or


[02/15/11 - 10:27 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, February 15
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!


17TH PRECINCT (NBC) - "Battlestar Galactica" alum Jamie Bamber has joined the cast of the Ronald D. Moore-penned pilot, a police drama set in an alternate version of San Francisco where magic rules instead of science. He'll play Caolan (pronounced "kay-lawn") Longstreet, a detective who "projects a seriousness of purpose and deep focus." Stockard Channing also stars in the Sony Pictures Television-based hour, to be helmed by Michael Rymer.


ARE YOU THERE VODKA, IT'S ME CHELSEA (NBC) - Laura Prepon ("That 70's Show") has been tapped for the title role on the comedy pilot, based on comedian Chelsea Handler's bestselling memoir of the same name. She'll play Chelsea Hanson, a 26-year-old version of Handler, then "a fresh-faced single cocktail waitress highly opinionated and open about her love to drink and have sex." Julie Larson and Dottie Dartland Zicklin co-wrote the multi-camera project, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television.


BRAVE NEW WORLD (NBC) - Ed Begley Jr. ("Gary Unmarried"), Nicholas Braun ("10 Things I Hate About You") and Will Greenberg ("Nathan vs. Nurture") are the first to board the pilot, a workplace comedy set at Pilgrim Village, a theme park that specializes in recreations of New England in 1637. Begley will play Dick Kenealy, the group's boss who "tries to run a tight ship, but he's largely ineffective." Greenberg then is set as Matt Koutnick, a 19-year-old who took at job at Pilgrim Village to support his mom and little brother after his father walked out; with Braun as Richard Allerton, an entitled douche who manages to have both his "nose in the air and his head up his ass at the same time." Sony Pictures Television is behind the half-hour, which was created by Peter Tolan.


COOPER & STONE (The CW) - John Wirth ("The Cape") has joined the drama pilot, about "about two smart young female detectives on Chicago's North Side who are best friends, equally adept at discussing fashion, music, pop culture as they are solving homicides," as an executive producer. Laurie Arent penned the CBS Television Studios-based hour, which Wirth will serve as showrunner should it move forward to series. John Dahl is attached to direct.


LUCK (HBO) - Shaun Toub ("Iron Man") is set to recur on the upcoming Dustin Hoffman-led drama, about the owners, gamblers and jockeys at a horse racing track. He'll play Dr. Khan, "a local emergency room doctor with a surprisingly complicated backstory." Joan Allen, John C. McGinley, Michael Gambon, Patrick J. Adams and W. Earl Brown likewise have landed multi-episode arcs on the series.


MAGIC CITY (Starz) - Christian Cooke ("Trinity") and Steven Strait ("Stop-Loss") are both in final talks to join the cast of the upcoming drama, about the Miramar, "a hotel in the heart of sexy, exciting Miami at the dawn of the 1960s" and Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), its visionary leader, who "must deal with the Mob, his complicated family and a city in the midst of dramatic change as Fidel Castro takes control of Cuba, just 200 miles offshore." Cooke will play Danny Evans, Ike's youngest son, "a sweet young man who is attending law school while helping his dad"; with Strait as Stevie Evans, Ike's oldest son, "a high-living hedonist." Mitch Glazer created the project.


MY FRICKIN' FAMILY (ABC) - Jonathan Groff ("Happy Endings") has been tapped to supervise the comedy pilot, about a couple with a new baby and the culture clashes between its four very different grandparents. Erica Rivinoja wrote the project, which comes from ABC Studios. Groff will serve as an executive producer and ultimately showrunner should it land a series commitment.


PARTNERS (ABC) - Annie Wersching ("24") and Larry Gilliard Jr. ("The Beast") are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about two female police detectives who are fiercely loyal to one another since they're also secretly half-sisters. She'll play one of the aforementioned ladies, Jesse-Lynn "Jess" Mancini, the more conservative of the two. Her partner Mattie Scott (Scottie Thompson) has the same mother, a secret they keep because regulations forbid siblings from working as partners. Gilliard then is believed to be playing Dr. J. Edward Allen Bernero is behind the ABC Studios-based hour, to be directed by Yves Simoneau.


