or


[12/05/13 - 11:31 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, December 5
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 BRINK (HBO; W: Kim Benabib & Roberto Benabib; D: Jay Roach) - Esai Morales ("Criminal Minds") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about three compromised souls who must pull through the chaos around them to save the planet from World War Three: U.S. Secretary of State Walter Hollander (Tim Robbins); Alex Coppins (Jack Black), a lowly Foreign Service officer; and Zeke Callahan (Pablo Schreiber), an ace Navy fighter pilot. He'll play Julian Navarro, the President of the United States. Aasif Mandvi, Geoff Pierson and Maribeth Monroe also star. (Deadline.com)


GIRLS IN THE GAME (VH1, New!) - Ryan Seacrest Productions has scored a six-episode order from the cable channel for a half-hour reality series about "a group of up-and-coming white female rappers as they aspire to and struggle for fame." Ryan Seacrest is executive producing alongside Adam Sher. (THR.com)


THE GRIM SLEEPER (Lifetime, New!) - Dreama Walker, Macy Gray, Ernie Hudson and Michael O'Neill are set to star in an original movie at the cable channel "inspired by the true stories of the victims and survivor of the alleged serial killer dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" - referring to the apparent 14-year hiatus between his alleged murders." Walker will play investigative reporter Christine Pelisek, "who broke the story of the serial killer and coined the nickname," with Gray as Enietra "Margette" Washington (Gray), "the only known surviving victim of the Grim Sleeper, who provided a detailed account of the killer and his MO." Hudson and O'Neill then will play police officers investigating the case with Pelisek. Stanley M. Brooks is directing from a script by Robert Nathan and Teena Booth with Michael Jaffe and Joe Pichirallo serving as executive producers and Richard Bullock and Christian Bruyere as producers. (Deadline.com)


MOZART IN THE JUNGLE (Amazon; W: Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman & Alex Timbers; D: TBA) - Malcolm McDowell, Lola Kirke, Bernadette Peters, Saffron Burrows, Peter Vack and Hannah Dunne will all join Gael García Bernal in the comedy pilot, about sex, drugs - and classical music - and shows that what happens behind the curtains at the symphony can be just as captivating as what happens on stage. McDowell will play Thomas, "a seasoned conductor being forced into retirement by the arrival of hotshot new conductor Rodrigo (Bernal)"; with Kirke as "the impressionable oboist Hailey"; Peters as Gloria, "the Chairwoman of the Board of the symphony"; Burrows as Cynthia, "a cellist in the middle of an affair with Thomas," Vack as Joshua, "a talented dancer out of Juilliard who becomes Hailey's love interest"; and Dunne as Lizzie, "Hailey's friend and roommate." (Deadline.com)


MULANEY (FOX/Universal; W: John Mulaney; D: Andy Ackerman) - Elliott Gould, Nasim Pedrad, Seaton Smith and Zack Pearlman have all been cast in the network's revival of the NBC pilot, about an aspiring comedian (John Mulaney) coming of age under the influence of his boss (Martin Short), his roommates and his neighbors. The former trio also starred in the original incarnation. Gould will return as Alfred, Mulaney's intimidating gay neighbor; with Pedrad as Jane, Mulaney's roommate who has been reconceived as "a personal trainer fixated on fairness and justice in her life - particularly, her romantic life." Smith then will play Motif, "an experienced comedian and ladies' man whom Mulaney often tries to emulate, but never quite will"; with Pearlman as a new character Andre, "a stubborn but energetic 29-year-old trust fund baby." Griffin Newman, who played Mulaney's other roommate, will not return. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED FOSTERS PROJECT (VH1, New!) - Erin Foster and Sara Foster, daughters of Grammy Award winner and Verve Music Group chairman David Foster, are set to star in a potential comic reality series about "two sisters who say they would never do a reality show, but are being filmed by a camera crew." 3 Arts Entertainment's Oly Obst, Kimberly Carver and Josh Lieberman are executive producing alongside Good Clean Fun's Jason Carbone. The show, which "explores the hypocrisy of reality TV," has a presentation commitment. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Norwegian broadcaster NRK is in the final stages of negotiations with producer Rubicon TV for a third season of "Lilyhammer" (Deadline.com); Brianne Howey will recur on "Twisted" as "a free spirit who is full of life and takes chances [who] comes to Green Grove to live with her father (Ivan Sergei) for a fresh start" (Deadline.com); Entertainment One is developing a new action drama with actress Pam Grier and writer Bennie Richburg (Deadline.com); Regina King and Melanie Merkosky are both bound for FX's "The Strain" as Ruby Wain, "the smart and accomplished manager of philandering rock star Gabriel Bolivar (Jack Kesy)," and "Jim Kent's (Sean Astin) wife Sylvia, who is suffering from cancer," respectively (Deadline.com);

Dianna Agron is the latest "Glee" alum set to return for the show's 100th episode (@MrRPMurphy); Chris Elliott will drop by "Community" as "the quirky founder of Greendale Community College who went missing many years ago after a bizarre sex scandal" (EW.com); Rebecca Mader will visit "Once Upon a Time" as "the newest villain going up against Storybrooke's forces of good" (EOnline.com); and James Landry Hebert will guest on "The Tomorrow People" as "a mysterious hitman who teleports past security and reads his victims minds" (TVGuide.com).






