or


[09/19/11 - 10:50 PM]
Development Update: Monday, September 19
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!


THE BAKKEN (ABC, New!) - Josh Pate and Rodes Fishburne have sold a potential drama to the Alphabet about a "North Dakota town where a huge oil reserve has been discovered, turning poor farmers into multimillionaires overnight." Said hour is on track to be set up at ABC Studios with Flame Ventures' Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson also executive producing. (Deadline.com)


THE BRIGHT SIDE (Comedy Central, New!) - Chris Bishop and Dave Koechner are developing a single-camera comedy at the cable channel about an unscrupulous life coach. Koechner himself will potentially star in the half-hour which Bishop is writing. Flame Ventures' Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson also serve as executive producers. (Deadline.com)


CHOPS (The CW, New!) - Feature writer Captain Mauzner ("Factory Girl") has booked a potential drama at the netlet billed as "Felicity" in the world of the restaurant business in New York. Said hour is being executive produced by chef/restaurateur Mario Batali alongside Mauzner and Flame Ventures' Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson. (Deadline.com)


A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT (Lifetime, New!) - Terry McMillan's best-selling novel, about a truth-telling, trash-talking Las Vegas matriarch and her family, is being developed as a telefilm at the cable channel. Steven Tolkin is attached to direct the project from a script by Shernold Edwards with Tolkin and Bill Haber executive producing for the latter's Ostar Productions. (Variety.com)


EMPEROR (TNT, New!) - Jonathan Hensleigh ("Armageddon") is spearheading a potential Ray Liotta vehicle at the cable channel. Said hour, which comes from Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson's Flame Ventures, is billed as a mafia drama. No other specifics were given. (Deadline.com)


EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS PONG (NBC, New!) - Roger Bennett and Eli Horowitz's book is being developed as a single-camera comedy at the Peacock. Michael Colton and John Aboud ("Leverage") are spearheading the Sony Pictures Television-based adaptation, which will track "a table tennis star living in the past who tries to survive in the real world." Justin Lin, who has a first-look deal with the studio, will also executive produce alongside FishBowl Worldwide Media's Susan Levison, Vin Di Bona, Bruce Gersh. (THR.com)


THE FIXER (NBC, New!) - Wayne Kramer ("The Cooler") is developing a new drama at the Peacock based on the life of top New York attorney Edward Hayes. Universal Television is behind the hour, originally set up last season, which also comes from former HBO executive Colin Callender and Flame Ventures' Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson. (Deadline.com)


GATEWAY (TNT) - Cam Gigandet ("Twilight") is the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about three brothers bound by duty, honor and self-preservation who take a stand in 1880s Colorado. He'll play one of the trio, Jake, "who step in to save their town when their sheriff father is murdered, pitting them against a corrupt cattle baron determined to make the town his own." Danny Cannon is directing the Warner Bros. Television-based hour from a script by Bruce McKenna. (Deadline.com)


LIVE SHOT ACTION (FOX, New!) - James Solomon and Michael Lucas have landed a script commitment from the network for a new drama about a foreign correspondent who's an action junkie journalist. Former CNN president Jonathan Klein is among the executive producers of the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, alongside Flame Ventures' Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson. (Deadline.com)


LIVE TALKING GIRLS (TV Land, New!) - Linda Bloodworth-Thomason ("Designing Women") is developing a new multi-camera comedy at the cable channel set behind the scenes of a "View"-type daytime talk show. Said half-hour comes from Flame Ventures with the company's Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson presumably executive producing alongside Bloodworth-Thomason. (Deadline.com)


ON THE VERGE OF GREATNESS (CBS, New!) - Following a bidding war with ABC and NBC, Tom Gormican and Jake Kasdan's single-camera comedy has found a home at the Eye with a penalty attached should it not go to pilot. 20th Century Fox Television is behind the half-hour, which is billed as a twentysomething ensemble comedy. Kasdan is attached to direct from a script by Gormican with the duo executive producing alongside 3 Arts Entertainment's Howard Klein and Oly Obst with Melvin Mar producing. (Deadline.com)


SCRUPLES (ABC, New!) - Bob Brush and Mel Harris are spearheading a follow up to the 1978 novel-turned-1980 mini-series of the same name, about the staggeringly luxurious life of a Beverly Hills boutique and the people who work in it. They duo will also executive produce the Warner Bros. Television-based project alongside actress Natalie Portman and her producing partner Annette Savitch as well as Tony Krantz and Reece Pearson of Flame Ventures. Following the success of the original CBS mini-series, which starred Lindsay Wagner, Barry Bostwick, Connie Stevens and Kim Cattrall, a pilot was shot in 1981 for a potential series incarnation featuring a different cast that didn't move forward. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED MELISSA MCCARTHY/BEN FALCONE PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Fresh off her Emmy win, Melissa McCarthy ("Mike & Molly") has booked another comedy at the Eye about "a woman in her mid-40s who has a spectacular midlife crisis." She'll co-write and executive produce the multi-camera project alongside her husband Ben Falcone for Warner Bros. Television. No other details were given. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Elizabeth Perkins, Mark Moses and Maggie Wheeler will all guest on the December 19 episode of "The Closer" (EW.com); Peter Berg will go in front of the camera on NBC's "Prime Suspect" as Maria Bello's ex, a married Deputy Chief (EW.com); Billy Ray Cyrus will play dad to Justin Deeley's Austin on "90210" (EW.com); Chuck Liddell will turn up as himself on "Hawaii Five-0," where he'll fight Alex O'Loughlin's McGarrett in a charity match (EW.com); Dean Norris will guest on "Castle" as a hostage negotiator tasked with rescuing the title character (Nathan Fillion) and his mother (Susan Sullivan) from a bank heist gone wrong (TVLine.com); Jack Coleman will play kidnapper to Brigid Brannagh on "Criminal Minds" (TVLine.com); plus D.J. Qualls will visit "Supernatural" as a quirky, laid-back hunter (Zap2It.com).






