or


[02/04/11 - 11:07 PM]
Development Update: Friday, February 4
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!


BOSS (Starz) - Richard Levine and Lyn Greene ("Scoundrels") have been tapped as co-showrunners of the upcoming series, "a political drama starring Kelsey Grammer as the Mayor of Chicago who is diagnosed with a degenerative mental condition that only he and his doctor know about." Farhad Safinia ("Apocalypto") penned the pilot to the Lionsgate Television-based project, which was ordered directly to series back in November. Gus Van Sant is directing the pilot and executive producing alongside Levine, Green, Safinia, Grammer, Grammnet Productions' Brian Sher and Stella Stolper.


THE CROSSING (A.K.A. RECONSTRUCTION) (NBC) - Josh Brand's period drama, about "a Civil War soldier who crosses the country and settles into a complicated town where he is welcomed as its savior - whether he likes it or not," has found new life at the Peacock where it has landed a pilot order. Said hour, now based at Universal Media Studios, was originally set up at FX in November of 2009 but ultimately didn't move forward. Peter Horton will direct and executive produce alongside Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan.


DON'T TRUST THE BITCH IN APT. 23 (ABC) - Krysten Ritter ("Gravity") has been cast in the title role of the comedy pilot, about June (Dreama Walker), "an earnest, honest, optimistic girl from the heartland who, due to circumstances beyond her control, is forced to move in with Chloe (Ritter), a sexy, unstable New York City party girl who has the morals of a pirate." Nahnatchka Khan penned the single-camera project, to be directed by Jason Winer. 20th Century Fox Television is producing.


GRACE (ABC) - Lesli Linka Glatter ("Pretty Little Liars") has been tapped to direct the pilot, "a dysfunctional family drama set in the world of professional dance." She'll work from a script by Krista Vernoff for ABC Studios. Carrie Ann Inaba also serves as an executive producer.


GRIMM (NBC) - Emmy-winner Marc Buckland ("My Name Is Earl") has been tapped to direct the pilot, "a dark but fantastical cop drama about a world in which characters inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales exist." He'll work from a script by David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf for Universal Media Studios.


HOME GROWN (CBS, New!)/LOST & FOUND (ABC) - Jeff and Jackie Filgo ("That '70s Show") have booked a new comedy at the Eye about "a blue collar man who wrestles with how to parent his unmarried grown daughter and her 12-year-old son while sharing a house with them, his wife and his recently widowed mother." Warner Bros. Television is behind the multi-camera project, which has a pilot commitment from the network. Beth Lacke also serves as a consultant. In addition, the duo have been tapped as showrunners on ABC's comedy pilot "Lost & Found," which likewise comes from the studio. They'll supervise the Marisa Coughlan-penned project, about a party girl who has her life upended when the 18-year-old son she gave up for adoption finds his way into her life.


I HATE THAT I LOVE YOU (NBC) - Nicole Holofcener ("Sex and the City") has signed on to direct the pilot, "a twisty romantic comedy in which a straight couple introduces two of its lesbian friends to one another and what results is both instant attraction and a pregnancy." Nicole Holofcener is behind the single-camera project, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television.


LITTLE IN COMMON (FOX) - Adam Bernstein ("30 Rock") is set to direct the comedy pilot, about "three families united through their kids' little league sports." Rob Thomas is behind the single-camera project, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television.


PLAYBOY (NBC) - Naturi Naughton ("Fame") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about the Playboy Club in Chicago in 1963. She'll play Brenda, "a stunning African-American Bunny determined to become the first black Playboy centerfold who is Maureen's (Amber Heard) confidante and roommate in the Bunny Dormitory." Coincidentally, Naughton guest starred on "Mad Men" earlier this season as a Playboy Bunny who catches the eye of Jared Harris's character. Alan Taylor is directing the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour from a script by Chad Hodge.


