or


[02/13/15 - 11:55 PM]
Development Update: Friday, February 13
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!


CASUAL (Hulu/Lionsgate; W: Zander Lehmann; D: Jason Reitman) - Tommy Dewey ("The Mindy Project") is set to star in the upcoming original, which follows the story of a dysfunctional family with a bachelor brother and his newly divorced sister (Michaela Watkins). Together, they coach each other through the crazy world of dating (on-line and off), while living under one roof again and raising a teenager (Tara Lynne Barr). He'll play said brother, Alex Cole. (Deadline.com)


CHEV & BEV (ABC/ABCS; W: Brad Copeland; D: Ben Taylor) - Ed Oxenbould (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) has joined the cast of the single-camera comedy pilot, about two baby boomers (Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo) who are fun, relevant and living a selfish retirement when their world is turned upside down and they are suddenly left to raise their grandchildren. He'll play Taylor, "the oldest of the three grandchildren, a nerdy handsome amateur magician." (Deadline.com)


CHICAGO FIRE (NBC) - S. Epatha Merkerson ("Law & Order") is returning to the Peacock for the show's latest spin-off, "Chicago Med," this time set at the county hospital. She'll play Sharon Goodwin, "the head of the hospital where the show is set. Although she doesn't love the politics that go into running a hospital and doesn't suffer fools, she is damn good at keeping the doors open." Nick Gehlfuss and Yaya DaCosta also star in the project, which will be set up via backdoor pilot in episode 19 of the parent series this season. (Deadline.com)


DIVORCE (HBO; W: Sharon Horgan; D: Jesse Peretz) - Jemaine Clement ("Flight of the Conchords") has booked a role on the Sarah Jessica Parker-led comedy pilot, about Frances, a woman who suddenly begins to reassess her life and her marriage, and finds that making a clean break and a fresh start is harder than she thought. He'll play Julian, "Frances' close friend, a literature professor who lives in Manhattan." Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon and Talia Balsam also star. (Deadline.com)


FAMILY FORTUNE (ABC/Universal; W: Fortune Feimster & Matt Hubbard; D: TBA) - Annie Potts and John Carroll Lynch have both been cast in the Fortune Feimster-led multi-camera comedy pilot, "set in North Carolina and centers on popular gym teacher Fortune (Feimster) who comes out of the closet to her close-knit group of family and friends." They'll play her parents: "fun-loving, needy and sometimes egoistical" Ginger and "taciturn and tough" Mike, respectively. (Deadline.com)


FLESH & BLOOD (ABC/ABCS; W: Jenna Bans; D: TBA) - Zach Gilford ("The Mob Doctor") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about the return of a politician's young son, Adam Warren, who was presumed dead after disappearing over a decade earlier, sending shockwaves throughout their tight knit community. He'll play "Adam's self-destructive older brother." (Deadline.com)


LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD (NBC/20th; W: Diana Son; D: TBA) - Nadine Velazquez ("Major Crimes") and Cynthia McWilliams ("Real Husbands of Hollywood") have both scored roles on the drama pilot, in which race, sexuality and gender roles collide when three diverse couples put modern marriage to the test. The former play Rebecca, "a Cuban American who is deeply in love with Julie and very happy with their marriage, but doesn't realize her wife is actively considering getting back together with her ex, Nick"; while the latter is set as Tandi, "one half of a happy couple with a young son who is experiencing difficulties fulfilling her dream of having another child." Brian Tee co-stars. (Deadline.com)


MINORITY REPORT (FOX/20th; W: Max Borenstein; D: Mark Mylod) - Daniel London and Li Jun Li are the first to board the small screen follow up to the 2002 film, in which Dash (yet to be cast), one of the three Precogs - still haunted by visions the future - meets Lara Vega (also yet to be cast), a detective haunted by her past who just may help him find a purpose to his gift. London will reprise his role as Wally the Caretaker, "the gawky caretaker at the Precrime Temple where the children were observed"; with Li as Akeela, "a Crime Scene Investigation technician who works closely with Vega." (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED DANA KLEIN PROJECT (FOX/20th; W: Dana Klein; D: Pamela Fryman) - Matt Letscher ("Boardwalk Empire") has been tapped for a role on the Jenna Elfman-led multi-camera comedy pilot, about Ellen, a working mom who is in constant competition with her perfect, stay-at-home sister-in-law. He'll play Ellen's husband Matt, "an intelligent, responsible Professor of Ethics with a very strong sense of right and wrong who plans ahead and over-thinks everything." (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED DARBY KEALEY PROJECT (AMC, New!) - Newcomer Darby Kealey has sold a new drama to the cable channel about "an award-winning actress who is kidnapped by the dictator of a foreign country and becomes the centerpiece of a covert power struggle." MGM Television is behind the hour with Whalerock Industries' Lloyd Braun executive producing alongside showrunner Thomas Kelly with Kealey and Andrew Mittman serving as co-executive producers. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED SUZANNE MARTIN PROJECT (NBC/Universal; W: Suzanne Martin; D: James Burrows) - Miranda Cosgrove ("iCarly") is the first to be cast in the multi-camera comedy pilot, which chronicles how things backfire for recent empty-nesters when their children and their parents move back home. She's set as the younger daughter, Shea, "who has a doctorate in astrophysics and wants to be an astronaut, yet she is slightly socially awkward." (THR.com)