  [september 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· 90210 (CW)
· BLOOD & OIL (ABC)
· BRIGHT SIDE, THE (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· CASTLE (ABC)
· CHOPS (CW)
· CLOSER, THE (TNT)
· CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
· DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT (LIFETIME)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EMPEROR (TNT)
· EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS PONG (NBC)
· FIXER, THE (NBC)
· GATEWAY (TNT)
· HAWAII FIVE-0 (CBS)
· LEVERAGE (TNT)
· LIVE SHOT ACTION (FOX)
· LIVE TALKING GIRLS (TV LAND)
· MIKE & MOLLY (CBS)
· ON THE VERGE OF GREATNESS (CBS)
· PRIME SUSPECT (NBC)
· SCRUPLES (ABC)
· SUPERNATURAL (CW)
· UNTITLED MCCARTHY & FALCONE (CBS)





[11/13/25 - 01:36 PM]
Major League Soccer Is Coming to Apple TV Starting in 2026
Starting next season, fans can watch every regular-season match, the annual Leagues Cup tournament, the MLS All-Star Game, the Campeones Cup, the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and more - all included with an Apple TV subscription.

[11/13/25 - 01:12 PM]
Great American Media Is National Linear, Digital, and Streaming Home of the 137th Rose Parade Presented by Honda
The Rose Parade has named legendary athlete, entrepreneur, and transformative philanthropist, Earvin "Magic" Johnson as Grand Marshal of the 2026 Rose Parade.

[11/13/25 - 11:01 AM]
Peacock Brings the Ultimate Sunday Night Football Watch Party Serving Up Touchdowns and Tea with "Reality Hot Seat" - Streaming Live Throughout the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs Matchup on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 8 P.M. ET
Leading the charge is an all-star panel ready to call the game like it's their favorite reunion special: "Boston Rob" Mariano, Heather Gay, TV and podcast host Justin Sylvester and Kate Chastain.

[11/13/25 - 11:00 AM]
"The Celebrity Traitors" UK to Premiere on Peacock Thursday, Nov. 20
An average of 11.1 million people tuned in to watch the final episode of this year's Celebrity version last week in the UK - the biggest live audience of the year for a single UK TV show.

[11/13/25 - 11:00 AM]
Prime Video Hands Comedy All Stars Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson November 25 Premiere Date for "Good Sports"
Premiering November 25 exclusively on Prime Video, new episodes of "Good Sports" will stream every Tuesday in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[11/13/25 - 10:00 AM]
12 Bakers Are Ready to Sleigh the Competition and Battle for the Title of First-Ever "Next Level Baker!"
The series premieres Thursday, December 4 at 9:00/8:00c on FOX.

[11/13/25 - 09:45 AM]
Melissa Peterman to Host "Countdown to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade"
On the eve of the iconic "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," viewers will enjoy an all-access look at the Macy's Parade Studio to discover exactly what it takes to create the famous floats and balloons prior to their journey through the streets of New York.

[11/13/25 - 09:32 AM]
Wonder Project's Inspiring Docuseries, "Redemption," Premieres on the Wonder Project Subscription on Prime Video in the U.S. on Sunday, November 16
The limited docuseries chronicles the Ohio State football team's unforgettable 2024 season, culminating in a national championship, but this story goes much deeper than touchdowns and trophies.

[11/13/25 - 09:06 AM]
Golf Channel Announces New Morning Programming Beginning January 2026
New morning programming on Golf Channel is highlighted by on-course reporter Smylie Kaufman bringing his popular show and podcast, "The Smylie Show," to Golf Channel on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. ET.

[11/13/25 - 09:02 AM]
Prime Video Announces November 17 Release Date for "Hazbin Hotel: Live on Broadway" Season 2 Premiere Concert Event
Hosted by series lead Erika Henningsen, at New York's historic Majestic Theater, the concert event features performances of the show's hit songs from Seasons One and Two.

[11/13/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Kathleen Madigan: The Family Thread" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
The one-hour special will premiere November 21, 2025 on Prime Video.

[11/13/25 - 09:00 AM]
HBO Original Documentary "The Shuffle" Debuts November 25
The documentary is the first in a new series of short football films, made in partnership with NFL Films, and will debut in advance of the new season of "Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East."

[11/13/25 - 08:30 AM]
"Mad Men" Comes to HBO Max December 1
This marks the first time the series is available to stream in 4K, giving audiences and longtime fans the opportunity to enjoy the series' authentically-crafted elements with crisp detail and enhanced visual clarity.

[11/13/25 - 08:03 AM]
Star Designer Bobby Berk Turns Chaotic Collections Into Dream Digs in New HGTV Series "Junk or Jackpot?" Premiering Friday, Dec. 26, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT
Executive produced by actor, wrestler and entrepreneur John Cena, the six-episode season will follow Bobby as he meets passionate people who are in desperate need of a life-changing renovation and will soon discover the hidden monetary value of their massive and unusual collections.

[11/13/25 - 08:00 AM]
Apple TV Unveils First Look and Premiere Date for All-New Wildlife Series "Born to be Wild"
Filmed over several years across three continents, the six-part documentary series follows six endangered young animals as they grow up in our world but are destined to return to theirs.