or


[02/26/10 - 12:06 AM]
Development Update: Friday, February 26
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!


90210 (The CW) - Gillian Zinser has been upped to series regular on the sophomore drama, which returns with new episodes on Tuesday, March 9. She'll continue on as tomboy surfer chick Ivy Sullivan on the teen soap, which was renewed for a third season earlier this month. It's not clear which episode will reflect her new status.


THE CAPE (NBC) - David Lyons ("ER") has been tapped as the lead role of the drama pilot, about "a former cop set up as a criminal who becomes a masked hero to clear his name and reunite with his eight-year-old son." He'll play Vince Faraday, the aforementioned cop. Simon West is helming the Universal Media Studios-based hour from a script by Tom Wheeler.


THE EVENT (NBC) - Fellow "ER" alum Laura Innes has scored a role on the drama pilot, about "a decent, regular fellow who battles against mysterious circumstances that envelope a larger conspiracy." She's believed to be playing the leader of the inmates at the Mount Inostranka Facility, a secret prison in Alaska. Said role, Neil McCann, was originally written as male. Ian Anthony Dale, Jason Ritter, Sarah Roemer, Scott Patterson and Zeljko Ivanek also star in the hour, which comes from Universal Media Studios, Steve Stark Productions and creator Nick Wauters.


FRESHMEN (ABC) - Tommy Dewey ("Roommates") and Suzy Nakamura ("Men of a Certain Age") have each landed roles on the comedy pilot, about "three first-year members of Congress (Ben Lawson, Sarah Chalke and Dewey) who live together in a Washington row house." He'll round out the trio as Cameron Graham, "an idealistic congressman from Illinois, is married to a demanding wife whose father financed his campaign and who is smitten with new roommate Jane." Nakamura then is set as Cameron's chief of staff, which was originally conceived as a man named Lance. Taran Killam also stars in the half-hour, which Pamela Fryman is directing from a script by Greg Malins. 20th Century Fox Television is producing.


LUCK (HBO) - Dennis Farina and John Ortiz are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, which is billed as "a provocative look at the worlds of horse racing and gambling told through a diverse group of characters surrounding a racetrack." Said hour centers on Chester "Ace" Bernstein, who, "after three years in prison, teams with Gus Economou (Farina), his longtime chauffeur and muscle, to craft a complex plan involving the track." Ortiz then is set as Turo Escalante, "a successful trainer with sordid reputation." Michael Mann is helming the hour from a script by David Milch. Both are executive producing alongside Carolyn Strauss and Henry Bronchtein.


MIDLAND (FOX) - Eloise Mumford ("Crash") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about "a con artist (Jimmy Wolk) juggling two lives in two Texas cities with two different women." She's believed to be playing one of them, his girlfriend Lindsay, "the kind of approachable beauty who probably won't meet you for coffee, but will give you the nicest no you've ever heard." Kyle Killen penned the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, to be directed by Marc Web..


MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED (FOX) - Malcolm Barrett is the latest "Better Off Ted" co-star to land a comedy pilot. He's set to play Oliver in the half-hour, about "a group of friends who once were high school superstars but now face the reality of adulthood." Said character was "once voted 'most charming' but is now pathetic and terrible with the ladies." Barrett's involvement, like Jay Harrington on NBC's "Nathan vs. Nurture" and Andrea Anders on ABC's "Mr. Sunshine," is in second position to their duties on "Ted," which is considered unlikely to return. Kaitlin Doubleday and Kathryn Hahn also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based comedy, which was penned by David Walpert.


NEVERMIND NIRVANA (FOX) - "Past Life" alum Ravi Patel has scored a lead role on the comedy pilot, about two brothers from a traditional Indian background who struggle with their parents' expectations. He'll play one of them, Sunil "Sonny" Mattoo, who lives - and is expecting a child - with his white girlfriend (Rachael Leigh Cook). Harish Patel and Utkarsh Ambudkar also star in the half-hour, which comes from creator Ajay Sahgal and 20th Century Fox Television.


NIKITA (The CW) - Shane West ("ER") has booked the male lead on the drama pilot, about an assassin for a top-secret government organization who goes rogue (Maggie Q) and the new assassin who is trained to replace her. He'll play Michael, the agent in charge of recruitment sent to bring in the rogue Nikita. Danny Cannon is helming the hour from a script by Craig Silverstein. Warner Bros. Television is producing.


OPEN BOOKS (CBS) - Patti LuPone ("Oz") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about June Gage (Laura Benanti), a book editor at a boutique New York publishing house and her circle of friends. She'll play Roz, June's "tough cookie" mom. Gail Lerner is behind the Warner Bros. Television-based comedy, which James Burrows is attached to direct.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [october 2025]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· 90210 (CW)
· BETTER OFF TED (ABC)
· BETTER OFF TED (ABC)
· CAPE, THE (NBC)
· CRASH (STARZ)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· ER (NBC)
· EVENT, THE (NBC)
· FRESHMEN (ABC)
· LONE STAR (FOX)
· LUCK (HBO)
· MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE (TNT)
· MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED (FOX)
· NATHAN VS NURTURE (NBC)
· NEVERMIND NIRVANA (FOX)
· NIKITA (CW)
· OPEN BOOKS (CBS)
· OZ (HBO)
· PAST LIFE (FOX)
· ROOMMATES (ABC FAMILY)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.