PRIME SUSPECT (NBC) - The Peacock's long-in-the-works domestic take on the U.K. series has once again been ordered to pilot. Alexandra Cunningham penned the project, from ITV Studios and Universal Media Studios. Film 44's Peter Berg and Sarah Aubrey will executive produce alongside Cunningham with Berg also on board to direct. Writer Hank Steinberg and director Mick Jackson were behind a previous effort to adapt the series before ultimately being replaced by Cunningham and Berg. The latter duo received a pilot order last season which was pushed after difficulties casting the lead.


RINGER (CBS) - Richard Shepard ("Criminal Minds") has signed on to direct the Sarah Michelle Gellar-led drama pilot, about "a troubled young woman (Gellar) who, while on the run from the mob, hides out by inhabiting the life of her wealthy twin sister." Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder are behind the hour, which is set at ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios. Shepard, who's based at the latter studio, also helmed "Danni Lowinksi" over at The CW as part of the current development cycle.


ROOKIES (CBS) - James Mangold ("Men in Trees") has signed on to direct the drama pilot, about "about six NYPD rookies who balance their personal lives with learning the beat on the streets of Manhattan." Richard Price is behind the hour, which comes from CBS Television Studios and Robert De Niro's Tribeca Films. De Niro and Mangold previously teamed on the 1997 feature "Cop Land."


UNTITLED CONNIE BRITTON PROJECT (FX, New!) - Oscar-nominee David O. Russell ("The Fighter") and Emmy-nominee Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights") are set to team for a potential drama at the cable channel. No other details were given about the project, which will likely rule Britton out for this pilot season.


UNTITLED KARI LIZER PROJECT (NBC) - The multi-camera comedy, about "a relationship-challenged woman who, with the help of her co-workers, guides people through unexpected career transitions and downsizings," has been given a cast-contingent pilot order from the network. Kari Lizer penned the half-hour and is executive producing for Warner Bros. Television, where her overall deal is based.


UNTITLED ROB SCHNEIDER PROJECT (CBS) - The Rob Schneider-led comedy, about "a solitary guy who marries into a huge Mexican-American family," has been ordered to pilot by the Eye. Schneider also co-wrote the half-hour alongside Lew Morton. CBS Television Studios and the studio-based The Tannenbaum Co. are behind the multi-camera project with Morton, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum serving as executive producers. Schneider and his brother John Schneider will also receive producing credits via their From Out of Nowhere Productions banner.


THE WALKING DEAD (AMC) - Glen Mazzara ("Hawthorne") has joined the series as an executive producer. There he'll serve alongside showrunner Frank Darabont for the show's second season. Mazzara, who freelanced one of last year's six installments, fills the void left by departing executive producer Charles Eglee.






  [february 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· 30 ROCK (NBC)
· BOSS (STARZ)
· CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
· DANNI LOWINSKI (CW)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DON'T TRUST THE BITCH IN APARTMENT 23 (ABC)
· FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (DIRECTV)
· GRACE (ABC)
· GRAVITY (STARZ)
· GRIMM (NBC)
· HAWTHORNE (TNT)
· HELP WANTED (NBC)
· HOMEGROWN (CBS)
· I HATE THAT I LOVE YOU (NBC)
· LITTLE IN COMMON (FOX)
· LOST & FOUND (ABC)
· MEN IN TREES (ABC)
· MY NAME IS EARL (NBC)
· NYC 22 (CBS)
· PLAYBOY CLUB, THE (NBC)
· PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (FREEFORM)
· PRIME SUSPECT (NBC)
· RECONSTRUCTION (NBC)
· RINGER (CW)
· ROB (CBS)
· SCOUNDRELS (ABC)
· SEX AND THE CITY (HBO)
· THAT '70S SHOW (FOX)
· UNTITLED CONNIE BRITTON PROJECT (FX)
· WALKING DEAD, THE (AMC)





[01/09/26 - 12:02 PM]
A New Season of Hilarie Burton-Morgan's Documentary Series "True Crime Story: It Couldn't Happen Here" Returns February 19 on SundanceTV and Streaming Across AMC+ and All Reality
The new six-episode season examines the challenges and complexities of small-town justice, spotlighting cases that range from unsolved missing persons and wrongful convictions, to death while in police custody.

