or


[10/02/09 - 06:14 PM]
Development Update: Friday, October 2
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!


ANGRY BOYS (HBO, New!) - Australian comedian Chris Lilley ("Summer Heights High") has booked a 12-episode order from the pay channel for a new mock-documentary style comedy about what it's like to be a male in the 21st century. Like his previous effort "High," Lilley will play multiple characters as well as write and executive produce alongside Laura Waters via their Princess Pictures banner. The news marks HBO's first co-production with an Australian partner as "High" was a straight acquisition. Pre-production on the series begins this month in Australia.


BOYS & GIRLS GUIDE TO GETTING DOWN (Comedy Central) - The cable channel has commissioned a pilot for the comedy, based on Paul Sapiano's 2006 indie feature of the same name. Said half-hour will "follow several characters through fast-paced adventures, while the show's narrator gives tips and explains how the characters plan to 'get down.'" Sapiano, John Lynch and Luke Greenfield are executive producing the project, with Greenfield attached to direct. "Getting Down" was announced back in May as part of the network's 2009-10 development slate.


FLASH FORWARD (ABC) - Michael Ealy ("Sleeper Cell") has scored a recurring role on the freshman drama. He'll play the nemesis of Joseph Fiennes's character, details of which weren't released. The series opened to strong numbers last month on Thursday nights for the Alphabet.


HOUSE RULES (CBS) - The Eye has picked up the actors' options through the end of 2009. The news marks the second time the actors, which include Zoe McLellan, Eion Bailey, Kristin Bauer, Tawny Cypress, Anna Chlumsky and Denzel Whitaker, have been put on hold. Said hour revolves around the freshman class of elected representatives in Washington, D.C. Daniel Minahan helmed the ABC Studios-based project from a script by Michael Seitzman. Deborah Spera and Mark Gordon also serve as executive producers.


HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS) - Rachel Bilson ("The O.C.") is set to guest star on the show's 100th installment, Entertainment Weekly reports. She'll play an unspecified character in the episode, which will once again tease the identity of the title character. The milestone episode is likely due to air in January.


MIDNIGHTERS (NBC) - Alloy Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television are taking another stab at bringing Scott Westerfeld's novel to the small screen, this time at NBC. The Peacock has given a script order to the project, to be written by Chad Hodge ("Runaway"). Said hour revolves around "a group of people born at the stroke of midnight who have access to the 25th hour of each day, which they use to stop crime." Darren Lemke previously shepherded an adaptation at The WB back in 2005. Hodge then will executive produce the new incarnation alongside Alloy's Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein.


MOUTHPIECE (Showtime, New!)/YOU AND ME AND HE (CBS, New!) - Veteran comedy writer Carol Leifer ("Rules of Engagement") has landed a single-camera at Showtime and a multi-camera half-hour at CBS. The Showtime effort, "Mouthpiece," stars Mario Cantone and Marlee Matlin as members of a high-powered law firm. Meanwhile CBS is behind "You and Me and He," about "a recently divorced woman who enters a gay relationship only to find out that she is pregnant with her ex-husband's baby." Fox Television Studios is producing the former while Sony Pictures Television and Happy Madison are behind the latter. Both have script commitments from their respective networks with Leifer writing and executive producing.


ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED (ABC) - Australian actor Josh Lawson ("Chandon Pictures") has been cast in the lead role of the upcoming comedy series, about a thirtysomething man (Lawson) torn between his new girlfriend (Alyssa Milano) and needy best friend (Kyle Bornheimer). Eric Christian Olsen previously toplined the project, the producers of which opted to recast his role. Ricky Blitt is behind the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, which has a 12-episode commitment (including the pilot) for midseason.


