or


[03/01/04 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: March 1
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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

Looking to keep track of all the various pilots and other projects in development? Be sure to check out our detailed production chart listings by clicking here.

CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE (CBS) - Melinda McGraw ("Living in Captivity") is the latest actor to join the cast of the comedy pilot, which centers on a family man (John Goodman) who tries to keep the peace with his extended Chicago family. McGraw joins the previously cast Goodman, Jean Smart and Diedrich Bader in the project, where she'll play the sister of Goodman's character.

CITY OF DREAMS (NBC) - The Peacock has pushed the Jimmy Smits-led drama pilot to midseason 2005 consideration as the network reportedly wants to give writer/producer David Mills ("Kingpin") more time to develop the project. "Dreams," which comes from Jerry Bruckheimer Television ("C.S.I.," "Without a Trace") and Warner Bros. Television, features Smits as a Los Angeles private investigator who fixes problems for the rich and famous.

COUNTDOWN (ABC) - Chi McBride isn't waiting for the axe to fall on "Boston Public" as the actor has joined the cast of the drama pilot, which chronicles the final 43 minutes of a crisis through the eyes of a S.W.A.T. team. McBride will play Capt. John Richardson in the Touchstone Television./FremantleMedia project, the commander of the aforementioned S.W.A.T. team. He joins the previously cast Jason O'Mara, Louis Mandylor, Salli Richardson and Adam Beach in the pilot, which comes from "Boomtown" creator Graham Yost.

THE DANA & JULIA SHOW (A.K.A. UNTITLED GOODMAN & WOLVO PROJECT) (WB) - The Frog's "Laverne & Shirley"-esque comedy pilot is scheduled to tape Friday, March 19 at 6:30 P.S.T. at Sony Pictures Studios.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC) - Marcia Cross ("Everwood") is set as the fourth "housewife" in the drama pilot, a darkly humorous look at the secretive lives of four women living in an Anytown, U.S.A., cul-de-sac. She joins the previously set leads Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman in the Touchstone Television project, where she'll play Bree, a Martha Stewart-esque housewife.

EVERYDAY LIFE (NBC) - Rob Reiner has opted to move in front of the camera for his comedy pilot at the Peacock, as the actor/director, along with Mercedes Ruehl, have joined the cast of the project. They'll play the parents of Josh Radnor's character, a psychiatrist who along with his fellow shrink wife end up moving back in with his parents, who are also psychiatrists. Reiner signed on to appear in the Universal Network Television pilot after Alan Alda, originally approached for the role, ultimately passed. "Life" is scheduled to tape at Universal Studios on Tuesday, March 23.

FOSTER HALL (NBC) - Busy Phillips ("Freaks & Geeks," "Dawson's Creek") and Greg Germann ("Ally McBeal") have joined the cast of the comedy pilot, which comes from NBC Studios and Conan O'Brien's production company, Conaco Productions. Phillips will play the sister of Macaulay Culkin's character, Clark Hall, while Germann will play her husband. "Hall" centers on siblings (Culkin, Phillips) who reunite after years of being bumped from foster home to foster home.

THE FRIENDLYS (NBC) - Ana Gasteyer ("Saturday Night Live") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, an offbeat comedy that revolves around a family's fight over a dead candy mogul's business. She'll play Bebe, the boozy widow of said candy mogul in the NBC Studios project, which also stars Dave Foley and Billy Gardell.

LUCKY US (FOX) - Jill Ritchie ("The Pool at Maddy Breaker's") is the latest to join the cast of the comedy pilot, which centers on a couple (Chyler Leigh, T.B.D.) who go out on a blind date and wind up with a kid. Ritchie will play the best friend of Leigh's character in the project, which comes from 20th Century Fox Television and Original Television. The pilot is currently scheduled to tape on Tuesday, March 23 at Fox Studios.

MAD MAD HOUSE (Sci Fi) - The cable channel will wrap the show's first season with a two-hour finale on Thursday, April 29 at 9:00/8:00c. Casting has already begun on a potential second season of the project (read the story), which debuts this Thursday at 9:00/8:00c.

ROBBING THE CRADLE (WB) - Ben Feldman ("Kissing Jessica Stein") has snagged the lead role in the Jamie Kennedy-produced comedy pilot, which revolves around a 24-year-old (Feldman) who moves back home with his mom and her 24-year-old boyfriend. Regency Television and Kennedy's Wannabe Producers are behind the project.

SUPER MILLIONAIRE (ABC) - ABC has picked up its "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" revival for a second cycle, set to unspool during May sweeps. According to ABC's press release about the news: "'Super Millionaire's' return to ABC's primetime schedule on Sunday, February 22, drew an average audience of 17.5 million viewers to rank as the most-watched television program that night. Also on its return, the show delivered the largest audience and highest young adult ratings for the 'Millionaire' franchise since May 2001. On each of its four telecasts so far, 'Super Millionaire' has been ABC's No. 1 show of the night among viewers and young adults. Versus ABC's delivery this season with entertainment programming in the time periods, 'Super Millionaire' is up by 5.2 million Total Viewers (14.3 million vs. 9.1 million), by 34% among Adults 18-49 (4.7/11 vs. 3.5/9) and by 54% among Adults 18-34 (4.0/11 vs. 2.6/7). On average, "Super Millionaire" builds on its lead-in by over 4 million viewers and gains audience during the course of its telecast."

UNTITLED ISAAC MIZRAHI PROJECT (Syndication, New!) - NBC's syndication arm, NBC Enterprises, has signed designer Isaac Mizrahi to an overall development deal. The pact calls for the company to develop a project to be hosted by Mizrahi, who recently appeared on the Peacock's "The Apprentice." Mizrahi is no stranger to hosting as the prolific designer headlined Oxygen's "The Isaac Mizrahi Show" for three years.

