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[02/03/10 - 06:34 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, February 3
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!
BIG LOVE (HBO) - The pay channel has commissioned a fifth season of the drama, just four episodes into its current season. It's understood 10 new episodes will roll out early next year with co-creators Mark Olsen and Will Scheffer returning as showrunners. "Love" opened to 1.7 million viewers last month, up 49% from its season three bow. To date, the series up 13% year-to-year. Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman, David Knoller and Bernadette Caulfield also serve as executive producers for Playtone and Anima Sola Productions.
FRESHMEN (ABC) - Sarah Chalke ("Scrubs") has snagged the female lead in the comedy pilot, about "the friendship of three freshmen members of Congress - two men and a woman - who live together in D.C." She'll play the woman, Jane Keathly, "a beautiful, smart and funny freshman Congresswoman who was the VP at a multi-billion dollar company when she was just 28, and who won her district with the largest margin of any candidate since 1977, however, when it comes to men, Jane is a disaster waiting to happen." Greg Malins penned the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour and is executive producing alongside Arianna Huffington and Roy Sekoff.
HAPPY TOWN (ABC) - The Alphabet is set to announce the midseason drama will launch on Wednesday, April 28 at 10:00/9:00c. Geoff Stults, Sam Neill, Lauren German, Steven Weber, Amy Acker, Sarah Gadon, Robert Wisdom, Jay Paulson and Ben Schnetzer all co-star in the series, about a small town still haunted by a number of unsolved kidnappings. ABC has ordered eight hours of the series, including a two-hour pilot which is now expected to air as two separate installments ("In This Home On Ice" and "I Came to Haplin for the Water"). Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec and Scott Rosenberg are the executive producers for ABC Studios.
MIKE & MOLLY (CBS) - Billy Gardell ("My Name Is Earl") has booked one of the title roles in the comedy pilot, about "an overweight, charming police officer and a pretty and plump woman, who meet at Overeaters Anonymous." He'll play Mike Biggs, said officer, in the half-hour, which comes from Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Katy Mixon and Reno Wilson also star in the half-hour, penned by Mark Roberts.
NAKED BUT FUNNY (FOX, New!) - The network has added another improv project to its roster, this time from Peter Engel and Barry Katz. Said effort has a pilot presentation order, however no specifics about the format were given. Casting is underway with Engel and Katz executive producing via their respective companies, Peter Engel Productions and New Wave Entertainment.
NEVERMIND NIRVANA (FOX) - Harish Patel ("The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency") is the first to be cast in the comedy pilot, about "grown-up Indian-American brothers and their immigrant parents." He's set as Arjun Mattoo, the boys' doctor father. Ajay Sahgal is behind the half-hour, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television.
SCOUNDRELS (ABC) - Virginia Madsen ("Monk") has been tapped to star in the upcoming family drama, about the matriarch of "a clan of criminals who decides that it's time for her brood to go straight after her husband is sentenced to a long prison term." She'll play said woman, Cheryl West, in the project, which is slated for an eight-episode run this summer. Catherine O'Hara played the role in its previous incarnation, "Good Behavior," which didn't make the cut for the 2008-09 season. Richard Levine and Lyn Greene are behind the hour, which is set up at ABC Studios and South Pacific Pictures.
TEAM SPITZ (A.K.A. UNTITLED ROB RIGGLE PROJECT) (CBS) - "The Daily Show" alum Rob Riggle is set to topline a potential new comedy for the network about a bombastic high school football coach. Said half-hour, which is the result of a talent holding deal the actor signed back in 2008, comes from CBS Television Studios, Principato-Young Entertainment, Sony Pictures Television and the Sony-based Tantamount. Bill Martin and Mike Schiff co-wrote the multi-camera project, which has a pilot commitment, and are executive producing alongside Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Mitch Hurwitz, Peter Principato and Paul Young.
