[01/15/10 - 08:20 PM] Development Update: Friday, January 15 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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HAWAII FIVE-O (CBS) - The Eye's update of Leonard Freeman's classic 1968-80 cop series has received a formal green light to produce a pilot. Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Peter M. Lenkov are all behind the hour, which will presumably once again center on "an elite branch of the Hawaii State Police answerable only to the governor." CBS Television Studios is producing.
HOLLY'S WORLD (E!, New!) - E! has commissioned eight half-hour episodes of a new series featuring "The Girls Next Door" alum Holly Madison. The network aired a backdoor pilot special for the project back in December with new episodes due this summer. Said effort follows Madison on and off stage as she stars in the Vegas production "Peepshow." Prometheus Entertainment, Alta Loma Entertainment and Fox Television Studios are all co-producing with Kevin Burns serving as an executive producer.
LEAPFROG (ABC) - Shana Goldberg-Meehan's multi-camera comedy for the Alphabet has been given the go ahead to produce a pilot. The Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour follows "two sisters involved in very different romantic situations - one isn't married but has a healthy, long-term relationship; the other is forced to marry her new beau when she gets pregnant." Goldberg-Meehan penned the script and will executive produce.
MIDLAND (FOX) - The network has issued a cast-contingent pilot order to the drama, about "a polygamist man in the oil business who lives a double life." 20th Century Fox Television is behind the hour, which was written by Kyle Killen.
PRETTY WILD (E!, New!) - The cable channel has ordered a new reality series which tracks Hollywood socialites (and sisters) Taylor (19) and Alexis (18) and Gabrielle (15) Neiers. Middle child Alexis became tabloid fodder back in July after being arrested for breaking into the home of Orlando Bloom as well as being found with stolen property belonging to Lindsay Lohan and Rachel Bilson. Tom Brunelle and Chelsea Handler of Borderline Amazing Productions; Barry Katz, Brian Volk-Weiss and Bill Thompson of New Wave Entertainment; Amber Mazzola of Five Five Productions; and Dan Levy are all executive producers of the project, due in March. Nine half-hour episodes have been ordered.
UNDERCOVERS (NBC) - Jessica Parker Kennedy ("Smallville") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about "Steven (Boris Kodjoe) and Samantha (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a domesticated husband and wife who are re-activated as CIA agents after years of retirement." She'll play Samantha�s younger sister who works at a catering company. Gerald McRaney and Ben Schwartz also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which comes from co-creators J.J. Abrams and Josh Reims.
UNTITLED ADAM F. GOLDBERG PROJECT (FOX) - Adam F. Goldberg's comedy script has likewise received a pilot commitment from the network. The single-camera half-hour revolves around "a group of young geniuses tasked with cracking computer security systems." Seth Gordon ("Four Christmases") is directing and executive producing the Sony Pictures Television-based project, which is also executive produced by Happy Madison's Adam Sandler, Doug Robinson and Jack Giarraputo.
