or


[02/21/13 - 11:07 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, February 21
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!


ASSISTANCE (NBC) - Peter Cambor ("Wedding Band") has been tapped for a role on the comedy pilot, about Nora Johnson (Krysten Ritter), a magnetic hyperactive workaholic who tries to juggle the demands of her long-time boyfriend, her smug work-husband and her powerful boss. He'll play said boyfriend, Jeremy, a med school graduate with a fellowship at a Manhattan hospital. Leslye Headland is behind the single-camera project, from the Universal Television-based Gary Sanchez Productions. (Deadline.com)


BAD TEACHER (CBS) - Ryan Hansen ("2 Broke Girls") has snagged a role on the single-camera comedy pilot, which is based on the Cameron Diaz-led feature about a foul-mouthed, gold-digging junior high school teacher with Ari Graynor as the title character. He'll play Joel Kotsky, "a cute shorts wearing Jason Segel-esque coach," in the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, from writer Hilary Winston. David Alan Grier also stars. (Deadline.com)


BEVERLY HILLS COP (CBS) - Sheila Vand ("Argo") has been tapped as the female lead on the pilot, a drama which continues the film franchise with Axel Foley's (Eddie Murphy) son Aaron (Brandon T. Jackson) following in his father's footsteps, taking down the criminal elements of the rich and famous in Beverly Hills. She'll play Leila Madani ("well-educated, savvy, sexy, refined"), a Beverly Hills Detective "who gave up a life of privilege for one of independence." Also starring in the Sony Pictures Television-based hour are David Denman and Kevin Pollak. Barry Sonnenfeld is directing off a script by Shawn Ryan. (Deadline.com)


BIG THUNDER (ABC) - Pierce Gagnon ("One Tree Hill") is the first to board the drama pilot, about Grant Carson (yet to be cast), "a late 19th century New York doctor and his family who relocate to a frontier mining town run by a powerful, but mysterious tycoon." He'll play Jack Carson ("adorable and frail"), Grant's terminally ill son who later seems to flourish in the Wild West. Jason Fuchs and Chris Morgan are behind the ABC Studios-based hour, to be directed by Rob Bowman, (TVLine.com)


GAFFIGAN (CBS) - Mira Sorvino is set to star opposite Jim Gaffigan in the single-camera comedy pilot, about a guy who lives with his wife and five kids in a New York two-bedroom apartment. She'll play said wife, Jeannie, "a woman possessing a seemingly unlimited storehouse of energy, patience, and good humor." Peter Tolan and Gaffigan himself co-wrote the project, which is set up at Sony Pictures Television. (Deadline.com)


GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA (NBC) - Daniel Stern has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about Karen McNeil (Christina Ricci), a woman who unexpectedly awakens from a coma after 17 years to find she has a teenage daughter, Evie (Miranda Cosgrove). He's set as Karen's father Tom, a salt-of-the-earth electrician, who's been raising Evie along with his wife, Connie (yet to be cast). Liz Brixius is behind the single-camera project, which comes from the Universal Television-based Wolf Films. (Deadline.com)


GOTHICA (ABC) - Chris Egan and Tom Ellis have both boarded the drama pilot, about Grace Van Helsing (yet to be cast), a woman who discovers the likes of everyone from Victor Frankenstein to Dorian Gray exist in modern-day San Francisco while searching for her own identity. They'll play said literary icons: Dorian Gray, a wealthy playboy whom Grace has known and loved her entire life; and Victor Frankenstein, the head of a biotech company on a quest to bring back his recently deceased daughter; respectively. Raza Jaffrey also stars in the ABC Studios-based project, from writer Matt Lopez and director Anand Tucker. (Deadline.com)


GROUND FLOOR (A.K.A. UNTITLED LAWRENCE & MALINS PROJECT) (TBS) - Greg Malins and Bill Lawrence's comedy - about a 29-year-old successful alpha male who, after crossing paths with his company's carefree support staff, realizes he's not nearly as happy as he thought he was - has found a new home at TBS, where it is on track for a pilot order. Gail Mancuso is also on board to direct the multi-camera project, which originally set up as a put pilot at CBS in August of 2011. Warner Horizon Television is behind the half-hour with Lawrence and his Doozer partner Jeff Ingold executive producing. Malins, who is currently busy with his CBS pilot "Jacked Up," however won't serve in said capacity. (Deadline.com)