POE (ABC) - Brad Kern ("Human Target") has been tapped to supervise the drama pilot, about Edgar Allan Poe, who works as a detective using unusual methods in 1840s Boston. He'll also serve as the project's showrunner should it move forward to series. Chris Hollier penned the Warner Bros. Television-based project and is a supervising producer. Alex Graves is directing.


REM (NBC) - Howard Gordon ("24") has signed on to executive produce the drama pilot, about a police detective living in two different realities following a horrible car accident: one in which his son lives, another in which his wife lives. He'll supervise Kyle Killen, who penned the pilot for 20th Century Fox Television. David Slade is directing. Separately, Gordon is behind the Showtime drama pilot "Homeland," which recently wrapped production.


RINGER (CBS) - Ioan Gruffudd ("Fantastic Four") and Mike Colter ("The Good Wife") are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about Bridget Cafferty (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a troubled young woman who, while on the run from the mob, hides out by inhabiting the life of her wealthy twin sister, Siobhan Marx, until she learns that her twin's life has a bounty on it as well. Gruffudd is on board as Siobhan's "impossibly handsome husband" Andrew Marx while Colter is set as Malcolm Howard, Bridget's "good looking, slightly bookish" sponsor at AA. Nestor Carbonell also stars in the project, which was created by Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder. Richard Shepard is directing for ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios.


TRUE BLOOD (HBO) - Daniel Buran ("Level 26: Dark Origins") has booked a seven-episode arc on the show's upcoming fourth season. He'll play Raoul, "the werewolf packmaster of Shreveport." No other specifics were given.


UNTITLED JOE PORT/JOE WISEMAN PROJECT (FOX) - Rob Huebel ("Childrens' Hospital") is the first to be cast in the comedy pilot, about Dave, "a headstrong patriarch who, determined to get some quality family time, embarks on a vacation with his extended family." He'll play Dave's "slightly off" brother-in-law Steven, who recently returned from a six month solo expedition to the Amazon. Joe Port and Joe Wiseman penned the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, which Shawn Levy is attached to direct.


UNTITLED LIZ MERIWETHER PROJECT (FOX) - Max Greenfield ("Modern Men") and Jake M. Johnson (who starred in the Meriwether-penned "No Strings Attached") have both landed roles on the comedy pilot, about Jessica (Zooey Deschanel), "an optimistic but unlucky in love elementary school teacher who, after her most recent break-up, moves out of her apartment with her ex and moves in with three juvenile guys." They'll play two of the trio: beer-loving hunk Schmidt (Greenfield) and bartender Nick (Johnson). Jake Kasdan is helming the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour from a script by Meriwether.






  [february 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (ABC FAMILY)
· 17TH PRECINCT (NBC)
· 24 (FOX)
· ARE YOU THERE, CHELSEA? (NBC)
· AWAKE (NBC)
· BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (SCI FI)
· BEAST, THE (A AND E)
· BRAVE NEW WORLD (NBC)
· CAPE, THE (NBC)
· CHILDRENS HOSPITAL (ADULT SWIM)
· COOPER & STONE (CW)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FAMILY ALBUM (FOX)
· GARY UNMARRIED (CBS)
· GOOD WIFE, THE (CBS)
· HAPPY ENDINGS (ABC)
· HOMELAND (SHOWTIME)
· HUMAN TARGET (FOX)
· LUCK (HBO)
· MAGIC CITY (STARZ)
· MODERN MEN (WB)
· MY FREAKIN' FAMILY (ABC)
· NATHAN VS NURTURE (NBC)
· NEW GIRL (FOX)
· PARTNERS (ABC)
· POE (ABC)
· RINGER (CW)
· THAT '70S SHOW (FOX)
· TRUE BLOOD (HBO)





[11/05/25 - 04:01 PM]
Mystery Thriller "The Price of Confession" Starring Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Go-eun Premieres December 5
A mystery thriller about Yun-su, a woman accused of murdering her husband, and Mo Eun, a mysterious woman called a witch, and the secrets between them.

