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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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[12/08/13 - 09:01 AM]
Saturday's Broadcast Ratings: FOX Tops Charts with Ohio State/Michigan State Thriller
The network trumps competitive college football coverage on ABC and CBS.
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[12/08/13 - 08:46 AM]
"Saturday Night Live" Match Its Highest Rating in Metered-Market Households Since March 9
NBC spins the numbers for Saturday, December 7.
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[12/07/13 - 08:56 AM]
"Grimm" Delivers Its Second Largest Audience Ever in Total Viewers
NBC spins the numbers for Friday, December 6.
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[12/07/13 - 08:37 AM]
Friday's Broadcast Ratings: ABC Tops Viewers, Shares Demos with NBC
CBS - absent its usual lineup - falls to third place in both categories.
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[12/07/13 - 08:19 AM]
Friday's #1 TV Show, ABC's "Shark Tank" Hits a Series High in Total Viewers and a Season High in Adults 18-49
ABC spins the numbers for Friday, December 6.
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[12/06/13 - 04:10 PM]
FOX Cuts "Dads" Order to 19 Episodes
The three-episode cut follows last month's news that FOX will place the series on hiatus following its February 11 telecast.
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[12/06/13 - 03:33 PM]
"The Tonight Show," "Late Night" Dominate 2013 November Sweep
NBC spins the late-night numbers for the week of November 25-29 plus the November sweeps period to date.
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[12/06/13 - 03:23 PM]
NBC's "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" Delivers Its Biggest Audience in People Meter History
NBC further spins the numbers for Thursday, November 28.
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[12/06/13 - 03:05 PM]
Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Sound of Music," "Big Bang Theory" Top Charts
Plus: numbers for Bravo's "Courtney Loves Dallas," truTV's "Panic Button" and VH1's "Mob Wives."
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[12/06/13 - 02:28 PM]
AMC Pulls the Plug on "Low Winter Sun"
The news marks the first scripted drama at the network not to get a second season since 2010's "Rubicon."
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[12/06/13 - 02:15 PM]
"Sleepy Hollow" to End First Season with Spine-Tingling Double (No)-Header Monday, January 20, on FOX
"The Following" will still open its season on Sunday, January 19 before formally rolling out on Monday, January 27.
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[12/06/13 - 02:10 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Michael" Gets Into the Holiday Spirit
The week of December 9-13 marks the return of "Live's Holiday Gift Guide," a week-long series dedicated to great gift suggestions for almost every type of person, in every price range.
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[12/06/13 - 01:10 PM]
Young Olympic Hopefuls Chase Their Dreams in Nick News with Linda Ellerbee "Going for Cold Gold," Premiering Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 8PM (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon
The special explores the daily sacrifices they make in order to be successful in their sport.
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[12/06/13 - 01:01 PM]
"Braxton Family Values" Stars Towanda, Trina and Traci Braxton Infuse Their Sassy Style Into "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"
Towanda, Trina and Traci also brought along cameras from "Braxton Family Values," and the exclusive behind-the-scenes footage will air on January 30.
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[12/06/13 - 12:08 PM]
Video: New Promo for FX's Acclaimed Original Drama Series "Justified"
The series returns to the cable channel on Tuesday, January 7 at 10:00/9:00c.
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