or


[03/27/10 - 12:03 AM]
Development Update: Saturday, March 27
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!


187 DETROIT (ABC) - David Zabel ("ER") has been confirmed as an executive producer on the drama pilot, about a top homicide division as seen through the lens of a fictional documentary crew. He'll oversee creator Jason Richman and presumably serve as showrunner should it be ordered to series. Aisha Hinds, D.J. Cotrona, Erin Cummings, James McDaniel, John Michael Hill, Michael Imperioli, Natalie Martinez and Shaun Majumder all star in the ensemble, which also comes from ABC Studios and director Jeff Nachmanoff.


BETWIXT (The CW) - Blair Redford ("Passions") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about three teens (Allison Miller, Jessy Schram and Josh Henderson) who discover they're actually "changelings," the children of mythological fairies. He's reportedly playing James "Moth" Motherwell, "an almost eerily goodlooking 19-year-old with dark, piercing eyes," who indoctrinates our heroes into the changeling world. Austin Butler and David Gallagher also star in the hour, which comes from writer Elizabeth Chandler, director Christian Duguay and producers CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television.


THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS) - Mayim Bialik ("'Til Death") has booked a potential recurring role on the series. She'll play "a potential girlfriend for Sheldon (Jim Parsons) - a female version of him, a nerdy brain that he meets on eHarmony." Said character will debut in the show's third season finale, airing Monday, May 24.


BOSTON'S FINEST (ABC) - Jason Wiles ("Persons Unknown") and Miles Williams ("The Guiding Light") are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about Julia Scott (Katee Sackhoff), a detective who teams with Angus Martin (Goran Visnjic), a disgraced ex-cop to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground. Wiles will play Christian Holt, Julia's boyfriend, who's "strong, confident, handsome; a prince, cut from the J.F.K. Jr. mold; he's very charming, but make no mistake - there's arrogance here, too." Williams then is set as Angus's son Miles, who Jack Holt (Treat Williams), his old partner, has adopted. Nia Long, Richard T. Jones and Will Yun Lee also star in the ABC Studios-based hour, which Gary Fleder is directing off a script by Richard Hatem.


CUTTHROAT (ABC) - Real-life siblings Teo and Isa Briones have joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Nina Cabrera (Mia Maestro), an upscale Beverly Hills widow and soccer mom who runs an international drug cartel. They'll play her kids, five-year-old Alex and 12-year-old Lily. Escher Holloway, Jon Seda, Peggy Lipton and Sarah Wynter co-star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which Bronwen Hughes is helming off a script by co-creators Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters.


HOW TO BE A BETTER AMERICAN (ABC) - Dylan Matzke has booked a role on the comedy pilot, about a father (Jason Jones) who embarks on a journey to be a better person and drags his family kicking and screaming along. He'll play Martin, the man's nine-year-old "sensitive television and video game addicted son." Emily Rose Everhard, Johnny Sneed and Missi Pyle also star in the ABC Studios-based half-hour, which has also added Mike Sikowitz ("Rules of Engagement") as an executive producer. Brian Bradley and Steven Cragg co-wrote the project, which Adam Bernstein is directing.


IT TAKES A VILLAGE (ABC) - Christopher Sieber ("It's All Relative"), Gabriel Morales ("The Perfect Game") and Zach Mills ("Rita Rocks") have all joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about exes - Karen (Leah Remini) and Howard - who join forces to raise their 15-year-old boy, George. Sieber and Mills will play Howard and George, respectively. James Patrick Stuart also stars as Carl, Karen's new husband, with Cheyenne Jackson as Scott, Howard's boyfriend. Morales then will play George's best friend Chris. Michael Fresco is helming the ABC Studios-based half-hour, which was penned by Casey Johnson and David Windsor.


LEAPFROG (ABC) - Jake Lacy has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about two sisters at different stages in their romantic relationships - one (Jennifer Finnigan) is in a happy, long-term relationship but isn't married; the other (Joanna Garcia) gets pregnant and winds up quickly marrying her new beau. He'll play Casey, the "laid back, boyish" significant other of Garcia's character. Debra Jo Rupp, Josh Cooke and Kurt Fuller also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, which has also added the ever-busy James Burrows as director. Shana Goldberg-Meehan is the creator.


NOLAN KNOWS BEST (A.K.A. UNTITLED DANA GOULD PROJECT) (ABC) - Lexi Jourden and Payton Lucas have both been cast in the comedy pilot, about a guidance counselor (Dana Gould) at a local high school and father to two young children, who is caught between his father's (Brian Dennehy) old school parenting beliefs and his wife's (Traylor Howard) very progressive ideals. They'll play the man's two kids, seven-year-old Abby and five-year-old Elaine, respectively. In addition, Craig Zisk ("United States of Tara") has been tapped to direct the half-hour, while Mike Scully ("Parks & Recreation") has been named an executive producer. Gould penned the pilot for Warner Bros. Television.


OFF THE MAP (ABC) - Jose Julian has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about three doctors who leave the comfort of the U.S. to work at an isolated tropical clinic. He'll play Charlie, the team's local guide and translator. Meanwhile, co-star Mamie Gummer's role has been clarified as Meena Mital. Said character was originally written for someone of Indian-American descent. She's detailed as "sexy, grew up extremely poor but you'd never know it; she's unapologetically arrogant, talks a really good game - her only sign of weakness is an asthma inhaler." Caroline Dhavernas, Enrique Murciano, Jason George, Martin Henderson and Valerie Cruz also star in the ABC Studios-based hour, which comes from creator Jenna Bans and director Daniel Minahan.


