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[09/24/09 - 06:04 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, September 24
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!
24 (FOX) - Stephen Root ("True Blood") is the 16th addition to the show's massive season eight ensemble, due in January. He'll play Ben Prady, an officer of the Department of Corrections looking into a parolee gone missing, in a multi-episode arc.
AMERICAN IDOL (FOX) - The network and Simon Cowell are reportedly in talks to import his U.K. series "The X Factor." Said development comes as negotiations continue with the judge to extend his current pact, which ends after the upcoming season. The "Idol" portion of the deal is said to be valued in the nine-figure range to return for two more seasons while "Factor" could net just as much per season. Cowell's existing "Idol" deal prohibited him from bringing "Factor" to the U.S., hence the added pressure to either keep Cowell exclusive or fold "Factor" under the FOX tent.
THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW (TBS) - The cable channel has pulled the plug on the sitcom after three seasons. In a statement released to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the network said: "TBS has cancelled The Bill Engvall Show after three seasons. We had a great experience working with Bill and the cast. Bill is a terrific comic, and we have tremendous respect for him. While the show didn't attract the audience we need to renew it for another season, we're proud of the work of everyone involved."
THE CAPE (NBC, New!)/THE MYSTERIES OF OAK ISLAND (FOX, New!) - Tom Wheeler ("Empire") has landed script commitments - with penalties attached - for new dramas at FOX and NBC. The former, the Warner Bros. Television-based "The Mysteries of Oak Island," revolves around "a single mom and her two children who inherit a 200-year-old lighthouse on [a] mysterious island off the coast of Nova Scotia known for numerous quests to find treasure believed to be buried there." Meanwhile, "The Cape" centers on "a former cop framed for a crime he didn't commit who becomes the Cape, a masked hero, to clear his name and reunite with his son." Said hour, set in the fictional Jefferson City ("a Los Angeles-type city where corrupt private industries are taking over everything"), comes from Universal Media Studios and fellow executive producers Lloyd Braun and Gail Berman.
HOUSE (FOX) - Entertainment Weekly reports Jennifer Morrison is departing the series later this season. Said development is being billed as "a creative decision on the part of producers." It's understood Morrison's character, who will say goodbye during an episode in November, won't be killed off but rather exit for other reasons. Producers nevertheless reportedly will leave the door open for future appearances.
LAWMAN (FX) - "Dirty Sexy Money" alum Natalie Zea has joined the cast of upcoming drama, about "a modern-day, 19th-century-style lawman (Timothy Olyphant) enforcing his brand of justice." She'll play the ex-wife of said character after guest starring in the pilot. Sony Pictures Television and FX Productions are behind the hour, which rolls out early next year.
SKY JOCKEYS (FOX, New!) - RDF Media and UKTV, a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Virgin Media, are set to team for a potential new animated comedy set inside an airport. Anil Gupta (U.K.'s "The Office") and Richard Pinto ("Mutual Friends") are behind the half-hour, the pilot of which has been sold to FOX. The project is a result of RDF Media's new script-development deal with UKTV's digital outlet Dave which calls for the company to develop three half-hour scripts, including "Sky Jockeys," at least one of which will be picked up for broadcast sometime in late 2010. No other details about "Jockeys" however were released.
UNTITLED JIM BREUER PROJECT (NBC, New!) - "SNL" alum Jim Breuer is set to topline a new multi-camera comedy at the Peacock about "a father who decides to stay home and raise his three daughters and at the same time take care of his elderly parents." Wil Calhoun ("What I Like About You") is penning the half-hour for Sony Pictures Television. It's understood the project, which has a script commitment, is inspired by Breuer's recent documentary "More Than This," which followed the comedian as he embarked on a stand-up tour with his father. Breuer and Calhoun then will executive produce alongside Brian Robbins and Sharla Sumpter of Varsity Pictures and Judi Brown-Marmel of Levity Entertainment Group.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[11/07/25 - 03:00 PM]
Peacock Renews "Love Island: Beyond the Villa" for Season Two
The cast of season two includes Bryan Arenales, Gracyn Blackmore, Jeremiah Brown, Clarke Carraway, Amaya Espinal, Hannah Fields, Pepe Garcia, Iris Kendall, TJ Palma, Andreina Santos, Chris Seeley, Belle-A Walker, Coco Watson and Taylor Williams and other islanders from season seven.
