 |
 |
[01/19/10 - 07:33 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, January 19
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!
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? (Syndication) - Twentieth Television has cleared the syndicated incarnation of the game show for a second season. The series is a go in the top five markets, including WPIX New York, KTTV/KCOP Los Angeles and WFLD/WPWR Chicago. Mark Burnett and Zoo Productions are behind the project.
BODY OF EVIDENCE (ABC, New!) - Chris Murphey ("Dead Lawyers") has snagged a pilot order from the Alphabet for a new drama about Megan Hunt, "a former neurosurgeon-turned-medical examiner who brings a unique and crime-solving perspective to the ME's office that often puts her at odds with her superiors." Murphey penned the hour and is executive producing alongside Matt Gross, on whose idea the project is based. ABC Studios is producing.
HAPPY ENDINGS (ABC, New!) - Newcomer David Caspe has booked a pilot commitment from the network for a new single-camera comedy about "a couple that breaks up at the altar, forcing them and their group of friends to figure out how to maintain their friendships after the split." Sony Pictures Television is behind the half-hour, which is executive produced by Jamie Tarses and her studio-based FanFare Productions banner.
NEVERMIND NIRVANA (FOX, New!) - Ajay Sahgal is once again developing the multi-camera comedy, about "two brothers from a traditional Indian background - one defies his family's expectations by dating a Caucasian woman, while the other agrees to enter an arranged marriage." FOX has ordered a pilot for the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, the third time it has received such a commitment. NBC originally took a stab back in the spring of 2004 with Kal Penn and Judy Greer in the lead roles. David Schwimmer helmed the half-hour, which didn't make the cut for the 2004-05 season. The producers then opted to reshoot the pilot that summer with Sahgal himself as the male lead but the Peacock passed on that incarnation as well. FOX topper Kevin Reilly shepherded both versions while at NBC, making its revival not much of a surprise. Sahgal won't topline the FOX version, which is likewise based on his experiences as the son of Indian immigrants who eventually married a Caucasian woman (actress Kelli Williams). It's not clear if original executive producers Schwimmer, Jamie Tarses and Karey Burke will be involved in the update.
THE ODDS (CBS, New!) - Feature writer/director Jeff Wadlow ("Never Back Down") has scored a pilot order from the Eye for a new drama billed as "a buddy cop show set in Las Vegas where the cops are just as outrageous as the crimes they solve." Wadlow penned the Warner Bros. Television-based hour and is executive producing alongside Joel Silver with Beau Bauman producing. No other specifics were given.
OFF THE MAP (ABC) - The Alphabet has greenlit production on Jenna Bans's ("Grey's Anatomy") drama pilot, about "three doctors, each anxious for a fresh start, [who] leave the comfort of the States to work at an isolated tropical clinic, where they face both exotic and unusual medical challenges as well as personal ones." ABC Studios is behind the hour, which is set up at Shonda Rhimes's studio-based Shondaland banner. Bans and Rhimes then will executive produce alongside Betsy Beers.
THE STRIP (A.K.A. UNTITLED THOMAS LENNON PROJECT) (NBC) - The Thomas Lennon led comedy has received a pilot order from the Peacock. The multi-camera half-hour revolves around "a former child star (Lennon) who now owns a Hooters-type restaurant in a strip mall on the outskirts of Vegas." Lennon and Robert Ben Garant co-wrote the script to the Universal Media Studios-based project, which Garant will also co-star in a supporting role. The duo will also executive produce alongside Peter Principato and Paul Young.
TORCHWOOD (FOX) - Russell T. Davies is developing a U.S. incarnation of the "Doctor Who" spin-off about "a covert group that investigates and fights alien activity." BBC America currently holds the broadcast rights to the original incarnation, which wrapped its third season last summer. The Hollywood Reporter suggests co-star John Barrowman may be part of the new version, however the project is still in the early stages of development. Davies, Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter are the executive producers attached for BBC Worldwide Productions.
