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[01/16/09 - 06:09 PM]
Development Update: Friday, January 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!
ABC AT THE TCA - Alphabet chief Steve McPherson has confirmed the network won't be picking up "King of the Hill" after it completes its run on FOX. ABC flirted with the idea back in November, opening talks with producer 20th Century Fox Television to order addition scripts of the series. Meanwhile, Mike Judge's new animated comedy "The Goode Family" may not roll out until May while "In the Motherhood" is expected to bow in March, potentially as a lead out to "Dancing With the Stars." On the development side, McPherson said he hopes to shoot 10 comedy and drama pilots for next season with pick-ups set to begin as early as next week. And finally, fans looking for the remaining produced installments of axed dramas "Eli Stone," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Pushing Daisies" will have to wait a bit longer - they could be burned off over the summer or streamed online at some point in the future.
LEGALLY MAD (NBC) - Hugh Bonneville ("Five Days") has booked the male lead in the drama pilot, about Brady Hamm (Charity Wakefield), a twentysomething woman who takes a job at her father's law firm. He'll play her father, Gordon Hamm, whom the casting notice details as follows: "Late 40s, any ethnicity. The firm's senior partner, part F. Lee Bailey, part Harold Hill of "The Music Man." Fun-loving, fast-talking, a little slick...it was either a career in law or used cars. He chose the law." Jon Seda and Kristin Chenoweth also star in the hour, which comes from Warner Bros. Television and creator David E. Kelley.
LEVERAGE (TNT) - The cable channel has quietly asked for six additional scripts of the series, which opened to 5.6 million viewers last month. The drama wraps its inaugural 13-episode run in February.
MAD MEN (AMC) - After months of negotiations, Matthew Weiner has finally closed a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with producer Lionsgate Television. The pact puts the writer/producer back at the helm of the Emmy-winning drama. He'll also develop new series projects for the studio, including a potential feature. It's understood AMC is helping fund Weiner's deal as is typical on the cable side. Production on the new season then is set to begin in time for a summer premiere.
PHIL ROSENTHAL PROJECTS (HBO, New!) - Emmy-winner Phil Rosenthal ("Everybody Loves Raymond") has lined up three projects at the pay channel - a comedy, a drama and a original movie. First up is "The Jeannie Tate Show," a comedy based on TheWB.com digital series created by Liz Cackowski and Maggie Carey about a neurotic soccer mom (Cackowski) who hosts a talk show from her minivan. Cackowski and Carey are penning the pilot and co-executive producing under Rosenthal's supervision with TheWB.com's Rich Rosenthal, Phil's brother, producing. Warner Bros. Television originally developed the project and remains a passive partner. Next is "Random Family," a drama based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc and revolves around a multigenerational family in the South Bronx. LeBlanc and Chris Terrio likewise are writing the script and co-executive producing with Rosenthal and Neal Gabler serving as executive producers. And finally there's an original movie based on portions of Raymond Arsenault's book "Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice." Wayne Kramer is in talks to write and direct the film, which "chronicles civil rights activists' harrowing ride on buses through the South that escalated to a point where segregationists threw Molotov cocktails at them." Rosenthal and Gabler are executive producing.
Separately, Rosenthal is now editing the feature-length documentary "Exporting Raymond," about his outrageous experiences while remaking his own show in Russia. The series, "Vse Lubyat Kostya" (Everybody Loves Kostya), was ordered to pilot by Russian broadcaster CTC using Rosenthal's original "Raymond" script and produced by local production company Lean-M. Sony Pictures Television International, Worldwide Pants and HBO Independent Productions are behind the export, with Rosenthal's film chronicling the casting, the prep and the shooting of the pilot in December and ending with CTC's decision on whether or not to move forward with the show. No distributor has been set for the film, although Sony is widely expecting to.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[01/22/26 - 11:01 AM]
CBS Renews 10 Additional Series for the 2026-2027 Season
This brings the total number of series ordered for the 2026-2027 season to 16.
