or


[04/06/09 - 06:20 PM]
Development Update: Monday, April 6
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!


DOROTHY GALE (NBC, New!) - Jason Katims ("Friday Night Lights") is developing a new drama at the network billed as a millennial update of "The Wizard of Oz." Bridget Carpenter is penning the hour, which follows "the story of Dorothy, a girl from Kansas who tries to tackle modern-day Manhattan (her version of the Emerald City)" where she works in the art world and must deal with a wicked boss. Katims and Carpenter will then executive produce alongside Meryl Poster for one assumes Universal Media Studios.


THE GAME (The CW) - Creator Mara Brock Akil is reportedly pitching an hourlong version of the multi-camera comedy to CW executives this week. The news marks the latest creative progression for the series, which began as a traditional multi-camera show and eventually morphed into a "How I Met Your Mother"-esque comedy. Said evolution comes as The CW is expected to get out of the half-hour business completely by next season - no comedy pilots were ordered for the 2009-10 season and its fellow remaining half-hour ("Everybody Hates Chris") is also considered a longshot to return. Earlier this year, BET acquired the off-network rights to the series as well as began exploring the option of taking over first-run production should The CW ultimately decide to pass.


MELROSE PLACE (The CW) - Laura Leighton has closed a deal to reprise her role of the irresponsible and scheming Sydney Andrews on the CW's update of the much-ballyhooed 1990s soap. While her character was presumed dead following the fifth season finale of the original series, showrunners Darren Swimmer and Todd Slavkin have apparently found a way to revive the character as the landlord to the new crop of tenants.


REAPER (The CW) - Co-creators/executive producers Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters have inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact essentially spells the end of the CW drama as the pair will no longer be based at producer ABC Studios. Instead they'll develop series projects for 20th. As for "Reaper," the sophomore series was already billed as a longshot at best to return.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DOROTHY GALE (NBC)
· EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS (CW)
· FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (DIRECTV)
· GAME, THE (BET)
· HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS)
· MELROSE PLACE (CW)
· REAPER (CW)





[04/01/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Tires" Season 2 - Date Announcement - Netflix
The comedy series starring Shane Gillis returns June 5.

[03/31/25 - 09:29 PM]
Season Eight of Adult Swim's Global Hit Series "Rick and Morty" Arrives May 25
Adult Swim announced the premiere date and released a first look at "Rick and Morty" Season Eight as part of today's traditional April Fools' Day broadcast special.

[03/31/25 - 12:01 PM]
Shudder Marks Its 10 Year Anniversary with Year-Long Celebration of Killer Films & Series, Special Fan Events, Nationwide Screening Tour, Customized Merch and More
Shudder 10, which kicks off during the streamer's annual "Halfway to Halloween" horror-thon, will also feature a nationwide screening tour, "Shudder 10 Screening Series," featuring a curated selection of Shudder films.

[03/31/25 - 11:03 AM]
"When Calls the Heart" Wraps Season 12 as #1 Most-Watched Program on Entertainment Cable This Year To-Date
"'When Calls the Heart' delivers the charm, warmth, and community of Hallmark's signature storytelling, and we're pleased that the series continues to drive stellar ratings after 12 seasons and counting," said Samantha DiPippo.

[03/31/25 - 11:00 AM]
Disney Branded Television Renews "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" for Season Two on Disney Channel and Disney+
Premiering on Disney Channel, Disney+ and Disney Channel On Demand, the new season begins production next month in Los Angeles.

[03/31/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Expands "An Evening with Elton John and Brandi Carlile," A New Primetime Concert Special Airing Sunday, April 6
The special, featuring live performances, captivating stories about the pair's enduring friendship and an intimate look at their new joint album, will now run 90 minutes.

[03/31/25 - 10:30 AM]
"TMZ Presents: The Menendez Brothers: The Prison Interview" Premieres Monday, April 7 at 9/8c on FOX
The Menendez Brothers exclusively speak for the first time in decades for a joint interview with TMZ about their last chance for freedom and reveal what they'll do with their lives if they're released.

[03/31/25 - 10:23 AM]
Video: Preview - "The Motherhood" Starring Connie Britton - Hallmark Channel
Each of the six one-hour episodes of The Motherhood follows Britton, a single mother herself, as she connects with another single mother who is juggling the demands of work, parenting, and self-care.

[03/31/25 - 10:00 AM]
Summer Is in Sight! Prime Video Releases First-Look Images for the Final Season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty"
The series will return to Cousins Beach this July with an 11-episode season and will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

[03/31/25 - 09:00 AM]
HBO Original Drama Series "House of the Dragon" Begins Production on Season Three
New cast members include Tommy Flanagan as Ser Roderick Dustin and Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly.

[03/31/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Black Mirror" Season 7 - Six New Episode Titles Revealed! - Netflix
Nurture AI life forms, disrupt reality and step inside a remastered classic film in this genre-bending season of the mind-melting anthology series.

[03/31/25 - 07:16 AM]
Britt Lower, Milo Ventimiglia, Logan Browning, and Erin Richards Join Sam Worthington in Netflix's "I Will Find You"
The prison break thriller series from Harlan Coben is about an innocent father who while serving life for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive.

[03/31/25 - 07:02 AM]
Apple TV+ Unveils First Look at New Drama "Chief of War," Premiering August 1, 2025
Set amidst the beautiful backdrop of the islands of Hawai'i, the nine-episode series is based on true events and follows warrior Ka'iana, portrayed by Jason Momoa, as he tries to unify the islands before Western colonization in the late 18th century.

[03/31/25 - 06:48 AM]
Netflix Makes "Adolescence" Available to All Secondary Schools Across the UK
Healthy relationships charity Tender will produce guides and resources for teachers, parents and carers to help navigate conversations around the series.

[03/31/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "The Eternaut" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After a toxic snowfall kills millions, Juan Salvo and a group of survivors in Buenos Aires must resist an invisible threat from another world.