or


[04/13/04 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: April 13
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.

Note: As we approach the end of pilot season, our "Development Updates" may not appear every day due to a lack of news.

AFI'S 100 YEARS... 100 SONGS: AMERICA�S GREATEST MUSIC IN THE MOVIES (CBS, New!) - The Eye has scheduled a new special from the American Film Institute, hosted by John Travolta ("Grease," "Saturday Night Fever," "Pulp Fiction"). The three-hour presentation, which spotlights the 100 greatest songs in American movies, is scheduled for Tuesday, June 22 at 8:00/7:00c. Among those scheduled to appear are Clay Aiken, Debbie Allen, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Peter Boyle, Keith Carradine, Cyd Charisse, Betty Comden, Bill Conti, Celine Dion, Michael Feinstein, Art Garfunkel, Barry Gibb, Marvin Hamlisch, Isaac Hayes, Angela Lansbury, Baz Luhrmann, Brian McKnight, Rob Marshall, Bill Medley, Rita Moreno, Rosie Perez, Debbie Reynolds, Paul Simon, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Warrens, Andy Williams and Hans Zimmer.

BAND OF BROTHERS (History Channel) - 4.6 million viewers (3.7 household rating) tuned into the HBO mini-series' debut installment on the History Channel on Sunday, the network's largest audience in its history. "Brothers" also topped all ad-supported cable networks for the night.

THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW: LET'S BUMP UP THE LIGHTS (CBS) - The Eye has rescheduled the special from Wednesday, May 5 to Wednesday, May 12 at 10:00/9:00c. In the special, "the illustrious cast comes together before an audience to introduce never-before-seen clips from the spontaneous and hilarious moments that were seen at the beginning of every 'The Carol Burnett Show' -- where Carol and the gang answered questions from the studio audience," according to a network press release.

ONTOURAGE (New!) - A six-episode reality series that would follow Britney Spears and her fellow dancers on the European leg of her steamy Onyx Hotel Tour is reportedly being shopped around the broadcast and cable networks. Spears herself is executive producing the project through her Fairy Zone banner in association with manager Larry Rudolph's Diamond Park Entertainment and Lisa Falcone. With the European segment of the tour scheduled to begin on April 27, a network commitment would have to come in the next two weeks. Spears and company are said to have budgeted "OnTourage" at $1 million per episode, a rather high fee for a new unscripted reality series. Foxlab, 20th Century Fox Television's alternative division, and Zoo Productions are also behind the project.

THE PRACTICE (ABC) - Longtime David E. Kelley collaborator Bill D'Elia has been named executive producer/showrunner of the forthcoming spin-off series. The project centers on James Spader's character as he makes the transition to Crane, Poole & Schmidt, the rival law firm that represented him in his wrongful-termination lawsuit against Young, Frutt & Berluti. Rhona Mitra, Fay Masterson and Lake Bell also star in the spin-off, while options exist for William Shatner, Vincent Pastore and Rebecca De Mornay to make the transition.

TALK TO ME (USA, New!) - Dean Devlin ("Independence Day") is developing a new drama series about the professional and personal lives of the New York Police Department's hostage-negotiation unit. Lions Gate Television is behind the project, which is set to be written by Jan Skrentny and Neal Tabachnick ("Driven"). Devlin will executive produce via his Electric Entertainment banner.

THE TRIANGLE (Sci Fi) - Rockne O'Bannon ("Farscape") has been tapped to script the eight-hour mini-series, currently in development at the cable channel. Dean Devlin ("Independence Day") and Bryan Singer ("X-Men") are executive producing the project, which takes on the myth of the Bermuda Triangle.

UNTITLED MO'NIQUE PROJECT (Syndication, New!) - Mo'Nique ("The Parkers") has pacted with Telepictures to develop a new syndicated talk show for the 2005-06 season. The actress/comedian, who was previously attached to talk show from Big Ticket Television this past development season, recently subbed in as host of fellow Telepictures' series "The Sharon Osbourne Show."

