or


[01/31/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: January 31
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 branded "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!

COMMUNITY SERVICE (NBC, New!) - David Israel and Jim O'Doherty, the pair behind the Greg Grunberg-led comedy pilot "Grand Union," have landed a new comedy project at the network and NBC Universal Television. The single-camera project, which has a pilot order from the network, revolves around a big-time real estate developer who loses everything after a legal skirmish and winds up having to perform 500 hours of community service back in his small hometown, where he pursues a lost love. Israel and O'Doherty will write the pilot script and executive produce.

CULT (The CW) - Rockne S. O'Bannon's drama pilot, about a man's (Matthew Bomer) investigation of a string of mysterious deaths and disappearances surrounding a TV series named "Cult," has been terminated following last week's announcement of the merger between The WB and UPN. The new network's limited real estate was cited as the reason by industry insiders. Warner Bros. Television was behind "Cult," which was to be directed by Yves Simoneau from a script by O'Bannon.

MR. & MRS. SMITH (ABC, New!) - A small screen version of the recent Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt-led feature, about a suburban couple secretly working as competing assassins, is being developed by its director, Doug Liman. ABC has given a pilot order to the project, which is being targeted for midseason 2007 at the earliest. Simon Kinberg, who penned the feature script, is on board to write the pilot with Liman likely directing should his schedule permit. Regency Television and Fox TV Studios are behind the hour, which will be executive produced by Kinberg, Liman and Doug Bartis via the latter two's Dutch Oven (previously Hypnotic) banner.

MORE, PATIENCE (FOX) - FOX is taking a third stab at developing Jed Seidel's ("Veronica Mars") comedy-turned-drama-turned-comedy project, about a quirky 30-year-old New York therapist named Patience More who has difficulty navigating her personal life. Mary McCormack ("The West Wing") starred in and Jon Turteltaub directed the original single-camera comedy pilot, which was shot back in 2001. The following season a one-hour version was developed but never made it to pilot. The 2006 edition, which has a cast-contigent pilot order, will revert back to the single-camera format with Gavin Polone's Pariah returning to produce along with Sony Pictures Television. Seidel, Polone and Jamie Tarses then will serve as executive producers.

UNTITLED JOE PORT/JOE WISEMAN PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Joe Port and Joe Wiseman (NBC's "The Men's Room") have landed a pilot order from CBS and NBC Universal Television for a new comedy about a young couple who must deal with the wife's large extended family. The pair will pen the pilot script and serve as co-executive producers on the project with Moses Port and David Guarascio (NBC's "Lies and the Wives We Tell Them To") executive producing.

UNTITLED TOM HERTZ PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Tom Hertz ("The King of Queens") has scored a pilot order from the Eye and Sony Pictures Television for a new comedy about a married couple, an engaged duo and a single guy. Adam Sandler's Happy Madison banner is behind the half-hour, which will be executive produced by Hertz, Sandler and fellow Madison principals Jack Giarraputo and Doug Robinson. No other details were given.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM (A.K.A. UNTITLED GABRIELLE ALLAN PROJECT) (CBS) - Gabrielle Allan's ("Scrubs") comedy project for the Eye and Warner Bros. Television has received a cast-contingent pilot order from the network. The project, which Allan will write and executive produce, revolves around about three best friends with young kids - all with very different attitudes toward marriage, motherhood and their careers. The contingency is tied to casting the lead role, a woman who cuts back her workload to focus on motherhood.

WILL & GRACE (NBC) - Writer/producer Abraham Higginbotham (also of "Arrested Development" fame) has inked a seven-figure, multi-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact, which begins in June, calls for Higginbotham to develop original projects for the studio.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [january 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (NETFLIX)
· COMMUNITY SERVICE (NBC)
· CULT (CW)
· GRAND UNION (NBC)
· INSEPARABLE (CBS)
· KING OF QUEENS, THE (CBS)
· LIES AND THE WIVES WE TELL THEM TO (NBC)
· MEN'S ROOM, THE (NBC)
· MORE, PATIENCE (FOX)
· MR. AND MRS. SMITH (ABC)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· SCRUBS (ABC)
· VERONICA MARS (HULU)
· WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE GYM (CBS)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)





[11/15/25 - 03:31 PM]
I Do Think So, Honey! The "Las Culturistas Culture Awards" Returns to Bravo in 2026
This marks the second consecutive year the network will televise the event and fifth year overall of the award show.

