 |
 |
[02/03/10 - 06:34 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, February 3
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!
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
|
|
|
 [february 2010]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[03/10/26 - 02:09 PM]
"R.J. Decker" Gets Down to Business with Over 11 Million Total Audience to Date for Series Debut
In fact, "R.J. Decker" was the most compatible telecast to air following "High Potential" to date, with 73% of the hit drama's live audience flowing through to the series debut.
|
[03/10/26 - 12:10 PM]
FOX Entertainment Names Billy Parks Head of FOX Creator Studios
In this newly created role, Parks will lead the vision, strategy, and operations of FOX Creator Studios.
|
[03/10/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of March 2 - "War Machine" Powers Up at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Plus: "Bridgerton" Season 4 claimed the No. 1 spot on the English TV list with 13.1 million views in its sixth week in the Top 10.
|
[03/10/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Man on Fire" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is "Man on Fire." The action-packed new series debuts April 30, only on Netflix.
|
[03/10/26 - 10:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces New Stand-Up Comedy Special "Kountry Wayne: Nostalgia"
The one-hour special will premiere March 23, 2026 on Prime Video.
|
[03/10/26 - 09:31 AM]
Video: "Is This Thing On?" - Trailer - Hulu
Directed by Bradley Cooper, the film streams on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ March 20.
|
[03/10/26 - 09:01 AM]
Bon Appetit! "Eva Longoria: Searching for France" Premieres Sunday, April 12 at 9pm ET/PT
The series will air two episodes weekly on Sundays at 9pm at 10pm ET/PT on CNN.
|
[03/10/26 - 09:01 AM]
The "52nd American Music Awards" to Air Live from MGM Grand Garden Arena on Monday, May 25, on CBS and Paramount+
Nominations, which are based on key fan interactions as reflected on the Billboard charts, including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay, and tour grosses, will be announced on Tuesday, April 14.
|
[03/10/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Untold: Chess Mates" - Official Trailer - Netflix
How did a match between chess grandmasters devolve into a bizarre scandal about anal beads? This documentary digs into the stranger-than-fiction story.
|
[03/10/26 - 08:15 AM]
Video: Acorn TV Unveils First Look at New Original Series "You're Killing Me," Starring and Executive Produced by Brooke Shields
Amalia Williamson and Tom Cavanagh also star in the six-episode murder mystery series, premiering this spring.
|
[03/10/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: MGM+ Debuts Official Trailer for Season Four of the Hit Sci-Fi Horror Series "From"
In season four, the closer the residents of town get to the answers they seek, the more terrifying their search becomes.
|
[03/10/26 - 08:00 AM]
"America's Culinary Cup" Announces the Acclaimed Guest Judges Bringing the Heat and Key Expertise to CBS' New High-Stakes Cooking Competition
14 renowned guest judges are bringing the heat and key expertise to CBS' new high-stakes cooking competition this season, beginning with the March 11 episode.
|
[03/10/26 - 07:12 AM]
CNN And Variety Announce Special Programming Live from the Oscars Red Carpet with "CNN & Variety Red Carpet Live"
Beginning at 4pm ET, join Elizabeth Wagmeister and Ramin Setoodeh live from the Oscars red carpet as they bring audiences up close and personal with the world's most-famous stars on Hollywood's biggest night.
|
[03/10/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Remarkably Bright Creatures" - Official Teaser - Netflix
"Remarkably Bright Creatures," starring Sally Field, Lewis Pullman, and Alfred Molina as the voice of Marcellus, based on the bestselling phenomenon by Shelby Van Pelt coming to Netflix May 8.
|
[03/10/26 - 07:00 AM]
Video: Way too Much, Still Never Enough - Emmy Award Winner Riz Ahmed stars as Shah Latif in "Bait" Trailer
All six-episodes will be available on March 25, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
|
|
|
|
