or


[09/20/13 - 11:14 PM]
Development Update: Friday, September 20
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!


A TO Z (NBC, New!) - Screenwriter Ben Queen (Cars 2) has scored a put pilot commitment from the Peacock for a single-camera comedy which "follows a relationship between a young couple, comprehensively, from meeting to breakup, over the course of a season." Rashida Jones and Will McCormack are on board to executive produce the half-hour via their Warner Bros. Television-based Le Train Train Productions. Neither actor is currently attached to star. (Deadline.com)


BAGEL NATION (ABC, New!) - Sheri Elwood ("Call Me Fitz") is developing a semi-autobiographical comedy at the Alphabet about "a Lebanese father who moves his family to the city to live above the Jewish deli he bought and which the family now owns/runs (even though they aren't Jewish)." The single-camera project is set up at the Warner Bros. Television-based Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman then will executive produce alongside Elwood with KristieAnne Reed as a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com)


THE BRINK (HBO, New!) - Roberto Benabib ("Weeds") has scored a pilot order from the pay channel for "a dark comedy focusing on a geopolitical crisis and its effect on three disparate and desperate men: U.S. Secretary of State Walter Hollander, lowly Foreign Service officer Alex Coppins and ace Navy fighter pilot Zeke Callahan." Benabib is co-writing the half-hour alongside his brother, Kim Benabib, with Jay Roach ("Game Change") also attached to direct. Jerry Weintraub, Roberto Benabib and Roach then are executive producing with Kim Benabib serving as a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com)


CROSSBONES (NBC/Universal; W: Neil Cross; D: David Slade) - Richard Coyle, Claire Foy and Tracy Ifeachor have all joined the cast of the upcoming drama, about the diabolical pirate Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard (John Malkovich), who reigns over a rogue nation of thieves, outlaws and miscreant sailors in 1715. Coyle has been tapped to play Tom Lowe, a highly skilled undercover assassin, sent to the pirates' haven to take down the brilliant and charismatic Blackbeard. Foy then is set as Kate, "the beautiful Governor's daughter, now a pirate who works for Blackbeard and is a love interest for Lowe"; with Ifeachor as Nenna, "a smart, powerful fighter who exhibits complete loyalty and a slight fear for Captain Blackbeard." (Deadline.com)


DR. KEN (NBC, New!) - Jared Stern (The Internship) is developing a multi-camera comedy at the Peacock inspired by the life of physician-turned-actor Ken Jeong ("Community"), tracking his life before going into comedy. John Davis and John Fox's Sony Pictures Television-based Davis Entertainment is behind the project, which has a penalty attached. Jeong, who received an "M.D. degree at the University of North Carolina and completed an internal medicine residency at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans," will then serve as a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com)


GOOD SESSION (CBS, New!) - Matthew Miller ("666 Park Avenue") and John Hamburg (I Love You, Man) are set to team for a single-camera comedy at the Eye which explores - via couples counseling sessions - "the relationship of a thirtysomething couple from their first meeting (in flashback) through present day, as they decide whether it's time to have a child." Said duo will pen the half-hour with Hamburg likewise attached to direct should it move forward to pilot. Warner Bros. Television is behind the half-hour, which has a put pilot order. (Deadline.com)


OLIVE KITTERIDGE (HBO; W: Jane Anderson; D: Lisa Cholodenko) - Brady Corbet (Martha Marcy May Marlene) has joined the cast of the mini-series, about "a seemingly placid New England town wrought with illicit affairs, crime and tragedy." He'll play Henry Thibodeau, devoted husband of Denise (Zoe Kazan). Frances McDormand, Jesse Plemons, John Gallagher Jr. and Richard Jenkins also star in the project, based on Elizabeth Strout's book of the same name. (Deadline.com)


SPEAK AMERICAN (FOX) - Benjamin Brand's comedy - about "a young accent-reduction teacher of Latin descent who hires a stranger with unconventional methods to teach her class" - has found a new home at FOX, adding Electus' Ben Silverman and Latin World Entertainment's Sofia Vergara and Luis Balaguer as executive producers in the process. The Universal Cable Productions-based half-hour was originally set up at USA with the lead of European heritage, which was subsequently changed with the addition of Vergara and company. Andrew Lenchewski remains on board as an executive producer. (Deadline.com)