THE STATION (FOX) - The network has extended its options on the cast of the comedy pilot through the end of the year. John Goodman, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Justin Bartha, Rob Huebel and Whitney Cummings all co-starred in the single-camera half-hour, about a "covert CIA operative (Justin Bartha) and his workmates, who are on a mission in Central America to install a new dictator." Kevin Napier penned the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, which was directed by David Wain and executive produced by Ben Stiller. It's understood should it move forward, some tweaking will take place.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [october 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· ANGRY BOYS (HBO)
· BOYS AND GIRLS GUIDE TO GETTING DOWN (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FLASH FORWARD (ABC)
· HOUSE RULES (CBS)
· HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (CBS)
· MIDNIGHTERS (CW)
· MOUTHPIECE (SHOWTIME)
· OC, THE (FOX)
· ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED (ABC)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· RUNAWAY (CW)
· SLEEPER CELL (SHOWTIME)
· STATION, THE (FOX)
· SUMMER HEIGHTS HIGH (HBO)
· YOU AND ME AND HE (CBS)





[11/26/25 - 02:31 PM]
"20/20" Is the Most-Watched in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 in Time Period vs. CBS and NBC
"20/20" posted substantial increases week to week across the board.

[11/26/25 - 02:30 PM]
With Largest Viewership in 7 Weeks, ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in All Key Demos
"Nightline" improved on the previous week in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[11/26/25 - 02:21 PM]
"Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary" Is the Season's Most-Watched Primetime Entertainment Special
The telecast delivered 6.32 million viewers and was the most-watched entertainment program Monday night.

[11/26/25 - 02:15 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Caps Spectacular Season 34 with 9.24 Million Total Viewers - Drawing Largest Finale Audience in 9 Years
Among Adults 18-49, the show nearly doubled last season's finale episode (+89% - 2.15 rating vs. 1.14 rating), hitting its strongest finale result in 10 years.

[11/26/25 - 11:07 AM]
Flex Game! Anthony Edwards and Minnesota Timberwolves Host Devin Booker and Phoenix Suns on "Peacock NBA Monday," Dec. 8, on Peacock and NBCSN at 7:30 P.M. ET
The previously scheduled Sacramento-Indiana and San Antonio-New Orleans games will be available in their local markets.

[11/26/25 - 10:38 AM]
An Encore Presentation of "Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion" Special to Air Friday, November 28th on CBS
The telecast will replace the previously announced repeats of "Fire Country."

[11/25/25 - 03:45 PM]
"Center Stage: Countdown to the CMA Awards - Special Edition of 20/20" Rises Over Last Year's Performance in All Key Measures
"Center Stage" (434,000 and 326,000, respectively) ranked No. 1 in its hour in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.

[11/25/25 - 03:06 PM]
"One Piece" Season 3 Welcomes Awdo Awdo and Daisy Head as the Trusted Weapons of Mr. 0, Ready to Bring Overwhelming Danger to Our Journey
Two of Baroque Works' deadliest agents now stand before us, Nakama.

[11/25/25 - 03:05 PM]
ESPN Wins Week 13 with Stellar Showings for "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot," "SEC on ABC" and Friday College Football on ESPN
Texas Longhorns defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks 52-37 delivered 5.6 million viewers on November 22.

[11/25/25 - 02:57 PM]
"America's Game of the Week" on FOX Scores 27,816,000 Viewers in Week 12
The Dallas Cowboys win over the Philadelphia Eagles peaked with 28.4 million viewers from 7:30 PM - 7:45 PM ET.

[11/25/25 - 02:03 PM]
CBS Sports' Coverage of the 2025 NWSL Championship Is the First NWSL Match Ever to Surpass 1 Million Viewers!
The Gotham FC victory over Washington Spirit set a NWSL viewership record.

[11/25/25 - 02:00 PM]
Record Audience Watches Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix on ESPN
ESPN's live telecast on Saturday night, November 22, averaged 1.5 million viewers, the largest audience to watch the event in its three-year history,

[11/25/25 - 12:29 PM]
The Second and Final Season of the HBO Original Drama Series "Like Water for Chocolate" Debuts February 15
The series returns Sunday, February 15 (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) on HBO Latino in the U.S. and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

[11/25/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of November 17 - 3 Cheers for "Champagne Problems" at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys continued to keep audiences guessing in their psychological thriller "The Beast in Me," which took the No. 1 spot on the English TV list for a second week with 14.1 million views.

[11/25/25 - 11:30 AM]
TNT Sports Unveils World Class Commentators for First-Ever World Sevens Football 7v7 Soccer Tournament in North America - Coverage Kicks Off Friday, Dec. 5
The fast-paced W7F series has redefined women's soccer with elite talent from eight of the best clubs in the world, an immersive fan-first experience, and a groundbreaking $5 million prize pool, the largest in the sport, designed to fuel intense, high-stakes competition.