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[08/05/08 - 06:52 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, August 5
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!
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? (FOX) - Twentieth Television and Mark Burnett Productions are reportedly close to moving forward with a syndicated version of the successful FOX game show in the fall of 2009. The project, like NBC's "Deal or No Deal," would feature a condensed half-hour version of the parent hourlong show. Jeff Foxworthy is expected to host both the FOX and the syndicated incarnations.
CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR (CBS, New!) - Richard Murphy's upcoming book, about Henry Sullivan, a blue-collar Los Angeles contractor who oversees high-end renovations for wealthy clients, is heading to the small screen. Shawn Ryan ("The Shield") is on board to shepherd the project, which has a put pilot commitment from the network and 20th Century Fox Television. Murphy will pen and co-executive produce the pilot with Ryan supervising and serving as its executive producer via his MiddKid Productions banner. Said hour is loosely on Murphy's own experience remodeling homes in L.A. off and on for 12 years. As for specifics, the book has Henry falling for two of his female clients, who happen to be former best friends. Anonymous's Jeff Okin, Murphy's manager, and Paul Green will also receive executive producing credits.
GARY UNMARRIED (CBS) - Ed Begley Jr. ("Recount") has joined the cast of the freshman comedy, which stars Jay Mohr as a newly divorced dad. He'll take over for Larry Miller as Dr. Krandall. His character is detailed in the casting notice as follows: "50-60, Male, intelligent, educated but a bit of a pompous blowhard. Dr. Krandall is the family therapist, who has been counseling Gary and Allison during their divorce. He is now engaged to be married to Allison, and comes to Gary's house to offer his services as a therapist to help Gary process his feelings about this awkward situation. Basically a decent guy who wants to help, Dr. Krandall mediates as Gary, Vanessa and Allison vent a few grievances." Producers are also recasting Louise, the daughter of Mohr's character. Laura Marano played the role in the original pilot. No reason for the changes were given.
HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS) - "Supernatural" alum Katie Cassidy has joined the cast of the midseason drama, about a group of friends who meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding - to terrifying results. She'll play Trish Wellington, whom the casting notice describes as: "Mid 20s, Caucasian female. The bride. Radiant, dignified, intelligent, and perfectly put-together, with her charm and lovely personality she almost seems too good to be true. The heiress to the Wellington family fortune, she has fallen in love with Henry Dunn, a local boy who used to work on her daddy's boats during the summer. Intent on having the perfect wedding, she has invited dozens of friends to spend a perfect weekend on Harper's Island. But Trish has at least two surprises in store for her." Samantha Noble originated the role in the project's initial pilot presentation. Christopher Gorham and Elaine Cassidy also star.
HYPER-CHONDRIAC (NBC, New!) - Brian Frazer's memoir, subtitled "One Man's Quest to Hurry Up and Calm Down," is being developed as a potential single-camera comedy at the network. Jason Dean Hall ("Grand Theft Auto") is on board to pen the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, with the ever-busy Ryan Murphy executive producing. Frazer's tome details his journey to resolve the stress that was causing all of his unusual ailments. The adaptation then will center on Brian, a pharmaceutical salesman who's forced to sell his wares at hospitals and, as a result, consistently thinks he's suffering from a wide range of maladies. Murphy then is on board to direct from a script by Hall, who will serve as a co-executive producer.
RISE OF THE GARGOYLE (Sci Fi, New!) - Eric Balfour ("24") is set to topline a new original movie for the cable channel about an ancient gargoyle monster whose terror is unleashed in modern-day Paris. He'll play Jack Richmond, a struggling author whose outlandish theories on pagan architecture make him the laughingstock of the academic world. Caroline Neron, Jason Salinger, Nick Mancuso and Tanya Clarke also star in the project, which is currently in production at Romania's Mediapro Studios. Muse Entertainment's Michael Prupas and RHI Entertainment's Robert Halmi Sr. are executive producing with Bill Corcoran as director, Pierre Jodoin as the director of photography and Francois Sylvestre and Andreea Stanculeanu producing.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS (Syndication) - Actor/reality staple Christopher Knight has been tapped to host the upcoming game show, based on the iconic Hasbro board game. Production on the series begins this week for a September 22 launch on stations across the country, including FOX affiliates in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Wheeler-Sussman Productions is producing the half-hour with Debmar-Mercury distributing.
