or


[01/18/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: January 17-18
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:

DANCE NATION (FOX, New!) - "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller and "American Bandstand" legend Dick Clark are looking to team with FOX for a new primetime dance competition series which looks to crown one person (or a couple) the best dancer(s) in the country. No format details however have been released as it's not exactly clear how the series would work. More than likely contestants will be asked to learn a particular style of dance each week and compete in a live contest, with viewers or celebrity judges making the eliminations. The project is set up at Clark's Mandalay Mosaic Media Group-based production company and Fuller's 19 Entertainment with the pair executive producing. It's also not clear if "Dance" is related in any way to Fuller and Clark's also-in-the-works revival of "American Bandstand" (read the story).

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS PRE-SHOWS - In the battle of the cable pre-shows, E!'s "Live From the Red Carpet," hosted by Star Jones Reynolds, averaged a 2.12 metered-market household rating, double that of Joan and Melissa Rivers' coverage on the TV Guide Channel (1.06 metered-market household rating).

IN JUSTICE (ABC, New!) - Writer/producers Robert & Michelle King ("The Vertical Limit") have booked a pilot order at the Alphabet and Touchstone Television for a new drama about a group of impassioned lawyers who aid the wrongly convicted. Stu Bloomberg is also on board to executive produce the project with the Kings.

IN THE GAME (ABC) - Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has opted out of joining the cast of the Jennifer Love Hewitt-led comedy as Sara Gilbert ("Roseanne") has been brought in to replace her. No reason for the change was given. Gilbert's character will also now be listed only as a guest star and not a series regular.

LENNIE ROSE (ABC, New!) - Krista Vernoff ("Wonderfalls") and Ken Olin ("Alias") have received a cast-contingent pilot order from ABC for a new dramedy about a single woman trying to find love and make it big in New York. Touchstone Television is behind the project.

NIGHT STALKER (ABC) - Frank Spotnitz's revival of the 1970s cult series has been given the green light to produce a pilot by ABC. The project, which is set up at Touchstone Television, is the result of Spotnitz's overall deal at the studio (read the story). "Stalker" revolves around a hardboiled journalist's investigations into freakish occurrences.

SOCCER MOMS (ABC) - Don Todd ("life as we know it") and Marla Ginsburg's ("Highlander: The Series") drama project has been given a cast-contigent pilot order. The project, which is set up at Touchstone Television, revolves around two suburban housewives who team up as private investigators.

SUPER BOWL XXXIX COMMERCIALS (NFL Network, New!) - Those only interested in the Super Bowl's commericals can avoid the game entirely and check out "Super Bowl XXXIX Commercials," a half-hour special airing on the cable network that consists of all the spots that ran during the game on FOX. The special will air right after the game (at approximately 10:00/9:00c) on Sunday, February 6 as well as replay the following night at 6:30/5:30c as well as twice on February 8 (times TBA).

SUPERNATURAL (The WB) - David Nutter ("Smallville") has come aboard to direct and executive produce the drama project, which has been given the green light to produce a pilot. Writer/producer Eric Kripke ("Tarzan") created the project, which is set up at McG and Stephanie Savage's Warner Bros. Television-based Wonderland Sound and Vision, and will executive produce along with Nutter, McG and Savage. "Supernatural" revolves around two brothers who travel the country hunting down supernatural beings.

TILT (ESPN) - The cable channel's second original drama series posted 2.0 million viewers (1.60 household rating) for its debut on Thursday. Said numbers were down 23% from the opener to its previous original "Playmakers" (2.6 million viewers, 2.41 household rating) but up significantly from the network's Thursday, 9:00/8:00c time period average.

TRU CALLING (FOX) - As long expected, FOX topper Gail Berman confirmed at the network's session at the TCA Winter Press Tour the series has been axed. FOX nevertheless hopes to run the completed episodes in the future: "We finished six episodes of 'Tru Calling,' and we anticipate putting them on air at some point," Berman told reporters. As for why the show got cut, Berman said: "What changed for us was when we saw 'Point Pleasant,' we really felt we had a show that was incredibly compatible with 'The O.C.' So our thoughts changed, not so much about 'Tru Calling,' but the possibility of not only having an exciting show and a winner at 8 o'clock, but also something that could really make headway for us at 9 o'clock in an incredibly competitive time period."

TRUE (The WB) - Anne Heche ("Everwood") has been cast in the lead role of the comedy pilot, about a woman whose boyfriend breaks up with her while she is in labor with their baby, forcing her to move back in with her parents. Heche's involvement lifts the cast-contingency on the project, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television. Kari Lizer ("Will & Grace") created "True" and will executive produce.

