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[09/24/09 - 06:04 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, September 24
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!
24 (FOX) - Stephen Root ("True Blood") is the 16th addition to the show's massive season eight ensemble, due in January. He'll play Ben Prady, an officer of the Department of Corrections looking into a parolee gone missing, in a multi-episode arc.
AMERICAN IDOL (FOX) - The network and Simon Cowell are reportedly in talks to import his U.K. series "The X Factor." Said development comes as negotiations continue with the judge to extend his current pact, which ends after the upcoming season. The "Idol" portion of the deal is said to be valued in the nine-figure range to return for two more seasons while "Factor" could net just as much per season. Cowell's existing "Idol" deal prohibited him from bringing "Factor" to the U.S., hence the added pressure to either keep Cowell exclusive or fold "Factor" under the FOX tent.
THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW (TBS) - The cable channel has pulled the plug on the sitcom after three seasons. In a statement released to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the network said: "TBS has cancelled The Bill Engvall Show after three seasons. We had a great experience working with Bill and the cast. Bill is a terrific comic, and we have tremendous respect for him. While the show didn't attract the audience we need to renew it for another season, we're proud of the work of everyone involved."
THE CAPE (NBC, New!)/THE MYSTERIES OF OAK ISLAND (FOX, New!) - Tom Wheeler ("Empire") has landed script commitments - with penalties attached - for new dramas at FOX and NBC. The former, the Warner Bros. Television-based "The Mysteries of Oak Island," revolves around "a single mom and her two children who inherit a 200-year-old lighthouse on [a] mysterious island off the coast of Nova Scotia known for numerous quests to find treasure believed to be buried there." Meanwhile, "The Cape" centers on "a former cop framed for a crime he didn't commit who becomes the Cape, a masked hero, to clear his name and reunite with his son." Said hour, set in the fictional Jefferson City ("a Los Angeles-type city where corrupt private industries are taking over everything"), comes from Universal Media Studios and fellow executive producers Lloyd Braun and Gail Berman.
HOUSE (FOX) - Entertainment Weekly reports Jennifer Morrison is departing the series later this season. Said development is being billed as "a creative decision on the part of producers." It's understood Morrison's character, who will say goodbye during an episode in November, won't be killed off but rather exit for other reasons. Producers nevertheless reportedly will leave the door open for future appearances.
LAWMAN (FX) - "Dirty Sexy Money" alum Natalie Zea has joined the cast of upcoming drama, about "a modern-day, 19th-century-style lawman (Timothy Olyphant) enforcing his brand of justice." She'll play the ex-wife of said character after guest starring in the pilot. Sony Pictures Television and FX Productions are behind the hour, which rolls out early next year.
SKY JOCKEYS (FOX, New!) - RDF Media and UKTV, a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Virgin Media, are set to team for a potential new animated comedy set inside an airport. Anil Gupta (U.K.'s "The Office") and Richard Pinto ("Mutual Friends") are behind the half-hour, the pilot of which has been sold to FOX. The project is a result of RDF Media's new script-development deal with UKTV's digital outlet Dave which calls for the company to develop three half-hour scripts, including "Sky Jockeys," at least one of which will be picked up for broadcast sometime in late 2010. No other details about "Jockeys" however were released.
UNTITLED JIM BREUER PROJECT (NBC, New!) - "SNL" alum Jim Breuer is set to topline a new multi-camera comedy at the Peacock about "a father who decides to stay home and raise his three daughters and at the same time take care of his elderly parents." Wil Calhoun ("What I Like About You") is penning the half-hour for Sony Pictures Television. It's understood the project, which has a script commitment, is inspired by Breuer's recent documentary "More Than This," which followed the comedian as he embarked on a stand-up tour with his father. Breuer and Calhoun then will executive produce alongside Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter of Varsity Pictures and Judi Brown-Marmel of Levity Entertainment Group.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[11/12/26 - 02:30 PM]
NBC Sports' "Coast 2 Coast Tuesday" Highlighted by Celtics-76ers Delivers NBA's Largest Pre-Christmas, Non-NBA Tip-Off Tuesday Audience Ever
Viewership peaked at 4.7 million from 8:45-9:00 p.m. ET during Boston-Philadelphia.
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[11/12/26 - 12:02 PM]
Your First Look at "The Spot," A New Psychological Thriller Starring Claire Danes and Ewan McGregor
The series premieres January 13 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
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[11/12/26 - 11:01 AM]
MTV's "Caught in the Act: Unfaithful" Renewed for Season Five
Seasons 1 through 4A of the investigative series, hosted by reality TV star Tami Roman, will also be available to stream on Paramount+ starting Wednesday, December 9.
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[11/12/26 - 10:01 AM]
Milo Manheim and Jennifer Tilly Return to "School Spirits" Season Four, Maria Dizzia Upped to Series Regular in the Paramount+ Original Series
As previously announced, season four is currently in production in Canada.
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[11/12/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "The Baddest Speechwriter of All" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Clarence B. Jones, Martin Luther King Jr.'s lawyer and speechwriter, reflects on his sacrifices for activism and the surprising truths of making history.
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[11/12/26 - 10:01 AM]
Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Iconic Comedy "I Love Lucy" with a Special Night of Programming, Thursday, Dec. 17 on CBS
The special will be followed by back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series: "The Christmas Show" (9:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) and "Never Do Business with Friends" (9:30-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
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[11/12/26 - 09:57 AM]
Teyonah Parris Joins "Before I Let Go" as Yasmen, Alongside Danielle Brooks as Hendrix
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[11/12/26 - 09:15 AM]
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Featuring a cast of dancers and a cameo by JYT, the high-energy opening number will celebrate some of pop culture's most memorable dance crazes across the decades before culminating in Miller's performance.
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[11/12/26 - 09:10 AM]
Prime Video Welcomes CJ McCollum to "NBA on Prime" Team
In this role, McCollum will make select appearances in studio programming throughout the 2026-27 NBA season beginning tomorrow, November 13 in "NBA Nightcap."
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[11/12/26 - 09:01 AM]
Netflix's "Big Mistakes" Welcomes Randall Park, Debi Mazar, T.R. Knight and Jeff Perry as Season 2 Wraps Production
Lorenzo de Moor and Poorna Jagannathan were previously announced as new recurring cast members for season 2.
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[11/12/26 - 09:01 AM]
NBC Sets Newest "One Chicago" Crossover Event for Jan. 13
Over the three episodes, an unexpected suspect (in the death of a patient at Chicago Med) will be the focus of a dramatic investigation that involves characters from "Med," "Fire" and "P.D."
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[11/12/26 - 09:01 AM]
Disney+ to Stream The Game Awards 2026 Live on December 10
Honoring the video game industry's most innovative games, studios and creative talent of 2026, fans will get front-row access to the night's prestigious awards, world premiere game announcements and musical performances as they happen live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
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[11/12/26 - 08:45 AM]
"The View" Is Celebrating Season 30 with a Trip to Italy in May 2027
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[11/12/26 - 08:31 AM]
Sara Canning Is Lacing Up Her Stakes as Coach Brady in "Icebreaker," Now in Production
The new college romance drama series is based on the #1 New York Times best-selling novel by Hannah Grace.
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[11/12/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Jean-Michel Basquiat" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Never-before-seen artwork, rare footage and intimate interviews with loved ones explore legendary artist Jean-Michel Basquiat's humanity beyond his work.
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