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[01/25/08 - 06:37 PM]
Development Update: Week of January 21-25
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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!
FRINGE (FOX) - John Noble ("The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King") and Lance Reddick ("The Wire") have landed two of the principal roles on the drama pilot, about a young female FBI agent who is forced to confront the spread of unexplained phenomena and work with an institutionalized scientist whose work might be at the center of the coming storm. Noble is set as Dr. Walter Bishop, said scientist, with Reddick as Phillip Broyles, a special agent for Homeland Security who heads the special Fringe division. They join the previously cast Kirk Acevedo and Mark Valley. Production on the two-hour pilot is set to begin shortly with Alex Graves helming from a script by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The quartet also serve as executive producers alongside Bad Robot's Bryan Burk for Warner Bros. Television.
KATH & KIM (NBC) - Selma Blair is in talks to star opposite Molly Shannon in the comedy pilot, about the dysfunctional relationship between a mother (Shannon) and her daughter (Blair). Blair's character, Kim Day Fattibene, is further detailed in the casting notice as follows: "26-32, any ethnicity. Also attractive, but not on the same healthy path as her mother, Kim is oblivious to needing any fitness or life plan whatsoever. Although loveable and endearing, she is a drama queen, tends to sit on the couch a lot, self absorbed and a little spoiled. She carries a few extra pounds but still thinks she's the hottest thing around and resists her mother's advice on pulling her life together. She's just left her perfectly nice husband, Dennis, not for the first time, just because he shushed her at a ballgame. Kim - after moving back home - now fully expects her mom and best friend Debbie to drop everything and attend to her and is horrified to learn that her Mom has a boyfriend and a sex life." Michelle Nader is behind the Universal Media Studios/Reveille-based half-hour, which Paul Feig is directing. Nader and Rick McKenna also serve as executive producers alongside original Aussie creators Gina Riley and Jane Turner.
LEGALLY BLONDE (MTV, New!) - The cable channel is casting a potential new "Grease: You're the One That I Want"-esque series in which women ages 18 and older with vocal, acting and dancing skills compete for the role of Elle Woods in the Broadway production of the film franchise. Laura Bell Bundy plays said role in the current production, which opened in April and has grossed a little over $30.8 million to date, a performance of which was broadcast on MTV on October 13. Casting calls are set for the coming weeks in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Nashville and Orlando. No production details however have been confirmed.
S.I.S. (Spike TV) - Keith David ("First Sunday") has scored the lead role in the two-hour backdoor pilot, about a five-man elite secretive police unit within the LAPD that tackles major crimes and major criminals. He'll play Assistant Chief Joseph Armstrong who's detailed in the casting notice as: "50's-60's. The head of the S.I.S. unit, Armstrong is a righteous man with a crisp military bearing. A devout Mormon, Armstrong prides himself on believing in men who have lost belief in themselves, and Billy Beckett is his latest "adoptee". Believing that Billy is a great detective who has lost his confidence, Armstrong is willing to buck official disapproval in order to get another great detective on his squad, no matter the price. A tough-minded man who has to stop his determined squad members from using their covert status to execute assassinations, Armstrong is the moral center of the S.I.S. team." Omari Hardwick, Matt Nable, Peter Stebbings and Colleen Porch also star in the project, which comes from Sony Pictures Television and Neal Moritz's Original Film. John Herzfeld will direct the pilot from his own script as well as executive produce alongside Moritz and Vivian Cannon.
A VERY MERRY DAUGHTER OF THE BRIDE (Lifetime, New!) - Luke Perry, JoAnna Garcia, Helen Shaver and Kenneth Welsh are set to star in a Christmas-themed movie at the cable channel. The project, due in December, centers on Roxanne (Garcia), a twentysomething wedding planner who conspires with Charlie (Perry), the son of her mother Rose's (Shaver) new beau Jack (Welsh), to break up their parents' impending nuptials but an unexpected romantic development forces Roxanne to re-examine her feelings. Actor/director Leslie Hope ("24") is helming the project from a script by Scott Eastlick and Nadine Van Der Veld. Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev are producing for Nomadic Pictures.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[02/24/26 - 02:28 PM]
ESPN NBA Schedule Update: Detroit Pistons vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Added on March 28
This game replaces the previously postponed Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves matchup on January 24.