HATFIELDS & MCCOYS, THE (NBC) - Jesse Lee Soffer ("The Mob Doctor") has snagged a role on the drama pilot, in which a startling death re-ignites the feud between the legendary families in present day Pittsburgh. He'll play Patrick McCoy ("rugged, handsome, eyes that reveal a strong mind"), said family's prodigal son who returns home after years away. Virginia Madsen also stars in the ABC Studios-based hour, which Michael Mayer is directing from a script by John Glenn. (Deadline.com)


HUNDRED, THE (The CW) - Bob Morley and Eli Goree are the first to be cast in the pilot, a post-apocalyptic drama about 100 juvenile delinquents that are banished from the multi-ringed space stations that are all that left of humanity to the surface of a wildly changed Earth. They'll play members of said group, Bellamy Black ("at 23, five years older than even the oldest of the prisoners") and Wells Jaha ("handsome and well-bred compared to the young criminals all around them"). Warner Bros. Television is behind the hour, which is based on Kass Morgan's upcoming book of the same name. Bharat Nalluri is directing from a script by Jason Rothenberg. (THR.com)


MCCARTHYS, THE (CBS) - Joey McIntyre and Jessica Chaffin are the latest to be cast in the single-camera comedy pilot, about a sports-crazed Irish-Catholic family that shares a three decker house in Boston and the one member, Ronny (Jake Lacy), that dares to move out on his own. They'll play Ronny's siblings, Gerard ("competitive, very short") and Jackie ("overweight, and swings wildly from overconfidence to insecurity"), in the Sony Pictures Television-based project, from writer Brian Gallivan and director Fred Savage. Jack McGee and Jacki Weaver also star as the parents. (Deadline.com)


MOM (CBS) - French Stewart has been tapped for a role on the multi-camera comedy pilot, about Christy (Anna Faris), a newly sober single mom who tries to pull her life together as a waitress in Napa Valley. He'll play Chef Rudy, the hot-tempered chef at restaurant where Christy works. The Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour also stars Allison Janney, Blake Garrett Rosenthal, Matt Jones, Nate Corddry, Sadie Calvano and Spencer Daniels. Pamela Fryman is directing from a script by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky and Gemma Baker. (Deadline.com)


ORDAINED, THE (CBS) - Charlie Cox ("Boardwalk Empire") has snagged the lead role on the drama pilot, about Tom Reilly, "the son of a Kennedy-esque family who leaves the priesthood and becomes a lawyer to prevent his politician sister from being assassinated." He's set as said fellow, who's likened to the late JFK Jr. Director R.J. Cutler and writer Lisa Takeuchi Cullen are behind the CBS Television Studios-based hour. Nestor Serrano also stars. (Deadline.com)


RECKLESS (ABC) - Ashton Holmes and Lou Taylor Pucci are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about David Ritter (yet to be cast), a resourceful problem solver who, when his wife, Sarah (Eloise Mumford) is unjustly imprisoned during a political uprising overseas, resorts to entering a world of political intrigue. The former will play Wyatt Bickford ("charming, entitled, used to getting what he wants"), an acquaintance from David's college days who represents several private security contractors; with the latter as Ryan Harrison ("a good guy, if slightly under-motivated"), Sarah's brother who interns at his family's manufacturing business. Ernie Hudson also stars in the ABC Studios-based hour, from director Martin Campbell and writer Chris Black. (Deadline.com)


SECOND SIGHT (CBS) - Kim Dickens ("Treme") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about Ross Tanner (Jason Lee), a New Orleans detective suffering from Azoors Syndrome, an ocular eye disorder that saddles him with regular hallucinations but also opens up his subconscious in a way that aids his job. She's set as fellow detective Samantha "Sammy" Wilde, "a gregarious back country cougar with a fondness for men and liquor." Michael Cuesta is helming the CBS Television Studios-based hour off a script he co-wrote with brother Gerald, based on the U.K. series of the same name. (Deadline.com)