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[11/07/25 - 10:31 AM]
Video: Rockstar Lestat Is Ready for His Close-Up in New Behind-the-Scenes Teaser from Season Three of AMC Networks' Critically Acclaimed Series - "The Vampire Lestat" Debuts 2026 on AMC and AMC+
Resentful of the perfunctory portrayal in the trashy bestseller "Interview with the Vampire," the Vampire Lestat (Sam Reid) sets his story straight in a way only the Vampire Lestat can - by starting a band and going on tour.
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[11/07/25 - 10:00 AM]
Nate Bargatze to Host New Game Show, "The Greatest Average American"
The series premieres Wednesday, February 25 (9:02-10:02 p.m. EST), on ABC and next day on Hulu.
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[11/07/25 - 09:02 AM]
From Shiz to Studio 6B: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Celebrates "Wicked" Week Nov. 16-19
"The Tonight Show's" week-long celebration will feature a magical lineup of the film's stars and special musical moments.
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[11/07/25 - 08:36 AM]
Super Bowl XLIV Champion Quarterback Drew Brees Joins FOX Sports as NFL Game Analyst
Brees is set to make his debut on Sunday, November 16 on FOX.
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[11/07/25 - 08:30 AM]
Nominations Revealed for "The 68th Annual Grammy Awards," A Celebration of a Landmark Year in Music
The Grammy Awards will return to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, February 1, 2026 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) and will broadcast live on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+.
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[11/07/25 - 08:03 AM]
Video: Prime Video Announces Release Date And Debuts Teaser Trailer For Season Two of "The Night Manager"
The first three episodes will debut on Sunday, January, 11, 2026, on Prime Video, with one new episode releasing every Sunday, until the season finale on Sunday, February 1.
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[11/07/25 - 07:31 AM]
Netflix Announces "Win the Mall" (W/T) Competition Series
Over eight episodes, 10 teams of expert shoppers face off against each other as they attempt to gain control of storefronts, increase their spending power, and outmaneuver their rivals.
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[11/07/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Stringer: The Man Who Took The Photo" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A former Saigon photo editor reveals a secret he's been plagued with for 52 years, setting off a gripping two-year investigation into the truth behind one of the Vietnam War's most iconic photographs.
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[11/07/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "LEGO Marvel Avengers: Strange Tails" - Official Trailer
Purr-pare for a pawe-some adventure.
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[11/06/25 - 11:36 PM]
Video: "The Family Man" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Prime Video
Outlawed and on the run, Srikant Tiwari faces sinister forces threatening to ignite chaos in Northeast India, uncovering a conspiracy that could plunge the nation into war.
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[11/06/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "Stranger Things 5" - First Five Minutes - Netflix
With Hawkins under lockdown, El in hiding and danger lurking at every turn, the entire party unites with a single goal: to hunt and kill Vecna.
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[11/06/25 - 02:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54
"Nightline" was up on the previous week by double digits in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.
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[11/06/25 - 02:09 PM]
OWN's "Love & Marriage: Huntsville" Back with New Episodes Starting November 15
Also, this December OWN presents the first-ever holiday specials for "Love & Marriage: Huntsville" and "Reality with the King," both hosted by executive producer Carlos King.
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[11/06/25 - 11:28 AM]
Love, Lies & High Stakes Drama: Viaplay Announces Must-See December U.S. Premieres
Highlights include the new true crime documentary series "Murdering Love."
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