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[03/24/10 - 12:01 AM]
Development Update: Wednesday, March 24
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!
BOSTON MED (ABC, New!) - The Alphabet has commissioned a new reality series that "puts cameras in the hallways, surgery wards and emergency rooms" of three Boston-area hospitals: Massachusetts General, Children's Hospital Boston and Brigham & Womens. The hour-long project, which is expected to air on Thursday nights for seven to eight weeks this summer, comes from ABC News' Terence Wrong (Peabody Award-winner "Hopkins 24/7"). Among the featured stories: the first-ever filming of a face transplant in this country. Additional details are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
THE CAPE (NBC) - Keith David ("Death at a Funeral") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about a former cop (David Lyons) framed for a crime he didn't commit who becomes The Cape, a masked hero, to clear his name. He'll play Max Malini, the leader of "The Carnival of Crime" - a group of carnival-themed bank robbers, who becomes Vince's mentor. His character is further detailed as a showman/magician/escape-artist with "a faded-Errol-Flynn-feel about him." Dorian Missick, James Frain, Jennifer Ferrin and Summer Glau also star in the Universal Media Studios-based hour, which Simon West is directing from a script by Tom Wheeler.
PLEADING GUILTY (FOX) - John Larroquette ("Boston Legal") is once again returning to the legal genre, booking a role on the drama pilot, about Mack Malloy (Jason Isaacs), an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic now serving as a partner in a top-drawer corporate law firm. He's on board as Martin Gold, the managing partner of the Chicago-based firm who "dines on human marrow [and] always uses the right fork." Madchen Amick and Omid Abtahi co-star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which Jon Avnet is helming off a script by Jason Tracey.
THE RICKY GERVAIS SHOW (HBO) - The pay channel is moving forward with a second season of the series, an animated adaptation of Ricky Gervais' hit podcasts featuring stream-of-consciousness exchanges between Gervais, his collaborator Stephen Merchant and their offbeat friend Karl Pilkington. The trio also serve as executive producers alongside Bob Higgins and Glyn Hughes for Media Rights Capital and Wildbrain. Said pickup however isn't the result of large numbers for its viewership: to date it's averaging just 180,000 viewers an episode, with a 0.1 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic.
RIDE ALONG (FOX) - Jennifer Beals ("Lie to Me") has booked the female lead in the drama pilot, a police procedural set (and filmed) in Chicago. She's set as Teresa Colvin, Chicago's first female police chief. Her character is additionally detailed as follows: "A fast riser and skilled cop, Teresa has arrived at the very top of the Chicago Police Department in a very short period of time. She did this by proving herself on the streets, by charming those in power above her and by absorbing everything Jarek [Jason Clarke] taught her over the years." The 20th Century Fox Television-based ensemble also stars Billy Lush, Devin Kelley, Matt Lauria and Todd Williams. Charles McDougall is directing from a script by Shawn Ryan.
SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT (ABC) - Don Johnson ("Just Legal") is set to star opposite Mary Steenburgen in the comedy pilot, about a conservative father whose life is turned upside down when his grown kids move back in with him. He'll play Bob Dobson, the family patriarch and provider. Chad Kultgen is behind the project, which comes from ABC Studios and the Sony Pictures Television-based Tantamount.
UNTITLED KEVIN KLINE PROJECT (HBO, New!) - Oscar-winner Kevin Kline ("A Fish Called Wanda") is set to star in and executive produce a potential new drama at the pay channel about "a prominent doctor (Kline) who must restart his life after serving a 15-year prison sentence for murdering his mistress." David Auburn ("Proof") is penning the hour, which he's executive produce alongside Kline, Gavin Polone and Kline's manager Judy Hofflund. No other specifics were given.
UNTITLED PAULA ABDUL/KENNY ORTEGA PROJECT (NBC, New!) - Paula Abdul ("American Idol"), Kenny Ortega ("High School Musical") and 3 Ball Productions ("The Biggest Loser") are looking to team for a potential new dance competition series at the network. 3 Ball originated the format, which would presumably feature Abdul and Ortega as host and choreographer, respectively. No other specifics were given other than it involves impromptu, large scale public performances (a la the parade scene in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"). Ortega is formally on board while a deal with Abdul has yet to close.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[03/04/26 - 03:01 PM]
FX's "Disinherited" - New Drama from Emmy Award Winner Peter Gould and T-Street Ordered to Series on FX and Hulu
Victoria Pedretti and Kiera Allen star as a pair of scrappy sisters thrust by an unexpected inheritance into a world of generational wealth and long-buried crimes.