  [december 2013]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· BARELY FAMOUS (VH1)
· BRINK, THE (HBO)
· COMMUNITY (YAHOO)
· CRIMINAL MINDS (CBS)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GLEE (FOX)
· GRIM SLEEPER, THE (LIFETIME)
· LILYHAMMER (NORWAY) (NETFLIX)
· MOZART IN THE JUNGLE (AMAZON)
· MULANEY (FOX)
· ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)
· STRAIN, THE (FX)
· TOMORROW PEOPLE, THE (CW)
· TWISTED (ABC FAMILY)
· WHITE GIRLS OF RAP (VH1)





[10/14/26 - 02:10 PM]
E! and USA Sports Announce "Live from the Orange Carpet: WNBA Finals" Hosted by Lilly Singh
The one-hour special will air live on Monday, October 19 at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT from Chase Center in San Francisco.

[10/14/26 - 12:32 PM]
With "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2," "Bass X Machina" and "Blue Eye Samurai" Season 2, Netflix Brings More Action to Animation Fans
Highlights include: Joel Kim Booster, Sherry Cola, and Jonathan Pryce join Season 2 of "Blue Eye Samurai," coming January 2027.

[10/14/26 - 12:31 PM]
Video: "Allen" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Something extraordinary is coming back.

[10/14/26 - 12:01 PM]
Apple TV Renews "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" for Season Two
"We are delighted to continue the story of 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed' and deeply grateful to Apple and our incredible cast and crew," said David J. Rosen, creator and showrunner. "This is all pretty amazing for a show whose title came from a spam email."

[10/14/26 - 11:31 AM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of October 5
"Carrie," "Neagley," "Reacher," "Off Campus," and "Sterling Point" led all original series worldwide.

[10/14/26 - 10:08 AM]
Thrilling BMF Championship Leads Stacked Card in Final UFC Event of 2026
UFC 335: Oliveira vs. Lopes takes place Saturday, December 12 from Las Vegas with the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Paramount+.

[10/14/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Cold Case Files: Murder In Paradise" - Official Trailer - Hulu
Even in paradise, no secret stays buried forever.

[10/14/26 - 10:01 AM]
"NBA on Prime" Tips Off Second Season with Exclusive Coverage of Eastern Conference Finals for First Time, Marquee Roster of On-Air Voices, and AI-Powered Broadcast Innovations
Prime Video's postseason coverage extends deeper than ever with the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament returning in April exclusively, select first- and second-round playoff games, and Prime's first-ever exclusive presentation of the Eastern Conference Finals.

[10/14/26 - 10:00 AM]
Nine Bakers Are Ready to Whisk Up Some Holiday Magic on Season Two of the Five-Week Baking Competition Series "Next Level Baker" Airing Thurs., Nov. 19 at 9/8c on FOX and Next Day Hulu!
Only one baker will rise to the top, winning $50,000 and a HexClad prize package.

[10/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Trailer & Key Art - Hulu's "The Mob"
Hosted by Parker Posey, "The Mob" is a high-stakes reality competition series that sends a group of celebrities to a lavish Italian villa where they will shake down, hustle and whack their way to win up to $250,000 in cash prizes.

[10/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
Prime Video Casts Additional Guest Stars in "Rose Hill"
Paul Raci, John Ralston, Kathleen Duborg, Nikki Rae Hallow, Woody Jeffreys, Carmela Zumbado, Karin Konoval, Alvina August, David A. Kaye, Anthony Konechny and Magda Apanowicz are among the latest additions.

[10/14/26 - 08:31 AM]
Award Winning Comedian Aziz Ansari Returns to the Stage with a New Netflix Stand-Up Special Coming in 2027
The special will film at the State Theatre New Jersey on October 29, 2026.

[10/14/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Releases Final Season Teaser for Emmy-Nominated "Yellowjackets"
The series returns to Paramount+ with the Premium Plan on Friday, November 20.

[10/14/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Alicia's Law" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When her carefully built life comes undone, Alicia returns to practicing law and discovers that rebuilding her career also means redefining herself.

[10/14/26 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Original Documentary "Kordell Stewart / Slash & Burn" Debuts October 27
Directed by Brian Rivera, the film is the latest installment of "NFL Shorts," a collection of short documentaries made in partnership with NFL Films that explores stories connected to the game of football.