or


[10/31/08 - 06:07 PM]
Development Update: Friday, October 31
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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!


IN TREATMENT (HBO) - Alison Pill ("The Book of Daniel") is the latest addition to the show's second season. She'll play April, one of Paul Weston's (Gabriel Byrne) patients, a bright and feisty graduate student diagnosed with lymphoma. Hope Davis and John Mahoney previously signed onto the new season, set to roll out sometime next year.


OFF DUTY (NBC) - Bradley Whitford ("Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip") and Romany Malco ("Weeds") have scored the lead roles on the comedy pilot, about a once-legendary police detective (Whitford) on his way down who complicates the life of his new partner (Malco), a straight shooter on his way up, both on duty and off. The castings lift said contingency off the pilot's production. Whitford's character, Detective Glenn Falcon, is detailed in the casting notice as follows: "Any ethnicity. A legend in his own time, this gritty veteran police detective is known far and wide as an amazing crime fighter who has solved a slew of high-profile cases. However, as his new partner, Mike Roberts, soon realizes, there's a huge disconnect between Falcon's reputation and his personality. In person, Falcon is a drunken, slurring, walking id whose primary concerns are alcohol and sex. Kicked out by his wife and currently bunking down in his car, he makes himself at home in Roberts' place, much to the consternation of Roberts and his wife. It's undeniable that Falcon is a real mess with a reckless, impulsive streak a mile wide. But he's also the best cop in the profession, and he can teach Roberts the ropes like nobody else could -- if only Roberts sticks around long enough to learn them."

Malco's role of Detective Mike Roberts then is described as: "36, any ethnicity. An attractive, dedicated cop. He's a happily married family man who is thrilled when he gets a job at a new precinct and is assigned to partner up with the legendary detective, Glenn Falcon. However, Roberts quickly realizes that Falcon is a loose cannon on a rolling deck, who spreads chaos in his boozy, reckless wake. Already concerned over his 13 year old son's issues at middle-school, Roberts isn't thrilled when Falcon bunks down in his garage and starts wandering through his house, wearing only his tighty-whities and a holstered gun. But after his initial disenchantment, Roberts also begins to realize that Falcon is the best cop in the business, and can teach Roberts the ropes as no one else can -- if only he doesn't strangle his new partner in the process." Jason Mantzoukas is behind the Universal Media Studios-based half-hour with American Work's Ravi Nandan and Scot Armstrong executive producing. Whitford will also receive a producing credit.


TWO DOLLAR BEER (FOX, New!) - "The Mind of the Married Man" creator Mike Binder is developing a new comedy at the network and 20th Century Fox Television. The project revolves around a group of young adults in Detroit as they weather the worsening economy but refuse to move away from their hometown. Binder penned the pilot and will executive produce and direct should it move forward.


UNTITLED T.D. JAKES PROJECT (Syndication) - CBS Television Distribution has cleared the newcomer on Tribune's 19 stations, including the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago markets. The pacts put the Bishop T.D. Jakes-hosted/Jay McGraw-produced talk show on track for a fall 2009 launch however no firm green light has been given by the distributor.


WHITE COLLAR (USA) - "Sex and the City" co-star Willie Garson has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a brilliant con artist (Matthew Bomer) who partners against his will with the head of the FBI's white-collar crime unit (Tim DeKay). Garson will play Mozzie, the kooky friend of Bomer's character. Jeff Eastin is behind the Fox Television Studios-based project, which Bronwen Hughes is directing.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [october 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· BOOK OF DANIEL, THE (NBC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· IN TREATMENT (HBO)
· MIND OF THE MARRIED MAN, THE (HBO)
· OFF DUTY (NBC)
· SEX AND THE CITY (HBO)
· STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (NBC)
· TWO DOLLAR BEER (FOX)
· UNTITLED TD JAKES PROJECT (SYNDICATION)
· WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
· WHITE COLLAR (USA)





[08/26/26 - 01:56 PM]
Video: "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth" - See It First Only in IMAX November 25
Starring Brad Pitt. Written by Quentin Tarantino. Directed by David Fincher.