[01/09/26 - 12:01 PM]
Video: "Eternity" - Official Trailer - Apple TV
"Eternity," starring Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen and Callum Turner, premieres February 13 on Apple TV.

[01/09/26 - 11:01 AM]
"Love Island: All Stars" Returns to Peacock as Season Three Premieres on January 14
The first episode premieres exclusively in the U.S. on Wednesday, January 14, with new episodes streaming on Peacock every day at 9:00/8:00c.

[01/09/26 - 09:05 AM]
Ohtani, Judge, Yankees-Red Sox, Dodgers-Yankees, Cubs-Cardinals, and Additional Premium Matchups Headline "Sunday Night Baseball" Schedule as Major League Baseball Returns to NBC and Peacock
Highlights include the special July 5 "Star-Spangled Sunday" featuring all 15 MLB games exclusively presented nationally on Peacock and NBC.

[01/09/26 - 09:00 AM]
CBS Program Advisory: "Harlan Coben's Final Twist"
Beginning Tuesday, January 13, "Harlan Coben's Final Twist" will air original episodes Tuesdays at 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT, with encore episodes airing Wednesdays at 10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT.

[01/09/26 - 08:47 AM]
ESPN's Second Most-Watched NBA Regular Season Ever
Through 21 games, the NBA on ESPN networks is averaging 2.6M viewers, up 35 percent from last season.

[01/09/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: Peacock Releases Official Trailer, Key Art and New Images for "The 'Burbs"
All 8 episodes will premiere on Peacock Sunday, February 8, 2026.

[01/09/26 - 02:35 AM]
Paapa Essiedu Returns for "The Capture" Series 3 with New Pictures and Further Casting for the Hit Thriller Announced
The BBC has released new pictures from the series which show Paapa alongside Holliday Grainger who leads the cast as Rachel Carey.

[01/08/26 - 06:01 PM]
Video: "Undercover Miss Hong" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A tenacious investigator goes undercover at a securities firm to expose corruption, but her mission is complicated by its new CEO - her former lover.

[01/08/26 - 02:00 PM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Record-Breaking Viewership for 2025-26 FCS Playoffs and Championship
The 2026 FCS Championship Game averaged 2.3 million viewers on ESPN, ranking as the third-best FCS Championship audience ever.

[01/08/26 - 01:17 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in All Key Demos
In fact, "Nightline" is ranking No. 1 in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 for the 3rd straight year.

[01/08/26 - 01:16 PM]
ABC News' Primetime Special "The Year: 2025" Earns Nearly 4 Million Total Viewers - Growing by Double Digits Over Last Year in Multiplatform Viewing
The 15th annual year-end special earned 3.857 million Total Viewers, growing impressively over last year's performance by +37% (vs. 2.818 million), after three days of viewing on ABC, Disney+, Hulu and digital platforms.

[01/08/26 - 01:15 PM]
"Dirty Talk: When Daytime Talk Shows Ruled TV" Premieres Wednesday, Jan. 14, on ABC and Streams Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu
By exploring the psychological forces that shaped the talk TV genre, the series reveals how these shows transformed from trusted confessional spaces into lightning rods of controversy, leaving a lasting impact on culture, media and the people caught in the chaos.

[01/08/26 - 12:07 PM]
Hulu Acquires Rights to All Seasons of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" from Versant, Expanding the Kardashian Universe Offering of Series and Specials
All titles will be available to stream on Hulu beginning February 17, 2026.

[01/08/26 - 12:01 PM]
Video: Paramount+ Releases Official Trailer for New Docuseries "Handsome Devil: Charming Killer"
The three-part docuseries premieres Tuesday, January 20, exclusively on Paramount+.