or


[06/29/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: June 29
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 newly revamped "Series in Development" charts. Visitors can now filter our listings by network, genre and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!

THE 4,400/THE DEAD ZONE (USA) - USA's summer entries "The 4,400" and "The Dead Zone" continued to impress on Sunday with 4.1 million and 3.8 million viewers respectively tuning in. Among adults 18-49, "The 4,400" averaged a 1.7 rating/5 share with "The Dead Zone" pulling in a 1.6 rating/4 share.

CHARMED (The WB) - Kaley Cuoco ("8 Simple Rules") has quickly found a new home as the actress is set to join the cast of "Charmed" during its upcoming eighth season. She'll play a young witch who's guided by the Charmed ones (Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan). She's not the only newcomer to the show this season however as actor/musician Mark McGrath signed on to do a multi-episode arc earlier this year.

THE CLOSER/INTO THE WEST (TNT) - 5.3 million viewers tuned into "The Closer's" most recent installment on Monday, on par with last week's numbers (5.57 million on 6/20/05). Among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, the June 27 episode drew 1.75 million viewers and 2.24 million viewers respectively. Meanwhile, part three of the network's limited series "Into the West" was seen by 4.1 million viewers on Friday, down 14.58% from part two on June 17 (4.8 million). Overall, both series are expected to help TNT finish the month of June ahead of both the WB and UPN in total viewers, households, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. Currently, TNT is averaging 3.3 million viewers (1.4 million among adults 18-49) through Sunday followed by UPN (2.6 million overall, 1.36 million among adults 18-49) and the WB (2.3 million overall, 1.24 million among adults 18-49).

THE SHIELD (FX) - Writer/producer Glen Mazzara has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact, which has an option for a third year, calls for Mazzara to develop original projects for the studio.

TOLLIN-ROBBINS PRODUCTIONS - The prolific producing house - who's behind the WB's "Smallville," "One Tree Hill" and "What I Like About You" as well as the upcoming "Crumbs" on ABC and "Inconceivable" on NBC - has inked a one-year overall deal with NBC Universal Television. The pact sets up producers Mike Tollin and Brian Robbins (as well as development executives Joe Davola and Shelly Zimmerman) at the studio where they'll develop original projects. The company had been set up at Touchstone Television for the past two years with their overall deal there expiring last month.

THE TRUTH ABOUT JOEY ICE CREAM/WINDFALL (NBC, New!) - NBC is getting a jump on its development for midseason as the network has greenlighted pilots for the dramas "The Truth About Joey Ice Cream" and "Windfall." The latter is a retooled version of the FOX pilot of the same name about a group of young adults who win a record $386 million dollar lottery jackpot and find that the prize isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Luke Perry, Jason Gedrick, Sarah Wynter, Tembi Locke, Jon Foster, Alice Greczyn, Lana Parrilla, Sarah Jane Morris, D.J. Cotrona, Jaclyn Desantis and Malinda Williams all starred in the original version with Laurie McCarthy and Gwendolyn Parker executive producing for Regency Television. The Peacock plans to revamp the script and make some casting changes although it's not clear which cast members (if any at all) will be carried over to the new version. Co-creator Gwendolyn Parker however will not be involved with the NBC version, having moved on to a position on "Without a Trace."

Meanwhile, writer/director Paul Haggis ("Crash") is behind "The Truth About Joey Ice Cream." The project, which is set up at NBC Universal Television, revolves around two Irish brothers who grow up against a backdrop of organized crime in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York. Haggis and Bobby Moresco co-wrote the pilot script on spec with Haggis attached to direct. In addition, Mark Harris is on board as a co-executive producer with Jeff King ("EZ Streets") in talks to serve as a producer.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [june 2026]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· 4400, THE (USA)
· BLACK DONNELLYS, THE (NBC)
· CHARMED (WB)
· CLOSER, THE (TNT)
· CRUMBS (ABC)
· DEAD ZONE, THE (USA)
· EIGHT SIMPLE RULES (ABC)
· INCONCEIVABLE (NBC)
· INTO THE WEST (TNT)
· ONE TREE HILL (CW)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· SMALLVILLE (CW)
· WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU (WB)
· WINDFALL (NBC)
· WITHOUT A TRACE (CBS)





[06/08/26 - 10:55 AM]
Production Begins on Season Two of CBS' "Marshals" - The #1 New Broadcast Series
Produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios, the series averaged 20.4 million multiplatform viewers for the first eight episodes.

