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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 signature "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!
COMPANY MAN (FOX) - Jason Behr ("Roswell") and Annie Wersching ("General Hospital") have been tapped for the lead roles in the drama pilot, about a family man (Behr) recruited by the National Security Agency as a spy within the defense contracting company he works for. Behr will play the title role of Paul Fisher, while Wersching is set as his wife Kate Fisher. The revised casting notice for the former character details him as - "Late 20s-Early 30s. Smart, thoughtful...and a brilliant engineer. He will be enlisted by the government, against his will to be a spy. He's clever enough to succeed, but he's no hero. He's an ordinary guy - who just wants to start a family with his young wife." - while the latter is described as - "Late 20s-Early 30s. Formally a corporate lawyer who got addicted to painkillers. Got into a car accident while under the influence and was disbarred. She just wants to get pregnant and start a family with Paul. Smart, warm...and a touch fragile." Behr takes over for Stephen Moyer, who exited the project after the producers opted to revamp the show with a significantly younger cast as well as write out the couple's son (played by Jesse James).
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Annie Wersching (Kate Fisher), Billy Brown (Tom Wicks), Jason Behr (Paul Fisher), Stana Katic (Sara Baker)
Writers: David Ehrman, Robert Cochran
Director: Jon Cassar
Executive Producers: David Ehrman, Howard Gordon (Real Time Productions), Joel Surnow (Real Time Productions), Jon Cassar, Robert Cochran (Real Time Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
DASH 4 CASH (The CW) - Johann Urb ("Dirt"), Brianna Brown ("Shark"), Jud Tylor ("What About Brian") and Kevin Christy ("Love Don't Cost a Thing") are the latest additions to the pilot, a comedy set behind the scenes of a racing TV reality show. Urb will play Rick, who's detailed in the casting notice as follows: "25, buff, large, good-looking, chick-loving, sincere and a bit na�ve (think Chris Klein), this former frat-boy and football jock has partnered up with his college roommate, Durkin. The guys hope to win the half-million prize so they can help out Timmy the Towel Guy, who was fired from his job handing out towels to the football players during games. Rick is completely oblivious to Durkin's lustful feelings toward him."
Brown then is set as Noelle - "27. Nick's half-sister. She is a pediatrician, lovely, refined, educated, and generous. Nick's sudden appearance in her life has thrown her a bit, and she tries to distance herself from his wackiness. Recently single, she's still sad over the demise of her long-term relationship (though she was the one who ended things, and it was for the best). She and Michael immediately click and help each other out in their personal relationships with Nick and Calvin, respectively. It's very easy to root for Noelle." - with Taylor as Dottie - "20s. Meredith's team partner, gorgeous and overly sweet; a perennial volunteer, churchgoer and do-gooder who firmly believes her "relationship with God" improves her chances of winning Dash 4 Cash. Dottie may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but she's very pretty and always kind. Her naivete however sometimes makes her an unwitting accomplice in her partner's underhanded tactics. Unlike the duplicitous Meredith, Dottie's intentions are always pure."
And finally, Christy is reportedly playing Ronnie - "Early 20s. A comic book geek and computer gaming expert, he speaks in instant message abbreviations ("LOL"; "IMO"). As an assistant manager at Kinko's, he is confident he has acquired the necessary tools to be a qualified leader/problem-solver. Extremely intelligent in matters of science and math, but socially dim, he partners up with his best friend Pablo to win the Dash 4 Cash race in hopes of providing for his grandmother."
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Brianna Brown (Noelle), Johann Urb (Rick), Jonathan Chase (Michael), Jud Tylor (Dottie), Kevin Christy (Ronnie), Kyle Bornheimer (Nick), Rick Hall (Calvin)
Writers: Boyce Bugliari, Jamie McLaughlin
Director: Betty Thomas
Executive Producers: Kelsey Grammer (Grammnet Productions), Steve Stark (Grammnet Productions)
Co-Executive Producers: Boyce Bugliari, Jamie McLaughlin
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television
SEE JAYNE RUN (ABC) - Heather Locklear ("Angels Fall") has scored the lead role on the comedy pilot, about an accomplished alpha female working in the male-dominated world of investment banking who struggles to balance career and motherhood. She'll play Jayne Doherty, the title character in the project.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Ava Gaudet (Jessica), Heather Locklear (Jayne Doherty), Jarrad Paul (Neil), Kurt Fuller (Harold), Stephen Rannazzisi (Paul)
Writer: Alana Sanko
Director: Will MacKenzie
Executive Producers: Alana Sanko, Peter Traugott (Brillstein-Grey Television)
Studio: ABC Television Studio
VIEWSERS (The CW, New!) - The netlet has added another alternative pilot to its potential 2007-08 season roster - this time a new viral video show along the lines of VH1's recently launched "Acceptable TV." The project, from David Hurwitz and Paul Cockerill's Room 403 Productions, will likewise feature user generated videos with the most popular making the cut from week to week. In addition, the series will reportedly offer various online components, such as interacting with other viewers "live" during the broadcast. No other specifics were released.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: David Hurwitz, Paul Cockerill
Studio: Room 403 Productions
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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