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[03/22/11 - 11:11 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, March 22
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!
BIRD DOG/THE RABBIT FACTORY (TNT) - On the heels of ordering the Eric McCormack-led drama "Perception" to series, the cable channel has reportedly passed on the other two drama pilots from said development cycle. "Bird Dog," from writer/director Mike Robe and Warner Horizon Television, revolved around an unlikely partnership between two cops (Gerald McRaney, Ashley Williams) who happen to be father and daughter. "The Rabbit Factory," from writer Alan Loeb and Lionsgate Television, tracked a recently widowed police detective (Steven Weber) and his newly married partner (D.L. Hughley) as they delve into a world of mystery, intrigue and occasional hijinks. Currently in the pipe at TNT are the "Dallas" reboot as well as the cast-contingent "Generations."
BOSS (Starz) - Connie Nielsen ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit") has joined the cast of the upcoming drama, about Thomas Kane (Kesley Grammer), "the mayor of Chicago who is diagnosed with a degenerative mental condition that only he and his doctor know about." She'll play his wife, Meredith ("suited, immaculately groomed"), whom his marriage has disintegrated to the point they only speak in public. Gus Van Sant is directing the pilot to the Lionsgate Television-based hour, from writer Farhad Safinia.
DAMAGES (DirecTV) - Judd Hirsch ("NUMB3RS") is the latest actor set to recur on the show's upcoming fourth season. He'll play a former mentor of Patty's (Glenn Close), "a man who took her under his wing during her first job out of law school," but now spends his time "at the bottom of a bottle." Other new additions this season include Chris Messina, Dylan Baker and John Goodman.
FREE AGENTS (NBC) - Natasha Leggero ("Last Comic Standing") has been cast in the comedy pilot, about "two quirky co-workers - Alex (Hank Azaria) and Helen (Kathryn Hahn) on the rebound who are attracted to one another." She'll play Emma, Alex's opinionated executive assistant. Mo Mandel co-stars in the Universal Media Studios-based half-hour, which Todd Holland is directing from a script by John Enbom.
MAD MEN (AMC) - Matthew Weiner is reportedly on track to sign a new deal with producer Lionsgate Television to continue as showrunner of the Emmy-winning series. Said negotiations will likely push the start of production by several weeks, potentially bumping its usual summer debut into the fall or beyond. No other details were given.
THE RIVER (ABC) - Daniel Zacapa has scored a role on the drama pilot, about the search in the Amazon for Emmet Cole (Bruce Greenwood), a missing TV explorer, led by his wife Tess (Leslie Hope) and son Lincoln (Joe Anderson). He'll play Emilio Valenzuela, who along with his daughter Jahel (Paulina Gaitan), run the engine room of the S.S. Hopewell, the vessel spearheading the search. Eloise Mumford, Paul Blackthorne, Shaun Parkes and Thomas Kretschmann also star. Meanwhile, Zack Estrin ("No Ordinary Family") has joined the project as part of an overall deal with producer ABC Studios. There he'll serve as an executive producer alongside showrunner Michael Green and ultimately take over said post for the back nine of its presumed freshman run. Green, who's based at 20th Century Fox Television, will then transition back to development. Should the pilot not get ordered to series, Estrin will join another ABC Studios-based property.
UNTITLED SUSANNAH GRANT PROJECT (CBS) - "Law & Order" alumnus S. Epatha Merkerson has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Michael Halstead (Patrick Wilson), an ultra-competitive surgeon whose life is changed forever when his ex-wife, Anna Lindberg (Jennifer Ehle), dies and begins teaching him what life is all about from the hereafter. She'll play Rita, Michael's "don't cross her" assistant. Afton Williamson and Julie Benz also star in the CBS Television Studios-based hour, to be directed by Jonathan Demme.
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[07/03/26 - 07:05 AM]
"Return to Fox Hollow: New Victims, Darker Secrets," A New Chapter in the Investigation of Serial Killer Herb Baumeister, Streams July 8 on Hulu
The original four-part series, "The Fox Hollow Murders: Playground of a Serial Killer," was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Crime and Justice Documentary and was ABC News Studios' most-watched docuseries on Hulu in 2025 (based on hours streamed).
