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[10/07/08 - 06:24 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, October 7
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!
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS (FOX, New!) - Christine Zander ("Samantha Who?") is developing a domestic take on the infamous U.K. comedy, about the friendship of two boozy, over-40 best friends who are desperate to stay hip and youthful. The project, which has script commitment with a penalty attached, is set up at Mitch Hurwitz, Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum's Sony Pictures Television-based Tantamount banner. Jennifer Saunders, the mind behind the U.K. original, along with Ian Moffitt will also executive produce via BBC Worldwide Productions. ABC was the last network to take a stab at importing the show nearly a decade ago with Roseanne Barr and Carrie Fisher in the roles made famous by Saunders and Joanna Lumley.
THE RICHES (FX) - The cable channel confirmed this week the Minnie Driver/Eddie Izzard-led drama won't return for a third season. The news had been widely expected as its strike-shortened sophomore run experienced a significant 44% drop in the key 18-49 demographic. Dmitry Lipkin was behind the hour, which was co-produced by Fox Television Studios, FX Productions and Maverick Television.
THE WASHINGTONIENNE (HBO) - Rachael Taylor, Amanda Walsh and Bitsie Tulloch have scored the lead roles in the Sarah Jessica Parker-produced comedy, about the professional and personal lives of three smart, sophisticated 28-year-old girls working on Capitol Hill. Taylor will play Jackie, "a recent transplant from New York who has decided to pursue a career as a speechwriter but first must work her way up from the intern desk"; with Tulloch as April, her mentor friend from college "who has been on the Hill since graduation and lives a prematurely middle-age lifestyle with a boyfriend who seems more in love with his flashy senator boss than with her"; and Walsh as Laura, "a small-town girl whose workaholic ways often come at the expense of a social life and who is constantly defending her Republican views to her liberal friends." Also signing on is David Furr as April's boyfriend Tom, an aide to a charismatic senator. Susanna Fogel and Joni Lefkowitz penned the pilot script based on Jessica Cutler's semi-autobiographical book. Vanessa Taylor was previously attached to pen the adaptation. Parker, Parker's producing partner Alison Benson, Sarah Condon and Stacy Traub are the executive producers.
WIPEOUT (ABC) - Japanese broadcaster Tokyo Broadcasting System has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles against ABC, alleging "Wipeout" is "a blatant copycat" of several of its classic Japanese competition series, including "Takeshi's Castle," "Sasuke" and "Kuniochi." Spike TV's "MXC" and G4's "Ninja Warrior" feature footage from "Castle" and "Sasuke," respectively, here in the U.S. "ABC's willful and wrongful use of Plaintiff's shows to create 'Wipeout' is egregious, inexcusable and not to be tolerated," the complaint reads. Among its claims: ABC bought search terms such as "MXC" on Google to help drive traffic to the official "Wipeout" page and a memo from Alphabet executive VP Howard Davine indicating producers to "carefully scrutinize" whether licensing foreign formats "is necessary or appropriate." A separate lawsuit against producer Endemol is also said to be pending.
THE WISHING WELL (Hallmark, New!) - Ernest Borgnine, Jordan Ladd and Sally Kellerman are set to star in a new original movie at the cable channel about a reporter (Ladd) sent to Slow Creek, Illinois, to write a fluff piece on the local wishing well, which ends up having an impact on her life. Borgnine then plays a local innkeeper with Kellerman as a waitress/the unofficial town therapist. David Jackson is directing the movie, from a script by Steven H. Berman with Larry Levinson executive producing and Brian Gordon and Susan McGuire producing.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[04/14/26 - 03:45 PM]
With Nearly 10 Million Viewers, ABC News' Special Live Coverage of Artemis II's Return, Anchored by David Muir, Is #1 Across the Board
Said coverage more than doubled NBC and CBS and eclipsed the combined viewership of CNN, Fox News and MS NOW.
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[04/14/26 - 03:05 PM]
FOX Sports Scores Most-Watched Baseball Telecast of the Week
2,131,000 viewers tuned-in to FOX's Saturday baseball coverage for a two-game slate highlighted by Boston's 7-1 victory over St. Louis in most of the country.
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[04/14/26 - 02:40 PM]
Ahead of the Premiere of Season Two of "Dr. Pimple Popper: Breaking Out" on April 20, Dr. Lee Reveals Stroke During Production
This season, Dr. Lee and her team tackle never-before-seen cases that push the limits of dermatology, delivering life-changing transformations and emotional journeys that go far beyond the surface.
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[04/14/26 - 01:48 PM]
NBA's Return to NBC Sports Is a Viewership Triumph
The combined viewership for NBC Sports' NBA coverage for games on NBC/Peacock on Sunday and Tuesday nights - plus five Monday games - averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 2.8 million viewers, up 109% vs. comparable coverage last season.
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[04/14/26 - 12:30 PM]
Paramount+ Renews Taylor Sheridan's Record-Breaking New Series, "The Madison," for a Third Season
Production for the second season of "The Madison" is complete and the premiere date will be announced at a later date.
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[04/14/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of April 6 - "Thrash" Shows Its Teeth, Swimming to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
The the docuseries "Trust Me: The False Prophet" premiered at No. 1 on the English TV list with 9.8 million views.
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[04/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
Laura Osnes, Ryan McPartlin, Chuck Wicks, Julia Reilly, Tanya Christiansen, and D.B. Sweeney Lead All-Star Cast in "Silver Bells at Christmas," Great American Media World Premiere Original for Great American Christmas 2026
In the small town of Comfort, Ohio, Ginny Nolan (Osnes) is determined to save her late mother's cherished Christmas shop, Silver Bells, before mounting repairs cause it to close.
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[04/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces Greenlight of "Young Sherlock" Season Two
Through its first 28 days of release, "Young Sherlock" reached 45 million viewers and ranks among the top 10 Prime Original Seasons all-time.
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[04/14/26 - 08:31 AM]
A New Season of "Pop Culture Jeopardy!" Premieres on May 11th Only on Netflix
Starting May 11, new episodes of "Pop Culture Jeopardy!" will premiere on Netflix every weekday through June 5.
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[04/14/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Debuts Official Trailer and Sets Premiere Date for "Killing Grounds: The Gilgo Beach Murders"
All four episodes will premiere on April 22, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
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[04/14/26 - 07:06 AM]
Dan Stevens Joins Season Two of "Dexter: Resurrection" for Paramount+
Stevens will play "The Five Borough Killer," a serial killer who, much like Zodiac, taunts the police with phone calls threatening the murder of innocent citizens.
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[04/14/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Your Fault: London" - Official Teaser - Prime Video
The secret's out. "Your Fault: London" is coming to Prime Video in June.
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[04/14/26 - 07:00 AM]
Video: National Geographic Unveils First Look Trailer for the New Season of Emmy-Nominated Series "Tucci in Italy"
The season will premiere on National Geographic on May 11 with all episodes streaming May 12 on Disney+ and Hulu.
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[04/14/26 - 06:23 AM]
Sope Dirisu Leads Sky and AMC+ Original "Gangs of London" Series 4 as New Players Enter the Fight for Control of London's Underworld
Jack Lothian joins as lead writer and executive producer alongside Jean Luc Herbulot as lead director.
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[04/14/26 - 05:00 AM]
"52nd American Music Awards" Nominations Revealed
The event will kick off summer with host Queen Latifah live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the largest venue in the show's history, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25.
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