or


[01/31/07 - 12:57 AM]
Development Update: Wednesday, January 31
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!


ALL FALL DOWN (ABC) - Lawrence Trilling ("Invasion") has signed on to direct the hour, about a successful female attorney who leaves her high-powered big-city law firm to move home to Savannah, Georgia, where her crazy relatives live, and winds up joining her father's family law practice.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: Rina Mimoun
Director: Lawrence Trilling
Executive Producers: Rina Mimoun
Studio: Warner Bros. Television


ANCHORWOMAN (FOX, New!) - Model-turned-actress Amber Smith is set to topline a new partially scripted comedy about a supermodel who settles down in a southern Texas town and becomes an anchorwoman for the local news. Chad Damiani ("World Fighting Alliance") and newcomer J.P. Lavin are behind the half-hour, which has a pilot presentation order from the network. The pair will also executive produce alongside Brian Gadinsky for Fox 21.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot (7-10 minute presentation)
Cast: Amber Smith
Writers: Chad Damiani, J.P. Lavin
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Brian Gadinsky
Studio: Fox 21


THE CURE (FOX) - Danny Cannon ("C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation") is set to direct and executive produce the drama pilot, about a group that cuts through the red tape of medical bureaucracy - often at their own peril - to get care to those who need it most.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: John Zinman, Patrick Massett
Director: Danny Cannon
Executive Producers: Akiva Goldsman (Weed Road Pictures), Danny Cannon, John Zinman, Patrick Massett
Co-Executive Producers: Brittany Lovett, Stephanie Koff
Studio: Warner Bros. Television


DIRTY SEXY MONEY (ABC) - Peter Horton ("Grey's Anatomy") has been tapped to direct the drama pilot, about drama about an idealistic lawyer who takes on the job of tending to the legal and sometimes illegal needs of a wealthy and colorful New York family.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: Craig Wright
Director: Peter Horton
Executive Producers: Craig Wright, Greg Berlanti (Berlanti Television)
Studio: Touchstone Television


LIFE (NBC) - Adam Arkin ("Boston Legal") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Billy Crews (Damian Lewis), an ex-cop who rejoins the force after being wrongly imprisoned for years. He'll play a former chief financial officer who befriended Crews in prison while he served time for insider trading and who now lives in a room over Crews' garage and handles his settlement money.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Adam Arkin, Damien Lewis (Billy Crews), Melissa Sagemiller, Sarah Shahi (Dani Reese)
Writer: Rand Ravich
Director: David Semel
Executive Producers: David Semel, Far Shariat, Rand Ravich
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio


LIFE ON MARS (ABC) - David E. Kelley's import of the BBC series, about a detective whose girlfriend has just been kidnapped finds himself transported back to the 1970s, has formally been ordered to pilot. Kelley penned the pilot script and will executive produce alongside Stephen Garrett and Jane Featherstone for 20th Century Fox Television.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot (previously put pilot)
Cast: TBA
Writer: David E. Kelley
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: David E. Kelley (David E. Kelley Productions), Jane Featherstone (Kudos Productions), Stephen Garrett (Kudos Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television


MARLOWE (ABC) - Jason O'Mara ("In Justice") is in final talks to topline the pilot, a procedural crime drama set in present-day Los Angeles. He'll play the title role of Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler's famed noir private eye. In addition, O'Mara - who previously had signed a talent holding deal with the network and producer Touchstone Television - is also expected to receive a producer credit.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Jason O'Mara (Philip Marlowe)
Writers: Carol Wolper, Greg Pruss
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Carol Wolper, Daniel H. Blatt, Daniel Pipski, Greg Pruss, Sean Bailey (LivePlanet)
Producer: Jason O'Mara
Studios: Chorion Limited, Touchstone Television


N.S.A. INNOCENT (FOX) - Stana Katic ("24") is the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about a family man who winds up recruited by the N.S.A. as a spy. She'll play Baker, who's described in the casting notice as: "Mid 30's, any ethnicity. NSA agent. Smart, sexy and tough, responsible for "recruiting" Paul against his will. Despite her outwardly calm and professional manner, she harbors a secret tragedy which is hinted at in the pilot and will be explored during the series. She may also find herself, against her better judgment, attracted to Paul more than she should be."