[08/26/26 - 01:43 PM]
Offseason Edition of the HBO and NFL Films Series "Hard Knocks" Set to Return in 2027
The series begins filming at the end of the 2026 NFL season and will debut in 2027 on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max.

[08/26/26 - 01:12 PM]
Home Is Where the Heart Is: Inside Netflix's Wave of Comfort Storytelling
Plus: "Guarding Stars," starring Leighton Meester and Jared Padalecki, will premiere globally on Netflix November 18 - just in time for the holidays.

[08/26/26 - 01:00 PM]
Peacock Renews "Love Island USA" for Season Nine with Emmy-Nominated Host Ariana Madix Set to Return
Plus: Co-hosted by Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen, the highly anticipated "Love Island USA" season eight reunion special premieres Monday, August 31 at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET.

[08/26/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of August 17
"Reacher," "Sterling Point," "Ride or Die," "Off Campus," and "The Traitors" led all original series worldwide.

[08/26/26 - 10:45 AM]
"Survivor" Reveals the 21 New Castaways Competing on the 51st Edition - The First in the Series' New "Open Era" - With a Two-Hour Season Premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 23
The groundbreaking reality series, which shifts to 90-minute weekly episodes beginning Wednesday, September 30 at 8:00 PM, returns with an all-new expanded class of dynamic and determined competitors.

[08/26/26 - 10:18 AM]
BET Brings Chris "CP" Powell's Acclaimed Comedy Special "Sunday After Six" to Screens September 1
Host of the revived "ComicView: Rooftop Series," Chris "CP" Powell brings his 90-minute stand-up special to the screen, centered on relatable life experiences and everyday scenarios as a Black man.

[08/26/26 - 10:05 AM]
TNT Sports Unveils Blockbuster 72-Game NHL on TNT Schedule for 2026-27 NHL Regular Season, Starting Wednesday, Sept. 30
The season will culminate with TNT Sports' presentation of the 2027 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the 2027 Stanley Cup Final exclusively on TNT Sports platforms.

[08/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
Sarah Pidgeon Joins Aaron Taylor-Johnson in "Enigma Variations"
The limited series, adapted from the bestselling novel by André Aciman, is an intimate yet sweeping portrait of masculinity, sexuality, and modern love.

[08/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
ESPN Announces 100 Exclusive National Hockey League Games for 2026-27 Season
Of the 100 exclusive games, 53 matchups will be available on ESPN and ABC, while the remaining 47 matchups can be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.

[08/26/26 - 10:01 AM]
What's New on HBO Max This September
Highlights include Sharon Horgan's comedy "Youth" on September 20 and "4 Blocks" prequel series "4 Blocks Zero" on September 25.

[08/26/26 - 09:48 AM]
"Dolly: An NBC News Special" to Air Tonight at 9 P.M. ET
Anchored by Lester Holt, "Dolly: An NBC News Special" will look back at Parton's remarkable journey to stardom, her groundbreaking career and her lasting impact far beyond music.

[08/26/26 - 09:14 AM]
The 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards, Hosted by Kirk Franklin, Airs Sunday, August 30, on BET
Taped in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Spectrum Center under this year's theme, "Feels Like Home," the ceremony brings together gospel's most celebrated artists, trailblazers, and rising stars for a night of worship, inspiration, and world-class performances.

[08/26/26 - 09:05 AM]
ESPN Premieres "Shooting Stars" and "13.4 Seconds to Nowhere" Aug. 27
The films were developed through a collaboration between ESPN, ESPN Deportes and Tribeca Studios to bring to life compelling stories at the intersection of sports and the Latino community.

[08/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Date, Key Art & Trailer Debut - Hulu's "The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives" Season Five
Season five premieres with all five episodes on Thursday, September 10 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.