or


[02/25/09 - 06:48 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, February 25
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!


100 QUESTIONS FOR CHARLOTTE PAYNE (NBC)/AB FAB (FOX) - Sitcom veteran James Burrows ("Gary Unmarried") has signed on to helm both multi-camera comedy pilots. "Ab Fab," which has just completed casting, revolves around neurotic fashion publicist Eddie (Kathryn Hahn) and her best friend, Patsy (Kristen Johnson), an outrageous fashion editor. "Payne," which is still cast-contingent, then revolves around a young woman navigating life with friends in New York City. Christine Zander penned the Sony Pictures Television-based former and Chris Moynihan is behind the Universal Media Studios-based latter.


BROTHERS & DETECTIVES (ABC) - Nine-year-old newcomer Dakota Goyo and "October Road" alum Brad William Henke have both joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a low-level detective (Jimmy Wolk) whose genius 11-year-old brother helps him solve crimes. Goyo will play the latter role with Henke as the detective's partner and best friend. Daniel Cerone created the hour, which is based at ABC Studios.


HAPPY TOWN (ABC) - Amy Acker ("Alias") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a small town which had enjoyed a seven-year peace after a series of kidnappings until it is hit by another crime. She'll play the wife of Geoff Stults's character, the town's sheriff. Gary Fleder is helming the two-hour, ABC Studios-based project, which was written by co-creators Andre Nemec, Josh Applebaum and Scott Rosenberg.


I'M A CELEBRITY... GET ME OUT OF HERE! (NBC, New!) - The Peacock is reportedly looking to revive the short-lived ABC series, in which celebrities live in harsh tropical conditions and compete in challenges to earn rewards such as food and other basic comforts. At least a dozen episodes are expected to be ordered by the network to roll out this summer. While ABC's incarnation lasted just 15 episodes, the original U.K. series recently wrapped its eighth season (featuring such U.S. notables as Martina Navratilova and George Takei). Granada America is behind the project, which will likely run as a weekday strip.


MELROSE PLACE (The CW) - Michael Rady ("Swingtown") is the first to be cast on the netlet's revival, which Davis Guggenheim is directing from a script by Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer. Rady will play Jonah Miller, "a cute and quirky 25-year-old aspiring filmmaker who makes his living as a videographer of weddings and bar mitzvahs for the rich and famous after moving to Los Angeles with his fiancee a year ago," a role which is likened to Andrew Shue's Billy Campbell on the original series.


MERCY (NBC) - Taylor Schilling has booked one of the lead roles on the drama pilot, about three nurses bound together in friendship. She'll play Veronica Callahan, who works as nurse at Mercy Hospital after a tour in Iraq. Elizabeth Heldens penned the Universal Media Studios-based hour, which is being directed by Adam Bernstein.


THREESOME (ABC) - Eric Christian Olsen ("Brothers & Sisters") is the first to be cast on the comedy pilot, about a guy in his thirties who is caught between his girlfriend - a single mom - and his slacker best friend. He'll play Shawn, said guy, in the half-hour, which comes from creator Ricky Blitt and Warner Bros. Television.


THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (ABC) - "Lipstick Jungle" co-star Lindsay Price has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about three young witches who come into their powers. She'll play one of the trio, Joanna, a hardworking, shy reporter for the local newspaper. Price's involvement is technically in second position to her duties on the technically still alive "Jungle." Pilot wunderkind David Nutter is directing the Warner Bros. Television-based hour from a script by Maggie Friedman.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [february 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· 100 QUESTIONS (NBC)
· ABFAB (FOX)
· ALIAS (ABC)
· BROTHERS & SISTERS (ABC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EASTWICK (ABC)
· GARY UNMARRIED (CBS)
· HAPPY TOWN (ABC)
· I'M A CELEBRITY, GET ME OUT OF HERE! (NBC)
· LIPSTICK JUNGLE (NBC)
· MELROSE PLACE (CW)
· MERCY (NBC)
· OCTOBER ROAD (ABC)
· ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED (ABC)
· SOLVING CHARLIE (ABC)
· SWINGTOWN (CBS)





[09/18/26 - 03:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Wins Late Night Across the Board
For the sixth week running, "Nightline" increased year to year in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54.