SELECTION, THE (The CW) - Peta Sergeant is set to reprise her role on the pilot, a drama set 300 years in the future about a poor woman who is chosen by lottery to compete to become the next queen of a war-torn nation. She'll return as Gaia Woods, the strong, focused, beautiful commander of the rebels, which aims to overthrow the monarchy. Sean Patrick Thomas also stars in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which is based on Kiera Cass's novel of the same name. Alex Graves is directing from a script by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain. (Deadline.com)


SLEEPY HOLLOW (FOX) - Nicole Beharie has snagged the female lead on the drama pilot, about Ichabod Crane, a Captain during the Revolutionary War, who is mysteriously transported to present day Sleepy Hollow, where he takes on the supernatural. She'll play Abbie Archer ("smart, tough, and beautiful with a history she wishes belonged to someone else"), a detective who comes to believe Ichabod's fantastical story. Katia Winter and Orlando Jones also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, from director Len Wiseman and writers Alex Kurtzman, Phillip Iscove and Roberto Orci. (Deadline.com)


TO MY ASSISTANT (FOX) - Joe Egender ("Alcatraz") and Melissa Tang ("The Goodwin Games") have both signed onto the comedy pilot, about the assistants at a big New York law firm who band together as a family to help each other cope with the obnoxious, overbearing bosses who test their sanity on a daily basis. He'll play Roy ("smart, sarcastic, cute but not great looking"), a paralegal that works for Magda (Catherine O'Hara); while she's set as fellow assistant Claire ("super cheery, quirky"), who improbably volunteers for the worst tasks. Sherry Bilsing and Ellen Plummer co-wrote the project, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television. (Deadline.com)


TOMORROW PEOPLE, THE (The CW) - Robbie Amell has snagged a lead role on the pilot, a drama based on the U.K. series about young people from around the world who possesses special powers as a result of the next stage in human evolution. He'll play Stephen Jameson, a college freshman tormented by what he thinks is a sleeping disorder who's both relieved and horrified to learn he's actually one of said "tomorrow people." Luke Mitchell and Peyton List co-star in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, from writers Greg Berlanti, Julie Plec and Phil Klemmer and director Danny Cannon. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Gail Mancuso is set to helm Andrea Abbate's comedy pilot "Keep Calm and Karey On" for ABC (Deadline.com); Constance Zimmer will recur on "The Newsroom" as a press spokesperson for the Mitt Romney campaign (Deadline.com); "Up All Night" creator Emily Spivey has inked a two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, where she'll serve as a co-executive producer on the studio's upcoming animated series "Murder Police" at FOX (Deadline.com); and Michael Imperioli will drop by "The Office" as "a karate instructor who's about ready to commit hara-kiri over Dwight's inimitable 'presence' in his dojo" (TVLine.com).






  [february 2013]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· 100, THE (CW)
· 2 BROKE GIRLS (CBS)
· ADOPTED (ABC)
· ALCATRAZ (FOX)
· ASSISTANCE (NBC)
· BAD TEACHER (CBS)
· BEVERLY HILLS COP (CBS)
· BIG THUNDER (ABC)
· BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GAFFIGAN - 2013 VERSION (CBS)
· GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA (NBC)
· GOODWIN GAMES, THE (FOX)
· GOTHICA (ABC)
· GROUND FLOOR (TBS)
· HATFIELDS & MCCOYS, THE (NBC)
· JACKED UP (CBS)
· MCCARTHYS, THE - 2013 VERSION (CBS)
· MOB DOCTOR, THE (FOX)
· MOM (CBS)
· MURDER POLICE (FOX)
· NEWSROOM, THE (HBO)
· OFFICE, THE (NBC)
· ONE TREE HILL (CW)
· ORDAINED, THE (CBS)
· RECKLESS (ABC)
· SECOND SIGHT (CBS)
· SELECTION, THE - 2012 VERSION (CW)
· SELECTION, THE - 2013 VERSION (CW)
· SLEEPY HOLLOW (FOX)
· TO MY ASSISTANT (FOX)
· TOMORROW PEOPLE, THE (CW)
· TREME (HBO)
· UP ALL NIGHT (NBC)
· WEDDING BAND, THE (TBS)





[04/22/26 - 05:30 PM]
Hulu's Second-Annual Get Real House Event Brings Together the Biggest Names in Reality TV and Delivers Major Announcements
The ultimate crossover event gathered over 150 unscripted TV icons and creatives, including Khloé Kardashian, Travis Barker, Lisa Vanderpump, Heidi Klum, Maura Higgins and more.