UNTITLED BEN SCHWERIN PROJECT (HBO, New!) - "Entourage's" Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg and Doug Ellin are set to reteam for a new series about "a young political aide and his relationship with his idol - the former President of the United States." Ben Schwerin is penning the effort, which is in the script stage, and will serve as a co-executive producer. Levinson, Wahlberg and Ellin then will executive produce via their Closest to the Hole Productions and Leverage banners.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[04/02/26 - 12:31 PM]
Paramount+ Greenlights New Reality Series, "Team Moms," Executive Produced by Kim Kardashian and Love Island Producers, ITV
"Team Moms" launches viewers into the world of nationally competitive youth baseball via immersion into the Legendary Prep Academy in Scottsdale, Arizona's first and only baseball prep school.
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[04/02/26 - 12:01 PM]
Jamie Bell and Charlie Heaton Lead a New Generation of "Peaky Blinders" and First Look of Bell as Duke Is Revealed
Jessica Brown Findlay, Lashana Lynch, and Lucy Karczewski are also on board.
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[04/02/26 - 12:01 PM]
"Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" Returns for One Last Spell This Summer on Disney+ and Disney Channel
Executive producer Selena Gomez to make her directorial debut with the premiere episode.
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[04/02/26 - 11:44 AM]
First-Ever "American Idol" Simulcast on ABC and Disney+ Surges Double Digits
Season to date, "American Idol" averages 5.11 million Total Viewers and stands as one of the few shows to notch year-over-year gains this season.
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[04/02/26 - 11:11 AM]
Sarah Drew and Eric Johnson to Headline "When I Said I Do" (wt), The New Movie Inspired by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black's Beloved Duet of the Same Name
The movie is set to premiere Saturday, May 23 at 8/7c as part of the network's upcoming spring "Love of a Lifetime" original movie slate.
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[04/02/26 - 11:07 AM]
Thursday Night Heats Up as "9-1-1: Nashville" and "9-1-1" Soar to Best Performance of the Season
On linear over three days, "9-1-1" earned 5.94 million Total Viewers, also nearly matching the show's previous season high in January.
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[04/02/26 - 11:05 AM]
Hulu's Critically Acclaimed Comedy Series "Deli Boys" Returns for a Second Season on May 28
Andrew Rannells and Kumail Nanjiani join as recurring guest stars for the second season, alongside series regulars Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, Poorna Jagannathan and Fred Armisen.
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[04/02/26 - 10:58 AM]
ESPN to Present WNBA Expansion Draft Friday, April 3
Malika Andrews will host the special, joined by analysts Carolyn Peck and Monica McNutt.
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[04/02/26 - 10:31 AM]
Louis C.K. to Headline the Hollywood Bowl May 5 as Part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest
This summer, his newest stand-up special, "Ridiculous," will premiere globally on Netflix.
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[04/02/26 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Special "Ramy Youssef: In Love" Debuts April 17
Whether it's his marriage, being a dog parent, AI, or religion, Ramy comes at everything with his own brand of heart and humor.
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[04/02/26 - 09:36 AM]
Netflix Wins Hot Package "The Corrections"; Orders Limited Drama Straight-to-Series Starring Meryl Streep
The series - from Paramount Television Studios - will be directed by Cord Jefferson, and written and adapted by author Jonathan Franzen.
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[04/02/26 - 09:10 AM]
Video: "Smiling Friends" - Final Episodes Trailer - Adult Swim
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[04/02/26 - 09:01 AM]
"Sofia the First: Royal Magic" Premieres May 25 on Disney Jr. with the First 8 Episodes Streaming Next Day on Disney+
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[04/02/26 - 08:35 AM]
New Faces Join "The Chi" Ensemble Cast for Its Final Season on Paramount+
Daryl Dunning II, Biko Eisen-Martin, Akilah A. Walker, Laila Odom, Liza Jessie Peterson, and Anthony B. Jenkins are among the latest additions.
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[04/02/26 - 08:35 AM]
Great American Media Sets "An Accidental Arctic Christmas," Reuniting Beloved Fan Favorites Cameron Mathison and Jill Wagner, From Executive Producer Candace Cameron Bure
Maya Rose Skabar also stars in the film, which will premiere as part of the upcoming all-star Great American Christmas on Great American Pure Flix, Great American Family, and GFAM+.
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