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[11/03/08 - 06:22 PM]
Development Update: Monday, November 3
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!
BLOCK PARTY (CBS, New!) - The Eye has ordered seven episodes of a new reality series that pits a neighborhood of families against each other for a significant prize. Reality guru/film producer Mike Fleiss ("The Bachelor") and his Next Entertainment are behind the project, which comes from Warner Horizon Television. No other details were given about the series, which is set to begin casting shortly. The pickup marks the first project commissioned by incoming CBS reality chief Jennifer Bresnan.
CHANGING POSITIONS (NBC, New!) - "Meet the Parents" and "Meet the Fockers" co-writer Jim Herzfeld has booked a new multi-camera comedy at the Peacock about a Wall Street guy in his late 30s who loses everything and is forced, along with his wife and their teen kids, to move in with his parents. Universal Media Studios and Doug Liman and David Bartis's Dutch Oven are behind the half-hour, which Herzfeld will write and executive produce. The Hollywood Reporter goes on to add that the parents are "a wealthy, very sexually active couple in their mid 50s who live in a large compound in the Hollywood Hills after amassing a fortune making (and starring in) instructional sex videos in the 1980s when they also invented the 'standing O' position."
GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC) - Co-star Brooke Smith has been let go from the popular drama, fueling speculation her ouster was related to her character's recently revealed sexual orientation. The actress, whose final episode airs on November 6, told Entertainment Weekly: "I found out in mid-September soon after shooting the monologue that aired last week where Erica has the revelation that she's gay. They even came down and told me it was a great scene -- one of the best they ever shot on the show. So I was really, really shocked. I was floored when they told me [I was being let go]. It was the last thing I expected. In fact, when they told me I asked, "When is this happening?" And they said, "The [next episode] is your last," which is the one that airs this Thursday. So it was very sudden." Executive producer Shonda Rhimes subsequently released a statement saying: "Brooke Smith was obviously not fired for playing a lesbian. Clearly it's not an issue as we have a lesbian character on the show � Calliope Torres. Sara Ramirez is an incredible comedic and dramatic actress and we wanted to be able to play up her magic. Unfortunately, we did not find that the magic and chemistry with Brooke's character would sustain in the long run. The impact of the Callie/Erica relationship will be felt and played out in a story for Callie. I believe it belittles the relationship to simply replace Erica with 'another lesbian.' If you'll remember, Cristina mourned the loss of Burke for a full season."
HEROES (NBC) - Co-executive producers Jesse Alexander and Jeph Loeb have exited the show due to creative differences. The pair, who joined the series after its pilot, are the first victims of an expected overhaul of the show's writing staff, which includes Cathy Mickel Gibson, Joe Pokaski, Lori Motyer, Aron Eli Coleite, Rob Fresco, Jim Chory, Adam Armus and Kay Foster. Creator Tim Kring executive produces the series alongside Dennis Hammer, Allan Arkush and Greg Beeman. The news comes after the Universal Media Studios-produced "Heroes" posted a series low 8.20 million viewers last week. That, coupled with an overall creative backlash and rumblings of overruns on its sizable $4 million per-episode budget, lead to the shakeup.
KING OF THE HILL (FOX) - ABC reportedly is eyeing the animated veteran following the news FOX won't be moving forward with a 14th cycle of the series. The Alphabet is home to "Hill" co-creator Mike Judge's (and fellow "Hill" executive producers John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky's) new animated effort "The Goode Family," due at midseason. Producer 20th Century Fox Television however would only confirm another network is interested in the show, but didn't offer any specifics. Due to the lengthy lead time needed for animated projects, it's unlikely "Hill" could make the move until late 2009 or early 2010.
KINGS (NBC) - Michael Green, the creator and executive producer of the upcoming drama, has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with producer Universal Media Studios. The pact covers his duties on the newcomer as well as his future development.
STATEN ISLAND (FX, New!) - Lawrence O'Donnell ("The West Wing") is developing a new drama at the cable channel about a compromised police chief based in the famed New York City borough. Mandalay Television, FX Productions and Fox 21 are producing the project, which O'Donnell will write and executive produce.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters, Entertainment Weekly
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[08/03/26 - 11:54 AM]
Amazon MGM Studios Orders "DINKS" to Series from Marta Kauffman's Okay Goodnight, in Pioneering Deal with Lionsgate and Publicis Media Content Innovation
Real-life married couple June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer star in and executive produce the series, with Jon Gabrus set as a series regular.
