doesn't live up to their previous expectations. Romano and Mike Royce co-created the hour, which they'll also executive produce alongside Rory Rosegarten and Cary Hoffman for TNT Original Productions. Scott Winant directed the pilot, while Brian White and Richard Gant also star. Production is expected to begin in time for a January 2010 premiere.


STARZ AT THE TCA - The pay channel has confirmed newcomer "Party Down" and the third season of "Head Case" will both roll out on Friday, March 20. "Down," from executive producers Dan Etheridge, John Enbom, Paul Rudd and Rob Thomas, follows a Los Angeles catering team - a sextet of Hollywood wannabes (Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, Lizzy Caplan, Martin Starr and Ryan Hansen) stuck working for tips while hoping for their "big break." Jerry Seinfeld, Tori Spelling, Geri Halliwell and Hugh Hefner have already signed on to make cameos on the series. Fellow freshman entry "Spartacus," a green screen remake of the Roman slave revolt tale, then is expected to bow this summer, while no decision has been made about the fate of recently wrapped "Crash."


THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW (Syndication) - Debmar-Mercury is officially moving forward with a national rollout of the syndicated talk show, which aired a six-week test run over the summer on Fox owned-and-operated stations in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas and Detroit. The series is a go in more than 70% of the country, including stations in all the top 20 markets. Rob Dauber will return as executive producer with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia alum Liz Koman serving as executive VP of branded marketing for the show. "Williams" will also remain in New York, home to her popular "Wendy Williams Experience" daily radio show on R&B station WBLS-FM.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· BARELY LEGAL (NBC)
· CRASH (STARZ)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· ER (NBC)
· HEAD CASE (STARZ)
· JUSTICE (FOX)
· LIFE UNEXPECTED (CW)
· MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE (TNT)
· NUMB3RS (CBS)
· PARTY DOWN (STARZ)
· SPARTACUS (STARZ)
· VALENTINE (CW)
· WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)





[07/04/26 - 03:01 PM]
Prime Video Announces November 4 Premiere Date for "The Greatest" with Jaalen Best as Muhammad Ali
Executive produced by Lonnie Ali, the widow of the late luminary, "The Greatest" is the first authorized scripted series about the life of Muhammad Ali, offering unprecedented access and going beyond the amazing victories and defeats that made Ali a legend, both in and out of the ring.

[07/03/26 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" 2nd STAGE - Official Trailer - Netflix
All 11 episodes will premiere on Netflix each Friday, starting on September 25.

[07/03/26 - 07:05 AM]
"Return to Fox Hollow: New Victims, Darker Secrets," A New Chapter in the Investigation of Serial Killer Herb Baumeister, Streams July 8 on Hulu
The original four-part series, "The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer," was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary and was ABC News Studios' most-watched docuseries on Hulu in 2025 (based on hours streamed).

[07/03/26 - 06:39 AM]
FOX Sports Presents Its First-Ever "MLB All-Star Game Selection Show Presented by Konami eBaseball" Live from Philadelphia on Fourth of July
World Series champion and two-time All-Star Dontrelle Willis, alongside veteran host Chris Myers, broadcast live from Independence Hall for the reveal on Saturday, July 4, at 7:30 PM ET on FOX.

[07/03/26 - 06:00 AM]
The Final Season of Starz's "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" Introduces Young Jarita, Played by Asjha Cooper
Cooper has been confirmed as a series regular in the next chapter of the "Power" Universe, "Power: Origins," which is currently filming in New Jersey.

[07/02/26 - 06:15 PM]
Video: "Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi" - Official Trailer - August 5 on Disney+ and Hulu
Witness the Jedi in a new light.

[07/02/26 - 06:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers Most-Watched Wimbledon Day 2 Coverage on Record
Serena Williams' Wimbledon return on Tuesday, June 30, delivered record viewership.

[07/02/26 - 03:18 PM]
FOX Sports' Strong FIFA World Cup 2026 Viewership Continues with 10.43 Million viewers Tuning in for Mexico-Ecuador
The telecast reached a peak viewership of 13.087 million viewers from 10:30-10:45 PM ET.

[07/02/26 - 02:49 PM]
ABC News Is No. 1 in Total Viewers for the Second Quarter on Sunday Morning and Friday Evening
"20/20" ranked as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine during the 2nd Quarter 2026 in Total Viewers (3.806 million) and Adults 18-49 (473,000).

[07/02/26 - 02:31 PM]
Disney's "Dragon Striker" Season 2 Coming Early 2027 & First Look Revealed at Anime Expo
A first look at the new chapter, consisting of 11 episodes, was released today during the series panel at Anime Expo in Los Angeles.

[07/02/26 - 01:48 PM]
FOX Sports Soars Into the Record Books with Most-Watched Soccer Telecast in English-Language U.S. History
24.429 million viewers watched the USMNT's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 victory Wednesday on FOX.

[07/02/26 - 01:30 PM]
Queen Latifah, The Roots and Jill Scott Added to the Performance Lineup for CBS' "The Great American Block Party 250"
Hosted from the nation's capital, the special will feature musical performances from celebrations across the country, grill sessions with TV personality and Washington chef Rock Harper and a highly anticipated fireworks show.

[07/02/26 - 01:21 PM]
HBO's "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness" and KidSuper Unveil Limited-Edition Capsule Collection
Designed exclusively for the series, the capsule collection features a custom letterman jacket, baseball cap, keychain, and other apparel and accessories.

[07/02/26 - 09:00 AM]
"Camp Rock 3" Sets Out on the "All Roads Lead to Camp" Bus Tour, Visiting Cities Across America Starting July 3
The latest installment premieres August 13 on Disney Channel.

[07/02/26 - 08:27 AM]
"BET Awards" 2026 Grows Across Every Platform with First-Time Host Druski, Cementing BET as the Epicenter of Black Culture
The telecast was the highest-rated "BET Awards" on BET since 2019 among P18-49, with P18-49 impressions up +50% year-over-year.