 |
 |
[12/10/09 - 06:13 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, December 10
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!
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
|
|
|
 [december 2009]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[04/19/18 - 02:06 PM]
Bravo Media's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" Delivers an Epic Three-Part Reunion Beginning Tuesday, April 24 at 9PM ET/PT
Following the three-part reunion, the network will air a "Secrets Revealed" special on Tuesday, May 15, which will feature never-before-seen footage of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."
|
[04/19/18 - 12:46 PM]
"For Our Lives: Parkland," The First-Ever Co-Production Between Freeform and ABC News' "Nightline," to Premiere Monday, April 30
The hour-long special will feature footage captured by ABC News reporters documenting several students as they turned their unimaginable grief and fear into action during the difficult weeks after the attack.
|
[04/19/18 - 12:02 PM]
"Food Network Star" Returns with New Cast of Hopefuls Competing for Culinary Greatness
Before the main competition gets started, Valerie Bertinelli and Tyler Florence return to co-host a new season of "Food Network Star: Comeback Kitchen," premiering on Sunday, May 27.
|
[04/19/18 - 12:00 PM]
Disney Channel - Packed and Ready to Go - Super-Serves Kids All Summer Long with Its Most-New Ever Daily Programming Schedule
Throughout the summer, Disney Channel will bring fans new programming, starting at 9:00 a.m. EDT/PDT on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. EDT/PDT on weekends.
|
[04/19/18 - 11:00 AM]
Tony and Emmy Award Winner Tyne Daly Joins the Cast of "Murphy Brown" When It Returns to CBS
Daly will play Phyllis, the sister of the beloved, deceased bar owner Phil from the original series, and it's evident that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
|
[04/19/18 - 10:32 AM]
Johnny Galecki's "SciJinks" Premiering Wednesday, May 16 on Science Channel
Galecki orchestrates a team of inventive scientists who use science to feed people's minds, and to mess with their heads.
|
[04/19/18 - 10:16 AM]
Paramount Network Announces Series Pickup for "First Wives Club"
A cast announcement will be made in the coming weeks.
|
[04/19/18 - 10:02 AM]
Sundance Now Acquires Critically-Acclaimed Scripted Comedy "Motherland" from Lionsgate
The critically-acclaimed series, written and created by Sharon Horgan, Holly Walsh, and Graham and Helen Linehan, will make its exclusive U.S. debut with the first two episodes premiering on the service Thursday, May 10.
|
[04/19/18 - 10:00 AM]
CBS All Access Original Series "Strange Angel" to Launch on Thursday, June 14
Based on George Pendle's book of the same name, the series is inspired by the real life story of Jack Parsons and explores the dramatic intersection between genius and madness, science and science fiction.
|
[04/19/18 - 09:33 AM]
ABC's "The Gong Show" Is Set to Return for Its Second Fabulous Season
Celebrated film and television actor/comedian Mike Myers stars as the show's host - British comedic legend Tommy Maitland.
|
[04/19/18 - 09:02 AM]
"Rellik" Episode Three Available to Stream Early
Immediately following the debut of episode two tomorrow night, episode three of the six-part limited series will be available to stream on MAX On Demand and MAX GO, as well as through partners' streaming platforms.
|
[04/19/18 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Trailer for Netflix Film "Anon" - Starring Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried
Sal Frieland (Owen) is a detective in a world with no privacy, ignorance, or anonymity; where everyone's lives are transparent, traceable, and recorded by the authorities; where crime almost ceases to exist.
|
[04/19/18 - 08:51 AM]
The Astronomical Hunt for Treasure Continues in an All-New Season of Discovery Channel's "Cooper's Treasure"
Darrell Miklos, treasure hunter by trade and by birth, sets out once again to unearth sunken riches in an all-new season this summer.
|
[04/19/18 - 08:43 AM]
"1968," A Four-Part CNN Original Series Event, Debuts Sunday, May 27, at 9 P.M. ET
Tom Hanks, Gloria Steinem, Dan Rather and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. are among those interviewed.
|
[04/19/18 - 08:34 AM]
Lara Spencer Experiences an Entire City in One Weekend in Travel Channel Special "Eat, Drink, Haggle"
The special follows Spencer as she seeks out a city's best-kept secrets for mouth-watering foods, decadent cocktails and wallet-friendly flea market deals.
|
|
|
|