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[08/03/26 - 11:03 AM]
Ben Affleck and Jamie Ding Score Best Audience in a Year with Million-Dollar Win on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"
The July 29 episode rose from last week's season premiere with 4.22 million viewers.
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[08/03/26 - 10:02 AM]
Shudder's Cult-Favorite Series "The Creep Tapes" Returns with a Two-Episode Premiere Tuesday, September 15
The six-episode season of the cult-favorite franchise features guest stars including Kate Siegel, Nic Hamilton, Elliott Fulham and Duplass' daughter, Ora Duplass, who will star in a throwback episode.
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[08/03/26 - 09:46 AM]
"In Pursuit: Lessons of American Leadership" Premieres Tuesday, October 27, 2026 on PBS
Based on More Perfect's groundbreaking In Pursuit initiative, the film weaves together new interviews and archival material with documentary storytelling to explore what we can learn from the past to inform a more perfect union.
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[08/03/26 - 09:15 AM]
V/H/S Cranks Up the Volume with New Installment "V/H/S/Mixtape" Streaming on Shudder October 9, 2026
Featuring all-new segments from legendary filmmaker Ernest Dickerson, hip-hop icon RZA, visionary director David Moreau, and acclaimed filmmaker Renee Zhan, whose segment includes original puppets by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.
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[08/03/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi" - Final Trailer - Aug. 5 on Disney+ & Hulu
Beyond light and dark lies a power never seen before.
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[08/03/26 - 09:00 AM]
The CW Network Renews Unscripted Hit Series "Scrabble," "Trivial Pursuit" and "Police 24/7"
The second seasons of "Trivial Pursuit" aAnd "Scrabble" continue on The CW this fall with new episodes debuting on Thursday, October 1.
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[08/03/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Outer Banks" Season 5 - Official Podcast Trailer Debut & Announcement
Hosted by longtime OBX fan and podcaster Ria Ciuffo, the series dives into the cast, characters, and the cultural phenomenon that has captivated audiences for years.
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[08/03/26 - 07:23 AM]
New True Crime Series "Somebody Knows Something" Premieres Monday, Aug. 10, on Freeform and Streams Next Day on Hulu
"Somebody Knows Something" follows true crime influencer Kara Chamberlain as she investigates unsolved murders and missing persons cases that have stumped law enforcement and haunted internet sleuths for decades.
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[08/03/26 - 07:04 AM]
Meet the Minds Behind the Magic: "Disney Worldbuilders" Premieres August 20 on Disney+
Academy Award- and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks sits down with Bob Iger, James Cameron, Jon Favreau, Kevin Feige, Jennifer Lee, Pete Docter, Dave Filoni, Jared Bush and Josh D'Amaro - with a look at new worlds on the way.
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[08/03/26 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix Sets On-Air Team for First-Ever Regular Season NFL Game in Australia
Live from the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 10 at 8:35 PM ET (September 11 at 10:35 AM AEST), Netflix will broadcast the Week 1 matchup, featuring the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Los Angeles Rams.
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[08/02/26 - 05:16 PM]
Seo Kangjun and Ahn Eun-jin Explore Love, Temptation, and Complexities of Long-term Relationships in Prime Video's "A Love Other Than Yours"
The series explores the fragile line between comfort and passion, and whether choosing each other after ten years is an act of love, habit, or survival.
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[07/31/26 - 01:03 PM]
ABC News Wins Across Late Night, Sunday Morning and Friday Night in Total Viewers and Key Adult Demos
Season to date, "Nightline" is up in Total Viewers versus the same point last season.
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[07/31/26 - 10:37 AM]
ESPN and Fanatics Studios Announce Second Edition of "Fanatics Fest: All Access" to Debut on August 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
The second installment of the special offers unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to Fanatics Fest, the premier sports, entertainment and culture 4-day event that recently brought together the biggest names in sports, music, comedy and entertainment.
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[07/31/26 - 10:01 AM]
Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" Three-Part Reunion Begins Sunday, Aug. 9 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Host Andy Cohen sits down with Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks, Drew Sidora, Shamea Morton Mwangi, Kelli Potter, Angela Oakley, K. Michelle, Pinky Cole and friend Cynthia Bailey as they unpack the season's biggest moments, clear up the rumors and confront some surprising revelations.
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