UNDER FIRE (HBO, New!) - Fred Burton and Samuel M. Katz's book, subtitled "The Untold Story of the Attack in Benghazi," is being developed as an original movie at the pay channel. Jerry Weintraub ("Behind the Candelabra") is executive producing the project, which will "offer an inside account of the attack against U.S. diplomatic and intelligence outposts in Benghazi, Libya" using "eyewitnesses and confidential sources within the intelligence, diplomatic and military communities." (THR.com)


UNREAL (Lifetime; W: Marti Noxon & Sarah Gertrude Shapiro; D: TBA) - Shiri Appleby ("Chicago Fire") has been tapped for the lead role on the drama pilot, "which goes behind the scenes of a hit competition dating show to follow the experiences of a young staffer (Appleby) whose sole job is to manipulate her relationships with (and among) the contestants to get the vital dramatic and outrageous footage the program's producers demand." Said project is based on Shapiro's award-winning independent short "Sequin Raze." (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED PAUL SCHEER PROJECT (ABC, New!) - Paul Scheer ("NTSF:SD:SUV::") has sold a potential comedy to the Alphabet about "a couple trying to keep their relationship together while juggling the dynamics of multiple sets of parents, their spouses and their children." Sony Pictures Television is behind the single-camera project with Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan as well as Olive Bridge Entertainment's Will Gluck and Richie Schwartz executive producing alongside Scheer. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - A&E has canceled its mainstay "Hoarders" after six seasons (Post-Gazette.com); FOX has ordered a reality special starring close-up magician J.B. Benn (Deadline.com); "Copper" co-creator Tom Fontana is looking to bring the recently-axed drama to the big screen using the extensive story arc work he did for a potential third season as its basis (Deadline.com); D.B. Sweeney will recur on "Two and a Half Men" as the boyfriend to Courtney Thorne-Smith's Lyndsey, "a manager in the entertainment business who is described as a good regular guy who isn't slimy or fake" (THR.com);

Saundra Santiago will succeed Maria Canals-Barrera as Marciela, Javier's (Cliff Curtis) wife, on FOX's "Gang Related" (THR.com); Nickelodeon has asked for seven additional episodes of newcomer "The Thundermans," which is due to launch on Monday, October 14 (THR.com); Joelle Carter will guest on "Castle" as "the long-time girlfriend of a death row inmate who is on the verge of being executed" (TVGuide.com); and Melora Hardin is bound for ABC's "Killer Women" as "the long-suffering spouse of a yahoo husband who browbeats her into getting plastic surgery whenever the mood strikes" (TVGuide.com).






  [september 2013]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· 666 PARK AVENUE (ABC)
· A TO Z (NBC)
· BAGEL NATION (ABC)
· BEHIND THE CANDELABRA (HBO)
· BRINK, THE (HBO)
· CALL ME FITZ (AUDIENCE)
· CASTLE (ABC)
· CHICAGO FIRE (NBC)
· COMMUNITY (YAHOO)
· COPPER (BBC AMERICA)
· CROSSBONES (NBC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DR KEN (ABC)
· GAME CHANGE (HBO)
· GOOD SESSION (CBS)
· HOARDERS (A AND E)
· KILLER WOMEN (ABC)
· NTSF:SD:SUV:: (ADULT SWIM)
· OLIVE KITTERIDGE (HBO)
· SPEAK AMERICAN (FOX)
· THUNDERMANS, THE (NICKELODEON)
· TWO AND A HALF MEN (CBS)
· UNDER FIRE (HBO)
· UNREAL (HULU)
· UNTITLED PAUL SCHEER PROJECT (ABC)
· WEEDS (SHOWTIME)





[08/06/26 - 02:00 PM]
Starz Announces Initial Casting for New Untitled Black Rodeo Drama
DeWanda Wise, Tian Richards, and Marcus Mitchell are the first to board the family drama set inside the thriving world of Black rodeo in Texas.

