[07/18/08 - 07:07 PM] Development Update: Friday, July 18 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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CSI: MIAMI (CBS) - Megalyn Echikunwoke ("The 4400") has been tapped for a recurring role on the veteran drama. She'll play a medical examiner who makes a good first impression with Lt. Horatio Caine and company. Her casting comes as Khandi Alexander, who played the show's previous medical examiner Dr. Alexx Woods, departed the show earlier this year. Alexander however may return for guest appearances.
SHOWTIME AT THE TCA - In addition to its pickups of "Nurse Jackie" (read the story) and "Lock 'N Load" (read the story), the pay channel outlined a few other details about its 2008-09 season plans. Said developments come as the network experiences a subscription growth of 1.6 million homes in the past 12 months, bringing its total to 15.6 million. "Californication" will return for its second season on Sunday, September 28, presumably after the season three launch of "Dexter." The latter has also added Charles H. Eglee ("The Shield") as an executive producer while Pamela Adlon has been upped to regular on the former. Meanwhile, "Weeds" has been extended for two additional 13-episode seasons (its fifth and sixth) while talks are underway with Ira Glass for a third season of "This American Life." And finally, the network has greenlit production on a pilot for a potential spin-off of the soon-to-conclude "The L Word." Ilene Chaiken is creating and executive producing the project, which will star one of the actresses from the parent series. No other specifics however were given other than the chosen actress does not yet know it will feature her.
