or


[11/18/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: November 17-18
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!

50/50 (NBC, New!) - Todd Garner's newly-formed Broken Road Productions and Gina Matthews & Grant Scharbo's Roundtable Ink are developing a new single-camera comedy at the Peacock about how four modern men deal with divorce, fatherhood and dating. Ian Gurvitz ("Becker") is behind the project, which is being co-produced with NBC Universal Television. No other details were given.

APOSTLE PROJECTS (New!) - Denis Leary and Jim Serpico's Sony Pictures Television-based production company has lined up a handful of new projects at the broadcast and cable networks. On the comedy front, the pair are developing "Caroline's" at ABC. Said single-camera project is based on the life of Caroline Hirsch, the founder of the Caroline's Comedy Club in New York City. Writer/producer Chuck Martin ("Arrested Development") is writing the pilot script. At Comedy Central there's "Fugly," about a man reflecting on his youth as an ugly child, as well as the previously announced "Red State Diaries," from executive producers Lewis Black and Jeff Stilson.

On the drama side, Apostle has "The Operative" at FOX and "The Big Empty" at Spike TV. The former tracks a criminal mastermind who, unbeknownst to him, has a mole in the ranks. The project, which comes from writer John Romano ("American Dreams") and producers Todd Feldman and Luciano Saber, will then feature clues about who is actually an undercover F.B.I. agent with his/her identity being revealed in the season finale. As for "Empty," the cable channel describes the project as "a gritty drama that portrays the reality of ordinary P.I.s caught in the middle of an unsavory world." Finally, Leary and Serpico are developing "Rothstein," an original move at ESPN about gambler Arnold Rothstein, the man who fixed the 1919 World Series.

BLADE (Spike TV) - David Simkins ("FreakyLinks") has been tapped to serve as showrunner should the two-hour drama pilot be ordered to series. The project, which comes from New Line Television, is being executive produced by David Goyer, Jon Kroll, Jim Rosenthal, Ari Arad and Avi Arad.

CROSSING JORDAN (NBC) - In what's being viewed by industry insiders as a cost-cutting measure, NBC has rolled back its commitment to "Crossing Jordan" by one episode this season. "Jordan" likewise finished last season with a 21-episode order.

ENTOURAGE/ROME (HBO) - In an interview with The New York Times, HBO chairman Chris Albrecht confirmed "Entourage's" third season will run for 20 episodes. In addition, Albrecht noted the earliest "Rome" could return for its second season would be March of 2007. The freshman drama wraps its inaugural run this weekend.

THE FARMER WANTS A WIFE (New!) - FremantleMedia North America is looking to import the reality format, which is described as a rural take on ABC's "The Bachelor," to the U.S. Versions of the series currently air in Norway, Belgium and Netherlands, the latter of which is the country's most-watched program. Jerry Miller, creator of the Web site www.FarmersOnly.com, has been brought on to help develop the U.S. version. No other details were specified.

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FX) - Danny DeVito ("Taxi") has joined the cast of the cable comedy, which returns for its second season of 10 episodes in June. He'll play the clingy father of Glenn Howerton and Kaitlin Olson's characters, who is attempting to recapture his youth by hanging out with his kids.

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL (FOX) - FX has scrapped its previously announced marathon of the series on November 27 in favor of a four-episode run of fellow FOX series "Stacked." It's not clear if the marathon will be rescheduled for a later date. New episodes of "Kitchen" return to FOX's schedule on December 5.

LUCKY LOUIE (HBO) - The pay channel has asked for eight additional scripts of the multi-camera comedy, well ahead of its expected bow this summer. The series, which is described as a mature family comedy that centers on a middle-class couple raising their daughter, comes Emmy-winning writer/producer Louis C.K. and is produced by HBO Independent Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment.

THE O.C. (FOX) - Nikki Reed ("Thirteen") has booked a four-episode arc on the Thursday drama. No specific details were given about her character, who will make her first appearance early next year.

PAGES (FOX, New!) - "Saturday Night Live" writer Matt Piedmont is developing a new comedy at FOX about the world of ambitious "pages" at a large New York media company, much like those at NBC's Rockefeller Plaza or CBS' Television City. The project is set up at Lorne Michaels' NBC Universal Television-based Broadway Video with Piedmont, Michaels and JoAnn Alfano executive producing.

SPLIT DECISION (UPN, New!) - Feature director Robert Luketic ("Legally Blonde") and writer Liz Tigelaar ("American Dreams") are shepherding a new drama series at UPN and Todd Garner's newly-formed Broken Road Productions. The "Sliding Doors"-esque project tracks a girl who gets a chance to reinvent herself upon moving to a new high school, with dual plotlines following her decision to sit with either the popular kids or the arty outsiders on the first day of school. Luketic will direct the pilot should it move forward and executive produce along with Tigelaar, Garner and Spelling Television.

THREE WISHES (NBC) - The Peacock has quietly rescinded its order for six additional episodes of the series, opting to halt production at 10 episodes for the time being. No official reason was given for the decision. The show's most-recent broadcast drew 7.77 million viewers, finishing a distant second place to a special Friday episode of "Close to Home" (11.87 million). Episodes are expected to run through the end of December with NBC revisiting the show's fate at that time.

UNTITLED BERNIE MAC/DEAN YOUNG PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Bernie Mac's newly-formed Mac Mac Productions has set up an untitled comedy at FOX from writer/producer Dean Young ("King of the Hill"). The project, which is set up at Regency Television and 20th Century Fox Television, is described as an "All in the Family"-esque series about a young woman and her new husband who end up living next door to her father and mother. FOX has given a script order to the project (with an unspecified penalty attached if it doesn't go to pilot), which Young will write and executive produce with Mac and Industry Entertainment's Steven Greener.

