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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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[12/12/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Best Medicine" Season 1 Official Trailer (Starring Josh Charles) - FOX TV
Dr. Martin Best leaves his career as a Boston surgeon to become the general practitioner in the quaint East Coast fishing village where he spent his childhood summers.
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[12/12/25 - 08:09 AM]
HBO Max Rolls Out In-App Curated Channels for Fan-Favorite Series and Genres in the U.S.
Designed for an effortless streaming experience, this feature enables users to seamlessly enter a continuous feed of curated episodes from fan-favorite titles, making it easier than ever to find an episode of their favorite programming.
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[12/12/25 - 06:01 AM]
Apple TV Announces Season Two for Acclaimed Thriller "Down Cemetery Road"
Season two reunites Zoë Boehm (Emma Thompson) and Sarah Trafford (Emma Wilson) chasing down another twisted mystery.
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[12/12/25 - 05:00 AM]
Video: HBO Max Brand Spot Teases 2026 Original Programming Slate with Never-Before-Seen Footage and First Looks
Including exclusive first looks on HBO Max social accounts, the spot underscores HBO Max's commitment to delivering high quality, must-see stories that inspire, entertain, and spark conversations around the globe.
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[12/11/25 - 03:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in All Key Target Demos
The series also saw gains on the same week last year in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
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[12/11/25 - 11:58 AM]
Lifetime to Kick Off 2026 with Three New "Ripped from the Headlines" Movies
Kate Beckinsale, Scott Eastwood, Katie Cassidy, Luke Humphrey, Chloe Lanier, Dillon Casey, and Maddy Hillis are among the featured talent.
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[12/11/25 - 11:22 AM]
A&E's New Series "Crime in Progress" Follows the Evolution of Investigations Told Exclusively Through Raw Footage Premieres January 1 at 10pm ET/PT
The story of each crime is woven together through raw, unfiltered video from the point of view of officer body cam and surveillance footage for a first-hand look at justice in action.
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[12/11/25 - 11:01 AM]
New Netflix Doc Series About Jonestown Dives Into One of the Deadliest Mass Murders in American History
From Emmy-nominated director J.M. Harper comes a three-part documentary series about the events and ideas leading up to the Jonestown massacre.
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[12/11/25 - 10:32 AM]
Lola Petticrew Will Join the World of "Assassin's Creed" Alongside Toby Wallace in the New Live-Action Series Adaptation of Ubisoft's Best-Selling Video Game Franchise
Netflix confirmed the news on social media this morning.
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[12/11/25 - 10:31 AM]
Video: "Breakdown: 1975" - Official Trailer - Netflix
This documentary explores how a turbulent era gave rise to iconic movies like "Taxi Driver," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Network."
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[12/11/25 - 10:01 AM]
Michelle Buteau's Final Season of "Survival of the thickest" Casts New Guest Stars Wanda Sykes, D.L. Hughley, Ashley Graham, Ronny Chieng, Wyatt Cenac, Jenna Lyons, Ice-T, and More
Buteau and co-creator Danielle Sanchez-Witzel will also make their directorial debuts.
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[12/11/25 - 09:16 AM]
Paramount+ Greenlights Animated Adaptations of Acclaimed Children's Books by Mo Willems
The series orders mark the first collaborations between Paramount+ and Hidden Pigeon Company.
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[12/11/25 - 09:02 AM]
"MonsterQuest" Returns January 2 to Investigate the World's Most Chilling Monster Encounters on The History Channel
Bigfoot, UFOs, hauntings and killer beasts on land and sea -are these myths, legends, folklore or real monsters lurking in the world around us?
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[12/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
TLC's New Series "Suddenly Amish" Takes Six Individuals on a Dramatic and Life-Changing Journey Into Amish Culture
The series follows six non-Amish individuals on a rare journey as they leave behind their modern "English" lifestyle and step into a deeply traditional Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
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[12/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
"Love During Lockup" Returns to We TV with a New Season Friday, January 16, Streaming Same Day on All Reality and AMC+
The new season features six all-new couples, including the return of fan-favorite cast member, Monique.
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