or


[02/07/12 - 10:51 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, February 7
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!


ANGER MANAGEMENT (FX) - Noureen DeWulf ("Hawthorne") has been cast in the upcoming Charlie Sheen-led comedy, about "a former baseball player with anger issues who winds up as an unconventional anger management therapist." She'll play one of the members of his therapy group, "a spoiled rich girl who was sent to a court-appointed anger management classes after shooting her boyfriend who cheated on her." Selma Blair and Shawnee Smith also star in the Lionsgate Television-based project. (Deadline.com)


CULT (The CW) - Jessica Lucas has scored a lead role on the drama pilot, about "an inquisitive, young female production assistant on a wildly popular television show called 'Cult' who, after a rash of disappearances and a likely murder, joins a journalist blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program in real life." She'll play the former, Skye Yarrow ("late 20s, smart-cute"), in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which comes from writer Rockne S. O'Bannon and director Jason Ensler. (Deadline.com)


EL JEFE (FOX) - Michael Patrick Jann ("Emily's Reasons Why Not") is set to helm the comedy pilot, about "an upper-middle class 30-year-old guy who finally gets booted out of his dad and step-mom's house and moves in with his cleaning woman's family since he had nowhere else to go." David Guarascio and Moses Port co-wrote the half-hour for Sony Pictures Television. (Deadline.com)


THE FAMILY TRAP (A.K.A. UNTITLED MANDY MOORE PROJECT) (ABC) - The Mandy Moore-led comedy - about newlyweds who get the opportunity of a lifetime to run a hip, new restaurant in her hometown bringing her closer to her needy and high maintenance family - has been ordered to pilot by the Alphabet. Bob Fisher and Stacy Traub penned the single-camera project, which Shawn Levy will direct for 20th Century Fox Television. Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements will also executive produce alongside said auspices with Moore's manager John Leshay serving as a producer. (Deadline.com)


FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER (NBC) - Allison Janney and Tony Shalhoub are on track to star in the comedy pilot, about a quirky family that has dinner together every Friday night. They'll play the clan's parents, Barbara ("has trouble fitting into the society of mature, responsible middle-aged women because her sons and husband suck her into their shit") and Gene (whose "inappropriate behavior and disconnection from modernity has only increased" with retirement), respectively. David Koechner also stars as their neighbor, "a lonely weirdo with an odd fixation on Barbara." Ken Kwapis is directing the Universal Television-based half-hour from a script by Greg Daniels. (Deadline.com)


MISTRESSES (ABC, New!) - The Alphabet has given a straight-to-series pickup for a domestic take on the U.K. drama, which follows the lives of four female friends and their involvement in an array of illicit and complex relationships. The original, from S.J. Clarkson and Lowri Glain, ran for seasons on BBC One from 2008 to 2010 with BBC America carrying the series in the States (the finale for which airs tomorrow night). Lifetime previously shot a pilot for the project in 2008, which starred Brooke Burns, Camille Sullivan, Holly Marie Combs, Rochelle Aytes and Sarah Glendening. Sergio Mimica-Gezzan directed from a script by Melissa Carter for Fox 21. As for the new incarnation, K.J. Steinberg penned the script for ABC Studios with Bob Sertner and Ecosse Films' Douglas Rae also serving as executive producers. (Deadline.com)


SAVE ME (NBC) - Michael Landes and Alexandra Breckenridge have each scored roles on the comedy pilot, about Beth Harper (Anne Heche), a woman who lets herself go while in a broken marriage goes through a transformation where she becomes the best version of herself and creates miracles along the way. He'll play her husband Tom ("40-ish and real-world handsome"), a manager at an upscale hotel; while she's set as Carly Brugano ("hot without any effort"), "a laid-off high school student counselor with a master's in psychology who works as a concierge at Tom's hotel and serves as his therapist and lover." John Scott Shepherd is behind the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, to be directed by Scott Winant. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED JOHN LEGEND PROJECT (Showtime, New!) - John Legend is set to host and executive produce a backdoor pilot special for the pay channel which "features top artists from different genres who discuss their careers and perform an original musical collaboration before live studio audience." Jesse Dylan directed the pilot, which recently taped at the historic EastWest Studios in Los Angeles with Faith Hill ("You're The One Whose Waiting") and B.o.B ("Ghost in the Machine") among the guests. Hill and B.o.B likewise performed a live rendition of "Son of a Preacher Man" alongside Legend. Get Lifted Film Co.'s Mike Jackson; Tollin Productions' Michael Tollin; Station3's R.D. Robb and Tom Carter; and Wondros' Priscilla Cohen are executive producing alongside Legend. (Deadline.com)


