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[03/29/13 - 11:20 PM]
Development Update: Friday, March 29
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!


BRENDA FOREVER (NBC/Sony; W: Andrew Leeds & David Lampson; D: David Wain) - Lindsay Kraft and Mandalynn Carlson are the latest to board the comedy pilot, about one woman's journey from slightly chubby and awkward 13-year-old girl (Carlson) to slightly more attractive and stylish 31-year-old (Ellie Kemper) but little in her personality has changed. The latter will play the aforementioned 13-year-old version of the title character while Kraft is set as Jenny ("sweet, pretty, a little flighty"), the fiancé of Brenda's best friend Neil (David Krumholtz). Daija Owens, Da'vine Joy Randolph and Stephnie Weir also star in the single-camera project. (Deadline.com)


GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA (NBC/Universal; W: Liz Brixius; D: TBA) - The Peacock has pushed filming on the comedy pilot, about Karen McNeil, a woman who unexpectedly awakens from a coma after 17 years to find she has a teenage daughter, Evie (Miranda Cosgrove). Said decision comes on the heels of Christina Ricci bowing out of the project earlier this month. Daniel Stern and Ann Cusack also star in the single-camera project, which is now targeted for a June start. (Deadline.com)


HOLDING PATTERNS (NBC/Universal; W: Justin Spitzer; D: TBA) - Erinn Hayes ("Guys with Kids") is the latest addition to the multi-camera comedy pilot, about a group of friends whose lives completely change after they survive a plane crash on their way to a destination wedding. She'll play one of them, Leah Lund ("witty, sarcastic, pretty-with-an-edge"), replacing the previously cast Chyler Leigh. Hayes, whose involvement is in second position to "Guys," reportedly filled in for Leigh - who was out of town and under the weather - during the pilot's table read and was ultimately given the role. The news marks the second recasting on the project, the first being Robert Buckley for Nelson Franklin. Humphrey Ker, Kate Lang Johnson, Luka Jones and Oscar Nunez also star. (Deadline.com)


SURGEON GENERAL, THE (CBS/CTS; W: Samuel Baum; D: Rod Lurie) - Anna Deavere Smith, Paul McCrane and Miguel Sandoval have all landed roles on the drama pilot, about John Sherman (Jason Isaacs), a fictional Surgeon General of the United States and the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Smith will guest star as Vice President Killian ("polished"), a role originally written as male; with McCrane as White House Chief of Staff Rick Witter ("short, a junkyard dog") and Sandoval as Senator Kenneth Nortega née Norbert ("imperious, Gingrich-esque"). Beth Riesgraf, Katherine McNamara, Kathryn Morris, Mike Colter and Sean Astin also star. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED TAD QUILL PROJECT (CBS/CTS; W: Tad Quill; D: James Burrows) - Matthew Broderick has been tapped to star in the long-in-the-works comedy pilot, about Jack Lewis, a widower father with a 12-year-old son, Sebastian, who jumps back into the dating pool. He'll play said role while sitcom staple James Burrows has signed on to direct the multi-camera project. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Marilu Henner will guest star on the season finale of "Two and a Half Men" as the grandmother of a young woman Walden (Ashton Kutcher) is dating whom he falls for as well (TVLine.com); and Sara Bareilles will drop by "Community" for the show's upcoming puppet-themed installment (TVLine.com).






  [march 2013]  
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W
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· BRENDA FOREVER (NBC)
· COMMUNITY (YAHOO)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GIRLFRIEND IN A COMA (NBC)
· GUYS WITH KIDS (NBC)
· HOLDING PATTERNS (NBC)
· SURGEON GENERAL, THE (CBS)
· TWO AND A HALF MEN (CBS)
· UNTITLED TAD QUILL PROJECT (CBS)





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