[06/08/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "The Bear" - Season 5 Official Trailer - Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach - FX
The final season premieres June 25.

[06/08/26 - 10:00 AM]
Rocket, Groot, Mr. Fantastic and Silk Join "Marvel's Spidey and His Amazing Friends" Season 5, Premiering July 13
This season will introduce a new "Rescue-Webs" story arc in which Team Spidey is able to tackle even more daring rescues with their new Spidey-themed firetruck and rescue gear.

[06/08/26 - 09:16 AM]
"Lupin" Part 4 Will Premiere on October 23rd on Netflix
Omar Sy reprises his iconic role as Assane Diop, the gentleman thief, in these new eight episodes alongside Ludivine Sagnier, Antoine Gouy, Soufiane Guerrab, Shirine Boutella, Théo Christine and Laïka Blanc-Francard.

[06/08/26 - 09:04 AM]
Chef Anna Gass Returns for Season 2 of "Instant Italian" Premiering Monday, June 29 on FYI Network
Season 2 of "Instant Italian" joins chef, cookbook author, recipe developer, and culinary influencer Anna Francese Gass back in the kitchen as she shares fresh takes on beloved Italian dishes.

[06/08/26 - 09:03 AM]
ESPN Scores Second Most-Watched WCWS Finals on Record; Game 2 Delivers Most-Watched College Softball Game Ever
Game 2 averaged 2.5 million viewers across ESPN/ESPNU, delivering the most-watched college softball game on record.

[06/08/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "The American Experiment" - Official Trailer - Netflix
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the new five-part documentary series The American Experiment reexamines the improbable achievement that was the nation's founding, and the radical question at the center of the revolution: Can a people govern themselves?

[06/08/26 - 08:01 AM]
Roku Originals Celebrates the Greatest Women in Sports with "Gamechangers: America's Top 25 Female Athletes," Executive Produced by Sue Bird, Alex Morgan, and Peyton Manning
This hour-long special, which is the second iteration of Roku's "Gamechangers" anthology series, will feature interviews with star athletes, sports media voices, and celebrities, celebrating the legacy and impact of 25 of the greatest female athletes in American sports history.

[06/08/26 - 08:01 AM]
BritBox Announces "Hercule," Starring Edward Bluemel as Agatha Christie's Legendary Detective Hercule Poirot
The series takes a magnifying glass to three of Christie's most celebrated stories, while also charting Hercule's burgeoning friendship with Captain Arthur Hastings, his early encounters with Scotland Yard's James Japp, and introducing him to one particular nemesis...

[06/08/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Drops Official Trailer for High-Octane Series "Ride or Die" Starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham
A Paramount Television Studios and Amazon MGM Studios production, the fast-paced series will debut all eight episodes on Wednesday, July 15, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

[06/08/26 - 08:00 AM]
Video: New Teaser for "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" Drops Down the Rabbit Hole, Debuting July 16 on Disney Channel and Next Day on Disney+
A new teaser was revealed today, along with the premiere date, poster art and casting news confirming that critically acclaimed actress and comedian Awkwafina will step into the twisted world of Wonderland as Chessy the Cat.

[06/08/26 - 07:01 AM]
Meet Scooby-Doo! Netflix Reveals Live-Action Take on the Iconic Canine
This marks the first time in the Scooby-Doo franchise that the character of Scooby-Doo will be portrayed by a real dog.

[06/08/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Disney's Andscape Debuts Trailer for "They Fight," Starring Andre Holland, Wendell Pierce, and Samira Wiley Ahead of the Film's World Premiere at Tribeca
The film follows a reformed ex-con who finds purpose mentoring young boxers at a Washington, D.C. youth gym as they pursue their dreams in and out of the ring.

[06/08/26 - 07:00 AM]
National Geographic's Fin-Favorite Summer Event Returns with Even More Shark-Filled Fun, Kicking Off with Marquee Special "Hammerhead Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory
Additional fin-tastic programming will roll out throughout the month across Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo Mundo, Disney Channel and Disney XD, with select titles also streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

[06/06/26 - 12:01 AM]
Video: New Teaser - Hulu Original Series "Rivals" Season 2 Return
The UK original returns this November on Hulu, and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, in the US and Disney+ internationally.