[08/06/26 - 12:00 PM]
"Celebrity Crime Scene: Princess Diana" Premieres Thursday, August 20 at 8/7c on FOX
The special dives into the theories that have fueled decades of speculation, examining mysterious vehicles in the tunnel, claims of powerful forces in the monarchy determined to silence Diana, and allegations international arms dealers viewed Diana as a dangerous threat that needed to be eliminated.

[08/06/26 - 11:00 AM]
USA Sports Announces Game & Studio Commentators for Inaugural Season of Pac-12 Football Coverage on USA Network
The game commentary teams on USA Network will feature play-by-play voice Nate Gatter alongside Ryan Leaf, who was previously announced as USA Sports' lead Pac-12 analyst in June, and sideline reporter Lauren Green.

[08/06/26 - 10:01 AM]
Season Three of the HBO Original Series "Conan O'Brien Must Go" Debuts August 21
New episodes of the four-episode season will debut weekly on Fridays at the same time, concluding with the season finale on Friday, September 11.

[08/06/26 - 10:01 AM]
"Big City Greens" Season 5 Welcomes Star-Studded Guest Cast Stephen King, Luke Combs, Dylan Sprouse, Megan Stalter, Chad Michael Murray, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes
The new season kicks off with the first five episodes premiering August 21 on Disney Channel (8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT) and next day on Disney+.

[08/06/26 - 10:00 AM]
The Sisters of Salt Are Back! Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" Returns for Season Seven on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Returning this season are housewives Lisa Barlow, Mary Cosby, Heather Gay, Angie Katsanevas, Meredith Marks, Bronwyn Newport, Whitney Rose and friend Britani Bateman.

[08/06/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Debuts Trailer for the Explosive and Witty Second Season of "Average Joe," Premiering Globally August 19
After the explosive events of season one, Joe Washington is trying to move forward when a mysterious threat targeting his family sends him and the gang to Cape Town, South Africa.

[08/06/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Lovesick" - Official Trailer - Netflix
During the Mexican Revolution, Emilia Sauri pursues her dream of becoming a doctor, defying convention in search of love, purpose and independence.

[08/06/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Trailer & Key Art - Hulu's "Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear" Documentary
The documentary film premieres August 13 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.

[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Alert! Paramount+ Reveals "Clash of the Thundermans" Trailer and First-Look Images, Premiering Thursday, September 3 on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon
Based on the hit Nickelodeon live-action superhero comedy series, "Clash of the Thundermans" follows youngest sibling Chloe as she develops a new and unpredictable superpower, causing the Hero League to demand they send her away to a superhero boarding school to learn to control it.

[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
HBO and Sky Original Drama Series "War" Debuts October 1
Created by George Kay, and starring Dominic West and Sienna Miller, the series is co-produced by New Pictures and Observatory Pictures with new episodes of the eight-episode season debuting weekly on Thursdays.

[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
Uncover Another Clue: Stephen Merchant Joins "Ludwig" Season Two as Guest Star, BritBox Reveals First Look
Merchant plays Danny Sloane, a cocky snooker champion who is at odds with John in the season's fourth episode.

[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Madden" - Date Announce - Prime Video
Coach. Broadcaster. Innovator. Legend. Nicolas Cage is John Madden. Watch "Madden" on November 18.

[08/06/26 - 08:00 AM]
"Tip Toe," Starring Alan Cumming and David Morrissey to Premiere Friday, October 2 on Starz
Leo (Alan Cumming) and Clive (David Morrissey) are neighbors in Manchester. But when Leo gives Clive his spare key, an ordinary suburban world becomes a minefield of lies and violence, with terrifying results.

[08/06/26 - 07:38 AM]
TNT Sports to Present Exclusive Wall-to-Wall Coverage of FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026, September 4-13 from Berlin
The tournament headlines TNT Sports' multiyear agreement with FIBA for exclusive U.S. English-language broadcast rights to its marquee men's and women's tentpole events, a slate that also includes the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 and FIBA EuroBasket 2029.