WORLD OF TROUBLE (NBC, New!) - Peter Noah ("The West Wing") has scored a pilot production order from the Peacock for a new drama about the a real-life F.B.I. unit that investigates crimes against Americans and American interests overseas. No other details were available about the project, which is understood to feature a female lead.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [may 2026]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· ALIAS (ABC)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN)
· EVERWOOD (WB)
· IN JUSTICE (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2004 VERSION) (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2005 VERSION) (ABC)
· INTRODUCING LENNIE ROSE (ABC)
· LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (ABC)
· NIGHT STALKER (ABC)
· PLAYMAKERS (ESPN)
· POINT PLEASANT (FOX)
· SMALLVILLE (CW)
· SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX)
· SOCCER MOMS (ABC)
· SUPERNATURAL (CW)
· TARZAN (WB)
· TILT (ESPN)
· TRU CALLING (FOX)
· TRUE (WB)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)
· WONDERFALLS (FOX)
· WORLD OF TROUBLE (NBC)





[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
"Sunday Night Football" on NBC and Peacock - 15-Time #1 Primetime Show - Unveils 2026 Schedule
It all begins with the NFL's season opener as the New England Patriots visit the champion Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl LX rematch on Wednesday, September 9 on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo.

[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
FOX NFL's Loaded 2026 Regular Season Schedule Features Most Windows of Any Network
In Week 10, FOX NFL presents its first tripleheader in over a decade, opening coverage on Sunday, November 15, at 9:30 AM ET with an international game from Munich between the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions.

[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
ESPN to Deliver Company's Largest NFL Game Portfolio Ever, Headlined by Top-Tier Matchups on "Monday Night Football" and the International Series on NFL Network
Comprised of "Monday Night Football" and NFL Network, the company will present 28 games during the regular and postseason, plus Super Bowl LXI, marking game 29.

[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
"NFL on CBS" Follows Record-Breaking Season with Showstopping 2026 Schedule Led by TV's No. 1 Program
Building on last season's historic viewership and with more than 100 regular-season games, CBS Sports continues to demonstrate the unmatched power and reach of its multiplatform approach across broadcast television and streaming on Paramount+.

[05/14/26 - 05:01 PM]
Prime Video Announces 2026 "Thursday Night Football" Schedule
An exciting mix of cross-divisional games, elite quarterback showdowns, and the first ever NFL regular season game at the Bills' brand-new Highmark Stadium highlight the regular-season slate.

[05/14/26 - 11:10 AM]
TLC Introduces "Little Singles" A New Relationship Series About Love, Friendship, and Life Without Limits
The new relationship series follows a vibrant, tight-knit group of little people for a rare opportunity to date, connect, and build community.

[05/14/26 - 10:34 AM]
FOX Sports Films Announces New Documentary Special "The 500: Immortality at Indy" Premiering May 16 on FOX
Hosted by James Hinchcliffe, the special reveals the defining moments at the Indianapolis 500 that turn drivers into legends.

[05/14/26 - 10:31 AM]
Video: "Bad Thoughts" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
Tom Segura unleashes hilarious chaos with a fresh set of twisted tales from the darkest recesses of his imagination.

[05/14/26 - 10:07 AM]
"Rooster" Capped Off a Standout First Season, Becoming HBO's Most-Watched Comedy Debut in Over 15 Years
The series is averaging 6.5 million U.S. viewers per episode, with the finale reaching 2.2 million viewers in its first three days.

[05/14/26 - 10:01 AM]
Home Run! ESPN Scores Most-Consumed College Softball Regular Season on Record
The 2026 campaign featured four of ESPN's eight most-watched regular season games of all-time and delivered a record-high 10 games with more than 500,000 viewers.

[05/14/26 - 10:01 AM]
Kelsey Plum Joins WNBA on Prime as Player Contributor
Throughout the season, Plum will join the WNBA on Prime studio team to help highlight key storylines around the league, provide on-court insight and authentic analysis.

[05/14/26 - 10:00 AM]
BET and Paramount+ to Premiere "Tyler Perry's The Oval" Season 7 on May 20
The 22-episode season will air weekly, concluding on Wednesday, September 30.

[05/14/26 - 09:31 AM]
Video: "Outlast: The Jungle" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In this ultimate survival game, the contestants must outlast not only the jungle and its elements but also the psychological and social challenges posed by their fellow competitors.

[05/14/26 - 09:11 AM]
Date Announcement: Hulu's "Never Change!"
In 2008 the graduating class of North Meadows High School had their senior year cut short due to a disastrous tornado. Now in their mid 30's they're being forced to return home and finish high school once and for all.

[05/14/26 - 09:08 AM]
New Season of "Maine Cabin Masters" Premieres May 25 on Magnolia Network
There's no shortage of work for Maine-based builder Chase Morrill, whose specialty is renovating rustic cabins and camps all over the Pine Tree State.