or


[09/23/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: September 22-23
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!

THE BLACK DONNELLYS (NBC) - Jonathan Tucker ("Hostage"), Olivia Wilde ("The O.C."), Kirk Acevedo ("Law & Order: Trial by Jury"), Tom Guiry ("Mystic River"), Billy Lush ("A Million Miles to Sunshine"), Christopher Shand ("Law & Order") and Keith Nobbs ("Phone Booth") have all been named the principal cast members of the drama pilot, about "the exploits of four young Irish brothers and their involvement in organized crime in New York's notorious Hell's Kitchen neighborhood." Paul Haggis ("Crash") is behind the NBC Universal Television/Blackfriars Bridge Productions-based project, which he'll direct from a script he co-wrote his "Crash" partner Bobby Moresco. Tucker will play the lead role of Tommy Donnelly, an Irish youth with peacemaking instincts who goes over the edge when his older, more volatile brother is targeted for death by the Italian mob. Wilde then is set as Jenny, the chief love interest of Tucker's character. Details on the other actors' characters weren't specified. Production on the pilot is set to begin next month in New York.

BOSTON LEGAL (ABC) - Uber-producer David E. Kelley has inked a new three-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, where his David E. Kelley Productions has been based for nearly 20 years. The pact calls for Kelley to continue with his duties on "Legal" as well as develop new projects for the studio. Among them: an untitled dramedy about a network TV morning show that's in talks to land at NBC.

GRAND UNION (NBC) - Jackie Debatin ("Deal") and Kirk Fox ("The Patriot") have both been cast in the Greg Grunberg-led comedy pilot, about a blue-collar family man (Grunberg) who manages a local Long Island neighborhood grocery store. Debatin will play Missy, who's described in the casting notice as: "She is married to Tom's brother, Joey McBride. She is a self-absorbed, dramatic woman who has more time and emotion invested in her appearance than her marriage. She is currently attending marriage counseling with Joey while boning the manager of Home Depot on the side." No details however were given about Fox's character. Beth Lacke ("ER") also stars as Pat, the wife of Grunberg's character. David Israel and Jim O'Doherty are behind the project, which comes from executive producer Tom Werner and NBC Universal Television.

LUCKY LOUIE (A.K.A. AMERICAN DREAM) (HBO) - Pamela Segall ("Unscripted"), Micheal Hagarty ("Inspector Gadget"), Laura Kightlinger ("Saturday Night Live"), Jim Norton ("The Colin Quinn Show"), Jerry Minor ("Crossballs"), Rick Shapiro ("Pootie Tang"), Kim Hawthorn ("Jeremiah") and Kelly Lynch ("Charlie's Angels") have all been confirmed as co-stars of Louis C.K.'s upcoming comedy series for HBO. The project, HBO's first multi-camera sitcom, tracks a middle-class couple raising their daughter. Louis C.K., Mike Royce and 3 Arts Entertainment's Dave Becky are the executive producers.

THE UNSUCCESSFUL THUG (HBO, New!) - Mike Epps ("The Honeymooners") is reportedly developing a new semi-autobiographical comedy project at the pay channel about his struggles as a small-time criminal in Indianapolis in spite of his comedic personality. Brad Kaaya ("O") is said to be on board to write the pilot script and serve as a co-executive producer. Epps himself will also produce along with his manager Niles Kirschner. No other details were given.

UNTITLED BRETT BAER/DAVID FINKEL PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Emmy-nominated writer/producers Brett Baer and David Finkel ("Joey") have booked a pilot order from FOX and Warner Bros. Television for a new comedy about twentysomethings who take menial jobs in order to survive while they pursue their bigger dreams. The pair snagged an Emmy nomination for their work on the animated series "Pinky and the Brain."

UNTITLED GABRIELLE ALLAN PROJECT (CBS, New!) - The lives of three best friends with young kids - all with very different attitudes toward marriage, motherhood and their careers - is set to be the focus of a new comedy project at CBS from Gabrielle Allan ("Scrubs") and Warner Bros. Television. The Eye has given a put pilot commitment to the project, which reportedly drew interest from several of the broadcast networks.

UNTITLED GLEN MAZZARA PROJECT (FOX, New!) - "The Shield" co-executive producer Glen Mazzara has scored a script order from FOX for a new serialized crime drama/political thriller about a female F.B.I. agent who unravels a conspiracy to assassinate the president that's led by a Jim Baker-like character. FOX's script commitment includes a significant penalty attached should it not move forward to pilot. Mazzara recently signed a two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television.

UNTITLED NELLY PROJECT (New!) - Actor/rapper Nelly ("The Longest Yard") is the latest celebrity to begin shopping around their own reality series. He's pacted with Arthur Smith and Kent Weed's A. Smith & Co. ("Hell's Kitchen") to develop the project, which will most likely focus on his daily life. It's understood Nelly, Smith and Weed will begin pitching the series to the various networks in the coming weeks.