VALENTINA (ABC Family, New!) - Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan ("Chasing Life") and RCTV International's Jorge Granier ("Jane the Virgin") are looking to import Carolina Espada's telenovela "Mi Gorda Bella Valentina," about "a young girl whose incredibly wealthy mother is killed in an accident. After the mother's extended family takes over her company, Valentina realizes that her mother may in fact have been murdered by her family for control of her business. Valentina, the sole heir to the empire, fears that she may be next so she disappears and returns 10 years later, looking totally different and set out for revenge against her family to take back what is rightfully hers." The search is presumably underway for a writer. (Deadline.com)


WARRIOR (NBC/Universal; W: David DiGilio; D: Phillip Noyce) - Natalie Martinez, Lance Gross and Andy Allo have all been cast in the drama pilot, about a damaged heroine who works undercover with physical and spiritual guidance from a mysterious martial arts master to bring down an international crime lord. She'll play said woman, Kai Forrester, with Gross as Agent Golden, "an Interpol agent and former Navy SEAL who gives Kai the news that she is their best shot at getting an agent inside the triad"; and Allo as "the daughter of organized crime syndicate YOMI's New York boss." Will Yun Lee also stars. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Warren Christie will recur on "Chicago Fire" as "a new firefighter on the squad who is a childhood friend of Lt Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney)," a role which has the option to become a series regular (Deadline.com); Elizabeth Kruger and Craig Shapiro have been tapped as the new showunners of "Extant" at CBS, succeeding Greg Walker (Deadline.com); Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie are likewise set as showrunners of ABC's drama pilot "Kingmakers" as part of a new two-year overall deal with ABC Studios (Deadline.com);

20th Century Fox Television, New Regency Television and Prime Universe Films are developing an event series based on the comic book "Enormous" from publisher 215 Ink (Deadline.com); Charlie McDowell is set to helm the Sarah Silverman-led comedy pilot at HBO while Jeremy Garelick will do the same for FOX's comedy pilot "DeTour" (Deadline.com); Linda Park will guest on "Castle" as Kate Beckett's new partner (TVLine.com); and Christina Aguilera will recur on "Nashville" as "a pop superstar who's been going pretty much nonstop since she broke out a decade ago" (People.com).






  [february 2015]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
· CASTLE (ABC)
· CASUAL (HULU)
· CHASING LIFE (ABC FAMILY)
· CHEVY (ABC)
· CHICAGO FIRE (NBC)
· CHICAGO MED (NBC)
· CROWDED (NBC)
· DETOUR (FOX)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DIVORCE (HBO)
· EXTANT (CBS)
· FAMILY FORTUNE (ABC)
· FAMILY, THE (ABC)
· FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (HBO)
· ICARLY (NICKELODEON)
· JANE THE VIRGIN (CW)
· KINGMAKERS (ABC)
· LAW & ORDER (NBC)
· LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD (NBC)
· MAJOR CRIMES (TNT)
· MINDY PROJECT, THE (HULU)
· MINORITY REPORT (FOX)
· MOB DOCTOR, THE (FOX)
· NASHVILLE (CMT)
· REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD (BET)
· UNTITLED DANA KLEIN PROJECT (FOX)
· UNTITLED DARBY KEALEY PROJECT (AMC)
· UNTITLED SARAH SILVERMAN PROJECT (HBO)
· VALENTINA (ABC FAMILY)
· WARRIOR (NBC)





[11/20/24 - 12:30 PM]
Slam Dunk! Disney, ESPN and the NBA Team Up to Present "Dunk the Halls" - the First Real-Time, Animated NBA Game: San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks on Christmas Day
"Dunk the Halls" will be presented on ESPN2, Disney+ and ESPN+.

