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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!
17TH PRECINCT (NBC) - Kristin Kreuk ("Smallville") has landed a role on the pilot, a police drama set in an alternate version of San Francisco where magic rules instead of science. She'll potentially recur as Susan, the wife of Jamie Bamber's character, Caolan Longstreet, and mother of their two kids: Doreen (7) and Boyle (11). Eamonn Walker, James Callis, Matt Long, Stockard Channing and Tricia Helfer also star in the Sony Pictures Television-based hour, which Michael Rymer is directing from a script by Ronald D. Moore.
GAME CHANGE (HBO, New!) - Four-time Oscar-nominee Julianne Moore is set to play Sarah Palin in the pay channel's small screen take on Mark Halperin and John Heilemann's book of the same name, which chronicled John McCain's failed 2008 presidential campaign. Jay Roach ("Recount") is directing and executive producing the project, which was penned by fellow "Recount" alumnus Danny Strong (who will also serve as a co-executive producer).
GEORGETOWN (ABC) - Joseph Mazzello ("The Pacific") and Condola Rashad ("Law & Order: Criminal Intent") have both joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a quartet of young staffers in Washington, D.C. - Sam (Daisy Betts), Nikki (Katie Cassidy), Peter (Mazzello) and Andrew (Jimmy Wolk) - who share a DuPont Circle townhouse together. He'll play the aforementioned Peter Brooks ("28 but looks barely out of puberty"), who works for White House Chief of Staff Vincent Feig; while she's set as Bryce Johnson ("her horn-rimmed glasses accentuate inquisitive eyes"), an ambitious journalist who's stuck writing puff pieces. Mark Piznarski is directing the Will Fetters-penned hour for Warner Bros. Television.
GRACE (ABC) - Patricia De Leon ("Men of a Certain Age") has landed a role on the drama pilot, about Michael Grace (Eric Roberts), a famous choreographer whose womanizing ways have produced three daughters - Sarah (Abigail Spencer), a lawyer; Shay (Sherri Saum), a photographer; Eden (Anabelle Acosta), a teenager - all with different mothers. De Leon will play Arabella "Belle" Ruiz, Eden's mother, a beautiful former dancer whose light has dimmed a little. Also on board are newcomer Chantz Simpson as Joseph Doran, Shay's 14-year-old son with Dylan (Chris Carmack) who has his parents' looks and charm; and Eion Bailey presumably as Adam Knower, Sarah's husband who's more reliable than passionate. Krista Vernoff penned the ABC Studios-based hour, to be directed by Lesli Linka Glatter.
GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC) - Tony Phelan and Joan Rater have signed a two-year deal to continue as exeutive producers on the veteran medical drama. They'll succeed Krista Vernoff, who's shepherding the pilot "Grace," as the top lieutenants for creator Shonda Rhimes. No financial details were given.
GRIMM (NBC) - Reggie Lee ("No Ordinary Family") is the latest addition 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. He's presumably playing Sergeant Blaknikoff, a cop who works with Nick. David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf co-wrote the Universal Media Studios-based hour, to be directed by Marc Buckland. Bitsie Tulloch, Russell Hornsby, Sasha Roiz and Silas Weir Mitchell also star..
HALLELUJAH (ABC) - Donal Logue ("Terriers") and Terry O'Quinn ("Lost") have both been cast in the drama pilot, about a tiny town in Tennessee named Hallelujah which finds itself being torn apart by the forces of good and evil. The latter will play the formidable Del Roman, the town's kingpin; with Logue as Rye Turner, an honest family man and the owner of the local diner who's tired of being under Del's thumb. That all changes however when Rye and his wife Ruth (Frances O'Connor) welcome a mysterious stranger, Jared O'Neal (Jesse L. Martin), into their home. Arielle Kebbel also stars as Veda, Del's much younger wife. Michael Apted is directing the Marc Cherry-penned hour for ABC Studios.
HAPPY ENDINGS (ABC) - Creator David Caspe has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with producer Sony Pictures Television. The pact, which begins in June, covers his duties on the studio-based comedy - which launches Wednesday, April 13. He'll also develop new series projects for the studio.
A MANN'S WORLD (NBC) - Mario Cantone ("Sex and the City") has joined the cast of Michael Patrick King's drama pilot, about Allan Mann (Don Johnson), 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 Nicky ("a compact, capable dynamo"), the manager of Allan's salon. The Warner Bros. Television-based hour also stars Amanda Warren, Caitlin Crosby, J.R. Bourne, Kelly Hu, Sandra Vergara and Taylor Kinney.
ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC) - Jennifer Morrison, Josh Dallas, Jamie Dornan and Jared Gilmore have all been cast in the drama pilot, about Anna Swan, a woman with a troubled past who is drawn to Storybrooke, a small town in Maine where the magic and mystery of Fairy Tales just may be real. Morrison will play Anna ("beautiful, with great strength behind classic features") with Gilmore as Henry ("sweet face; but a sparkle of mischief in him"), a 10-year-old boy who arrives at her doorstep in Boston claiming to be the son she gave up for adoption. He ultimately drags her to Storybrooke, where his adopted mother Regina (Lana Parrilla) is revealed to be the Evil Queen of Fairy Tale Land. Dallas then is set as Prince Charming with Dornan as the oh-so handsome town Sheriff. Ginnifer Goodwin also stars as Snow White in the ABC Studios-based hour, which was created by Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. Mark Mylod is directing.
SUBURGATORY (ABC) - Jeremy Sisto ("Law & Order") and Carly Chaikin ("The Last Song") have both boarded the comedy pilot, about Tessa (Jane Levy) a teenage girl who is moved by her dad from Manhattan, where she grew up, to her version of hell: the suburbs. He'll play George, said dad, in the half-hour, which comes from Warner Bros. Television and creator Emily Kapnek. Chaikin then will play Dalia Royce ("with flat-ironed hair and undersized clothing"), Tessa's quickly found nemesis at school. Alan Tudyk and Allie Grant also star while Michael Fresco is directing.
VINCE UNCENSORED (CBS) - Michael Chiklis ("No Ordinary Family") has booked the title role on the comedy pilot, about a family man who experiences a medical problem and starts to speak the truth and live in the moment, much to the chagrin to his family. He'll play said fellow, Vince Donohue ("ruggedly handsome, though he'd never describe himself that way"), a contractor who thinks with an irreverent mind. Chiklis's involvement, which includes a development/holding deal, is in second position to the ABC drama, which wraps its season next month. Phoef Sutton penned the half-hour for Warner Bros. Television with Conaco's Conan O'Brien and David Kissinger also serving as executive producers.
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