or


[01/18/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: January 17-18
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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

DANCE NATION (FOX, New!) - "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller and "American Bandstand" legend Dick Clark are looking to team with FOX for a new primetime dance competition series which looks to crown one person (or a couple) the best dancer(s) in the country. No format details however have been released as it's not exactly clear how the series would work. More than likely contestants will be asked to learn a particular style of dance each week and compete in a live contest, with viewers or celebrity judges making the eliminations. The project is set up at Clark's Mandalay Mosaic Media Group-based production company and Fuller's 19 Entertainment with the pair executive producing. It's also not clear if "Dance" is related in any way to Fuller and Clark's also-in-the-works revival of "American Bandstand" (read the story).

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS PRE-SHOWS - In the battle of the cable pre-shows, E!'s "Live From the Red Carpet," hosted by Star Jones Reynolds, averaged a 2.12 metered-market household rating, double that of Joan and Melissa Rivers' coverage on the TV Guide Channel (1.06 metered-market household rating).

IN JUSTICE (ABC, New!) - Writer/producers Robert & Michelle King ("The Vertical Limit") have booked a pilot order at the Alphabet and Touchstone Television for a new drama about a group of impassioned lawyers who aid the wrongly convicted. Stu Bloomberg is also on board to executive produce the project with the Kings.

IN THE GAME (ABC) - Alyson Hannigan ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") has opted out of joining the cast of the Jennifer Love Hewitt-led comedy as Sara Gilbert ("Roseanne") has been brought in to replace her. No reason for the change was given. Gilbert's character will also now be listed only as a guest star and not a series regular.

LENNIE ROSE (ABC, New!) - Krista Vernoff ("Wonderfalls") and Ken Olin ("Alias") have received a cast-contingent pilot order from ABC for a new dramedy about a single woman trying to find love and make it big in New York. Touchstone Television is behind the project.

NIGHT STALKER (ABC) - Frank Spotnitz's revival of the 1970s cult series has been given the green light to produce a pilot by ABC. The project, which is set up at Touchstone Television, is the result of Spotnitz's overall deal at the studio (read the story). "Stalker" revolves around a hardboiled journalist's investigations into freakish occurrences.

SOCCER MOMS (ABC) - Don Todd ("life as we know it") and Marla Ginsburg's ("Highlander: The Series") drama project has been given a cast-contigent pilot order. The project, which is set up at Touchstone Television, revolves around two suburban housewives who team up as private investigators.

SUPER BOWL XXXIX COMMERCIALS (NFL Network, New!) - Those only interested in the Super Bowl's commericals can avoid the game entirely and check out "Super Bowl XXXIX Commercials," a half-hour special airing on the cable network that consists of all the spots that ran during the game on FOX. The special will air right after the game (at approximately 10:00/9:00c) on Sunday, February 6 as well as replay the following night at 6:30/5:30c as well as twice on February 8 (times TBA).

SUPERNATURAL (The WB) - David Nutter ("Smallville") has come aboard to direct and executive produce the drama project, which has been given the green light to produce a pilot. Writer/producer Eric Kripke ("Tarzan") created the project, which is set up at McG and Stephanie Savage's Warner Bros. Television-based Wonderland Sound and Vision, and will executive produce along with Nutter, McG and Savage. "Supernatural" revolves around two brothers who travel the country hunting down supernatural beings.

TILT (ESPN) - The cable channel's second original drama series posted 2.0 million viewers (1.60 household rating) for its debut on Thursday. Said numbers were down 23% from the opener to its previous original "Playmakers" (2.6 million viewers, 2.41 household rating) but up significantly from the network's Thursday, 9:00/8:00c time period average.

TRU CALLING (FOX) - As long expected, FOX topper Gail Berman confirmed at the network's session at the TCA Winter Press Tour the series has been axed. FOX nevertheless hopes to run the completed episodes in the future: "We finished six episodes of 'Tru Calling,' and we anticipate putting them on air at some point," Berman told reporters. As for why the show got cut, Berman said: "What changed for us was when we saw 'Point Pleasant,' we really felt we had a show that was incredibly compatible with 'The O.C.' So our thoughts changed, not so much about 'Tru Calling,' but the possibility of not only having an exciting show and a winner at 8 o'clock, but also something that could really make headway for us at 9 o'clock in an incredibly competitive time period."

TRUE (The WB) - Anne Heche ("Everwood") has been cast in the lead role of the comedy pilot, about a woman whose boyfriend breaks up with her while she is in labor with their baby, forcing her to move back in with her parents. Heche's involvement lifts the cast-contingency on the project, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television. Kari Lizer ("Will & Grace") created "True" and will executive produce.

