or


[09/24/09 - 06:04 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, September 24
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!


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





  [september 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· 24 (FOX)
· AMERICAN IDOL (FOX)
· BILL ENGVALL SHOW, THE (TBS)
· CAPE, THE (NBC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DIRTY SEXY MONEY (ABC)
· EMPIRE (ABC)
· HOUSE (FOX)
· JUSTIFIED (FX)
· MYSTERIES OF OAK ISLAND, THE (FOX)
· SKY JOCKEYS (FOX)
· TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
· UNTITLED JIM BREUER PROJECT (NBC)
· WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU (WB)
· X FACTOR, THE (FOX)





[05/22/13 - 05:08 PM]
Tuesday's Cable Ratings: NBA Draft Lottery, Playoffs Keep ESPN on Top
Plus: numbers for CNBC's "Crowd Rules," VH1's "I'm Married to a..." and Syfy's "Weird or What?"

[05/22/13 - 04:58 PM]
Oxygen Delivers Best Night In Network History Among All Key Demos
Oxygen spins the numbers for Tuesday, May 21.

[05/22/13 - 04:57 PM]
Exclusive: USA to Open "Summer Camp" on Thursday, July 11
The new reality series will air at 8:00/7:00c followed by "Burn Notice" and "Graceland."

[05/22/13 - 02:29 PM]
BBC America Summer Preview - "Copper," "Luther," "Broadchurch," "In the Flesh," "Bang Goes The Theory," "Top Gear," "Being Human," "Dangerman: The Incredible Mr. Goodwin"
Newly announced dates include "Broadchurch" (August 7) and "Luther" (September 3).

[05/22/13 - 02:18 PM]
Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" Is the #1 Tuesday Primetime Program in Cable for Men 25-54 for Six Consecutive Weeks
Discovery spins the numbers for Tuesday, May 21.

[05/22/13 - 02:15 PM]
Video: CBS News Reveals Opening Sequence for New Six-Part Documentary Series "Brooklyn DA"
The summer entry will premiere Tuesday, May 28 at 10:00/9:00c on the network.

[05/22/13 - 01:17 PM]
Showtime(R) Confirms Guest Stars for Upcoming Third Season of "Homeland"
Joanna Merlin, Nazanin Boniadi, Nazanin Boniadi, Gary Wilmes and Gary Wilmes are among those on tap.

[05/22/13 - 01:17 PM]
Chiller Presents First-Ever Anthology Film - "Chilling Visions: 5 Senses of Fear" Premieres Friday, May 31 at 9 PM
Nick Everhart, Miko Hughes, Miko Hughes, Eric England, Jesse Holland and Andy Mitton are among the directors.

[05/22/13 - 01:11 PM]
David Janollari Signs First-Look Development Deal with NBC Entertainment
Janollari was most recently Head of Programming at MTV and prior to that was President of the WB Network.

[05/22/13 - 01:00 PM]
CBS Orders Single-Camera Comedy "Bad Teacher" for 2013-2014 Season
Based on the hit feature film, Ari Graynor stars as "an always inappropriate, fearless and unapologetic former trophy wife who masquerades as a teacher in order to find a new man."

[05/22/13 - 12:34 PM]
CMT to Debut Special Fan Edition Episodes of "Dog and Beth: On the Hunt" Beginning Sunday, May 26
The "Dog-a-thon" of specially-created fan edition episodes will air on Sunday, May 26 from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. ET/PT.

[05/22/13 - 12:27 PM]
"Style Pop" Premieres Live Thursday, June 6 at 8PM ET on Style
Each week, a rotating panel of fashion experts will join hosts Jeannie Mai and Louise Roe to dish on all things buzzworthy.

[05/22/13 - 12:16 PM]
ABC Family Launches User-Generated Campaign You Should Know This About Me to Capture the Authentic Voices of the Millenial Generation
The top two winners will each be awarded a $10,000 cash prize.

[05/22/13 - 12:00 PM]
William Baldwin Joins BBC America's "Copper"
Also joining Baldwin at the end of the season is Lindy Booth.

[05/22/13 - 11:15 AM]
Lifetime Original Movie "Anna Nicole" to Premiere June 29
Agnes Bruckner, Martin Landau, Virginia Madsen, Adam Goldberg and Cary Elwes star in the project.