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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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[07/14/26 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Sets Fall 2026 Premiere Dates for a Season of Returning Favorites, Iconic Franchises, and Big Television Moments
The network's fall season kicks off Monday, September 21 with the return of "Celebrity Name That Tune" and "Celebrity Weakest Link."
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[07/14/26 - 11:00 AM]
"Big Brother" Delivers Most-Watched Premiere Since 2021
On social media, the premiere was the most-engaged and most-viewed premiere since 2020.
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[07/14/26 - 10:52 AM]
Lifetime Reteams with Angie Harmon to Star and Executive Produce Two New Installments of "Buried in Barstow"
The wheelhouse of movies follow former assassin Hazel King (Angie Harmon) as she tries to build a quiet life for herself and her daughter but her dark past keeps coming back to haunt her.
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[07/14/26 - 10:03 AM]
New Original Competition Series "Cocktail Wars" Hosted by Lance Bass and Joey Fatone to Premiere on August 18 on E!
In a series of themed challenges, "Cocktail Wars" pits America's buzziest mixologists against each other in a lively, high-stakes competition with $10,000 on the line in every episode.
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[07/14/26 - 10:02 AM]
Ruiz Jr. Faces Knyba at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ on September 4 - Live on TNT and DAZN
The third headline show of TNT Sports and DAZN's "The Fight," the new monthly live boxing series, will be broadcast co-exclusively in the U.S. on TNT, truTV?and DAZN and worldwide on DAZN.
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[07/14/26 - 09:43 AM]
CBS Leads 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Nominations with 48
"Beyond the Gates" and "The Young and the Restless" both received nominations for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series.
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[07/14/26 - 09:31 AM]
Netflix and Mythical Partner Up to Bring "Good Mythical Morning," "Mythical Kitchen" and "Last Meals" to Netflix
Beginning September 7, the same day as "Good Mythical Morning's" season 30 premiere, members can watch new episodes dropping day-and-date alongside YouTube and a library of episodes from these iconic series, giving fans more ways to enjoy their daily dose of Mythical entertainment.
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[07/14/26 - 09:06 AM]
"The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only Live" - Premiere Event Performance to Make Streaming Debut on AMC+ on August 23
Additionally, highlights from the electrifying premiere event, featuring original songs from series composer Daniel Hart and performed by Sam Reid, will be screened for fans in Hall H at Comic Con International on Friday, July 24.
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[07/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
FOX Nation Teams Up with Conor McGregor and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship for New Competition Series "World's Baddest Man"
Premiering in summer of 2027, the series is hosted by McGregor, who is prominently featured throughout as elite domestic and international fighters compete in a high-stakes, bracket-style tournament for the chance to be crowned the World's Baddest Man.
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[07/14/26 - 08:42 AM]
ESPN to Air 2026 WNBA All-Star Draft Featuring Legends Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon on July 15
The 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game will be played in Chicago at United Center on Saturday, July 25, and broadcast on ABC and Disney+ (8:30 p.m. ET).
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[07/14/26 - 08:01 AM]
First Look at Suspenseful New Thriller Series "Below" - On Netflix October 8
Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) is a big hearted but stubborn fisherman living in a small Newfoundland town, who's still haunted by his father's mysterious death from decades ago.
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[07/14/26 - 08:00 AM]
TLC's New Series "Double Lives of Suburban Wives" Reveals Secrets Behind Everyday Suburban Lives
The series follows these couples as they navigate the complexities of marriage, parenthood and suburban life alongside careers in adult content creation.
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[07/14/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Shards" - Official Trailer - FX
Set against the vivid backdrop of 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows a group of privileged high school seniors at an elite prep school as they navigate identity, sex, jealousy, obsession and the dangers lurking beneath the surface of American adolescence.
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[07/14/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "The Whisper Man" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When his young son vanishes, a widower enlists help from his estranged father, a retired detective who put away the serial killer now linked to the case.
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[07/14/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Apple Original Films Unveils Trailer for Action-Packed "Mayday"
Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up in "Mayday," a genre-bending, action-packed buddy comedy that flips the spy thriller on its head.
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