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[08/22/16 - 11:56 PM]
Development Update: Monday, August 22
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!


AMERICAN CRIME (ABC) - Benito Martinez is the latest alum due back for the show's third installment. He'll play "a man searching for his missing son." (Deadline.com)
BLACK WALL STREET (WGN America, New!) - John Legend, Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorious of Get Lifted Film Co. ("Underground") are set to team with Tika Sumpter (Southside with You) for a period drama which is "set in Tulsa, OK, in the opening decades of the 20th century" and "examines the strong middle-class African-American community that built up in the divided city. Owning businesses and employing many whites in the segregated state, the Greenwood area of Tulsa was a haven for black professionals and raised capital for its own entrepreneurs and ventures. In May 1921, several white attackers burned the neighborhood in a two-day rampage that saw 300 die and the community devastated and largely forgotten for decades." (Deadline.com)
BULL (CBS) - Sarah Steele ("The Good Wife") will guest on the Michael Weatherly-led newcomer as Ellen, "the host of the hugely popular, Serial-like podcast "Open and Shut," when Bull and his TAC (Trial Analysis Corporation) team take on a client that might be a victim of Ellen's (overly?) ambitious journalistic efforts." (TVLine.com)
DAYTIME DIVAS (A.K.A. SATAN'S SISTERS) (VH1) - Tichina Arnold, Chloe Bridges, Camille Guaty, Fiona Gubelmann and McKinley Freeman have all joined the cast of the new drama, "set behind the scenes of a long-running daytime television show, chronicling the fireworks that erupt daily between the five female co-hosts." Vanessa Williams stars as Maxine alongside her "The Lunch Hour" co-hosts Arnold as Mo, Bridges as Kibby, Guaty as Nina and Gubelmann as Heather. Freeman then is Shawn, Maxine's son and "The Lunch Hour" producer. Additionally, Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler ("Awkward") have signed on as showrunners of the series. Josh Berman, Suzanne de Passe, Madison Jones, Susan Levison, Amy Engelberg and Wendy Engelberg are the executive producers with Suzanne Coston as a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com)
DESCENDANTS 2 (Disney Channel) - Thomas Doherty and Dylan Playfair have been cast as Harry and Gil, "the sons of Captain Hook and Gaston," respectively. (TVLine.com)
GREAT NEWS (NBC) - Sheaun McKinney ("Vice Principals") will recur on the midseason comedy as Wayne, "the cameraman who accompanies Katie to Central Park to cover a news story about a dangerous bear that's on the loose." (Deadline.com)
JIM GAFFIGAN SHOW, THE (TV Land) - The series won't return for a third season. "We are really proud of 'The Jim Gaffigan Show' and the amazing comedy that Jim, Jeannie, the cast, the creative team and JAX Media have made for us," the network said in a statement. "After two great seasons, we have mutually agreed to not move forward with season three of the series. We have an incredible amount of respect for everyone involved, and are grateful to them for bringing their passion and dedication to The 'Jim Gaffigan Show.'" (Deadline.com)
LETHAL WEAPON (FOX) - Director McG has signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television where he'll develop new series projects via his Wonderland Sound & Vision production company. (Deadline.com)
MATING (Showtime) - Craig Johnson (The Skeleton Twins) has been tapped to direct and executive produce the Taran Killam-led comedy pilot. (Deadline.com)
MIDDLESTEINS, THE (Showtime, New!) - Jami Attenberg's book - about "a suburban couple who splits up after 30 years, partly because of the wife's obsession with food" - is being developed as a comedy at the pay channel. Jason Kim ("Girls") will pen the half-hour with Attenberg, Liz Tigelaar, Nina Tassler and Jonathan Levin also serving as executive producers for CBS Television Studios. (Deadline.com)
PITCH (FOX) - Ryan Dorsey and Jeff Torres will both recur on the newcomer. The former will play Tommy Miller, "worried about his career and future with the team, he's the first player to speak out negatively against Ginny, revealing his misogynistic side." The latter then will portray Stubbs, "one of Ginny's teammates on the Padres." (Deadline.com)
PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (Freeform) - Julian Morris is set to return as Dr. Wren Kingston in the back half of season seven. (THR.com)
TOO CLOSE TO HOME (TLC) - Britt George has booked a recurring role on the recently launched drama. She'll play "the owner of the local honky tonk in the small Alabama town." (Deadline.com)
WESTWORLD (HBO) - Co-creator Jonathan Nolan has signed a new overall deal with Warner Bros. Television, keeping his Kilter Films banner at the studio. (Deadline.com)





  [august 2016]  
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· AMERICAN CRIME (ABC)
· BLACK WALL STREET (WGN)
· BULL (CBS)
· DAYTIME DIVAS (VH1)
· DESCENDANTS 2 (DISNEY)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GIRLS (HBO)
· GOOD WIFE, THE (CBS)
· GREAT NEWS (NBC)
· JIM GAFFIGAN SHOW, THE (TV LAND)
· LETHAL WEAPON (FOX)
· MATING (SHOWTIME)
· MIDDLESTEINS, THE (SHOWTIME)
· PITCH (FOX)
· PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (FREEFORM)
· TOO CLOSE TO HOME (TLC)
· UNDERGROUND (WGN)
· VICE PRINCIPALS (HBO)
· WESTWORLD (HBO)





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