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[02/25/11 - 10:49 PM]
Development Update: Friday, February 25
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!
ARE YOU THERE VODKA? IT'S ME CHELSEA (NBC) - "Chelsea Lately" staple Jo Koy is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about Chelsea Hanson (Laura Prepon), "a fresh-faced single cocktail waitress highly opinionated and open about her love to drink and have sex." The comedian, who is in the middle of a talent holding deal with producer Warner Bros. Television, will play Mark ("handsome and very familiar with pot"), a bartender at the sports bar where Chelsea works. Angel Laketa Moore, Lauren Lapkus and Natalie Morales are also featured in the half-hour, as is Chelsea Handler (as her sister Sloane), whose book the project is based upon. Dottie Zicklin and Julie Ann Larson
co-wrote the adaptation while Gail Mancuso will direct.
BAD MOM (ABC) - Jennifer Crittenden ("The New Adventures of Old Christine") and Gabrielle Allan ("Miss/Guided") have inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with ABC Studios. The pact, which starts in June, calls for the newly formed duo to develop new series projects for the studio. They'll already supervising the studio-based pilot "Bad Mom," about Julia, a single mother of two, who's forced to actually raise her kids once her mother, Marian - who had been filling said void, decides she wants her life back. Jenna Elfman is in talks to star. Sharon Horgan penned the half-hour while Chris Koch will direct.
DAMAGE CONTROL (A.K.A. IN CRISIS) (ABC) - Tony Goldwyn has landed a role on the drama pilot, about Olivia Price (Kerry Washington), a professional fixer and her dysfunctional staff. He'll play Fitzgerald Grant ("handsome, charismatic, brilliant and humble; Kennedy-esque"), an old friend of Price's who's now the President of the United States in the ABC Studios-based hour. He reaches out to her after Julia Tannen, a young aide, starts saying she's sleeping with him. Columbus Short, Guillermo Diaz, Henry Ian Cusick and Katie Lowes also star in the project, from writer Shonda Rhimes and director Paul McGuigan.
GOOD CHRISTIAN BITCHES (ABC) - Jennifer Aspen ("Glee") is the first to board the drama pilot, about Amanda Vaughn, a widowed mother of two who - to get a fresh start - moves back to the affluent Dallas neighborhood where she grew up. Aspen will play Sharon Pevy (who's likened to "Designing Women's" Suzanne Sugarbaker circa season three), a former beauty queen who's now a compulsive eater. Robert Harling penned the ABC Studios-based hour, which is based on Kim Gatlin's book of the same name. Alan Poul is directing.
GRIMM (NBC) - Russell Hornsby ("In Treatment") and Bitsie Tulloch ("quarterlife") are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about Nick Burckhardt (David Giuntoli), a police detective who discovers fairy tale creatures live among us and is tasked with defending humans from these mythical beasts. She'll play Juliette Lambert ("a bundle of beauty and energy" with a red pea coat, a la "Little Red Riding Hood"), Nick's girlfriend who works at a French bakery, with Hornsby as Hank Green, Nick's dutiful partner. Silas Weir Mitchell also stars in the hour, from director Marc Buckland and co-creators David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf. Universal Media Studios is producing.
HALLELUJAH (ABC) - Frances O'Connor ("Cashmere Mafia") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about a tiny town in Tennessee which finds itself being torn apart by the forces of good and evil.
She's set as Ruth Turner, whose family welcomes Jared O'Neal (Jesse L. Martin) - a mysterious stranger who arrives to restore faith to the town's residents - into their home. Michael Apted is directing the ABC Studios-based hour from a script by creator Marc Cherry.
ICELAND (FOX) - Kerry Bishe ("Scrubs") and John Boyd ("24") have both scored roles on the comedy pilot, about a woman whose life is shaken after her fiance passes away. Bishe will play said woman, Mackenzie ("mid-20's, pretty, a young Maura Tierney type"), with Boyd presumably as Todd ("mid-20's, a wiry, geeky guy with poor interpersonal skills"). Andy Bobrow penned the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, which Will Gluck is attached to direct.
A MANN'S WORLD (NBC) - Don Johnson ("Just Legal") has been tapped for the title role on the drama pilot, about a straight Beverly Hills hairdresser in his 50s who is struggling to stay young and relevant in a place where looks are everything. He'll play said hairdresser, Allan Mann ("a sexy, knock-out at thirty, now late fifties, but still sexy"), who doubles down on his beauty empire by opening a day spa next door to his salon. Writer/director Michael Patrick King is behind the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which also stars Taylor Kinney.
PARTNERS (ABC) - Frances Fisher ("Eureka") has landed a role on the drama pilot, about half-sisters - Mattie (Scottie Thompson) and Jess (Annie Wersching) - who work together as police detectives. She's on board as their incarcerated mother, Colleen Scott, who confessed to killing Mattie's abusive father 20 years ago. Also cast in the ABC Studios-based hour is Nester Serrano as Captain Ben Wolford ("a man with a gentle soul"), Jess and Mattie's boss. Kenneth Mitchell, Larry Gilliard Jr. and Michael Beach also star in the project, from writer Edward Allen Bernero. Yves Simoneau is directing.