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[01/22/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
Now she's ready to tell her side of the story...
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[01/22/26 - 10:06 AM]
TNT Sports Announces First Half of 2026 MLB Tuesday Regular Season Schedule on TBS
Come October, TNT Sports will conclude its 53rd year of baseball by providing exclusive coverage of the 2026 American League Division Series presented by Booking.com and 2026 American League Championship Series across its networks and platforms.
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[01/22/26 - 10:01 AM]
Need Another Hockey Fix? "Shoresy" Returns for Season 5 on February 21
In addition, Hulu has announced the pickup of season 6, which will premiere in 2027.
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[01/22/26 - 10:00 AM]
NBA on ABC: "NBA Saturday Primetime Presented by Wingstop" Returns January 24 with Rivals Week Tripleheader
In addition, ABC's "NBA Sunday Showcase presented by Popeyes" returns on February 8 and spotlights marquee Sunday afternoon matchups as the NBA regular season intensifies heading toward the playoffs.
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[01/22/26 - 09:51 AM]
AMC Networks, The Global Leader in Targeted Streaming, Unveils Relaunch of Sundance Now as the Definitive Streaming Home of Independent Film
Following the model of AMC Networks' suite of market-leading specialty streamers, Sundance Now will provide a hand-selected, algorithm-free offering curated by and for independent film enthusiasts.
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[01/22/26 - 09:06 AM]
Paramount+ Original Comedy Series "Can You Keep a Secret?" to Premiere on February 12
The hit British series follows a domineering granny who fakes her husband's death for the insurance money - only for her family to discover that the biggest threat isn't the law, but her.
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[01/22/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" - Official Teaser Trailer - Streaming April 6 on Disney+
Chains can be broken. Empires can be shattered.
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[01/22/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Reveals "Invincible" Season Four Official Trailer and Key Art - The Viltrumite War Is Coming
The critically acclaimed adult-animated superhero series will return on March 18, 2026.
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[01/22/26 - 08:18 AM]
ESPN's 2026 United Football League Schedule Revealed
A combination of ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App will feature 22 games, including showcasing the league debut of the Columbus Aviators and Orlando Storm in primetime, kicking off the UFL Playoffs and presenting the UFL Championship game.
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[01/22/26 - 08:06 AM]
Your Table's Ready! Season Four of Bravo's "Southern Hospitality" Premieres Wednesday, March 4 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Leva Bonaparte, the Queen of King Street, and her staff - Joe Bradley, Bradley Carter, TJ Dinch, Michols Peña, Maddi Reese and Lake Rucker - are back, and this summer is one for the books.
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[01/22/26 - 07:58 AM]
NBC Sports Delivers Its Most Watched NFL Divisional Playoff Game on Record as Rams-Bears Thriller Averages 45.4 Million Viewers on NBC & Peacock
The audience for Rams-Bears - which increased in every quarter hour from 8:15 p.m. ET until the game-winning score - peaked in the game's closing minutes, with an average of 52.6 million viewers from 9:45-10 pm ET.
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[01/22/26 - 07:24 AM]
Bob Costas Returns to NBC Sports, to Host "Sunday Night Baseball" Pregame Show
Costas debuts as host of NBC's new primetime MLB package on Thursday, March 26, at Dodger Stadium, as the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks, with coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock in the only primetime game on MLB's Opening Day.
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[01/22/26 - 07:02 AM]
Video: "Ella McCay" - Trailer - Hulu
From acclaimed director James L. Brooks, the film streams on Hulu February 5.
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[01/22/26 - 07:01 AM]
USA Sports Announces WNBA Commentators Highlighted by Elle Duncan and Renee Montgomery as Studio Team
Kate Scott and Meghan McPeak will serve as play-by-play commentators; while Sarah Kustok joins USA Sports as game analyst.
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