[09/18/26 - 03:11 PM]
Netflix Announces New Drama Series "Ladies of the House"
Based on Lauren Edmondson's novel of the same name, the series reunites Sheryl J. Anderson with "Sweet Magnolias" star JoAnna Garcia Swisher.

[09/18/26 - 12:58 PM]
Marking a Somber Anniversary of the September 11 Attacks, ABC News' 9/11 Special, Anchored by David Muir, Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer, Draws Over 4 Million Total Viewers
The special was also the No. 1 non-sports program of the night in Adults 25-54 (802,000) and Adults 18-49 (559,000).

[09/18/26 - 12:21 PM]
HBO Orders New Original Drama Series "The Spread," Starring and Executive Produced by Academy Award-Winner Javier Bardem
Matthew Vaughn will direct and executive produce the project, to be written and executive produced by Bill Dubuque and Sean Sansiveri.

[09/18/26 - 10:29 AM]
OWN Greenlights Breakout Hit "Put a Ring on It: Cheathab" for Two More Seasons Ahead of Its Season One Finale
Production on the new episodes will begin this fall to air in 2027.

[09/18/26 - 09:21 AM]
New Paramount+ Limited Series "The Best of Us" Begins Production in New York City
LaChanze, Richard Schiff, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Joe Morton, Jen Tullock, William Baldwin, and Keith W. Richards also join the cast.

[09/18/26 - 09:00 AM]
Wonder Project and Amazon MGM Studios Begin Production on Season Three of "House of David" in Greece
The season brings this trilogy to an epic conclusion, completing David's (Michael Iskander) transformation from outcast shepherd to fierce warrior to his ultimate destiny as King.

[09/18/26 - 09:00 AM]
Social Categories Revealed for the "2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)" Sunday, Sept. 27 on CBS
All voting will be hosted on the @MTV Instagram Story until Sunday, September 27 at 11:00 AM, ET.

[09/18/26 - 08:18 AM]
Video: Official Trailer for New Supernatural Teen Drama "Coven Academy" Drops Ahead of Oct. 1 Premiere on Freeform, Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu
As the story unfolds in a bingeable new format, the fast-paced chapters are designed to pull audiences deeper into the magic at every turn.

[09/18/26 - 07:55 AM]
Peacock Reveals Celebrity Cast for a New Season of the Emmy Award-Winning Reality Competition Series "The Traitors," Coming in 2027
Steering the game with his unrivaled looks and signature wit is beloved host and Emmy Award-winner Alan Cumming, who also serves as executive producer.

[09/18/26 - 07:01 AM]
Chloe Sevigny Joins the Cast of "The Trial of Louise Woodward"
She will play Louise's defense attorney, Elaine Whitfield Sharp, in the HBO limited series.

[09/18/26 - 07:00 AM]
Video: All Reality and We TV Unveil a First Look at New Original Series "Love After Lockup: Relationship Rehab" Premiering Friday, October 2
The nine-episode series gathers five fan-favorite couples from the franchise as they embark on a transformative journey with psychiatrist and nationally recognized relationship expert, Dr. Ish Major, working to heal old wounds and rebuild their relationships.

[09/18/26 - 06:31 AM]
Netflix Adds Legend Andres Cantor to Broadcast Team for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027
The addition marks a milestone moment for Netflix's historic coverage of the tournament, which will feature English and Spanish-language broadcasts in the United States, and English and French-language broadcasts in Canada.

[09/18/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Therapy Done Right" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A psychoanalyst who's lost faith in traditional therapy crosses every boundary to help a blocked novelist in this cutting Argentine dark comedy.

[09/18/26 - 02:01 AM]
Video: "Seriously Single Too" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Dineo and Noni - besties meant to take on the party scene together - suddenly face their biggest fear when Noni's boyfriend spontaneously proposes.