UNTITLED POLITICAL THRILLER (AMC) - Jason Horwitch and Joshua Maurer's drama for the cable channel has been given the green light to produce a pilot. The untitled hour revolves around a secret society that pulls the strings on the world political stage and an analyst at a national think tank who discovers that his employers are not who they seem to be. Horwitch penned the pilot and is executive producing alongside Maurer. Production is set to begin in October.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[08/18/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of August 10 - "My Life with the Walter Boys" Lassos No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
"Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes" launched in the No. 2 spot on the English TV list, gathering 4.9 million views.
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[08/18/26 - 11:56 AM]
Lifetime Adds Two New Movies Inspired by Actual Events to Its "Strength of a Lifetime" September Slate
"Sole Survivor of Flight 119" and "The Ocean Between Them" join the previously announced "Angel in the Rubble: The Genelle Guzman Story."
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[08/18/26 - 10:05 AM]
FOX Sports Unveils Landmark Production Plans and Broadcast Schedule for Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.
The unprecedented event, a centerpiece of the nation's 250th birthday celebration, will showcase the most ambitious live motorsports production in FOX Sports history while offering viewers unparalleled coverage of a revolutionary event in American motorsports.
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[08/18/26 - 10:00 AM]
Darren Criss, Sherry Cola and James Monroe Iglehart Join the Cast of "Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story"
Hugo Ateo, Sean Yves Lessard and Dan Bakkedahl are also bound for the project.
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[08/18/26 - 09:31 AM]
Netflix's New Unscripted Dating Format "Weight to Date" Explores Love After Extreme Weight Loss
The series is a dating format that follows singles during and after extreme weight loss as they navigate dating, identity, and the search for lasting love.
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[08/18/26 - 09:26 AM]
Horror Has No Off-Season: Terror on Tubi Becomes a Year-Round Destination for Fans
With more than 13,000 hours of horror content, Tubi gives fans the depth and freedom to follow their obsessions wherever they lead.
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[08/18/26 - 09:16 AM]
Video: "El Juicio" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
The new series, inspired by true stories, premieres on September 11, only on Prime Video.
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[08/18/26 - 08:03 AM]
Olivia Colman Joins Season 6 of "Only Murders in the Building"
Hulu confirmed the news on social media this morning.
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[08/18/26 - 08:02 AM]
Video: "The Creep Tapes" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Shudder
Peachfuzz isn't finished with you yet.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
Kim Kardashian and the Producers of "Love Island USA" Bring "Team Moms: Baseball" to Paramount+ September 24
The series follows a group of parents whose sons attend Legendary Prep Academy: a premier baseball training school in Scottsdale, Arizona, dedicated to molding the next generation of star athletes.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
First Look at "East of Eden" Coming to Netflix October 1, 2026
Starring Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, and Mike Faist, the multigenerational saga follows the Trask family through generations shaped by ambition, betrayal, and the haunting, indelible antihero Cathy Ames.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
One of America's Most Frightening Homes Gets an Overhaul in New HGTV Competition Series "A Very Haunted Renovation"
In the six-episode season, hosted by actress Anna Camp, six daring designers, SK Stokes Kennedy, Patrick Peel, John Ryan, Bershan Shaw, Logan Wright and Diana Vogel, will live inside the uncanny abode for 31 days while completing a top-to-bottom transformation - all in pursuit of a $50,000 dollar cash prize.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
Two Seasons of Circa Sports' Hit "Circa Survivor" Docuseries Premieres on AXS TV Sunday, August 23, 30 & September 6, Featuring "The Quest for $14.2 Million" and "The Quest for $18.7 Million"
Expertly crafted, "Circa Survivor" offers a rare and unfiltered look into the ever-growing field of sports betting - showcasing all of the unprecedented highs and devastating lows, packed with unforgettable moments, larger-than-life personalities, and the ultimate in high-stakes competition.
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[08/18/26 - 07:31 AM]
Elizabeth Chambers Returns to Investigation Discovery to Explore the Dark and Dangerous Side of Love with New Season of "Toxic"
The new season will premiere Tuesday, September 15 at 10PM ET/PT on ID, with new episodes airing weekly.
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[08/18/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Case Reopened! BritBox Debuts Official Trailer for Season Two of "Ludwig," Premiering on October 13
The six-episode season premieres on BritBox in North America on October 13, with weekly episodes following until the finale on November 17.
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