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2004]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· BAND OF BROTHERS (HBO)
· BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
· FARSCAPE (SCI FI)
· PARKERS, THE (UPN)
· PRACTICE, THE (ABC)
· SHARON OSBOURNE SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)
· TALK TO ME (TNT)
· TRIANGLE, THE (SCI FI)
· UNTITLED MO'NIQUE PROJECT (SYNDICATION)





[10/01/26 - 04:37 PM]
Eddie Murphy to Star in His First Scripted Television Series, "The Chairman," at Peacock
"The Chairman" comes from nine-time Emmy Award-winning writer Matthew Weiner, the showrunner and creator behind the critically beloved series "Mad Men" and executive producer and writer on the iconic drama series "The Sopranos."

[10/01/26 - 02:39 PM]
NHL on ESPN Opens Season with Year-Over-Year Viewership Growth
The Panthers-Hurricanes matchup averaged 859,000 viewers, up 16% from a year ago.

[10/01/26 - 02:18 PM]
Tuesday's Red Sox-Yankees on NBC & Peacock Is Most-Watched Game 1 Among MLB Wild Card or Division Series Since 2006
Coverage averaged 7.3 million viewers on NBC and Peacock.

[10/01/26 - 01:12 PM]
Production Begins on Season Three of the Hit Paramount+ Series "Landman"
Additionally, it was announced today that cast members Colm Feore, Mustafa Speaks, Bobbi Salvor Menuez, and Francesca Xuereb have been upped to series regulars.

[10/01/26 - 12:16 PM]
UPtv to Premiere "Big Bridal Giveaway" Oct. 3
In "Big Bridal Giveaway," wedding dreams come true when deserving brides-to-be trust a team of romcom movie stylists to transform them into the radiant brides they've always envisioned.

[10/01/26 - 12:16 PM]
Comedy Central Announces Premiere Date for Season Four of "Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head"
Season four will premiere on Wednesday, October 14 at 10:30pm ET/PT with 12 episodes.

[10/01/26 - 11:48 AM]
Sherri Shepherd Joins Lifetime's Annual "Stop Breast Cancer for Life" Campaign with New PSA in Support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Shepherd who brings her signature warmth and candor to a message about the importance of knowing your risk, prioritizing screening and advocating for your health.

[10/01/26 - 11:46 AM]
Video: "9-1-1" - Season 10 Official Trailer
LA-LA Land doesn't have a protocol for LA-VA Land...

[10/01/26 - 11:12 AM]
BET Names Anthony Anderson Host of Soul Train Awards 2026
Returning to the BET stage, Anderson will lead an unforgettable celebration of the artists, music, and enduring cultural legacy of the iconic "Soul Train" franchise, with a night of performances, tributes, and honors.

[10/01/26 - 11:09 AM]
Video: "9-1-1: Nashville" - Season 2 Official Trailer
Watch your back 113.

[10/01/26 - 10:40 AM]
FOX Nation Strikes Deal with Supermodel Christie Brinkley for Docuseries "Uptown Girl: The Christie Brinkley Story" Coming 2027
Comprised of three one-hour episodes, the intimate series offers a revealing first-person portrait of the woman behind one of the most recognizable faces in pop culture, whose extraordinary life has played out in the public eye for more than five decades.

[10/01/26 - 10:31 AM]
Prime Video Renews Hit Series "Neagley" for a Second Season
Amazon MGM Studios confirmed the news on social media this morning.

[10/01/26 - 10:08 AM]
CBS Conjures Up Halloween Fun in Primetime and Daytime
Highlights include the one-hour "Ghosts" special event.

[10/01/26 - 10:01 AM]
Award-Winning Presenter Rebecca Lowe Joins Netflix's Broadcast Team for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027
The addition marks another milestone for Netflix's historic coverage of the tournament, which will feature English and Spanish-language broadcasts in the United States, and English and French-language broadcasts in Canada.

[10/01/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: NBC Debuts Official Trailer & Key Art for "Newlyweds"
"Newlyweds" is a later-in-life love story about Jeanie (Téa Leoni), a free-spirited woman, and James (Tim Daly), a buttoned-up professor, who marry impetuously after a whirlwind courtship.