or


[10/05/10 - 07:21 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, October 5
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!


AWKWARD FAMILY PHOTOS (ABC, New!) - Mike Bender and Doug Chernack's web-site-turned-book is being developed as a potential comedy at the Alphabet. Sony Pictures Television is behind the project, which has a script commitment with a penalty attached should it not go to pilot. Moses Port and David Guarascio are penning the script and executive producing alongside Joe and Anthony Russo, who are attached to direct. Bender and Chernack likewise will serve as executive producers.


CRIMINAL MINDS: SUSPECT BEHAVIOR (CBS) - Chris Mundy has stepped down as showrunner of the upcoming spin-off. Ed Bernero, who's at the helm of the parent series, will instead take over operations. It's understood the network was reportedly not happy with its creative direction and asked Bernero to take over. The series is currently in production for a midseason premiere.


DARK TOY PROJECTS (NBC, New!) - Karey Burke and Todd Holland have set up eight new projects at the Peacock via their Universal Media Studios-based Dark Toy banner. Among said roster: Craig Titley's "S.A.N.D. Men," a drama that revolves around "members of an elite squad, Sleep and Nightmare Division, who enter peoples' dreams to confront their nightmares"; Jordan Roter's "The Eulogist," a drama about "a woman in her 20s who moonlights as a eulogist"; Ajay Sahgal and Carlos Jacott's "Guardians," a comedy about "Guardian Angels posing as Starbucks baristas in an effort to help customers improve their lives"; Paul Davies's "Switched," a comedy about "twins who are separated at birth and raised in neighboring towns"; and an untitled drama from Jennifer Salt "set in the tumultuous world of celebrity chefs."

Also in the works are the previously announced "Sellevision," Bryan Fuller's take on the Augusten Burroughs novel, which is now being redeveloped a half-hour (with Mark Bozek, Russell Nuce, Bryan Singer and Jason Taylor also executive producing); and "Free Agents," John Enbom's domestic take on the U.K. series about a pair of talent agents (with Kenton Allen, Matthew Justice, Nira Park and Simon Pegg also executive producing); as well as "Emerald City," a comedic "retelling of "The Wizard of Oz" set among twentysomethings in New York City." Emily Halpern and Sarah Haskins are co-writing the hour, with Marti Noxon and Dawn Parouse Olmstead also executive producing. Burke and Holland will executive produce each project alongside their respective creators with Holland himself potentially directing any pilot that moves forward.


HITCH (FOX, New!) - FOX has snagged a potential small screen take on the Will Smith feature of the same name, about a date doctor with his own romantic foibles. Pete Chiarelli ("The Proposal") is on board to pen the dramedy, which has a script commitment plus a penalty attached if it doesn't go to pilot. Ben Wexler was behind a half-hour incarnation that was shopped around in the fall of 2007. Chiarelli, Smith and James Lassiter then will executive produce via the latter pair's Overbrook Entertainment for Sony Pictures Television.


MAN OF THE HOUSE (NBC, New!) - Screenwriter Adam Sztykiel ("Due Date") is developing a new comedy at the Peacock billed as "a Mr. Mom role reversal family show." Robert Cohen ("The Big Bang Theory") is co-writing the half-hour, which is set up at the ABC Studios-based Mark Gordon Co. Gordon and Andrea Shay then are executive producing alongside Sztykiel and Cohen.


THE MEMBER-GUEST (HBO, New!) - Kevin Bacon is on track to star and executive produce a potential single-camera comedy for the pay channel about "a burned-out golf pro of a 9-hole course who just wants one more shot at the tour [but is] constantly sidelined as he deals with the needs of the members of the Middle-American country club who are grappling with dashed dreams of their own." Steve Pink ("High Fidelity") is penning the half-hour, which is based on Clint McCown's 1995 book of the same name. Bacon, Pink, Tom Mangan and Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan are the executive producers with McCown himself attached as a consultant.


PUNK'D (MTV) - Recording artist Justin Bieber reportedly is set to topline a revival of the former Ashton Kutcher mainstay, in which celebrities are the victims of elaborate practical jokes. Kutcher and Jason Goldberg are executive producing the new incarnation via their Katalyst Films banner, with would roll out sometime next year. It's understood talks began with Bieber earlier this summer, while it's not clear if a deal has actually been closed due to the show's top-secret nature.


RUNNING WILDE (FOX) - Drea de Matteo ("Desperate Housewives") has booked a potentially recurring role on the freshman comedy. She'll play Didi, the randy stepmother of Will Arnett's Steve Wilde who "comes to the Wilde estate on behalf of Steve's never-before-seen dad to rein in his monetary expenditures - on the same day Steve decides to fund Emmy's (Keri Russell) nonprofit organization." Her first episode is set to air later this month.


TOUGH TRADE (Epix) - The fledgling pay channel has reportedly passed on the long-in-the-works drama, about three generations of a music dynasty set in Nashville. Sam Shepherd, Cary Elwes, Joey Lauren Adams, Trace Adkins and Lucas Black were among the pilot's ensemble, while Jenji Kohan, Sean Furst, Bryan Furst and creator Chris Offutt were the executive producers. The news marks the end of the one-time TNT effort, which had four additional scripts ordered and the options on its actors extended while Epix mulled its fate. Said report adds that producer Lionsgate is considering retooling the project into a mini-series.