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[02/24/26 - 01:48 PM]
Nearly 21 Million Viewers Watched NBCUniversal's Coverage of USA-Canada Olympic Men's Gold Medal Hockey Game, Peaking at 26 Million for Game-Winning Goal on NBC & Peacock
The USA-Canada gold-medal game delivered an average live audience of 18.6 million viewers on NBC and Peacock (8:15-11 a.m. ET).
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[02/24/26 - 01:30 PM]
Video: Trailer Debut - Spanish Hulu Original "If It's Tuesday, It's Murder"
The series starring Álex García, Inma Cuesta, Ana Wagener, Pedro Casablanc and Biel Montoro, will premiere exclusively on Disney+ in the UK and Ireland and Hulu in the US on March 31.
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[02/24/26 - 01:21 PM]
Bravo's "Vanderpump Rules" Two-Part Reunion Kicks Off Tuesday, March 3 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Host Andy Cohen sits down with Lisa Vanderpump, Venus Binkley, Jason Cohen, Shayne Davis, Chris Hahn, Angelica Jensen, Marcus Johnson, Audrey Lingle, Natalie Maguire, Demy Selem and Kim Suarez to reflect on the season.
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[02/24/26 - 01:01 PM]
"One Piece: Into the Grand Line" Coming to Netflix and Select Theaters for Fan Events on March 10
Experience your favorite adventurers like never before, surrounded by other fans just like you.
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[02/24/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of Feb. 16 - "Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model" Sashays to No. 1 in Top 10
Plus: Season 3 of "The Night Agent" took No. 2 on the English TV list with 8.4 million views.
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[02/24/26 - 11:01 AM]
"Stranger Things: Tales From '85" Reveals Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter and Character Posters
The animated series premieres April 23, 2026 on Netflix.
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[02/24/26 - 10:55 AM]
Video: New "Scrubs" Title Sequence Released, Confirming They're Still "Superman"
The first two episodes of "Scrubs" premiere back-to-back Wednesday, February 25 at 8pm ET/PT on ABC.
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[02/24/26 - 10:05 AM]
Ed Skrein Signs On to Play Baldur in Prime Video's "God of War" from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios
Previously announced cast members include Ryan Hurst as Kratos, Callum Vinson as Atreus, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Danny Woodburn as Brok, and Mandy Patinkin as Odin.
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[02/24/26 - 10:04 AM]
Bravo Serves Fresh Peaches and Fierce Vibes as "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Returns on Sunday, Apr. 5 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Returning "housewives" include Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks, Drew Sidora, Shamea Morton Mwangi, Angela Oakley and Kelli Ferrell.
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[02/24/26 - 09:52 AM]
Presenters Announced for the "57th NAACP Image Awards"
NAACP also announced that iconic group Salt-N-Pepa and DJ Spindarella will be inducted into the esteemed NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, presented by Tide, during this year's ceremony.
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[02/24/26 - 09:39 AM]
2026 NAACP Image Award Nominated Series "Love & Marriage: Huntsville" Returns with New Episodes Starting March 7 on OWN
The series will continue to follow the lives of a group of longtime friends and frenemies from Huntsville, Alabama whose bold personalities, complicated relationships and business ambitions keep emotions running high.
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[02/24/26 - 09:31 AM]
Netflix's "Untold" Returns with Four New Films
Premiering weekly, these gripping, character-driven stories feature raw, first-person perspectives from those at the heart of the action - revealing the determination, setbacks, and surprising truths that unfold behind the scenes.
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[02/24/26 - 09:05 AM]
CBS Sports Reaches Agreement for Paramount+ to Become Exclusive U.S. English-Language Home of All Concacaf Women's Competitions Through 2030
Across four distinct competitions featuring club and national team matches, CBS Sports will present more than 250 games with every match on Paramount+ and select matches co-airing on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network.
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[02/24/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Great British Baking Show: Juniors" - Official Trailer - The Roku Channel
Host Harry Hill welcomes talented junior bakers to the iconic Baking Show tent, where judges Liam Charles and Ravneet Gill will crown Britain's best junior baker.
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