or


[05/12/06 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: May 9-12
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!

BIG SHOT (Showtime, New!) - Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner's Hazy Mills Productions is developing a new unflinching drama at the pay channel about pop icon Billy Joel's early years. Paul Chart ("Children of Men") is on board to write the pilot script, which opens in the mid-1970s and follows Joel's first marriage to his then-business manager Elizabeth Weber. Hayes, Milliner and Andrew Harrison Leeds - along with Joel himself - then will serve as executive producers. No other details were given.

CABLE RATINGS ROUND-UP (Various) - HBO's "The Sopranos" continued its cable dominance for the week of May 1-7 with 8.5 million viewers tuning in. Lead-out "Big Love" drew 4.0 million viewers, taking seventh place overall for the week. Outside the top 15, Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" signed off with a series-high 923,000 viewers on May 2 while "Nashville Star" closed its fourth season to the tune of 3.0 million viewers that same night (down 11.76% from its season three finale).

CROSSING JORDAN (NBC) - Jon Cowan, Robert Rovner and Kathy McCormick have been tapped as co-showrunners of the Peacock drama. They'll take over for creator Tim Kring, who's moving on to his new NBC drama "Heroes." The trio will serve alongside fellow returning executive producers Alan Arkush and Dennis Hammer. As part of the promotions, Cowan and Rovner have each signed two-year overall deals with producer NBC Universal Television while McCormick has inked a one-year deal. The former pair then is expected to focus on development for the second year of the pact.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION (ABC) - Denise Cramsey ("House Wars") has been upped to executive producer/showrunner on Endemol USA's veteran alternative series. Cramsey, who had been a co-executive producer since 2004, will take over Tom Forman, who's leaving as part of a new overall deal at CBS Paramount Network Television.

FAST INC. (MTV) - Promos currently running on the cable channel indicate the series, about the company of the same name as they "utilize their connections, craftiness, and charisma to field vintage and muscle car requests from celebrities, models, and eccentric millionaires," will launch on Monday, June 5 at 10:30/9:30c.

GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC) - Writer/producer Debora Cahn ("The West Wing") has inked a two-year overall deal with Touchstone Television. The pact, financial details of which weren't specified, calls for Cahn to join "Grey's Anatomy" next season as a supervising producer as well as develop new projects for the studio.

HBO ORIGINAL PROJECTS (HBO, New!) - The pay channel is said to be close to issuing pilot orders to two projects - "12 Miles of Bad Road," a comedy series about a Dallas matriarchy, and an untitled hour from "Deadwood" creator David Milch and author Kem Nunn ("Tapping the Source") set in the world of surfing. The former project comes from creators/executive producers Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason ("Emeril") while the latter will be co-written by Milch and Nunn with the pair also executive producing alongside Howard Rosenman. Surf legend Herb "Herbie" Fletcher and wife Dibi are also expected to serve as consultants. No specifics however were released about either project. Meanwhile, pre-production reportedly has begun on "In Treatment," a serialized drama told from the point of view of therapists and their patients. HBO is in talks to order five episodes of the series, which is based on the Israeli series "BeTipul." Hagai Levi and Steve Levinson are the executive producers.

KINGS OF SOUTH BEACH (A&E) - "Boomtown" alums Donnie Wahlberg and Jason Gedrick are set to topline the original movie, about the true story of nightclub impresario Chris Paciello, who revived the South Beach scene with aid of the mob. Tim Hunter ("Cold Case") is directing the project, which begins production this month in Puerto Rico, from a script by Nick Pileggi ("Goodfellas"). Sonny Grosso and Larry Jacobson's Grosso-Jacobson Communications is producing the movie in association with Sony Pictures Television. Delia Fine and Clay Kahler also serve as executive producers.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [may 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· 12 MILES OF BAD ROAD (HBO)
· BIG LOVE (HBO)
· BIG SHOT (SHOWTIME)
· BOOMTOWN (NBC)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· CROSSING JORDAN (NBC)
· EMERIL (NBC)
· EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION (HGTV)
· FAST INC. (MTV)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HEROES (NBC)
· HOUSE WARS (USA)
· IN TREATMENT (HBO)
· JOHN FROM CINCINNATI (HBO)
· KINGS OF SOUTH BEACH (A AND E)
· NASHVILLE STAR (NBC)
· REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY, THE (BRAVO)
· SOPRANOS, THE (HBO)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)





[02/18/26 - 11:02 AM]
AMC Networks' March Streaming Highlights Include "Dark Winds," "The City Is Ours: A Crime Family Saga," "100 Nights of Hero" and More
Other offerings include the return of "Mystery Road: Origin" and the debut of "The Feud on Shelbury Drive."