UNTITLED CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY LAWFORD PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Christopher Kennedy Lawford ("General Hospital"), the son of actor Peter Lawford (of Rat Pack fame) and Patricia Kennedy (sister of President John F. Kennedy), is set to topline a potential new comedy series at FOX, Imagine Television and 20th Century Fox Television, loosely based on his own life. Writer/producer Mark Reisman ("Frasier") is behind the single-camera project, which would track Lawford (playing himself) as he enters the family business of politics on the ground floor, running for a small local office. FOX has given a script commitment to the comedy, which Reisman will executive produce along with Imagine's Brian Grazer and David Nevins. Gavin Grazer and Lawford then will also serve as producers.

UNTITLED CONSTANTINE MAROULIS PROJECT (ABC) - "What I Like About You" showrunner Caryn Lucas has signed on to write the script to the former "American Idol" finalist's comedy project. While details weren't specified, it's expected to be loosely based on the singer's real life and his extended family in New York. Paramount Network Television-based Grammnet Productions is producing the project.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [november 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· 50/50 (NBC)
· AMERICAN DREAMS (NBC)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (NETFLIX)
· BACHELOR, THE (ABC)
· BECKER (CBS)
· BIG EMPTY, THE (SPIKE TV)
· BLADE: THE SERIES (SPIKE TV)
· CAROLINE'S (ABC)
· CLOSE TO HOME (CBS)
· CROSSING JORDAN (NBC)
· ENTOURAGE (HBO)
· FRASIER (NBC)
· FREAKYLINKS (FOX)
· FUGLY (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (FXX)
· KING OF THE HILL (HULU)
· KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL (FOX)
· LUCKY LOUIE (HBO)
· OC, THE (FOX)
· OPERATIVE, THE (FOX)
· PAGES (FOX)
· RED STATE DIARIES (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· ROME (HBO)
· SPLIT DECISION (CW)
· STACKED (FOX)
· THREE WISHES (NBC)
· UNTITLED CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY LAWFORD PROJECT (FOX)
· UNTITLED CONSTANTINE MAROULIS PROJECT (ABC)
· UNTITLED MAC & YOUNG PROJECT (FOX)
· WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU (WB)





[02/03/26 - 04:01 PM]
Apple TV's "Cape Fear" Stars Javier Bardem And Amy Adams
The psychological horror thriller will make its global debut on Friday, June 5, 2026 with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through July 31, 2026.

[02/03/26 - 03:31 PM]
Apple TV Debuts First-Look Images for "Matchbox The Movie"
The film, starring John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris and Arturo Castro, will premiere globally on Apple TV on Friday, October 9, 2026.

[02/03/26 - 03:01 PM]
2026 NHL Stadium Series Delivered Most-Viewed NHL Regular Season Game Ever on Cable
The Bruins-Lightning matchup on ESPN averaged 2.1 million viewers, peaking with 2.4 million.

[02/03/26 - 03:01 PM]
Video: Apple TV Reveals Teaser for "Margo's Got Money Troubles"
The eight-episode Apple Original series will premiere globally on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 with three episodes, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through May 20, 2026.

[02/03/26 - 02:46 PM]
"Way of the Warrior Kid" to Premiere Globally November 20
Starring Chris Pratt, Linda Cardellini and Jude Hill, along with Jocko Willink, the film will debut globally on Apple TV on Friday, November 20, 2026.

[02/03/26 - 02:16 PM]
Apple Original Films' Summer Comedy "The Dink" Premieres Globally July 24
Starring Jake Johnson and Mary Steenburgen, the summer comedy feature will debut globally on Apple TV on Friday, July 24, 2026.

[02/03/26 - 12:31 PM]
Video: Apple TV Debuts Gripping New Teaser for Limited Series "Imperfect Women"
The eight-episode series will make its global debut on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Wednesday, March 18, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through April 29.

[02/03/26 - 12:16 PM]
Netflix's "Finding Her Edge" Renewed for Season 2
Season 1 of the YA series launched on January 22 and debuted in the Netflix English TV Top 10, where it has remained since its release, climbing up to #3 this week.

[02/03/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of January 26 - Rags to Romance Wins as "Bridgerton" Season 4 Sweeps to No. 1 in the Top 10
"His & Hers" took No. 2 on the English TV list with 11 million views; while YA romance series "Finding Her Edge" moved up to No. 3 on the list with 6.7 million views.

[02/03/26 - 12:01 PM]
Video: Apple TV Unveils the Premiere Date, First Look and Teaser for "Lucky"
"Lucky" will make its global debut on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Wednesday, July 15, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through August 19.

[02/03/26 - 12:01 PM]
Teresa Palmer Signs on to Play Sif in Prime Video's "God of War" from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios
Previously announced cast members include Ryan Hurst as Kratos, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Alaistair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, and Danny Woodburn as Brok.

[02/03/26 - 11:51 AM]
"American Idol" Blasts Off with Biggest Season Debut in Four Years
"American Idol" returned for a new season jumping to 8.27 million Total Viewers and a 1.04 rating among Adults 18-49 after three days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms.

[02/03/26 - 11:32 AM]
"American Idol" Expands Its Live Viewing Experience to Disney+
Beginning March 30, "American Idol" will stream live on Disney+, alongside its traditional broadcast on ABC, expanding the reach of the franchise and connecting with new audiences.

[02/03/26 - 11:16 AM]
Apple TV's Comedic Thriller "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" to Make Global Debut May 20
The 10-episode season will make its global debut on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Wednesday, May 20, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through July 15.

[02/03/26 - 11:01 AM]
"A Man on the Inside" Renewed for Season 3 on Netflix
The series reached the Global Top 10 for five weeks and has a combined viewing of 45M+ views across both seasons through the end of 2025.