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[12/10/09 - 06:13 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, December 10
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!
AMERICA: THE STORY OF US (History) - Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Colin Powell, Brian Williams, Buzz Aldrin, Tommy Franks, Donald Trump, John Lasseter and Stevie Wonder have all been tapped to participate in the upcoming 12-part event, which will "focus on the elements that distinguish American democracy, the conflicts that shaped it and the myriad social and industrial innovations that have fueled the country's prosperity." Said talent will serve as on-camera commentators with Jane Root executive producing via her Nutopia production banner. "America" is due sometime in 2010.
DELTA BLUES (TNT) - Alfre Woodard ("Three Rivers") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee), "a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother (Celia Weston) and moonlights as a tribute artist." She'll play "the formidable new lieutenant who tries to exercise her power over Dwight," a role presumably in second position to the hiatused "Rivers." Warner Horizon Television and Smokehouse Productions are behind the hour, which also stars Abraham Benrubi, DJ Qualls, Leonard Howz, Robyn Lively and Sam Hennings. Clark Johnson is directing from a script by Joshua Harto and Liz Garcia.
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (HBO) - Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement have announced via their web site their pay channel series won't be returning for a third season. "We've noticed the less we say about the future of the show, the more people want to talk about it, so in an effort to reverse this trend we are today announcing that we won't be returning for a 3rd season," said the statement. "We're very proud of the two seasons we made and we like the way the show ended. We'd like to thank everyone who helped make the show and also everyone who watched it. While the characters Bret and Jemaine will no longer be around, the real Bret and Jemaine will continue to exist." The show wrapped its second season back in March.
GLEE (FOX) - Tony-winning actress Idina Menzel ("Wicked") is reportedly in talks to recur on the back half of the show's freshman season. She would play the coach to glee club "Vocal Adrenaline," the McKinley High glee club's main competition. Menzel had already been the focus of a fan campaign to cast her as Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) biological mother. Also signing on for a five to six episode arc is Jonathan Groff. He'll play the lead male vocalist of "Vocal Adrenaline" and a potential love interest for Rachel Berry. Groff co-starred opposite Michele in the Broadway production of "Spring Awakening."
KEEP HOPE ALIVE (FOX) - Kate Micucci ("Scrubs") has landed a role on the comedy pilot, about Jimmy (Lucas Neff), "a 25-year-old single parent raising an infant with the help of his quirky family after the mother of the baby -- with whom he had a one-night stand -- ends up on death row." She'll play Mike, "an unkempt, fairly oblivious cousin of Jimmy living in a tent in the laundry room of their great-grandmother's house." Said role was originally envisioned a male. Garrett Dillahunt, Kate Micucci, Martha Plimpton and Olesya Rulin also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, which Michael Fresco is directing from a script by Greg Garcia.
THE SIX (ABC, New!) - Merv Griffin Entertainment has landed a presentation order from the Alphabet for a new game show based on the Russian format "What? Where? When?" Said project, which has been running for 35 years in its home country, is being redubbed "The Six," after the number of contestants on the show. The late Vladimir Voroshilov created (and hosted) the series, which pits a panel of six knowledgeable persons against the viewing audience. Said experts are tasked with answering audience-submitted questions listed on a spinning horizontal wheel divided into segments. If the experts answer correctly in the allotted 60 seconds they receive a point, if they don't the audience receives a point with question's author also earning a prize. (Sample question: "They first appeared in 1908 in Mexico. There were two of them. Over time, they came closer and closer together, like wings of a black raven. Name them." Answer: "Frida Kahlo's eyebrows.") Exact format details however are still being worked out. Merv Griffin's Roy Bank is executive producing the project alongside Ukranian-born actor Alex Reznik, Jonathan Barry and Ron Ward. Dwight Smith and Michael Agbabian are the showrunners with Brian Veskosky serving as a co-executive producer.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[12/24/24 - 01:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Key Adult Demos for the Week of Dec. 16 Versus CBS' "After Midnight" and NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers"
"Nightline" saw gains year to year in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
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[12/24/24 - 01:01 PM]
Video: "American Primeval" - Official Teaser - Netflix
A mother and son fleeing from their past form a found family while confronting a harsh landscape of freedom and cruelty in the American West.