[11/15/25 - 12:12 PM]
Video: "The Traitors" Makes BravoCon Debut with Traitor de Force Panel and Season 4 Tease
Season four returns January 8 and is hosted by the impossibly stylish and devastatingly witty Emmy Award-winning Alan Cumming.

[11/14/25 - 09:31 PM]
Video: "Dining With The Kapoors" - Trailer - Netflix
This special offers a rare glimpse into the Kapoors, Hindi cinema's first family, over an afternoon of conversation, nostalgia and homemade delicacies.

[11/14/25 - 02:31 PM]
Video: "Kevin Hart: Acting My Age" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Older, wiser - and still hilarious. Kevin Hart opens up about his midlife mishaps, from intimacy pills to the perils of unexpected injuries.

[11/14/25 - 01:02 PM]
Bravo Is Turning on the Mic as It Greenlights "Still Flipping Out (wt)"
In his new Bravo series, Jeff Lewis is as outspoken as ever, but this time the mic is always on.

[11/14/25 - 12:11 PM]
Video: Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Potomac" Season 10 Midseason Trailer Brings Shocking Revelations and the Return of the Grande Dame
The tease reveals Andy Cohen's visit with Karen Huger in Potomac at her home for a deeply personal and reflective conversation that will air in the season finale.

[11/14/25 - 12:10 PM]
Bravo Picks Up New Seasons of the "Below Deck" Franchise
Bravo has picked up "Below Deck" for a 13th season and "Below Deck Mediterranean" for an 11th season.

[11/14/25 - 12:01 PM]
Video: The Actor Awards - Official Announcement - Netflix
The only awards show exclusively for actors enters a new era! The Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG Awards) has a new name.

[11/14/25 - 10:32 AM]
Bravo's New Series "The Valley: Persian Style" Premieres Jan. 8 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
A spinoff of "The Valley," this series follows a tight-knit group of Persian friends who have traded Beverly Hills for suburban life in the Valley.

[11/14/25 - 10:30 AM]
"High Potential" Season 2 Premiere Scores Over 21 Million Total Viewers Across 35 Days
Season to date, the powerhouse drama continues to dominate, ranking as the No. 1 original broadcast series for the second season in a row among Adults 18-49 (2.42 rating), based on Nielsen cross-platform rankings.

[11/14/25 - 10:05 AM]
AMC Networks' Sports Docuseries, "Rise of the 49ers," to Debut as a Limited Series Event on Sunday, February 1 and Monday, February 2 on AMC and AMC+
The limited series event explores the dramatic and iconic run of the San Francisco 49ers during the '80s and early '90s.

[11/14/25 - 10:00 AM]
NBC's Annual "Christmas in Rockefeller Center" Celebrates the Holiday Season with Star-Studded Performances on Dec. 3
Audiences can expect a star-studded evening of festive performances from many musical guests, including Marc Anthony, Halle Bailey, Michael Bublé, Kristin Chenoweth, Laufey, New Edition, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, the Radio City Rockettes and Gwen Stefani.

[11/14/25 - 09:35 AM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Rises Week to Week with 6.67 Million Total Viewers as Show Heads to Semi-Finals
This marks the show's best performance for its last episode before the semi-finals among Total Viewers in six years and among Adults 18-49 in eight years.

[11/14/25 - 09:31 AM]
Video: "Squid Game: The Challenge" Season 2 - Finale Trailer - Netflix
Featuring new, unpredictable challenges and high-stakes games from the hit series, this reality competition brings the "Squid Game" phenomenon to life.

[11/14/25 - 09:31 AM]
"Wicked: One Wonderful Night" Shines for NBC
Across all platforms, the special drew 3.6 million viewers, which was up 64% from last year's "Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked" special.