WEDDING IN A WEEK (Syndication, New!) - Buena Vista Television and Howard Schultz ("Extreme Makeover") are said to be developing a new syndicated offering which would revolve around - you guessed it - the trials and tribulations that go with preparing for a trip down the aisle. Schultz's Lighthearted Entertainment is on board to produce the project, full details of which weren't specified.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [september 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· BLACK DONNELLYS, THE (NBC)
· BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
· COLIN QUINN SHOW, THE (NBC)
· CROSSBALLS (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· DEAL (NBC)
· ER (NBC)
· EXTREME MAKEOVER (ABC)
· GRAND UNION (NBC)
· HELL'S KITCHEN (FOX)
· JAKE IN PROGRESS (ABC)
· JEREMIAH (SHOWTIME)
· JOEY (NBC)
· LAW & ORDER (NBC)
· LAW & ORDER: TRIAL BY JURY (NBC)
· LUCKY LOUIE (HBO)
· OC, THE (FOX)
· SCRUBS (ABC)
· SHIELD, THE (FX)
· UNSCRIPTED (HBO)
· UNSUCCESSFUL THUG, THE (HBO)
· UNTITLED BAER & FINKEL PROJECT (FOX)
· UNTITLED GLEN MAZZARA PROJECT (FOX)
· WEDDING IN A WEEK (SYNDICATION)
· WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM (CBS)





[04/27/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Jae-seok's B&B Rules!" - Official Teaser - Netflix
The guest is king - but so is the host! Yu Jae-seok opens his first B&B, where he runs things his way and treats guests to his signature games.

[04/27/26 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Soul Mate" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Against the backdrops of Berlin, Seoul and Tokyo, "Soul Mate" follows two lonely young men, Ryu and Johan, who seem inexplicably drawn to each other.

[04/27/26 - 01:49 PM]
Food Network's "Tournament of Champions VII" Delivers Impressive Ratings in Key Demos
On average the seventh season garnered 1.00 P25-54 / 1.26 W25-54 L3 ratings and remains on track to be Food Network's highest-rated series among P25-54 for the sixth year in a row.

[04/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
"The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Welcomes Artemis II Astronauts for Their First Late-Night Interview Since Returning Home on Thursday, April 30
The four-person crew, who recently made history traveling around the moon, will sit down for an in studio interview with Fallon, marking the first time the astronauts have brought their landmark space flight to late night since completing their mission.

[04/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
The CW Network Picks Up Crime Solving Procedural "Private Eyes West Coast" Starring Jason Priestley and Cindy Sampson
The 10-episode first season from Piller/Segan - among the creative forces behind the hit CW original series "Wild Cards" - and Lionsgate will debut on The CW later this year.

[04/27/26 - 10:00 AM]
PBS Sets Hit Crime Drama "Patience" Season 2 Early Streaming Premiere for May 31 Ahead of Broadcast Debut in June
All eight episodes will be available to stream beginning Sunday, May 31 with PBS Passport and PBS Masterpiece on Prime Video.

[04/27/26 - 09:02 AM]
Video: Acorn TV Debuts Trailer for Original Series "You're Killing Me," Starring and Executive Produced by Brooke Shields, Premiering Monday, May 18
Set in a quaint, New England town, the mystery follows bestselling novelist, Allie (Brooke Shields), who forms an unlikely alliance with an aspiring writer and podcaster, Andi (Amalia Williamson), to find the killer of a close friend.

[04/27/26 - 08:02 AM]
Video: "The Forsytes" Season 2 Teaser
Season 2 of the lavish period drama will return to "Masterpiece" on PBS with more desire, ambition, and betrayal.

[04/27/26 - 07:30 AM]
Season Three of the HBO Original Drama Series "House of the Dragon" Debuts June 21
The eight-episode season will air new episodes weekly, leading up to the season finale on August 9.

[04/27/26 - 07:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "El Sobrino," The New Film by Damian Szifron Starring Leonardo Sbaraglia
A world-renowned pianist at the peak of his power finds his life turned upside down when he discovers that his nine-year-old nephew has a musical gift that could eclipse his own.

[04/27/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Reveals Trailer for Second Season of Original Hit Series "Barrabrava"
The second season premieres on May 22 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

[04/27/26 - 06:02 AM]
"Nine Queens," Starring Alvaro Morte and Patrick Criado, Starts Production
The Netflix series adapts the iconic Argentine film, originally written and directed by Fabián Bielinsky and produced by Patagonik.

[04/27/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Pop Culture Jeopardy!" - Official Trailer - Netflix
"Pop Culture Jeopardy!" is a twist on the classic quiz show's "answer-and-question" format that combines the academic rigor of Jeopardy! with the exciting and ever-changing world of pop culture.

[04/27/26 - 06:00 AM]
Date Announcement: Hulu Original Series "Alice and Steve"
Starring Jemaine Clement and Nicola Walker, the series will debut with all six episodes on June 8, 2026, on Hulu, and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.

[04/27/26 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "The Master Cutter" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In Baclaran, a former scout ranger turned tailor hides his secret life as a tracker - until he takes in a street-smart girl and is hired to hunt her down.