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[03/27/08 - 11:05 AM]
Development Update: Thursday, March 27
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!
ANYTOWN BEATDOWN (G4, New!) - "The Celebrity Apprentice" alum/Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Tito Ortiz is developing a new reality series at the cable channel in which friends and rivals resolve their differences by fighting in "The Octagon." G4 has given a pilot order to the project, originally dubbed "Anytown Throwdown," which will track Ortiz as he trains the participants in mixed-martial arts fighting and then lets them duke it out. No other specifics were released.
DOLLHOUSE (FOX) - Tahmoh Penikett ("Battlestar Galactica"), Fran Kranz ("Welcome to the Captain"), Dichen Lachman and Enver Gjokaj are the latest wave of additions to the Eliza Dushku-led drama, about a top-secret world of people programmed with different personalities, abilities and memories depending on their mission. Penikett will play Paul Smith, who's billed in the casting notice as: "30s, any ethnicity, good-looks hardened by a cynical distaste for most of humanity. An FBI field agent, he's been chasing the urban myth of the "Dollhouse" long enough to have lost any shot at promotion. Becomes obsessed with, and twisted romantic foil for, Echo." Kranz then is set as Topher Brink - "20's, any ethnicity, genius programmer who's articulate, nerdily attractive and blithely amoral. He's responsible for imprinting the dolls - and making sure they stay unaware of anything. Is fascinated by the science and kind of digging the illegality. Fun to be around, but might not be remotely trustworthy." - with Lachman as Sierra - "20's, Asian or any ethnicity - certainly not Caucasian. Strikingly beautiful. A Doll like Echo, she has every personality in the world but her own. Is not as self-aware as Echo, but is instinctively drawn to her as a friend." - and Gjokaj as Victor - "20's, any ethnicity, handsome and fit. A Doll, and the other closest thing to a friend Echo has. Childlike when he's inactive, and everything from Errol Flynn to (young) DeNiro when he's active." Joss Whedon is behind the hour, which is based at 20th Century Fox Television.
MYTHOLOGICAL X (CBS) - Rachel Boston, late of FOX's comedy pilot "Hackett," has signed onto the drama pilot, about a woman who, after learning from a psychic that she already has dated the man she's supposed to marry, revisits all her past relationships. She'll play Denise, who's detailed in the casting notice as: "26-32. Michaela's little sister and a bundle of sass and energy. She's fiercely loyal to her older sister, defending her at every turn, mostly when it's unnecessary. She's a professional dancer of the non-exotic variety. She's the girl who had posters of ballet shoes on her walls throughout her youth then went away to college to fully reinforce the negative stereotype of partying, promiscuous dance majors. She makes her living doing videos and commercials but the ageist industry is starting to shun her. She is about to get married to her long-term boyfriend." Diane Ruggiero is behind the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which Timothy Busfield is helming.
NY-LON (CBS) - Elisha Cuthbert ("24"), Caterina Scorsone ("1-800-Missing") and Johnny Whitworth ("CSI: Miami") are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about a New York literacy teacher/record store clerk and a London stock broker who embark on a cross-continental romance. Cuthbert is playing the female lead, Edie Miller, who's detailed via the casting breakdown as follows: "25-29, American, an incredibly appealing, feisty, cool downtown woman who's adopted NY as her home. She teaches adults literacy, and she's totally committed to her students, although she doesn't make much money doing this. She believes in doing what she can to help the world. To make ends meet she also works at a Bleeker Bob's-type used record store for serious music-heads; she loves music. She comes from money but has rejected it, living independently in NYC. Her mother died of cancer when she was young. She's emotional, feisty, strongminded and loyal, someone who women totally identify with and men will follow anywhere. Edie meets Michael (a Brit) on a trip to London. When her bag gets stolen and she finds herself in a bar - broke and without a phone - she asks Michael for help. What starts up as a guarded but flirty exchange ends up as a full-on New York-London relationship, two people not looking for love but falling into it nonetheless."
Scorsone then is set as Astrid - "25-29, American (can be any ethnicity) and Edie's rocker, bohemian, slutty roommate. She's in London with Edie on this fateful trip. She works as a bartender in a funky bar and sleeps around unapologetically. She's totally committed to her "downtown" lifestyle. While she's hip, edgy and audacious, underneath it all, she is clearly lonely. She has relied on sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll to hook up, but we see her vulnerability in that she's in love with Luke, Edie's ex." - with Whitworth as Luke - "Mid-Late 20's, American. Edie's hot, cool, soulful, very sexy bad boy rocker and ex-boyfriend with whom she has recently broken up. His life on the road was too much for her, especially since she suspects he cheated on her. Now that he's just about to "break" as a musician, he doesn't want to be tied down and is totally absorbed with his career. But when his brother, Cookie, dies of an overdose in Edie's apartment (Cookie was house sitting while Edie and Astrid were in London), Luke leans heavily on Edie and quickly realizes that he should never have let her go. He has a long history with Edie and they continue to be attracted to each other. Luke is the guy you've been waiting for forever to come around but never has. Now it feels like he might just be ready. Is it too late? He's intense, he feels things deeply, and he's hot." Rashida Jones, Rachel Miner and David Rogers originated said roles in the U.K. original. Larry Shaw is directing the ABC Studios-based hour from a script by co-creators Lara Runnels and Patti Carr.
THE PRINCE OF MOTOR CITY (ABC, New!) - Playwright Jessica Goldberg, actor Hamish Linklater ("The New Adventures of Old Christine") and executive producers Chris Brancato and Bert Salke are set to team for a new gothic family soap with "Hamlet" overtones set in the world of the Detroit auto business. Goldberg and Linklater penned the pilot script to the project, which is based at ABC Studios. Goldberg, Brancato and Salke then are executive producing with Linklater, who's not attached to star, serving as a consulting producer.
SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH (HBO, New!) - The pay channel is importing all eight episodes of Chris Lilley's Australian comedy series, a mocumentary about life at a high school. Lilley created and executive produced the half-hour, which sees him assuming three different roles: Mr. G, a self-important, high-strung drama teacher; Ja'mie, a haughty, private-school female exchange student; and Jonah, a delinquent, break-dancing obsessed student. Bruce Kane also serves as an executive producer with Laura Waters producing and Stuart McDonald directing. It's understood HBO plans to pair the series with its new animated series "The Life and Times of Tim" on Friday nights this June.
UNTITLED DAVID HEMINGSON PROJECT (ABC) - David Hemingson's dramedy has been given the green light to produce a pilot. The untitled hour revolves around a recent law school grad with blue collar roots who ends up working in a boutique L.A. firm. Hemingson penned the pilot script and is executive producing for 20th Century Fox Television. The Alphabet originally gave the project a put pilot commitment back in August (read the story).
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[03/03/26 - 03:30 PM]
ABC's Beloved Comedy "Scrubs" Returns with Over 11 Million Total Audience to Date
On linear over three days, "Scrubs" was the top comedy telecast among Adults 18-49 (0.74 rating) on any network (excluding post-NFL telecasts) in over a year.
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[03/03/26 - 03:00 PM]
"Marshals" Premiere on CBS Is the Most-Watched New Scripted Debut Without a Football Lead-In Since 2018, with 9.5 Million Viewers
"Marshals," "Tracker" and "60 Minutes" are the top three series on television for the week.
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[03/03/26 - 02:04 PM]
FOX's "Doc" and American Red Cross Rally Fans to Give Blood During Red Cross Month
FOX is kicking off the campaign with a $20,000 donation to the Red Cross and encouraging fans across the country to help give others a second chance at life by giving blood and engaging on social media to further amplify the campaign and support critical blood collection efforts nationwide.
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[03/03/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of February 23 - "Bridgerton" Season 4 Lives Happily Ever After at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Coming in at No. 2 on the English TV list is Season 3 of "The Night Agent" with 9.9 million views.
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[03/03/26 - 11:01 AM]
Here Come the VIPs: Celebrities Are Entering the World of "Squid Game"
With more on the line than ever before, players and celebrity VIPs enter the "Squid Game: The VIP Challenge" for the chance at winning it all.
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[03/03/26 - 11:01 AM]
Lacey Chabert and Scott Michael Foster Star in "Paris Is Always a Good Idea" A New, Limited Series Premiering Later This Year Exclusively on Hallmark+
Based on the bestselling romance novel of the same name by Jenn McKinlay, the six-episode limited series is shooting on location in Paris and Spain.
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[03/03/26 - 10:42 AM]
"Foul Play with Anthony Davis" Star Studded Lineup Including LeBron James, Jordan Chiles, Tara Lipinski, Howie Mandel, Cooper Flagg, Puka Nacua and More Ignite the Ultimate Prank Wars
Hosted by 10-time NBA All-Star and Washington Wizards' Anthony Davis, the series will premiere on Monday, April 6 following the NCAA Championship Game and will simulcast across TBS,?TNT?and truTV.
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[03/03/26 - 10:16 AM]
NBC Renews Innovative Reality Travel Competition Series "Destination X" for Season Two
Produced by Twofour and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group, production on "Destination X" will begin later this year.
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[03/03/26 - 10:02 AM]
HBO Original Documentary Series "Born to Bowl" Debuts March 16
The series takes viewers inside the colorful world of professional bowling, chronicling five stars of the sport - Kyle Troup, Anthony Simonsen, EJ Tackett, Cameron Crowe, and Jason Belmonte - as they chase glory, respect, and much-needed prize money on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour.
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[03/03/26 - 10:01 AM]
"Little House on the Prairie" Renewed for Season 2 Ahead of Series Premiere
Netflix's upcoming adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's enduring, almost 100-year-old book series about growing up in the American West in the 1800s, will premiere on July 9, 2026 - and it's already coming back for more.
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[03/03/26 - 09:43 AM]
OWN Celebrates Women's History Month with a Special OWN Spotlight Honoring the Life and Legacy of Roberta Flack
"OWN Spotlight: Roberta" airs Thursday, March 12 at 9pm ET/PT on OWN.
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[03/03/26 - 09:09 AM]
TNT Sports Announces Multi-Year Extensions with Jimmy Rollins and Jeff Francoeur
MLB Tuesday on TBS will open its 2026 regular season coverage on Tuesday, March 31, with a matchup of baseball's home run leaders from the past two seasons: 2025 Home Run Champion Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners will host 2024 Home Run Champion Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees at 9:30 p.m. ET.
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[03/03/26 - 09:06 AM]
Meet Your Max and Chloe in the Upcoming "Life Is Strange" Series on Prime Video
Tatum Grace Hopkins and Maisy Stella have been cast as Max Caulfield and Chloe Price, respectively.
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[03/03/26 - 09:01 AM]
The History Channel Announces Global Rollout of Landmark Series "World War II with Tom Hanks" Launching This Memorial Day
The landmark 20-episode documentary series reexamines World War II through the lens of a new century, offering a deeply human portrait of how the modern world was forged in the fires of global conflict.
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[03/03/26 - 08:54 AM]
Intense, Action-Packed Ukrainian Series "Double Stakes" Makes Exclusive U.S. Debut Thursday, March 19, 2026 on European Streamer Viaplay
Arriving at a cultural moment when American audiences are hungry for authentic stories from Ukraine, this eight-part series blends the moody atmospherics of Nordic Noir with the gritty realism of a modern Ukraine.
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