[04/22/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "The WONDERfools" - Official Teaser - Netflix
A goofy group of townies stumbles into superpowers and fights rising evil as doomsday panic grows in this wild, turn-of-the-century action comedy.

[04/22/26 - 04:46 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Expands Hit Franchise with a New Competition Series, "Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro," Coming to ABC and Hulu
The series will premiere July 13, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, with episodes available the next day on Hulu.

[04/22/26 - 01:00 PM]
ESPN Opens NBA Playoffs with Most-Watched Playoff Game of Opening Weekend
Saturday's Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers matchup on ABC averaged 5.2 million viewers, peaking at 6.4 million viewers during the 11 p.m. ET quarter hour.

[04/22/26 - 12:01 PM]
HBO Original Film "Miss You, Love You," Starring Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells, Debuts May 29
A blunt, grieving widow, Diane Patterson (Allison Janney) is forced to plan her husband's funeral with a total stranger: her estranged son's assistant, Jamie Simms (Andrew Rannells).

[04/22/26 - 11:17 AM]
USA Sports Announces 2026 WNBA on USA Network Schedule, Highlighted by Wednesday Night Doubleheaders, Marquee Matchups and 2026 WNBA Finals Games
The WNBA on USA Network schedule tips off on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, as 2025 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces visit Cameron Brink, Kelsey Plum and the Los Angeles Sparks at 6 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

[04/22/26 - 11:11 AM]
NBC Sports Announces Its Complete 2026 WNBA Regular-Season Schedule Across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN
NBC Sports' 2026 WNBA slate of 22 regular season games begins with the reigning WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces visiting the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, May 17 at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

[04/22/26 - 11:07 AM]
NBC Sports' Manchester City-Arsenal Is Most-Watched Premier League Match in U.S. History
Coverage averaged 2.6 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo and NBC Sports Digital platforms this past Sunday.

[04/22/26 - 11:06 AM]
ESPN, ABC Announce 2026 WNBA Regular Season Schedule
ESPN, which has televised the WNBA since the league's inaugural season in 1997, will tip off its 30th consecutive season on Saturday, May 9, with expanded coverage across ESPN, ABC, Disney+ and ESPN Deportes.

[04/22/26 - 11:03 AM]
Video: "We'll Be Fine" - Trailer - Hulu
Some love stories don't just consume you... they undo you.

[04/22/26 - 10:03 AM]
"In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers" - New Docu-Series Premieres Sunday, May 17 on Discovery Channel
The six-part series captures raw, harrowing encounters as storm chasers, outfitted with their own camera rigs and advanced weather tech, race into the American Midwest during one of the most active tornado seasons in decades.

[04/22/26 - 09:32 AM]
Record Setter! ESPN Opens 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Three Most-Watched First Round Games on Cable Ever, Excluding Game 7's
The Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins matchup (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET) drew 2.1 million viewers, becoming the most-viewed First Round Playoff game ever on cable (excluding game 7's).

[04/22/26 - 09:29 AM]
Stage Set in the Steel City: ESPN's "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" to Air Live from the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
The Draft marks ESPN's first major event of the 2026 football season, culminating with ESPN's first-ever Super Bowl on February 14, 2027.

[04/22/26 - 09:11 AM]
Video: Jaw-Dropping Official Trailer for Highly Anticipated Drama "The Vampire Lestat" Released
The wild and captivating next chapter in Anne Rice's Immortal Universe follows Lestat as the world's first immortal rock star on an electric multi-city tour, while he's haunted by "muses" from his rebellious past.

[04/22/26 - 09:01 AM]
Start Your Engines... "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" Season 11 Unveils Its Iconic Cast Ahead of Friday, May 8 Premiere on Paramount+
With the return of the high-stakes "Tournament of All Stars" format, the competition reaches new heights across 12-episodes packed with jaw-dropping runway looks, unforgettable performances, and the kind of drama only Drag Race can deliver.