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[07/03/26 - 06:39 AM]
FOX Sports Presents Its First-Ever "MLB All-Star Game Selection Show Presented by Konami eBaseball" Live from Philadelphia on Fourth of July
World Series champion and two-time All-Star Dontrelle Willis, alongside veteran host Chris Myers, broadcast live from Independence Hall for the reveal on Saturday, July 4, at 7:30 PM ET on FOX.
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[07/03/26 - 06:00 AM]
The Final Season of Starz's "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" Introduces Young Jarita, Played by Asjha Cooper
Cooper has been confirmed as a series regular in the next chapter of the "Power" Universe, "Power: Origins," which is currently filming in New Jersey.
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[07/02/26 - 06:15 PM]
Video: "Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi" - Official Trailer - August 5 on Disney+ and Hulu
Witness the Jedi in a new light.
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[07/02/26 - 06:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers Most-Watched Wimbledon Day 2 Coverage on Record
Serena Williams' Wimbledon return on Tuesday, June 30, delivered record viewership.
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[07/02/26 - 03:18 PM]
FOX Sports' Strong FIFA World Cup 2026 Viewership Continues with 10.43 Million viewers Tuning in for Mexico-Ecuador
The telecast reached a peak viewership of 13.087 million viewers from 10:30-10:45 PM ET.
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[07/02/26 - 02:49 PM]
ABC News Is No. 1 in Total Viewers for the Second Quarter on Sunday Morning and Friday Evening
"20/20" ranked as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine during the 2nd Quarter 2026 in Total Viewers (3.806 million) and Adults 18-49 (473,000).
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[07/02/26 - 02:31 PM]
Disney's "Dragon Striker" Season 2 Coming Early 2027 & First Look Revealed at Anime Expo
A first look at the new chapter, consisting of 11 episodes, was released today during the series panel at Anime Expo in Los Angeles.
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[07/02/26 - 01:48 PM]
FOX Sports Soars Into the Record Books with Most-Watched Soccer Telecast in English-Language U.S. History
24.429 million viewers watched the USMNT's historic FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 victory Wednesday on FOX.
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[07/02/26 - 01:30 PM]
Queen Latifah, The Roots and Jill Scott Added to the Performance Lineup for CBS' "The Great American Block Party 250"
Hosted from the nation's capital, the special will feature musical performances from celebrations across the country, grill sessions with TV personality and Washington chef Rock Harper and a highly anticipated fireworks show.
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[07/02/26 - 01:21 PM]
HBO's "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness" and KidSuper Unveil Limited-Edition Capsule Collection
Designed exclusively for the series, the capsule collection features a custom letterman jacket, baseball cap, keychain, and other apparel and accessories.
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[07/02/26 - 09:00 AM]
"Camp Rock 3" Sets Out on the "All Roads Lead to Camp" Bus Tour, Visiting Cities Across America Starting July 3
The latest installment premieres August 13 on Disney Channel.
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[07/02/26 - 08:27 AM]
"BET Awards" 2026 Grows Across Every Platform with First-Time Host Druski, Cementing BET as the Epicenter of Black Culture
The telecast was the highest-rated "BET Awards" on BET since 2019 among P18-49, with P18-49 impressions up +50% year-over-year.
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[07/02/26 - 07:08 AM]
"Impractical Jokers," Cable's Reigning #1 Original Series of 2026, Returns for Hilarious New Season Thursday, July 23 at 10PM ET/PT on TBS
Season 13 will feature classic Jokers laugh-out-loud mayhem and madness as the trio pose as diner managers, dating etiquette instructors, aggrieved focus group attendees, forgetful dog owners, robotics engineers, and even scheming corpses at a funeral parlor.
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[07/02/26 - 06:01 AM]
"Nando Between Two Worlds - A Sintonia Film": Netflix Unveils Official Poster for Feature-Length Spin-Off Ahead of Its August 12 Release
The film delivers the long-awaited conclusion to the journey of one of the most iconic characters in the "Sintonia" universe.
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