or


[05/06/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: May 5-6
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 newly revamped "Series in Development" charts. Visitors can now filter our listings by network, genre and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!

JAKE IN PROGRESS (ABC) - Creator/executive producer Austin Winsberg has signed a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with the show's producer 20th Century Fox Television. The pact will likely keep Winsberg on "Jake" should it return for a second season as well as develop new half-hour and one-hour series projects for the studio. Winsberg previously had a blind script commitment from 20th, which will now be folded into the new deal.

KEVIN HILL (UPN) - Taye Diggs has inked a one-year development deal with Touchstone Television. The pact, which also has the option for a second year, sets up Diggs's newly formed production company O-Tay Productions at the studio. There Diggs and his longtime manager Abe Hoch will develop and executive produce original projects.

MAKING THE BAND 3 (MTV) - The cable channel has renewed the band search for an eighth cycle, which will continue Sean "P. Diddy" Combs's quest to create an all-girl pop group. Last night's one-hour season finale saw Combs eliminating all but three of the 19 girls from the competition. Auditions are expected to begin this month in New York, with additional open calls continuing across the country over the summer. The new season will then premiere in the fourth quarter of this year. To date this season, "Band" has consistently won the Thursday, 10:00/9:00c half-hour among cable viewers 12-34.

UNTITLED DANNY ZUKER PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Danny Zuker ("The Men's Room") is developing a single-camera comedy for the network and 20th Century Fox Television. No details were available about the project. Zuker also recently signed a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with 20th which calls for him to continue with his development at the studio as well as possibly join an existing 20th series.

UNTITLED JON LOVITZ PROJECT (CBS, New!) - The Eye has given a pilot presentation order to a new hidden-camera series hosted by "Saturday Night Live" alumnus Jon Lovitz. David Franske and Wayne Rice's Pottle Productions are behind the project, which will feature Lovitz as he sets up unsuspecting guests in outrageous situations. Production is set to begin this month in Las Vegas.

YES, DEAR (CBS) - Co-executive producer Bobby Bowman has signed a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact calls for the writer/producer to develop new comedy projects for the studio as well as possibly join an existing studio property. Bowman recently completed his duties on "Yes, Dear's" shortened fifth season.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [may 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· JAKE IN PROGRESS (ABC)
· KEVIN HILL (UPN)
· MAKING THE BAND (MTV)
· MEN'S ROOM, THE (NBC)
· UNTITLED DANNY ZUKER PROJECT (FOX)
· UNTITLED JON LOVITZ PROJECT (CBS)
· YES, DEAR (CBS)





[08/10/26 - 12:16 PM]
Grammy Award-Winning Singer and Actress Brandy Norwood Returns to Lifetime to Star in and Executive Produce Sequel to Holiday Movie, "Christmas Everyday"
Norwood reprises her role as Francine "Fancy" Ballantine, which garnered her an NAACP award nomination, alongside real-life daughter Sy'rai Smith who stars as Fancy's younger sister, Belle; Debbi Morgan as their mother, Evelyn; and Robert C. Riley as Fancy's fiancé, Jaylen.

[08/10/26 - 10:37 AM]
Discovery's Shark Week Delivers Best Ratings in Seven Years
Primetime telecasts averaged a 0.77 L3 rating among Adults 25-54, marking the largest year-over-year increase in 13 years and the first year of ratings growth since 2023.

[08/10/26 - 10:01 AM]
Apple TV Reteams with Alfonso Cuaron on New Series "Ascension"
Inspired by the novel "Last Days" by Adam Nevill, "Ascension" is a one-hour psychological horror thriller following Rose, a relentless documentary filmmaker and recently divorced mother who is brilliant at uncovering others' truths but struggling to resolve her own.

[08/10/26 - 10:00 AM]
New Interactive Game "Public Eye" from Wolf Games Now Available in Peacock's Mobile App
Players are Officer Logan Dine, a patrol cop secretly investigating his uncle's murder in the crime-ridden streets of Caldera City.

[08/10/26 - 09:31 AM]
Peacock Drops First Look Images & November 23 Premiere Date for Amy Poehler & Hugh Laurie Comedy "Dig"
The series follows a team of dedicated archaeologists (and less-dedicated college students) who spend their summer working on a dig site in Greece.

[08/10/26 - 09:31 AM]
discovery+ Launches New Play-Listed Channels Experience with Fan-Favorite Programming and Live NASA+ Streams
This new experience features curated channels with themed playlists from discovery+'s most popular franchises like the iconic "90 Day" Universe, "House Hunters," and "Ghost Adventures," plus new live NASA+ programming.

[08/10/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "NFL Hometown Eats" - Official Trailer - The Roku Channel
Super fans Eva Longoria, Joel McHale and Rebel Wilson are joined by football legends DeMarcus Ware, Devon Witherspoon and Davante Adams as they explore the best gameday eats in their home cities.

[08/10/26 - 09:00 AM]
Vice Studios & Starbreeze Entertainment Partner with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and G-Unit Film & Television for "Payday"
Since its launch in 2011, "Payday" has gone from a game to a global phenomenon.

[08/10/26 - 09:00 AM]
Paramount+ Presents Action-Packed Week Ahead of "UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry" on Saturday, August 15th with Season 10 Premiere of "Dana White's Contender Series" on August 11
"This Is UFC: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry" premieres this Friday, August 14 on CBS.

[08/10/26 - 09:00 AM]
Disney Entertainment Television Unveils Powerful Multiplatform Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of September 11, 2001
Airing for the first time is "9/11 Tribute in Light: Live from Lower Manhattan," a one-hour ABC News multiplatform live special on Friday, Sept. 11 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), across ABC, Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic, ABC Owned Television Stations livestreams and ABC News Live.

[08/10/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: MGM+ Releases Official Trailer, Key Art and New Images for "American Hostage" Starring Jon Hamm
Co-created by Shawn Ryan and Eileen Myers, the eight-episode series debuts Sunday, September 20 with a two-episode premiere, followed by weekly episodes through the finale on Sunday, November 1 on MGM+.

[08/10/26 - 08:01 AM]
Apple and Major League Baseball Announce September "Friday Night Baseball" Schedule and First-Ever Broadcast in Apple Immersive
For the first time, baseball fans can take in all the action of "Friday Night Baseball" live in Apple Immersive on Apple Vision Pro, leveraging 3D video recorded in 8K with a 180-degree field of view.

[08/10/26 - 07:01 AM]
Netflix Rounds Out Cast of "The Sticks" and Shares a Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peek
Scott Bakula, Logan Marshall-Green, Alex MacIsaac and more will round out the cast for "The Sticks" (FKA "Untitled Hockey Project"), the official title for the heartwarming and inspirational drama series created by Nick Naveda.

[08/10/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Drawn Together" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
The film premieres September 9 on Prime Video.

[08/10/26 - 07:00 AM]
Disney+, Hulu and iHeartMedia Announce Video Podcast Deal Beginning with Hit iHeartPodcast "Hey Jonas!"
Leading up to the premiere of "Camp Rock 3" on Disney+, "Hey Jonas!" will simultaneously debut on Disney+ and Hulu on August 14 with a new episode highlighting "Camp Rock," and will continue with additional episodes of Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas live at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event that weekend.