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[03/04/26 - 11:31 AM]
"Disney Animation's Songs in Sign Language" to Debut on Disney+ April 27
Directed by veteran Disney animator/director Hyrum Osmond, the featured songs are "The Next Right Thing" (from Frozen 2), "We Don't Talk About Bruno" (from Encanto) and "Beyond" (from Moana 2).
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[03/04/26 - 11:03 AM]
Video: HBO Max Releases First Teaser from the DC Studios Series "Lanterns," Starring Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, and Kelly Macdonald
The series is slated to debut later this August on HBO and available to stream on HBO Max.
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[03/04/26 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix's "Untamed" Season 2 Production Kicks Off in Hawaii
The series will film on location on O'ahu and the island of Hawaii.
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[03/04/26 - 10:01 AM]
MTV Announces the Final 18 Episodes of "Jersey Shore Family Vacation," One of TV's Most Influential Reality Franchises, Premiering on Thursday, May 7 at 8PM ET/PT
This farewell season marks the culmination of a franchise that entertained millions with major life milestones, laugh-out-loud chaos, and the unfiltered chemistry that defined an era of reality television.
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[03/04/26 - 09:45 AM]
Lifetime Raises the Bar by Expanding Into Premium Vertical Storytelling with "Tides of Temptation," A Micro Drama Feature Executive Produced by Taye Diggs
Serving as a digital offshoot of the just announced upcoming original movie "Terry McMillan Presents: Paradise with You," the project expands the film's universe through a cinematic, mobile-first format designed with feature-level production value.
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[03/04/26 - 09:44 AM]
Lifetime Greenlights Three New Original Movies for 2026 Love of a Lifetime Slates Featuring All-Star Casts
Valerie Bertinelli, Henry Czerny, Eric McCormack, Taye Diggs, Heather Hemmens, and Cynthia Bailey are among the featured talent.
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[03/04/26 - 09:43 AM]
Lifetime Reteams with Robin Roberts for "Angel in the Rubble" Starring Sherri Shepherd in Remembrance of the 25th Anniversary of 9/11
Slated to premiere in September in remembrance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the movie is based on Genelle Guzman-McMillan's memoir "Angel in the Rubble: The Miraculous Rescue of 9/11's Last Survivor."
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[03/04/26 - 09:42 AM]
Lifetime Expands Roster of Powerhouse Creatives with New Movie Projects Helmed By Queen Latifah and Taraji P. Henson
"Queen Latifah and Taraji P. Henson are extraordinary talents and dynamic producers who share Lifetime's passion for telling powerful stories about women," said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, A&E, Lifetime and LMN.
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[03/04/26 - 09:41 AM]
A+E Global Media Greenlights Two New Digital-First Series Under the History Brand
"Mistakes That Made America" and "Cracking Up" are both due later this year.
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[03/04/26 - 09:40 AM]
The History Channel Marks the 25th Anniversary of September 11 with New Two-Hour Special "102 Minutes Inside the Towers"
The documentary offers a deeply immersive and unique perspective through firsthand accounts from those who were inside the Twin Towers.
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[03/04/26 - 09:39 AM]
The History Channel Taps Internationally Acclaimed Action Icon Dolph Lundgren to Executive Produce and Host New Series "History's Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren"
Produced by Superluna Studios in association with 3BMG, the eight-episode series takes viewers on a thrilling journey through the gears, guts, and genius behind the machines that reshaped our world.
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[03/04/26 - 09:38 AM]
The History Channel Greenlights New Nonfiction Series "Crime and Justice with Tom Selleck" (w.t.)
The 10-episode, one-hour series examines the true stories behind some of the most consequential crimes and investigations in American history.
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[03/04/26 - 09:37 AM]
The History Channel Orders "Extraordinary Origins with Ted Danson" (w.t.) A New Series Hosted and Executive Produced by the Multi-Award-Winning Actor
The 10-episode series examines the stories behind some of history's most significant innovations, inventions, and discoveries that helped shape the modern world.
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[03/04/26 - 09:36 AM]
The History Channel Greenlights New Nonfiction Series "History's Strange Fortunes with Kevin Bacon" (w.t.)
Stories about money - money made, money lost, and money spent - are woven into the fabric of our nation's history.
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