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LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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DR. PHIL (Syndication) - The veteran talk show has been cleared through the 2013-2014 season in 70% of the country, including 20 of the top 25 markets. The three-year pickup will keep the series in production through its 12th season. CBS Television Distribution, Peteski Productions and Harpo Productions are behind the hour, which is executive produced by Carla Pennington.
THE GOODE FAMILY (ABC) - The show's off-network run on Comedy Central is set to begin on Wednesday, January 6 at 10:30/9:30c. Said episodes will follow repeats of the network's signature comedy "South Park." It's understood should ratings merit, producer Media Rights Capital is open to producing new installments.
MANDEVILLE FILMS PROJECTS (Various, New!) - David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman's Mandeville Films ("Monk") has booked five new projects at ABC as part of the company's first-look deal with sibling ABC Studios. Snagging script orders are "Kegs," from Jason Filardi ("17 Again") and Mark Perez ("Accepted"), "a workplace comedy about a family that runs a beer distribution biz"; "Tarrytown," from R. Lee Fleming ("One Tree Hill"), about "an uptight single mom who moves in with her estranged younger brother and his daughter after they inherit their deadbeat father's rundown house in the upscale suburb of Tarrytown, Texas"; "1-8-7 Detroit," from Jason Richman ("Swing Vote"), about "detectives in the homicide capital of the U.S."; "Dorchester Heights," from Nikki Toscano ("Las Vegas"), about "five best friends in South Boston whose bond is threatened when secrets emerge after a close friend dies"; and an untitled drama from Joy Gregory ("Jericho") about "a 40-year-old man who starts to live life as a 20-year-old when he sustains a head injury." Hoberman and Lieberman are executive producing each effort alongside their respective creators while Bob Kushell ("Samantha Who?") is attached as a supervising producer to "Kegs."
THE MENTALIST/NCIS: LOS ANGELES (CBS) - The show's off-network sales to TNT and USA, respectively, are each said to be valued in the $2.2-$2.3 million per episode range. Both pacts, which were announced earlier today, mark the richest of its type since A&E's for "The Sopranos" ($2.5 million) and well ahead of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" ($2 million, USA/Bravo), "CSI: NY" ($1.9 million, Spike TV), "CSI: Miami" ($1.0 million, A&E), "Criminal Minds" ($850,000, A&E/ION) and even "NCIS" ($1.0 million, USA). It's a particularly astonishing number for "NCIS: LA" as the series is only six episodes into its run.
THE QUICKENING (A&E) - Jeffrey Nordling ("Desperate Housewives"), John Heard ("Southland") and Michael Arden ("Kings") have all joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a homicide detective demoted to a desk job after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Radha Mitchell was previously cast in the lead role of Maggie Bird. Nordling will play her former partner, "an ex-cop who left the force to run a detective agency after Maggie took a bullet for him and saved his life," with Arden as "an enthusiastic doctor assigned Maggie's evaluation" and Heard as Maggie's boss. Jennifer Salt is behind the hour, which comes from Fox Television Studios.
SUGARLOAF (A&E, New!) - Matt Passmore (FOX's "Masterwork") is set to topline a new drama pilot for the cable channel about "an ex-Chicago cop who gets kicked off the force after being shot by his ex-captain, who wrongfully accused him in having an affair with his wife." Passmore will play said role, Jim Longworth, "an observant detective with a sly sense of humor, [who] moves to a small Florida town and joins the state police." Clifton Campbell penned the hour and is executive producing with Gary Randall for Fox Television Studios. Peter O'Fallon is attached to direct.
T (HBO, New!) - Anya Epstein and Dan Futterman ("In Treatment") have sold a new half-hour drama to the pay channel that explores the gender transformation of a woman into a man. Said sale reportedly led to the duo being tapped as showrunners of "Treatment's" third season. The pair will likewise executive produce "T" with Ira Glass and Alissa Shipp also serving in the same capacity.
UNDERCOVERS (NBC) - J.J. Abrams is reportedly in talks to helm the drama pilot, about two spies working together who also are husband and wife. Abrams co-wrote the hour alongside Josh Reims and is executive producing for his Warner Bros. Television-based Bad Robot Productions. The company's Bryan Burk also serves as an executive producer.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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