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 (FOX)
· 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)





[05/23/13 - 10:50 AM]
The CW Moves Up the Second Season Premiere of Ballet Docuseries "Breaking Pointe" to Monday, July 22
The series will return for a sophomore season one week earlier than previously announced.

[05/23/13 - 10:28 AM]
Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon Dominate with "Tonight's" Biggest 18-49 Audience Since December and "Late Night's" Best Since New Year's Week
NBC spins the late-night numbers for the week of May 13-17.

[05/23/13 - 10:04 AM]
USA Network to Air Academy Award(R)-Winning Film "Milk" with Special Introduction by Emmy(R)Award-Winner and Activist Neil Patrick Harris
"Milk" will be featured in commemoration of Pride Month, with limited commercial interruptions, on Saturday, June 1 at 8:00/7:00c.

[05/23/13 - 10:03 AM]
Lucky and the Gang Help a Newspaper Delivery Girl Adopt a Pup on "Pound Puppies," Saturday June 1
Eric McCormack, Yvette Nicole Brown, John DiMaggio, Michael Rapaport and Alanna Ubach are all back with new episodes.

[05/23/13 - 10:03 AM]
"Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer," the Story of the Controversial Russian Feminist Art Collective and the Trial That Rocked a Nation, Kicks Off HBO Documentary Films' Summer Series June 10
An official selection of the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, the film received the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Punk Spirit.

[05/23/13 - 10:00 AM]
ABC Family Continues to Grow Its Original Programming and Greenlights a New Comedy Series, "Spell-Mageddon"
It will join the network's Wednesday night comedy line-up on Wednesday July 24 at 9:00/8:00c.

[05/23/13 - 09:03 AM]
A&E Presents the Final Five Episodes of "Intervention" Beginning June 13 at 9PM ET/PT
"We're honored to have been a part of the 243 interventions since its premiere in March of 2005," said David McKillop.

[05/23/13 - 09:02 AM]
Matt Rogers ("American Idol") to Host New USA Network Competition Reality Series "Summer Camp"
As previously reported, the eight-episode series will premiere Thursday, July 11 at 8:00/7:00c.

[05/23/13 - 08:51 AM]
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Grows Week to Week by 7% in 18-49 Rating and 3% in Total Viewers
NBC spins the numbers for Wednesday, May 22.

[05/23/13 - 08:37 AM]
Destination America and USA Weekend Announce Winners of the Inaugural "Red, White and You" Contest
The contest asked folks across the country to put their patriotism on display to prove why their respective towns were most deserving of an over-the-top Independence Day party.

[05/23/13 - 08:37 AM]
ABC Is #1 in Adults 18-49 on the Final Night of the Season and #1 in the May Sweep for the First Time in 13 Years
ABC spins the numbers for Wednesday, May 22.

[05/23/13 - 08:35 AM]
Grammy-Nominated Recording Artist John Forte Creates Original Theme Song and New Music for CBS News' Six-Part Documentary Series "Brooklyn DA"
His new song, "Brooklyn Now," will kick off each of the six, one-hour broadcasts beginning Tuesady, May 28.

[05/23/13 - 08:32 AM]
Starz to Premiere "The White Queen" on Saturday, August 10 at 9PM ET/PT
Rebecca Ferguson, Max Irons, Janet McTeer, James Frain and Amanda Hale star in the 10-episode series.

[05/23/13 - 08:29 AM]
Wednesday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS Tops Viewers, Splits Demos with ABC
"Criminal Minds" closes the May sweeps period as the most-watched program on the night.

[05/23/13 - 07:44 AM]
CMT Picks Up Exclusive Cable Rights to Hit FOX Series "Hell's Kitchen" from Distributor Debmar-Mercury and Producer ITV Studios America
The series will debut weekdays beginning this Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, at 12 p.m. ET/PT on CMT and will also be available on CMT VOD.