WORLD OF TROUBLE (NBC, New!) - Peter Noah ("The West Wing") has scored a pilot production order from the Peacock for a new drama about the a real-life F.B.I. unit that investigates crimes against Americans and American interests overseas. No other details were available about the project, which is understood to feature a female lead.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· ALIAS (ABC)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (UPN)
· EVERWOOD (WB)
· IN JUSTICE (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2004 VERSION) (ABC)
· IN THE GAME (2005 VERSION) (ABC)
· INTRODUCING LENNIE ROSE (ABC)
· LIFE AS WE KNOW IT (ABC)
· NIGHT STALKER (ABC)
· PLAYMAKERS (ESPN)
· POINT PLEASANT (FOX)
· SMALLVILLE (CW)
· SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX)
· SOCCER MOMS (ABC)
· SUPERNATURAL (CW)
· TARZAN (WB)
· TILT (ESPN)
· TRU CALLING (FOX)
· TRUE (WB)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)
· WONDERFALLS (FOX)
· WORLD OF TROUBLE (NBC)





[04/26/24 - 12:07 PM]
Oxygen True Crime's "Accident, Suicide or Murder" Returns for a Fifth Season on Saturday, May 18 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
The series explores the unbelievable true stories of suspicious deaths that either initially appear to be an accident, suicide or murder.

[04/26/24 - 12:00 PM]
The "2024 American Music Awards" to Air for the First Time on CBS, Sunday, Oct. 6
The AMAs celebrate the year's top achievements in music determined by the fans, for the fans.

[04/26/24 - 11:40 AM]
#1 and #2 Court Shows "Judge Judy" and "Hot Bench" Renewed Through 2025-26 in 95% of the Country
"Hot Bench" was reupped for two more years by CBS Stations in major markets, as well as stations owned by Sinclair, Nexstar, Tegna, Scripps, FOX Stations, Gray and Weigel.

[04/26/24 - 11:00 AM]
The Word-Twisting Game Show "Lingo," Hosted By RuPaul Charles, to Premiere Friday, May 24 on CBS
Host RuPaul Charles brings his one-of-a-kind personality to this clever, competitive and unpredictable game where teams of two face off in fast-paced puzzle rounds to guess letters that reveal seemingly simple words.

[04/26/24 - 09:33 AM]
Paramount+ Announces "Apartment 7A," A New Original Film Starring Golden Globe Winner Julia Garner, to Premiere This Fall
Set in 1965 New York City, the film tells the story prior to the legendary horror classic Rosemary's Baby, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in.

[04/26/24 - 09:00 AM]
Video: China Anne Mcclain & Kylie Cantrall Perform "What's My Name (Red Version)" from "Descendants: The Rise of Red" Soundtrack in New Music Video
"Descendants: The Rise of Red" premieres Friday, July 12 exclusively on Disney+, followed by a special encore on Friday, August 9, at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel.

[04/26/24 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Secrets of the Neanderthals" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The film takes viewers on a journey from their preconceptions of Neanderthals as a dim-witted creature to a complex and creative people, through the lens of a unique, ongoing excavation and a landmark new discovery - the best-preserved Neanderthal skeleton found in over a quarter century.

[04/25/24 - 02:31 PM]
On the Heels of "The Daily Show's" Huge Ratings Growth, The Emmy Award-Winning Franchise Expands Its All-Star News Team
The show enlists Troy Iwata, Josh Johnson, and Grace Kuhlenschmidt as Correspondents.

[04/25/24 - 01:01 PM]
Greed, Lust and Wrath Turn Deadly in New Oxygen True Crime Series "Sins of the South" Premiering Sunday, May 12th at 8:00 PM ET/PT
With a deliciously delightful Southern inflected narration, each of the 12-hour-long episodes unravel the twists and turns of a?real-life?murder, highlighting the disturbing crimes of the?South and the wickedness that led to it.

[04/25/24 - 11:31 AM]
Netflix Greenlights Leanne Morgan Scripted Comedy from Co-Creator Chuck Lorre
Additionally, Morgan will do two stand-up specials for Netflix.

[04/25/24 - 11:01 AM]
Netflix & Shondaland Announce New "Bridgerton" Season 3 Product Collections & Brand Collaborations
In celebration of its upcoming Season 3 premiere, Netflix and Shondaland are announcing new product collections with leading lifestyle brands that speak to the essence of the Bridgerton universe and the underpinnings of the romantic Regency era releasing this spring.

[04/25/24 - 10:37 AM]
ABC's "Will Trent" Continues Momentum as Series Logs Highest Total Viewer Audience to Date and Highest Adults 18-49 Rating in Over a Year
After 35 days of viewing on ABC, Hulu and digital platforms, "Will Trent" continues its ratings climb in episode three of season two, growing to 11.23 million Total Viewers and marking its highest multiplatform telecast to date.

[04/25/24 - 10:07 AM]
Video: "Prom Dates" - Official Trailer - Hulu
"Prom Dates" follows best friends Jess and Hannah, who made a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom.

[04/25/24 - 10:02 AM]
HGTV Picks-Up New Season of Popular Hawaii-Based Series "Renovation Aloha"
The new season is slated to premiere in 2025.

[04/25/24 - 10:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Debuts Official Trailer and Key Art for Third Season of "Mayor of Kingstown"
In season three, a series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city, and a drug war rages inside and outside prison walls.