UNTITLED BROADWAY MUSICAL PROJECT (Showtime) - Theresa Rebeck ("Canterbury's Law") has been tapped to pen the potential drama, which "chronicles the development of an original Broadway musical, from the inception of the idea through the opening night and everything in between." Storyline Entertainment's Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and DreamWorks Television's Steven Spielberg, Daryl Frank and Justin Falvey are all behind the hour, which would spawn an actual Broadway musical at the end of the first season. Also on board are Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman as songwriters, who are expected to receive an executive producing credits.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
|
|
|
 [january 2010]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[06/09/26 - 02:03 PM]
Second Season of FX's "Adults" Premieres August 27 on FXX and Hulu
The laugh-out-loud second season will feature special guest appearances by Susie Essman, Raven-Symoné, Gaten Matarazzo, Jake Shane, Isaac Powell, Ben Marshall, Zosia Mamet and more.
|
[06/09/26 - 12:34 PM]
Explorer Josh Gates Returns with an Action-Packed New Season of "Expedition Unknown" Wednesday, June 24 on Discovery Channel
From far-flung jungles and remote waters to vast, unexplored caves, Gates pursues his boldest missions yet, hunting for vanished civilizations, diving deep to document lost wartime wrecks, and chasing groundbreaking evidence behind the world's most compelling mysteries.
|
[06/09/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of June 1 - "Office Romance" Sneaks to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Plus: "Michael Jackson: The Verdict" has grabbed viewers' attention, landing at No. 1 on the English TV list with 17.8 million views.
|
[06/09/26 - 11:01 AM]
Critically Acclaimed Olivier and Tony Award-Winning "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" Extends for a Final Time Both in the West End and on Broadway
Nearly 1.6 million tickets have been sold across the West End and Broadway, with over 1,500 total performances.
|
[06/09/26 - 10:37 AM]
"Honest Renovations" Season 4 Streaming on The Roku Channel on August 15, 2026
Jessica Alba and Lizzy Mathis renovate the homes of deserving families.
|
[06/09/26 - 10:29 AM]
May Continues ESPN Studio Shows' Year-Long Viewership Success
Combined, all ESPN studio shows were up 27 percent in viewership over May of 2025 and up 11% year-over-year (YOY) among younger viewers in the Persons ages 18-49 demographic.
|
[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM]
First Look & Date Announcement: Hulu Original "Furious"
"Furious" premieres on July 27 with three episodes on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
|
[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Documentary "Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Story" Debuts June 30
Before the internet and the ubiquity of social media influencers, there was Robin Byrd - the spirited, anything-goes New York City public access host, clad only in her signature black crochet bikini.
|
[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM]
ESPN Delivers Most-Watched NCAA DI Women's College World Series on Record
The WCWS Finals, featuring Texas and Texas Tech, averaged 2.2 million viewers as the Longhorns claimed their second-straight national championship in the two-game series.
|
[06/09/26 - 10:01 AM]
"Celebrity Family Feud" Season 12 Key Art and Contestant Reveal
The new season will premiere Thursday, July 9 at 8 P.M. EDT on ABC and streams next day on Hulu.
|
[06/09/26 - 10:00 AM]
Video: Disney+ Drops Official Trailer for Supernatural Animated Series "The Doomies," Premiering June 26
When best friends Bobby and Romy accidentally open a portal to evil, their tranquil coastal town transforms into a hotspot for terrifying creatures of doom.
|
[06/09/26 - 09:28 AM]
FOX Entertainment Global Secures International Sales for Breakout U.S. Series "Best Medicine"
Leading the international rollout, Best Medicine will premiere exclusively on Sky and streaming service NOW in the UK and Ireland, starting on Tuesday, June 9.
|
[06/09/26 - 09:01 AM]
Teyana Taylor to Receive the Icon of the Year Award at the "BET Awards" 2026 Sponsored by Hyundai
A true creative force, Teyana Taylor has evolved from a multiplatinum singer-songwriter into an award-winning actress, visionary director, producer, choreographer, and fashion-forward style icon.
|
[06/09/26 - 08:04 AM]
Video: Apple TV Debuts Delightful Trailer for "Camp Snoopy" Season Two, Premiering Globally Friday, June 26
In season two, Snoopy and the Beagle Scouts are looking forward to carefree time in the majestic landscape of Camp Spring Lake.
|
[06/09/26 - 08:03 AM]
Now Streaming - "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show" on Hulu
Hulu is bringing the energy and spectacle the "Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show" to audiences nationwide, with the special now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S.
|
|
|
|
