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[04/05/10 - 12:08 AM]
Development Update: Monday, April 5
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!
THE GAME (The CW) - BET is reportedly close to a deal to revive the CW comedy after nearly a year of negotiations. Director/producer Salim Akil will apparently take over as showrunner with creator Mara Brock Akil, who currently serves as a consulting producer on ABC's "Cougar Town," likewise serving as executive producer. No details on cast, episode order, target date, etc. were given however a formal announcement is expected as early as next week. BET will license the series from CBS Television Studios and take the lead on production.
HMS (The CW) - Dejan Loyola ("The Troop") has joined the ensemble cast of the drama pilot, about a group of bright students at Harvard Medical School. He'll play one of them, presumably Krisha, "a genial, happy-go-lucky Indian-American uber geek" who helps everyone with their technical questions. Ali Ahn, Jai Rodriguez, Megan Boone, Sarah Jones, Steven Strait and Tasso Feldman co-star in the Amy Holden Jones-penned project, which is set up at CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television.
MY NAME IS EARL (NBC) - Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a former co-executive producer on the series, has inked a new two-year overall deal with Universal Media Studios. The pact, financial details of which were not given, calls for the writer/producer to develop new series projects for the studio as well as serve on one of its existing properties next season. Sanchez-Witzel recently completed a stint as a co-executive producer on the Peacock's upcoming "100 Questions," which will run on Thursday nights this summer.
NEXT (NBC) - Duane Martin ("All of Us") has booked a role on the Paul Reiser-led comedy pilot, a semi-autobiographical look at "the former television star and family man dealing with life's day-to-day conundrums." He's on board as his friend, a restaurant owner. Amy Landecker co-stars in the half-hour, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television. Reiser himself penned the script.
OUR SHOW (NBC) - Tyler James Williams ("Everybody Hates Chris") has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about a group of sci-fi fanboys in a small town who shoot their own version of a canceled TV show. His character wasn't specified. Also featured in the ensemble are Dan Bakkedahl, Jonathan Sadowski, Lauren Weedman, Mahaley Hessam, Maria Thayer, Nate Corddry and P.J. Byrne. Larry Charles is behind the project, which is being co-produced by Warner Bros. Television and Wonderland Sound and Vision.
TEAM SPITZ (CBS) - Jonathan Slavin is the fourth "Better Off Ted" co-star to land a pilot, in this case a multi-camera comedy about Jeff Spitz (Rob Riggle), a bombastic high school football coach. He'll play Ken Oberdorffer ("mid-thirties, slight, outwardly bookish but fiercely passionate"), the head of the school's arts education who's always losing funding to Spitz and the athletic department. Slavin's casting is in second position to "Ted," which is considered a longshot at best to return. Bob Odenkirk also stars in the project, which Ted Wass is directing from a script by Bill Martin and Mike Schiff. CBS Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television are co-producing.
WRIGHT VS. WRONG (ABC) - Tisha Campbell-Martin ("Rita Rocks") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about Evelyn Wright (Debra Messing), "a conservative pundit who happens to be one of the most polarizing figures in America." She'll play Gail Donart, Evelyn's clothes, hair and makeup stylist - "Gail is Tara Reid twenty years from now. Loves Vegas. Can't name the vice president but knows all Brangelina's kids." Carrie Fisher, Cheryl Hines, Melissa Rauch and Patrick Fugit also star in the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, which Andy Fickman is directing from a script by Stephanie Weir.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[04/24/26 - 12:00 PM]
What's New on HBO Max This May
Highlights include season two of "On The Roam," comedy special "Josh Johnson: Symphony," documentary series "U.S. Against The World: Four Years With The Men's National Soccer Team," new episode of "The Yogurt Shop Murders," and documentary "The A List: 15 Stories From Asia And Pacific Diasporas."
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[04/24/26 - 11:16 AM]
"Wuthering Heights" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max May 1
The Emerald Fennell film stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, whose forbidden passion for one another turns from romantic to intoxicating in an epic tale of lust, love and madness.
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[04/24/26 - 09:01 AM]
Zizians Documentary Series Set at HBO
The multi-part documentary series explores the Zizians, an enigmatic group of young technologists who garnered national attention in 2025 after law enforcement linked members of the group to a series of violent crimes across the country.
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[04/24/26 - 08:59 AM]
NBA Playoffs Return to NBC Sports Delivers Big Viewership Gains Over First Three Nights
NBC Sports' first six NBA Playoff games averaged 4.9 million viewers, up 38% vs. comparable coverage last year and the most-watched for the first Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights of the playoffs since 1994.
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[04/24/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: New Featurette - Hulu Original Series "Rivals" Season 2
Ahead of the highly anticipated second season of the Emmy and BAFTA award-winning "Rivals," Hulu has released a new recap featurette.
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[04/24/26 - 08:00 AM]
La La Anthony, Rutina Wesley, Taylor Polidore Williams, DeVaughn Nixon and Alexxis Lemire Join Season 4 of Hulu's Hit Legal Drama "Reasonable Doubt" as Recurring Guest Stars
Morris Chestnut, Joseph Sikora and Brandee Evans also return as recurring guest stars.
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[04/24/26 - 07:01 AM]
"Scooby-Doo: Origins" Starts Production in Atlanta
A modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog.
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[04/24/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Gordon" - First Look - Netflix
Based on the novel by Marcelo Larraquy, "Gordon" arrives on Netflix in 2026.
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[04/23/26 - 11:41 PM]
Prime Video Unleashes UK's Biggest Digital Stars in Highly Anticipated Comedy Reality Series, "Would You Rather: Decide to Survive"
The series will launch exclusively worldwide on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in June 2026.
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[04/23/26 - 09:00 PM]
The Vampire Lestat's Gritty Cover of Billy Idol's Legendary Song "Dancing with Myself" Is Now Available on All Digital Platforms
AMC Global Media and Lakeshore Records released the single on the Vampire Lestat artist profile pages at major digital music services, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
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[04/23/26 - 03:13 PM]
"Euphoria" Season 3 Premiere Surpasses 20M Global Viewers, Up 68% vs. Season 2
Episode 2 matched the premiere with approximately 8.5 million U.S. viewers in its first three days.
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[04/23/26 - 02:50 PM]
Goal! ESPN Airs Two Most-Viewed First Round Game 2's on Cable Ever, Continuing Successful Start to 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Monday's Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins matchup (Game 2, 7 p.m. ET) delivered 1.6 million viewers and Tuesday's Boston Bruins-Buffalo Sabres matchup (Game 2, 7:30 p.m.) delivered 1.2 million viewers, setting the new Game 2 record.
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[04/23/26 - 02:02 PM]
"The Cult of Natureboy," A New Four-Part Docuseries That Offers a Raw and Unfiltered Look Inside a Modern Cult, Premieres April 28 on Hulu
In 2016, a rising social media star named Eligio Bishop, also known as "NatureBoy," used his platforms to recruit followers into a group he called Carbon Nation, encouraging them to abandon their families and join his vision of a self-proclaimed Black utopia.
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[04/23/26 - 01:03 PM]
Apple TV Sets New Comedy Series, Elizabeth Banks to Star and Executive Produce
The series is set to begin production in Los Angeles this year.
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[04/23/26 - 12:19 PM]
USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched Match in LOVB Volleyball History to Cap Inaugural Season of Record Viewership on USA Network
The first Finals match on Thursday, April 16, which Salt Lake won 3-2 in a closely-contested fifth set, averaged 163,000 viewers, ranking as the most-watched LOVB game of all-time.
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