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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!
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (Sci Fi) - Co-star Michael Trucco has inked a talent holding deal with NBC and Universal Media Studios. The pact calls for the pair to develop a new series project for the actor or cast him in one of their existing properties. Trucco previously toplined the duo's comedy pilot "Man of Your Dreams."
THE BIG BANG THEORY/TWO AND A HALF MEN (CBS) - The Eye is reportedly close to multi-year renewals of both series, which come from co-creator Chuck Lorre and Warner Bros. Television. "Men" is on track for a three season pick-up while the "Theory" extension is said to be for two additional seasons. The former averages 15.11 million viewers per week, making it television's most-watched comedy with "Theory" pulling in a solid 10.02 million viewers.
BROTHERS & DETECTIVES (ABC) - Dania Ramirez and Patrick St. Esprit have both been cast in the drama pilot, about a detective (Jimmy Wolk) who gets help from his brilliant 11-year-old brother (Dakota Goyo). Ramirez will play another homicide detective while St. Esprit is set as an ill-tempered lieutenant. The pair join the previously cast Brad William Henke in the ABC Studios-based hour, which comes from creator Daniel Cerone.
ENTOURAGE (HBO) - Jami Gertz ("Still Standing") and Autumn Reeser ("Valentine") have both landed multi-episode arcs on the show's upcoming sixth season. Gertz will play Marlo Klein, the wife of Gary Cole's character, with Reeser as Lizzy, a new junior agent at Miller/Gold. The new season of "Entourage" is expected to roll out this summer.
HOUSE RULES (CBS) - Tawny Cypress and Sean Bridgers are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about the freshman class of Congress. She'll play a former servicewoman who was stationed in Iraq while he's a congressman from Georgia who won a recount. Michael Seitzman is behind the hour, which comes from ABC Studios and The Mark Gordon Company.
MY AMERICAN FAMILY (ABC) - Julie Bowen ("Boston Legal") will round out the cast of the comedy pilot, about three families who live in the same suburb. She'll play the other half of the traditional couple, the wife of Ty Burrell's character. Ed O'Neill, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Sofia Vergara also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, which Jason Winer is directing from a script by Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan.
MY NAME IS EARL/THE OFFICE (NBC) - The Peacock has finalized its production commitments to both series. "Earl" will now wrap its fourth season with 27 episodes, while "The Office" is set to film 28 half-hours. The pair had originally been set to shoot 26 and 29 installments, respectively. Both series air their season finales on Thursday, May 14.
TWO DOLLAR BEER (FOX) - Michael O'Keefe, Courtney Henggeler, Frances Turner and Beth Broderick have all joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about a group of twentysomething friends in Detroit. O'Keefe and Broderick will play the parents of ex-jock Luke (the previously cast Jonathan Sadowski) who live in his house with Henggeler as Luke's girlfriend Molly, a cute Midwestern girl, and Turner as Molly's hot and smart girlfriend. Kevin Simpson, Noureen Dewulf and Ricky Mabe also star in the half-hour, which comes from creator Mike Binder and 20th Century Fox Television.
UNTITLED JEFF STRAUSS PROJECT (ABC) - Jonathan Silverman ("In Case of Emergency") is the first to sign onto the comedy pilot, which examines marriage and parenthood as seen through the eyes of three couples. He'll play half of one of them in the project, which comes from ABC Studios, Acme Productions and creator Jeff Strauss.
V (ABC) - Scott Wolf ("Everwood") is the first to be cast on the drama pilot, a revival of the 1980s cult series of the same name. He'll play Chad Decker, a career-obsessed TV newscaster who becomes the aliens' propaganda outlet. Yves Simoneau is helming the Warner Bros. Television-based hour from a script by Scott Peters.
WASHINGTON FIELD (CBS) - Eddie Cibrian ("Invasion") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about an FBI squad made up of experts who travel the world responding to crises that concern U.S. national interests. He'll play Tommy, the husband of Teri Polo's character, the evidence response team coordinator and hazmat expert. Cole Hauser and Matthew Yang King also star in the hour, which comes from CBS Paramount Network Television. Edward Allen Bernero is the executive producer while Jon Cassar is directing.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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