or


[03/23/17 - 11:42 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, March 23
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!


ALIENIST, THE (TNT) - Falk Hentschel is set to recur on the upcoming drama as Biff Ellison, "an extremely corrupt mobster who runs illegal brothels and bars in the city." (Deadline.com)
BEING MARY JANE (BET) - Raney Branch is slated to recur on the series as Aaliyah Luckett, "an up-and-coming force of nature. Aaliyah is a junior PR associate with the network's brand strategy firm, and she's been tasked with improving Mary Jane's Q-rating." (Deadline.com)
CLIMB, THE (Amazon, New!) - Diarra Kilpatrick has sold a single-camera comedy pilot to the streaming service about "two best friends stuck in the same dead-end job search for fulfillment by becoming Internet famous, though moxie is their only discernible talent." The project, based on her experiences growing up in Detroit, comes from Amazon Studios and the Mark Gordon Co. with Christina Lee also executive producing. (Deadline.com)
KNICK, THE (Cinemax) - The pay channel has formally pulled the plug on the drama as it recalibrates its original programming strategy. Cinemax previously commissioned a script for a potential third season premiere in December of 2015. (Deadline.com)
LOVE YOU MORE (Amazon, New!) - Writer Michael Patrick King, director Bobcat Goldthwait and comedian Bridget Everett are set to team for a single-camera comedy pilot at the streaming service about "New York City cabaret sensation Karen Best (Everett). Karen is a big girl with a big personality and a big love of Chardonnay, which occasionally, causes her to make some big mistakes with men. But the biggest thing about Karen is her big heart, which she uses to excel at her job as a counselor at a group home for young adults with Down syndrome. And sometimes, Karen's need to stand up for all the little people in life manifests into a fantasy rock music number, where we discover she also has a big and beautiful voice." Warner Bros. Television-based MPK Productions and Amazon Studios are co-producing. Goldthwait will direct from a script co-written by the trio. (Deadline.com)
LUCIFER (FOX) - Executive producer Joe Henderson took to Twitter with the news four episodes from the show's current second season will carry over to season three. Said decision is the result of scheduling issues: the series returns for the first of five new episodes on May 1. The remaining four will be added to its previous 22-episode season three order. (@Henderson_Joe)
MESSIAH (Netflix, New!) - Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are spearheading a present-day Jesus drama series at the streaming service. Michael Petroni (The Book Thief) is penning the project, which recently qualified for $7.514 million California tax credit. Andrew Deane will likewise executive produce via Burnett and Downey's LightWorkers Media. The project however has not been greenlighted and is in the development stage. (Deadline.com)
QUANTICO (ABC) - Spanish supermodel Jon Kortajarena will recur on the series as "political operative Felix Cordova." Look for his first episode in April. (TVLine.com)
QUEEN SUGAR (OWN) - Yohance Myles will drop by the show's second season as" a successful barbershop owner named D'Andre. It seems he and Nova (Rutina Wesley) shared an 'intimate night' not too long ago, and D'Andre isn't the least bit shy about letting her know he'd like to make it a more regular thing." (TVLine.com)
REAL LIFE (CBS) - Bret Harrison has booked a role on the comedy pilot as Arnie, "Drew's (yet to be cast) friend and roommate from his business school days." (Deadline.com)
SEA OAK (Amazon, New!) - Author George Saunders is on track for a pilot order from the streaming service for a new comedy about Aunt Bernie: "a meek working-class woman, dies tragically in a home invasion in her Rust Belt subsidized housing complex called Sea Oak. Compelled by sheer force of dissatisfaction, she comes back from the dead full of rage, determined to get the life she never had." Jonathan Krauss will also executive produce for Amazon Studios with Kier McFarlane and Lael Smith serving as co-executive producers. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED KELLY OXFORD PROJECT (Hulu, New!) - Kelly Oxford has sold a potential drama to the streaming service billed as "a teen show set in the 1990's." James Franco, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are also on board to executive produce the hour. No other details were given. (Variety.com)
WESTWORLD (HBO) - Talulah Riley's host Angela has been promoted to a series regular for the show's sophomore run. (Deadline.com)