PLAYBOY (NBC) - David Krumholtz ("NUMB3RS") has reportedly joined the cast of the pilot, a period drama set at the Playboy Club in Chicago in 1963. He'll play Billy Morton ("all business, ZBT president, young Albert Brooks"), said club's General Manager in the 20th Century Fox Television-based project. Alan Taylor is directing from a script by Chad Hodge while Amber Heard, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Laura Benanti, Leah Cudmore and Naturi Naughton also star. Separately, Krumholtz is developing "Igotchaback," about "an up-and-coming music industry manager tasked with representing an aging rap star mired knee-deep in existential crisis," at FX. Said half-hour is loosely based on the life of Wu Tang Clan founding member GZA and his publicist Heathcliff Berru. No other auspices were given.
SMASH (NBC) - Raza Jaffrey ("MI-5") has scored a role on the drama pilot, a show-within-a-show vehicle about a group of people who come together to put on a Marilyn Monroe-themed Broadway musical. He's on board as Dev ("a handsome, contemporary Indian"), "the live-in boyfriend of the musical's star, Karen (Katharine McPhee), who works in the mayor's office." Christian Borle, Debra Messing, Jack Davenport and Megan Hilty co-star in the project, from creator Theresa Rebeck. Michael Mayer is directing for Universal Media Studios.
TILDA (NBC) - The pay channel has reportedly passed on the Diane Keaton-led comedy pilot, about a powerful and reclusive Hollywood blogger likened to Deadline.com's Nikki Finke. David Harbour, Ellen Page, Jason Patric, Leland Orser, Sanaa Lathan and Wes Bentley also starred in the project, from co-creators Bill Condon and Cynthia Mort. The latter departed the project back in August over creative differences while Alan Poul, Alexa Junge and John Hoffman were subsequently brought in to spearhead the potential series. Ultimately with actors' options set to expire in mid-March, the network passed. Said report adds that HBO is still interested in a show about Finke, "this time with her on board from the beginning."
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[03/07/14 - 11:19 PM]
Development Update: Friday, March 7
Updates include: Felicity Huffman tapped for "American Crime" at ABC; Rebecca Romijn cast in NBC's "The Pro"; and Dave Annable scores a role in FOX's "Red Band Society."
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[03/07/14 - 04:00 PM]
FOX Comedies "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "The Mindy Project" and "New Girl," Along with Psychological Thriller "The Following," Renewed for 2014-2015 Season
As previously announced, "Sleepy Hollow" was picked up for a second season, "Glee" was renewed for its sixth season and "Bones" was picked up for its tenth.
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[03/07/14 - 02:58 PM]
Thursday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: "Big Bang Theory," "Millers" Take Top Spots
Plus: numbers for USA's "Sirens," FX's "Saint George" and Comedy Central's "Review."
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[03/07/14 - 02:18 PM]
Video: "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" Preview (HBO)
The series will debut on Sunday, April 27 at 11:00/10:00c on the pay channel.
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[03/07/14 - 02:10 PM]
TVGN to Air Two Day Catch-Up Marathon of The CW's "Hart of Dixie"
Said marathon is set for Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16 beginning at 1:00PM ET/PT.
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[03/07/14 - 01:28 PM]
Discovery Gets "Naked After Dark" with Comedian Josh Wolf
The six-week series launches Sunday, March 16 after the season premiere of "Naked & Afraid."
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[03/07/14 - 11:37 AM]
Special @ESPNNFL Programming Kicks Off Start of NFL Free Agency
Suzy Kolber will host an hour-long "NFL Insiders" (3 p.m.) on Tuesday previewing the official start of free agency (which begins at 4 p.m.).
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[03/07/14 - 09:40 AM]
Bravo Media's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" Heats Up with an Epic Three Part Reunion Beginning Monday, March 17 at 9PM ET/PT
The three-part reunion special will be followed by "Secrets Revealed" on April 7.
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[03/07/14 - 09:25 AM]
"Two and a Half Men" Delivers Its Largest Audience and Best Adult 18-49 Rating Since Its Season Premiere
CBS spins the numbers for Thursday, March 6.
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[03/07/14 - 09:20 AM]
Gilles Marini of "Switched at Birth" and Cierra Ramirez of "The Fosters" to Chat Live with Fans Via Twitter During the East Coast Feeds of Their Series, Airing Monday March 10th on ABC Family
They'll be up on @GillesMarini and @cierraramirez during their respective telecasts.
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[03/07/14 - 08:49 AM]
Emmy(R)- and Golden Globe-Winning HBO Series "Game of Thrones" Returns for Fourth Season April 6
The pay channel details the first wave of episodes from the show's new season.
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[03/07/14 - 08:48 AM]
"Parenthood" Grows Week to Week by 9% in 18-49 Rating and 6% in Total Viewers
NBC spins the numbers for Thursday, March 6.
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[03/07/14 - 08:31 AM]
Starz Offers Personal Digital Experiences With Portrait App And Genius Quiz For Starz Original Series "Da Vinci's Demons" Second Season
The digital app allows users to have their very own portrait drawn by Leonardo da Vinci himself by simply uploading a photo or connecting to their Facebook account to select an image.
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[03/07/14 - 08:30 AM]
"Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" Returns Steady After 3-Month Break
ABC spins the numbers for Thursday, March 6.
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[03/07/14 - 08:28 AM]
First-Ever Contest for U.S. Fans to Design Official 2014 Wimbledon Poster
Voting will close Sunday, April 6, and with the fans' choice in mind, Chris Evert, John McEnroe and Philip Brook will select the winning poster, to be announced later that month.
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