WILD WILD WEST (New!) - Ronald D. Moore ("Battlestar Galactica") is reportedly looking to revive the 1965-69 CBS series, about Secret Service agents (Robert Conrad and Ross Martin) who get reassigned to the Old West. Will Smith and Kevin Kline toplined 1999's much-maligned incarnation. No specifics were given about the Moore's take, which has yet to begin the network rounds. It's not clear if Sony Pictures Television, where Moore is based, is the studio attached.






  [october 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· AWKWARD FAMILY PHOTOS (ABC)
· BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (SCI FI)
· BIG BANG THEORY, THE (CBS)
· CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
· CRIMINAL MINDS: SUSPECT BEHAVIOR (CBS)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EMERALD CITY (NBC)
· EULOGIST, THE (NBC)
· FREE AGENTS (NBC)
· GUARDIANS (NBC)
· HITCH (FOX)
· MAN OF THE HOUSE (NBC)
· MEMBER GUEST, THE (HBO)
· PUNK'D (BET)
· RUNNING WILDE (FOX)
· SAND MEN (NBC)
· SELLEVISION (NBC)
· SWITCHED (NBC)
· TOUGH TRADE (EPIX)
· UNTITLED JENNIFER SALT PROJECT (NBC)
· WILD WILD WEST, THE (CBS)





[09/18/26 - 03:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Wins Late Night Across the Board
For the sixth week running, "Nightline" increased year to year in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54.

[09/18/26 - 03:11 PM]
Netflix Announces New Drama Series "Ladies of the House"
Based on Lauren Edmondson's novel of the same name, the series reunites Sheryl J. Anderson with "Sweet Magnolias" star JoAnna Garcia Swisher.

[09/18/26 - 12:58 PM]
Marking a Somber Anniversary of the September 11 Attacks, ABC News' 9/11 Special, Anchored by David Muir, Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer, Draws Over 4 Million Total Viewers
The special was also the No. 1 non-sports program of the night in Adults 25-54 (802,000) and Adults 18-49 (559,000).

[09/18/26 - 12:21 PM]
HBO Orders New Original Drama Series "The Spread," Starring and Executive Produced by Academy Award-Winner Javier Bardem
Matthew Vaughn will direct and executive produce the project, to be written and executive produced by Bill Dubuque and Sean Sansiveri.

[09/18/26 - 10:29 AM]
OWN Greenlights Breakout Hit "Put a Ring on It: Cheathab" for Two More Seasons Ahead of Its Season One Finale
Production on the new episodes will begin this fall to air in 2027.

[09/18/26 - 09:21 AM]
New Paramount+ Limited Series "The Best of Us" Begins Production in New York City
LaChanze, Richard Schiff, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Joe Morton, Jen Tullock, William Baldwin, and Keith W. Richards also join the cast.

[09/18/26 - 09:00 AM]
Wonder Project and Amazon MGM Studios Begin Production on Season Three of "House of David" in Greece
The season brings this trilogy to an epic conclusion, completing David's (Michael Iskander) transformation from outcast shepherd to fierce warrior to his ultimate destiny as King.

[09/18/26 - 09:00 AM]
Social Categories Revealed for the "2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)" Sunday, Sept. 27 on CBS
All voting will be hosted on the @MTV Instagram Story until Sunday, September 27 at 11:00 AM, ET.

[09/18/26 - 08:18 AM]
Video: Official Trailer for New Supernatural Teen Drama "Coven Academy" Drops Ahead of Oct. 1 Premiere on Freeform, Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu
As the story unfolds in a bingeable new format, the fast-paced chapters are designed to pull audiences deeper into the magic at every turn.

[09/18/26 - 07:55 AM]
Peacock Reveals Celebrity Cast for a New Season of the Emmy Award-Winning Reality Competition Series "The Traitors," Coming in 2027
Steering the game with his unrivaled looks and signature wit is beloved host and Emmy Award-winner Alan Cumming, who also serves as executive producer.

[09/18/26 - 07:01 AM]
Chloe Sevigny Joins the Cast of "The Trial of Louise Woodward"
She will play Louise's defense attorney, Elaine Whitfield Sharp, in the HBO limited series.

[09/18/26 - 07:00 AM]
Video: All Reality and We TV Unveil a First Look at New Original Series "Love After Lockup: Relationship Rehab" Premiering Friday, October 2
The nine-episode series gathers five fan-favorite couples from the franchise as they embark on a transformative journey with psychiatrist and nationally recognized relationship expert, Dr. Ish Major, working to heal old wounds and rebuild their relationships.

[09/18/26 - 06:31 AM]
Netflix Adds Legend Andres Cantor to Broadcast Team for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027
The addition marks a milestone moment for Netflix's historic coverage of the tournament, which will feature English and Spanish-language broadcasts in the United States, and English and French-language broadcasts in Canada.

[09/18/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Therapy Done Right" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A psychoanalyst who's lost faith in traditional therapy crosses every boundary to help a blocked novelist in this cutting Argentine dark comedy.

[09/18/26 - 02:01 AM]
Video: "Seriously Single Too" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Dineo and Noni - besties meant to take on the party scene together - suddenly face their biggest fear when Noni's boyfriend spontaneously proposes.