  [march 2017]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· ALIENIST, THE (TNT)
· BEING MARY JANE (BET)
· CLIMB, THE (AMAZON)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· KNICK, THE (CINEMAX)
· LOVE YOU MORE (AMAZON)
· LUCIFER (NETFLIX)
· MESSIAH (NETFLIX)
· QUANTICO (ABC)
· QUEEN SUGAR (OWN)
· REAL LIFE (CBS)
· SEA OAK (AMAZON)
· UNTITLED KELLY OXFORD PROJECT (HULU)
· WESTWORLD (HBO)





[03/27/26 - 03:16 PM]
Official Trailer for HBO's Harry Potter Series, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," Shatters Records as HBO and HBO Max's Most-Watched Ever by More Than Double, Amassing +277 Million Organic Views in 48 Hours
The series will debut Christmas 2026 on HBO and will be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max.

[03/27/26 - 01:01 PM]
Hugely Popular "Chicago" Series Set to Return to NBC in the Fall
"Chicago Fire" will begin its 15th season in the fall, "Chicago P.D." its 14th and "Chicago Med" its 12th.

[03/27/26 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix Rounds Out Cast of "Kennedy" with Production Underway in London
The new drama series based on Fredrik Logevall's book, "JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956," will explore the triumphs and tragedies of the Kennedy family from Chernin Entertainment.

[03/27/26 - 09:48 AM]
FOX Sports Assembles Top-Tier Roster for 2026 Major League Baseball Regular Season Coverage
Entering their fifth season together, first-ballot Hall of Famer John Smoltz and Emmy Award-winning play-by-play announcer Joe Davis call FOX Sports' top regular season and playoff games.

[03/27/26 - 09:46 AM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers in Late-Night, Friday Night and Sunday Morning
"20/20" scored its best Adults 25-54 performance in 11 months.

[03/27/26 - 09:21 AM]
"The Morning Show" News Incoming - Sean Hayes Joins the Cast of Season 5
Apple TV confirmed the news on social media this morning.

[03/27/26 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Original Documentary Series "The Dark Wizard" Debuts April 14
The four-part documentary series is an up-close and unflinching portrait of Dean Potter, one of the world's most influential and controversial climbers, BASE jumpers, and highline walkers.

[03/27/26 - 07:01 AM]
ESPN Original "Why Not Us: UMES Volleyball" to Premiere March 30
Presented by Andscape and produced by Sport & Story, the latest installment follows the inspiring journey of the newly formed men's volleyball team at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore - the first men's volleyball program at a Division I HBCU.

[03/26/26 - 02:05 PM]
"The Madison" Marks Taylor Sheridan's Biggest Debut Season Launch with 8 Million Views Globally for Paramount+
The debut of the six-part series also marks the biggest freshman season launch for the prolific creator among women 35+.

[03/26/26 - 12:49 PM]
Apple Original Films Lands New Sci-Fi Thriller "Liminal"
Starring Vanessa Kirby and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the feature will be directed by Louis Leterrier.

[03/26/26 - 12:01 PM]
"After the Flood" Returns to BritBox: Tensions Rise in High-Stakes Season Two Premiere
Other April highlights include "A Taste For Murder," "Silent Witness," and "Death in Paradise."

[03/26/26 - 12:00 PM]
ESPN NBA Schedule Update: Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Added on April 8
The game replaces the previously scheduled Milwaukee Bucks vs. Detroit Pistons matchup.

[03/26/26 - 11:30 AM]
BET and Paramount+ Announce the Sixth Season Renewal of Multi-Emmy-Nominated Comedy "The Ms. Pat Show"
The upcoming season will be among the first BET originals to stream on Paramount+, which becomes the new streaming home for BET content beginning in June, bringing the beloved series to a global platform with nearly 80 million subscribers.

[03/26/26 - 11:01 AM]
"Saturday Night Live" Springs Into April with Back-to-Back Episodes
Jack Black and Colman Domingo will host on April 4 and April 11, respectively.

[03/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
Sony Pictures Television Advertiser Sales Heads Into 2026 Upfront Bringing Advertisers Branded Content Opportunities Within High Volume of Originals and a Safe Harbor of Entertainment Programming
The studio continues to elevate its media investment opportunities for advertisers through Game Show Network, a top 10 cable network and a top five general entertainment network.