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[12/24/24 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of Dec. 16: "Carry-On" Flies to First Again in Netflix's Top 10 This Week
Season 6 of "Virgin River" starring Alexandra Breckenridge and Martin Henderson debuted on top of the English TV List with 8.1 million views.
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[12/24/24 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Cobra Kai" Season 6 - Part 3 Date Announcement - Netflix
Granted one final chance to finish the Sekai Taikai, Daniel, Johnny and the team lay it all on the line in the ultimate championship showdown.
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[12/23/24 - 02:36 PM]
College Football Playoff Scores 10.6 Million Average Viewers Across ESPN Platforms and TNT Sports
Tennessee/Ohio State and Indiana/Notre Dame on ESPN/ABC become two of top three most-watched games of the season.
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[12/23/24 - 01:22 PM]
"Yellowstone" 5B Finale Continues Its Record-Breaking Run with 13.1M Total Viewers in L3 Marking the Biggest Episode in Series History
Said run marked the most watched season in the series' history with 13.6M total viewers.
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[12/23/24 - 01:15 PM]
For the 4th Consecutive Year, ABC News' "20/20" Is Friday's No. 1 Newsmagazine Across the Board
"20/20" outdelivered "Dateline" in all key target demos for the 4th consecutive year - since 2021.
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[12/23/24 - 01:02 PM]
NBC Is Set to Ring in the New Year with a Live Broadcast of the 136th Rose Parade Presented by Honda on Wednesday, Jan. 1
"Today" co-anchor Hoda Kotb and weather and feature anchor Al Roker will return to the booth for this year's telecast from "TV Corner."
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[12/23/24 - 11:13 AM]
Award-Winning Danish Miniseries "Bullshit" Makes Exclusive US Debut Thursday, January 30, 2025 on Viaplay
This coming-of-age Danish language historical drama tells the powerful story of a group of lost and rebellious youths who find community and belonging in the hardcore biker gang "Bullshit," but leads to a world of brutal conflict.
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[12/23/24 - 10:40 AM]
Max Renews Original Adult Animated Series "Creature Commandos," from DC Studios, for Second Season
New episodes debut weekly every Thursday on Max, with the season one finale dropping January 9.
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[12/23/24 - 10:31 AM]
As an Early Holiday Gift to Fans Hallmark Announces That Its Hit Reality Competition Series, "Finding Mr. Christmas," Is Renewed for a Second Season
"Bringing this show to life was such a dream come true," said Jonathan Bennett. "There're definitely more stories to be told in season two and so much more fun to be had. We're really just scratching the surface here."
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[12/23/24 - 10:02 AM]
"TMZ Investigates: Luigi Mangione: The Mind of a Killer" Premieres Monday, January 6 at 8/7c on FOX and the Next Day on Hulu
TMZ exclusively speaks to several sources who say, despite his charismatic personality, Mangione also displayed a dark side and uncovers shocking new details about how he became enraged by corporate greed before quietly plotting to kill a healthcare CEO.
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[12/23/24 - 10:00 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Special "Bill Maher: Is Anyone Else Seeing This?" Debuts January 10
Host of the award-winning series "Real Time with Bill Maher," acclaimed comedian and satirist Bill Maher serves up another dose of reality in his 13th HBO stand-up special.
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[12/23/24 - 09:00 AM]
Video: "Going Dutch" Season 1 First Look - FOX TV
Tune in for the series premiere Thursday, January 2 on FOX and next day on Hulu.
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[12/23/24 - 08:58 AM]
Cedric the Entertainer Serves Up a Double Dose of Laughter with Special Editions of "The Greatest @Home Videos"
Look for "Holiday Edition" on December 27 and "Cedy Awards" on January 3.
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