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Stana Katic (Baker)
Writers: Bob Cochran, David Ehrman
Director: Jon Cassar
Executive Producers: Bob Cochran (Real Time Productions), David Ehrman, Howard Gordon (Real Time Productions), Joel Surnow (Real Time Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television


NICE GIRLS DON'T GET THE CORNER OFFICE (ABC, New!) - Josh Sternin and Jeff Ventimilia have booked a pilot commitment from the Alphabet for a small screen take on Dr. Lois Frankel's book of the same name. The comedy project, about the struggles of a "nice girl" to make it in the cutthroat corporate world, is based at Brian Grazer and David Nevins's Imagine Television with all four serving as executive producers. Frankel herself and Julie Richardson are also set to receive producing credits on the half-hour, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writers: Jeff Ventimilia, Josh Sternin
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Brian Grazer (Imagine Television), David Nevins (Imagine Television), Jeff Ventimilia, Josh Sternin
Producers: Julie Richardson, Lois Frankel
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television


UNTITLED DAVID SHORE/PETER BLAKE PROJECT (NBC) - Feature helmer Tony Goldwyn ("The Last Kiss") has come aboard to direct the Famke Janssen-led pilot, a light drama with procedural elements centered on a female cop.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Famke Janssen
Writers: David Shore, Peter Blake
Director: Tony Goldwyn
Executive Producers: David Shore (Shore Z Productions), Peter Blake
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio


UNTITLED GABE SACHS/JEFF JUDAH PROJECT (ABC, New!) - Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah ("What About Brian") have scored a pilot order from the Alphabet for a new comedy about co-workers and friends in a top law firm who also are competing with one another to make partner. The untitled half-hour is based at Touchstone Television with the pair writing and executive producing.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah
Studio: Touchstone Television


UNTITLED KESSLERS/ZELMAN PROJECT (FX) - Ted Danson ("Help Me Help You") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne), a beautiful, self-possessed attorney fresh out of law school who lands her dream job working for Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), America's foremost high-stakes litigator. Danson would play Arthur Frobisher, a corporate executive involved in a class-action lawsuit brought by Hewes that will serve as the focus of the show's first season.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Glenn Close (Patty Hewes), Noah Bean, Rose Byrne (Ellen Parsons), Tate Donovan (Tom Kent), Ted Danson (Arthur Frobisher), Zeljko Ivanek (Ray Fiske)
Writers: Daniel Zelman, Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler
Director: Allen Coulter
Executive Producers: Daniel Zelman, Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler
Studio: Sony Pictures Television


WORK WIFE (FOX) - Barbie Feldman Adler and Brad Copeland's comedy project, about a female reporter and her male co-worker as they navigate the challenges that their partnership at work brings to their relationships at home, has been given a cast-contingent pilot order. The pair penned the pilot script and will executive produce for 20th Century Fox Television.

Commitment: Cast-contingent (previous put pilot)
Cast: TBA
Writers: Barbie Feldman Adler, Brad Copeland
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Barbie Feldman Adler, Brad Copeland
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [march 2026]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· 24 (FOX)
· ALL FALL DOWN (ABC)
· ANCHORWOMAN (FOX)
· BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
· COMPANY MAN (FOX)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· CURE, THE (FOX)
· DAMAGES (AUDIENCE)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DIRTY SEXY MONEY (ABC)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HELP ME HELP YOU (ABC)
· IN JUSTICE (ABC)
· INVASION (ABC)
· LIFE (NBC)
· LIFE ON MARS (ABC)
· MARLOWE (ABC)
· NICE GIRLS DON'T GET THE CORNER OFFICE (ABC)
· UNTITLED SACHS & JUDAH PROJECT (ABC)
· WHAT ABOUT BRIAN (ABC)
· WINTERS (NBC)
· WORK WIFE (FOX)





[03/04/26 - 11:31 AM]
"Disney Animation's Songs in Sign Language" to Debut on Disney+ April 27
Directed by veteran Disney animator/director Hyrum Osmond, the featured songs are "The Next Right Thing" (from Frozen 2), "We Don't Talk About Bruno" (from Encanto) and "Beyond" (from Moana 2).