[02/18/26 - 10:10 AM]
Video: Official Trailer for "The Faithful: Women of the Bible" Premiering March 22 on FOX
The highly anticipated biblical event series stars Minnie Driver, Natacha Karam, and Jeffrey Donovan.

[02/18/26 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Documentary "Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare" Debuts March 10
The film reconstructs the nine harrowing days following the disaster in forensic, real-time detail, from the control-room engineers fighting to prevent a total meltdown, to the political leaders confronting the unthinkable, to ordinary citizens caught in the fallout.

[02/18/26 - 09:17 AM]
Great American Media Launches, "40 Days of Scripture & Film," A Lenten Journey Featuring Acclaimed Faith-Based Films, Including "God's Not Dead," "The Blind," "Someone Like You," and "Just in Time"
Other highlights include the mid-winter finale of "Crossroad Springs"; the original movie "Blessings in Disguise"; and an all new season of "When Hope Calls: Brookfield."

[02/18/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Unicorn Academy: Secrets Revealed" Teaser - Netflix Family
Follow Sophia and her friends as they embark on a glimmering quest to unlock Unicorn Island's mysteries and banish Grimoria - and Ravenzella - for good!

[02/18/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Hulu Debuts Official Key Art and Trailer for Season Four of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"
The series returns with all 10 episodes on Thursday, March 12 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ in select international markets.

[02/18/26 - 09:00 AM]
Adult Swim Gives Green Light to Animated Comedy from Dan Licata and Joe Pera, "My Two Cars"
The animated quarter-hour comedy is the only show brave enough to explore what happens when a man owns two cars and all the joy and frustration that comes with it.

[02/18/26 - 08:31 AM]
BET Honors the Enduring Legacy of Civil Rights Trailblazer Rev. Jesse Jackson with Special Tribute, "Jesse Jackson: In His Own Words," Airing February 18 and 19 on BET
Narrated by CBS News National Correspondent Michelle Miller, this BET News special offers a rare and powerful look at Rev. Jackson's life through archival interviews and historic speeches that capture his profound national and global impact.

[02/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV Debuts Trailer for "Imperfect Women," Premiering Globally March 18
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.

[02/18/26 - 06:31 AM]
"Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution" - Historian Lucy Worsley Explores One of History's Most Explosive Breakups and How the British Empire Lost the War for America's Independence Against a Ragtag Band of Rebels
The new two-part series, filmed on both sides of the Atlantic, premieres Tuesday, April 7.

[02/18/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Animal Love" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
Destiny doesn't follow the rules, and neither does the official trailer for "Animal Love."

[02/18/26 - 05:31 AM]
Video: "Eva Lasting" Season 4 - Official Trailer - Netflix
A mysterious teen girl arrives at an all-boys school in 1970s Colombia, breaking stereotypes, rules... and a few hearts.

[02/18/26 - 01:01 AM]
Video: "Blue Therapy" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Seven couples move out of their comfort zones and onto the therapist's couch to try and work through their relationship issues in this reality series.

[02/17/26 - 03:31 PM]
Netflix Announces Adult Animated Series "Bass X Machina"
Brian Tyree Henry, Janelle MonĂ¡e, Tati Gabrielle, Cree Summer, Chaske Spencer, Currie Graham, and Starletta DuPois star in the series, due on October 6, 2026.

[02/17/26 - 02:00 PM]
FOX Unveils Spring 2026 Premiere Dates, Anchored by Eventized Storytelling and Epic High-Profile Adventure
From high-stakes game shows and iconic culinary battles to heartfelt romance, immersive adventure, and epic event series, the spring lineup delivers must-watch programming anchored by familiar favorites and all-new original programming.