[11/05/25 - 04:00 PM]
Peacock's Compelling New Documentary "High Horse: The Black Cowboy", Executive Produced by Jordan Peele, Premieres Thursday, November 20
This three-part pop culture and historical documentary confronts and reclaims the Wild West while revealing the story of the Black cowboy - a history that has largely been untold.

[11/05/25 - 12:40 PM]
All-New Special, "Louvre Heist: Minute by Minute," Premieres November 26 at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery
Told in real-time with gripping new details, this one-hour special reconstructs the daring robbery and jewelry heist that unfolded in broad daylight on October 19, 2025 at the world-renowned Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

[11/05/25 - 11:20 AM]
TLC's "90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days" Returns with a Brand-New Season and Unforgettable Couples
This season, eight Americans, including the bold and fiery Elise, looking to settle down after stirring things up on "90 Day: Hunt for Love," are leaving everything behind to travel to international destinations like the Philippines, Belize, Turkey, Morocco, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Australia.

[11/05/25 - 11:06 AM]
Optum Named Title Sponsor of the "Golf Channel Games" Featuring Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler December 17 on Golf Channel and USA Network
McIlroy and Scheffler will lead two four-man teams at the "Optum Golf Channel Games" in never-before-seen timed and strategy-focused challenges under the pressure of the clock and the primetime lights.

[11/05/25 - 10:02 AM]
Video: "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" - Season 5 Official Teaser - Starz
Everything's coming to a head. 2026 - we back.

[11/05/25 - 09:39 AM]
"College GameDay" and ESPN College Football on ABC Win Week 10
Georgia-Florida led the week with 7.8 million viewers, marking the largest audience on record for this rivalry in a full national window.

[11/05/25 - 09:01 AM]
'Tis the Season to Be Jolly When "25 Days of Christmas" Returns to Spread Holiday Cheer on Freeform
Last year, "25 Days of Christmas" reached 32 million viewers.

[11/05/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "The Abandons" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In 1850s Washington, two families led by powerful matriarchs - one wealthy, one poor but deeply loyal - battle for supremacy on the unforgiving frontier.

[11/05/25 - 08:01 AM]
Hulu Announces Cast for "Never Change!"
The film follows the 2005 graduating class of North Meadows High School, who had their senior year cut short due to a disastrous tornado that wrecked half the school.

[11/05/25 - 08:00 AM]
The NASCAR Xfinity Series Concludes First Full Year on The Cw Network with Most-Watched Season in Four Years
The championship race, which saw Jesse Love emerge as the season winner, drew 1,015,000 total viewers and peaked at 1,191,000 total viewers from 9:30-9:45pm ET.

[11/05/25 - 07:04 AM]
"The Last Thing He Told Me," Returns for Season Two on February 20, 2026
Jennifer Garner, Angourie Rice, David Morse and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau return, while new additions include Judy Greer and Rita Wilson.

[11/05/25 - 06:00 AM]
Vice TV and Professional Fighters League Join Forces to Showcase Global MMA in the US
The network serve as the exclusive linear US telecast home for 10 international events, beginning with two in December and continuing with eight more throughout 2026.

[11/05/25 - 05:31 AM]
Xolo Mariduena Joins Season 3 of Netflix's "One Piece"
He'll star as Portgas D. Ace in season three, which is set to go back into production later this year in Cape Town, South Africa.

[11/05/25 - 05:01 AM]
Paramount and PBR Announce Landmark Five-Year Media Rights Deal
The partnership builds on the long-standing relationship between PBR and CBS Sports, which began in 2013 and runs through 2030.