[03/04/26 - 11:03 AM]
Video: HBO Max Releases First Teaser from the DC Studios Series "Lanterns," Starring Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, and Kelly Macdonald
The series is slated to debut later this August on HBO and available to stream on HBO Max.

[03/04/26 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix's "Untamed" Season 2 Production Kicks Off in Hawaii
The series will film on location on O'ahu and the island of Hawaii.

[03/04/26 - 10:01 AM]
MTV Announces the Final 18 Episodes of "Jersey Shore Family Vacation," One of TV's Most Influential Reality Franchises, Premiering on Thursday, May 7 at 8PM ET/PT
This farewell season marks the culmination of a franchise that entertained millions with major life milestones, laugh-out-loud chaos, and the unfiltered chemistry that defined an era of reality television.

[03/04/26 - 09:46 AM]
"The Verdict," Hosted by Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo, Returns to Vice TV For Season Two, Taking on the Biggest Debates in Sports
In each episode, Russo and a lineup of sports insiders, journalists, and analysts get to the bottom of the hottest debates in sports history, presenting both sides through a fast-paced documentary debate format.

[03/04/26 - 09:45 AM]
Lifetime Raises the Bar by Expanding Into Premium Vertical Storytelling with "Tides of Temptation," A Micro Drama Feature Executive Produced by Taye Diggs
Serving as a digital offshoot of the just announced upcoming original movie "Terry McMillan Presents: Paradise with You," the project expands the film's universe through a cinematic, mobile-first format designed with feature-level production value.

[03/04/26 - 09:44 AM]
Lifetime Greenlights Three New Original Movies for 2026 Love of a Lifetime Slates Featuring All-Star Casts
Valerie Bertinelli, Henry Czerny, Eric McCormack, Taye Diggs, Heather Hemmens, and Cynthia Bailey are among the featured talent.

[03/04/26 - 09:43 AM]
Lifetime Reteams with Robin Roberts for "Angel in the Rubble" Starring Sherri Shepherd in Remembrance of the 25th Anniversary of 9/11
Slated to premiere in September in remembrance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the movie is based on Genelle Guzman-McMillan's memoir "Angel in the Rubble: The Miraculous Rescue of 9/11's Last Survivor."

[03/04/26 - 09:42 AM]
Lifetime Expands Roster of Powerhouse Creatives with New Movie Projects Helmed By Queen Latifah and Taraji P. Henson
"Queen Latifah and Taraji P. Henson are extraordinary talents and dynamic producers who share Lifetime's passion for telling powerful stories about women," said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming, A&E, Lifetime and LMN.

[03/04/26 - 09:41 AM]
A+E Global Media Greenlights Two New Digital-First Series Under the History Brand
"Mistakes That Made America" and "Cracking Up" are both due later this year.

[03/04/26 - 09:40 AM]
The History Channel Marks the 25th Anniversary of September 11 with New Two-Hour Special "102 Minutes Inside the Towers"
The documentary offers a deeply immersive and unique perspective through firsthand accounts from those who were inside the Twin Towers.

[03/04/26 - 09:39 AM]
The History Channel Taps Internationally Acclaimed Action Icon Dolph Lundgren to Executive Produce and Host New Series "History's Greatest Machines with Dolph Lundgren"
Produced by Superluna Studios in association with 3BMG, the eight-episode series takes viewers on a thrilling journey through the gears, guts, and genius behind the machines that reshaped our world.

[03/04/26 - 09:38 AM]
The History Channel Greenlights New Nonfiction Series "Crime and Justice with Tom Selleck" (w.t.)
The 10-episode, one-hour series examines the true stories behind some of the most consequential crimes and investigations in American history.

[03/04/26 - 09:37 AM]
The History Channel Orders "Extraordinary Origins with Ted Danson" (w.t.) A New Series Hosted and Executive Produced by the Multi-Award-Winning Actor
The 10-episode series examines the stories behind some of history's most significant innovations, inventions, and discoveries that helped shape the modern world.

[03/04/26 - 09:36 AM]
The History Channel Greenlights New Nonfiction Series "History's Strange Fortunes with Kevin Bacon" (w.t.)
Stories about money - money made, money lost, and money spent - are woven into the fabric of our nation's history.