WHITE VAN MAN (ABC) - Kyle Bornheimer ("Perfect Couples") has been tapped to topline the comedy pilot, based on the U.K. series about "a man who is forced to put his dreams on hold in order to take over the family handyman business from his father." His casting lifts said contingency off the pilot's production. In addition, Michael Fresco has signed on to direct the single-camera project, from writer Bobby Bowman and the ABC Studios-based Mark Gordon Co. Bornheimer and his brother Ryan previously sold a comedy pitch to ABC earlier this development cycle that didn't move forward. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED HILARY WINSTON PROJECT (NBC) - Adam Shankman ("Rock of Ages") has signed on to direct the comedy pilot, about "a shy, focused woman who, after being dumped by her fiance, leans on her co-workers to help her come out of her shell and plot her revenge." He'll work from a script by Hilary Winston, who's executive producing via Jamie Tarses's Sony Pictures Television-based FanFare banner. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Bailee Madison, Noah Bean and Roger Daltrey are among the latest actors set to stop by "Once Upon a Time" (Variety.com, TVLine.com, EW.com); Ryan Murphy confirmed on "Watch What Happens Live" that Jessica Lange will return in some capacity for "American Horror Story's" second season, which will take place on the East Coast in a horror institution (BravoTV.com); Stephen Lang has booked a three-episode arc on "In Plain Sight" as the troubled father of Mary McCormack's Mary Shannon (TVGuide.com).






  [february 2012]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· AMERICAN HORROR STORY (FX)
· ANGER MANAGEMENT (FX)
· CULT (CW)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EL JEFE (FOX)
· EMILY'S REASONS WHY NOT (ABC)
· FAMILY TOOLS (ABC)
· FAMILY TRAP, THE (ABC)
· FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER (NBC)
· HAPPY VALLEY (NBC)
· HAWTHORNE (TNT)
· IN PLAIN SIGHT (USA)
· MISTRESSES (ABC)
· MISTRESSES (LIFETIME)
· MISTRESSES (BBC AMERICA)
· ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)
· PERFECT COUPLES (NBC)
· SAVE ME (NBC)
· UNTITLED JOHN LEGEND PROJECT (SHOWTIME)
· WATCH WHAT HAPPENS: LIVE (BRAVO)





[01/08/26 - 09:35 AM]
ESPN NBA Schedule Update: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers Added on January 16; Detroit Pistons vs. Golden State Warriors Added on January 30
These matchups replace the previously scheduled Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets game and LA Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets game, respectively.

[01/08/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "What Drives You with John Cena" Season 2 - Official Trailer - The Roku Channel
Find out what fuels Mookie Betts, Kane Brown, Charlotte Flair and Saweetie to succeed in an all new season.

[01/08/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Finding Her Edge" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A former ice dancer returns to the rink with an exciting new partner while holding onto feelings for her old one - her first love.

[01/08/26 - 09:00 AM]
HBO Original Two-Part Documentary "Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!" Debuts January 22
One of Hollywood's most daring satirists from the early years of television sketch comedy through his film and stage hits, Brooks has held a funhouse mirror up to the human condition and used laughter as a path to resilience, connection, and joy for nearly a century.

[01/08/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "It's Not Like That" - Official Trailer - Wonder Project
From the writers of "Life As We Know It" and "Parenthood," comes a story of two families who find the courage to begin again.

[01/08/26 - 08:11 AM]
Video: "Like Water For Chocolate" - Official Teaser - HBO Max
A kiss says more than a thousand words...

[01/08/26 - 08:02 AM]
Video: MGM+ Unveils "The Hillside Strangler" Official Trailer
The series premieres Sunday, January 18 at 9:00/8:00c on MGM+.

[01/08/26 - 08:01 AM]
The History Channel to Premiere New Series "History's Greatest Picks with Mike Wolfe" Celebrating Rare Collectibles on Sunday, February 22
Produced by Cineflix, the eight one-hour episode series will follow Mike as he dives into the intriguing stories and astonishing values behind legendary treasures, relics, and artifacts from history.

[01/08/26 - 08:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Reveals Official Trailer and Key Art for Season Two of Hit Crime Thriller, "Cross"
From Paramount Television Studios starring and executive produced by Aldis Hodge, the new season will premiere February 11, 2026 on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[01/08/26 - 07:07 AM]
The Cutest Showdown in Sports "Puppy Bowl XXII" Returns on Sunday, February 8 at 2PM ET/11AM PT
The event's 22nd year will simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, HBO Max and discovery+.

[01/08/26 - 06:01 AM]
Paramount Reaffirms Commitment to Delivering Superior $30 Per Share All-Cash Offer to Warner Bros. Discovery Shareholders
David Ellison, Chairman & CEO of Paramount said: "Our offer clearly provides WBD investors greater value and a more certain, expedited path to completion."

[01/08/26 - 06:01 AM]
"Bridgerton" Season 4 Announces Fan Celebrations, a Podcast, New Collaborations & More with New Season of Love Campaign
The "Season of Love" is upon us: unmask your fairytale and step into the world of Bridgerton through events, partnerships and activations across the globe.

[01/08/26 - 06:01 AM]
iHeartMedia and FOX Entertainment Announce Nominees for the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards
The event will air live from Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Thursday, March 26 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET live / PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

[01/08/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Unveils Trailer and Key Art for "Canada Shore," Its First Canadian Original Series Premiering Globally on January 22
The streamer's highly anticipated first original Canadian series and newest version of the beloved "Shore" franchise, will expand its debut beyond English language markets as originally announced and stream globally in all P+ markets, beginning January 22.

[01/08/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV Unveils Trailer for the Second Season of Award-Winning Series "Drops of God"
The eight-episode second season will premiere on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 with the first episode, followed by one episode weekly until March 11, 2026.