TAX MAN (FOX) - Martin Short ("Damages") is the latest addition to the pilot, a workplace comedy set at an IRS office in Fresno, California. He's set as Mike Babbit, the office's bombastic boss. David Krumholtz, Judy Greer, Kerri Kenney and Randall Park also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, which was created by Brent Forrester. Fred Savage is directing.


THE WHOLE TRUTH (ABC) - Christine Adams ("Pushing Daisies") has joined the cast of the pilot, a legal drama that shows the defense - led by Jimmy Nolan (Rob Morrow) - and prosecution - led by Kathryn Pearle (Joely Richardson) - sides equally. She'll play Lena Gaudet, a gorgeous commercial litigator-turned-defense attorney. Anthony Ruivivar, Eamonn and Sean Wing also star in the project, which comes from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Alex Graves is directing from a script by Tom Donaghy.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [march 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· BETTER WITH YOU (ABC)
· BIG BANG THEORY, THE (CBS)
· BOSTON'S FINEST (ABC)
· CHANGELINGS (CW)
· CUTTHROAT (ABC)
· DAMAGES (AUDIENCE)
· DETROIT 187 (ABC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· ER (NBC)
· HOW TO BE A BETTER AMERICAN (ABC)
· IT TAKES A VILLAGE (ABC)
· IT'S ALL RELATIVE (ABC)
· NOLAN KNOWS BEST (ABC)
· OFF THE MAP (ABC)
· PARKS & RECREATION (NBC)
· PERSONS UNKNOWN (NBC)
· PUSHING DAISIES (ABC)
· RITA ROCKS (LIFETIME)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· TAX MAN (FOX)
· 'TIL DEATH (FOX)
· UNITED STATES OF TARA, THE (SHOWTIME)
· WHOLE TRUTH, THE (ABC)





[01/16/26 - 01:08 PM]
"20/20" Is the Most-Watched Program Across Broadcast and Cable on Friday Night - Scoring Largest Viewership in Over 7 Months
For the second week in a row, "20/20" posted Total Viewers increases versus the previous week and the corresponding year-ago telecast.

[01/16/26 - 12:04 PM]
All-New Season of "Naked and Afraid" Premieres Sunday, February 15 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel
This season, survivalists face hell on Earth and the ultimate test of body, mind, and spirit as they are dropped into five of the world's most brutal and diverse locations, armed only with their determination and without water, food or clothing.

[01/16/26 - 09:01 AM]
Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell Star in "The Madison" Premiering on Paramount+ March 14
The series is Taylor Sheridan's most intimate work to date, unfolding across two distinct worlds - the beautiful landscape of Montana and the vibrant energy of Manhattan - as it examines the ties that bind families together.

[01/16/26 - 09:00 AM]
Video: We TV Releases a Sneak Peek of the Highly Anticipated New Season of "Mama June"
This season, as Jessica and Shyann plan their wedding, June and Shyann's mother, Trina, battle it out butting heads on just about everything.

[01/16/26 - 08:22 AM]
"The Tonight Show" Goes for Gold with Special Post-Olympic Opening Ceremony Episode on Friday, Feb. 6
The episode will feature a guest lineup worthy of the podium, including Chris Hemsworth, MrBeast and a musical performance from Lil Uzi Vert.

[01/16/26 - 08:09 AM]
Video: Oxygen Unveils Premiere Date and Official Trailer for "Love, Ted Bundy"
As America's most notorious serial killer Ted Bundy awaited execution, he exchanged a series of death row letters with the woman who loved him like a brother - his cousin, Edna Martin.

[01/16/26 - 07:02 AM]
Video: "A Father's Miracle" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A devoted father is wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, leaving his daughter to fend for herself as he fights to prove his innocence.

[01/16/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Star Search" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The reimagined talent competition series returns as a live, five-week event hosted by Anthony Anderson, featuring an all-star judging panel with Jelly Roll, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Chrissy Teigen.

[01/16/26 - 06:31 AM]
Video: NBC Releases First Official Promo and Key Art for New Comedy Series "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins"
Tracy Morgan, Daniel Radcliffe, Erika Alexander, Bobby Moynihan, Precious Way, and Jalyn Hall star in the series.

[01/15/26 - 05:01 PM]
"Culinary Class Wars" Returns for Season 3, Raising the Stakes with a Team-Based Showdown
Building on two consecutive seasons of global success, Season 3 raises the stakes with four-person teams representing a single restaurant, transforming the competition into a collective fight for pride, reputation, and survival.

[01/15/26 - 03:22 PM]
Next on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN - February 2026
Highlights include "The Muppet Show," "The Artful Dodger," and "Paradise."

[01/15/26 - 02:01 PM]
Video: Tubi Debuts Chaotic Trailer for New Original Film "Terri Joe: Missionary in Miami"
In this wild farce, Southern Belle Terri Joe ventures to Miami to outrun wacky criminals and find a new church where she can atone for her sins.

[01/15/26 - 02:01 PM]
NBC Commissions Drama Pilot from Dean Georgaris and John Fox
Professor Georgia Ryan is a trailblazing psychologist who challenges the field of criminology by shifting the investigative focus to the victim rather than just the perpetrator in order to uncover the crucial clues that more traditional methods leave behind.

[01/15/26 - 01:38 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Christmas Week Shoots to a Season High Among Total Viewers - Scoring Show's Best Performance in 10 Months
"Live" has now ranked as the No. 1 talk show in syndication for 152 consecutive weeks across all key measures.

[01/15/26 - 12:39 PM]
Apple TV Lands New Thriller Starring and Executive Produced by Dakota Fanning, and Created by Emmy Award-Winner Alex Cary
Fanning will star as an undercover Treasury agent in a multi-billion dollar international conglomerate who becomes conflicted between her mission and a belief that her principal target is at his core a good man and worthy of her love.