WANTED (CBS) - Yancey Arias ("Kingpin") is set to star alongside Scott Glenn in the drama pilot, which revolves around the fugitive-apprehension team of the L.A.P.D. He'll play a member of the team, a zealous cop, in the CBS Productions/Warner Bros. Television/25C Productions project.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [march 2004]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· ALLY MCBEAL (FOX)
· APPRENTICE, THE (NBC)
· BOOMTOWN (NBC)
· BOSTON PUBLIC (FOX)
· CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE (CBS)
· CITY OF DREAMS (NBC)
· COUNTDOWN (ABC)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· DANA & JULIA SHOW, THE (WB)
· DAWSON'S CREEK (WB)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· EVERWOOD (WB)
· EVERYDAY LIFE (NBC)
· FOSTER HALL (NBC)
· FREAKS & GEEKS (NBC)
· FRIENDLYS, THE (NBC)
· KINGPIN (NBC)
· LIVING WITH FRAN (WB)
· LUCKY US (FOX)
· MAD MAD HOUSE (SCI FI)
· POOL AT MADDY BREAKER'S, THE (FOX)
· UNTITLED ISAAC MIZRAHI PROJECT (SYNDICATION)
· WANTED (CBS)
· WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE (ABC)
· WITHOUT A TRACE (CBS)





[10/09/26 - 05:00 PM]
Adult Swim's Acclaimed Animated Thriller "Common Side Effects" Returns January 24
The news was announced today at New York Comic Con by co-creators Joe Bennett and Steve Hely.

[10/09/26 - 03:18 PM]
All Seasons of "The Walking Dead" Series Available on AMC+ for the First Time Ever, Beginning January 7
The pop culture phenomenon, which launched a television franchise, joins AMC+'s "The Walking Dead Universe" Collection, including all six spin-off series, totaling 371 episodes, as well as exclusive specials, bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes content, Comic-Con panels and more.

[10/09/26 - 03:02 PM]
News from AMC Global Media's New York Comic Con Panels
Highlights include premiere windows for the new seasons of "Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches" (Wednesday, December 30) and "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon" (February 2027).

[10/09/26 - 11:15 AM]
Video: Prime Video Unveils Explosive Teaser and Premiere Date for New Original Series, "Bloodaxe" from the Creator of "Vikings"
All eight episodes will premiere Wednesday, January 20, 2027 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[10/09/26 - 09:14 AM]
Avatar Takes to the Stage at New York Comic Con - "Avatar: Seven Havens" Renewed for Books 3 and 4, New Animated Series "Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos" Coming to Paramount+
In "Avatar Kuruk: Wave of Chaos" a rebellious teenage Avatar bucks thousands of years of tradition by choosing to learn the four elements through globetrotting adventures, staying one step ahead of his angry teacher, rowdy pirates, and chaotic spirits - all while helping the world in his own unique ways.

[10/09/26 - 09:01 AM]
Season Two of "Little House on the Prairie" Wraps Production and Rounds Out Cast
Season two follows the next book in the series, "On the Banks of Plum Creek."

[10/09/26 - 06:01 AM]
Date Announcement: "Dragon Ball Super: Beerus" Premieres Oct. 11 - Enhanced Version of the Hit Anime Comes to Hulu
Featuring more immersive battle sequences and an even more faithful representation of the original manga, "Dragon Ball Super: Beerus" offers both long-time fans and new audiences a fresh way to experience one of anime's most celebrated stories.

[10/09/26 - 06:01 AM]
Apple TV Unveils First Look at "Prodigies," New Series Starring Will Sharpe and Ayo Edebiri
The seven-episode season premieres globally on Wednesday, February 10, 2027 with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly until March 17, 2027.

[10/09/26 - 05:11 AM]
Netflix Announces a Fictional Miniseries Inspired by the Daniel Sancho Case
Produced by Bambú Producciones, the as-yet-untitled miniseries is executive produced by Ramón Campos.

[10/09/26 - 05:01 AM]
"Under Siege" Arrives on Netflix on November 6
The fictional series is inspired by true and publicly known events that took place on November 6 and 7, 1985, and recounts the siege of the Palace of Justice by an M-19 guerrilla commando and the subsequent retaking of the building by the Colombian Army.

[10/09/26 - 03:31 AM]
Netflix Premieres the Documentary "Unprotected: Murder in Galicia" on November 6
The film tells the story of Isabel Fuentes, whose case took place in Galicia in 2015 and was marked by the circumstances surrounding the crime and shortcomings in the protection of the victim.

[10/09/26 - 02:21 AM]
Video: "How to Ruin Diwali" Season 1 - Trailer - Netflix
A hidden engagement forces a proud Zulu family and an Indian medical dynasty under one roof as secrets and colliding customs threaten to derail Diwali.

[10/08/26 - 03:32 PM]
CBS All-"NCIS" Tuesday Premieres +39% Higher Than Last Year
"NCIS," the series premiere of "NCIS: New York," and "NCIS: Origins" were the night's top three most-watched scripted broadcast programs.

[10/08/26 - 02:26 PM]
ABC News Wins in Late Night and Friday Night
"20/20: Home Alone" ranked as the Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49 on Friday, October 2.

[10/08/26 - 02:01 PM]
HBO Orders New Drama Series "Crazy Rich Asians"
Based on the global bestselling books written by Kevin Kwan, the series will pick up after the events of the blockbuster film that became the highest-grossing Hollywood studio romantic comedy at the North American box office in nearly a decade.