[11/20/24 - 12:06 PM]
Australian Hulu Original Scripted Drama Series "The Artful Dodger" Is Back for Season 2
The eight-episode Season 2 has an all-star returning cast including Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Jack Dawkins aka The Artful Dodger, David Thewlis as Fagin, and Maia Mitchell as Lady Belle Fox.

[11/20/24 - 12:00 PM]
Third Annual "LEGO Masters: Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular" Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 10 and Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 8:00 - 10:00PM ET/PT on FOX
Special celebrity guests include Sophia Bush, Holly Robinson Peete, Eric McCormack and Lil Rel Howery pairing up with fan-favorite former contestants to compete in jaw-dropping holiday-themed challenges for charities of their choice.

[11/20/24 - 12:00 PM]
"Glitter and Greed: The Lisa Frank Story" to Premiere December 5 on Prime Video
The four-part documentary penetrates the neon-hued world of Lisa Frank Inc., a brand that defined girlhood for a generation of Americans only to seemingly disappear overnight.

[11/20/24 - 11:03 AM]
Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro Set to Host "The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular" Airing Sunday, Dec. 1, on ABC and Stream Next Day on Hulu and Disney+
Narrated by Kristen Bell, who will share the tale of how the Disney Parks kicks off the most magical holiday ever, "The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular" airs Sunday, December 1.

[11/20/24 - 11:00 AM]
Paramount+ with Showtime Announces "The Honey Trap: A True Story of Love, Lies and the FBI" Premiering Friday, December 6th
The documentary feature, directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Chris Moukarbel, is a dramatic tale of espionage, propaganda, and romance, following the infamous Berlin rapper Denis Cuspert aka Deso Dogg and his journey from artist to MMA fighter to ISIS recruiter.

[11/20/24 - 10:34 AM]
Bravo Rings in the New Year with "Southern Hospitality" Season Three Premiering Thursday, Jan. 2 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
The Queen of King Street, Leva Bonaparte, and her staff - Joe Bradley, Bradley Carter, TJ Dinch, Maddi Reese and Emmy Sharrett - are back for an unforgettable summer of work, play and debauchery.

[11/20/24 - 10:01 AM]
Peacock's New Docuseries "Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story" Goes Inside the Cultural Phenomenon to Reveal the Dark Underbelly of Joe Francis' World
The docuseries, premiering December 3 exclusively on Peacock, includes Francis' first in-depth, in-person interview with a journalist in almost a decade.

[11/20/24 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Anthony Jeselnik: Bones and All" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Anthony Jeselnik celebrates 20 years of delivering boundary-pushing comedy to the masses in this razor-sharp stand-up special.

[11/20/24 - 10:01 AM]
The CW Network Sets 2025 Midseason Premiere Dates for New and Returning Series
Season 7 of the hit series "All American," starring Michael Evans Behling, Greta Onieogou and Bre-Z, kicks off with a special sneak peek on Wednesday, January 29 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) before premiering in its regular timeslot on Monday, February 3 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT).

[11/20/24 - 10:00 AM]
"The Simpsons" - Pamela Hayden, the Voice of Milhouse and Other Iconic Characters Retires the Show After 35 Years
Hear Pamela give her final voice to Milhouse and Jimbo Jones in an all-new episode this Sunday, November 24 on FOX.

[11/20/24 - 09:34 AM]
AXS TV Presents Every Star-Studded Episode from Season One of the Emmy-Nominated Hit "Nashville" in a Special Two-Day Marathon on December 7 & 8, Starting at 10A ET
As part of the event, AXS TV presents new exclusive interviews with cast members Clare Bowen, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson, and Sam Palladio.

[11/20/24 - 09:05 AM]
Food Network's Emmy-Nominated Series, "Kids Baking Championship," Returns with an All-New Animal-Inspired Season
Hosts and judges, Duff Goldman and Kardea Brown, welcome a new field of talented kid bakers to the kitchen for challenges inspired by creatures big and small, including a few fluffy, furry and feathery friends who drop in to the kitchen for live appearances over the course of the season.

[11/20/24 - 09:01 AM]
First Look: Netflix's "Zero Day" Premieres on February 20, 2025
The limited series stars Robert De Niro as respected former U.S. President George Mullen, who, as head of the Zero Day Commission, is charged with finding the perpetrators of a devastating cyber attack that has caused chaos around the country and thousands of fatalities.

[11/20/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Dream Productions" - Official Trailer
Disney and Pixar's all-new four-episode limited series is available December 11 only on Disney+.