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)





[08/22/25 - 09:16 AM]
MGM+ Renews Thriller Horror Series "The Institute" for Season Two
"Set free but hunted, new dangers await the escapees from the Institute and I can't wait," said Stephen King.

[08/22/25 - 09:13 AM]
Oxygen's True Crime Investigative Series "Cold Justice" Returns for Season Eight on Saturday, September 13 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Season seven of "Cold Justice" was Oxygen's most-viewed program in 2024, delivering an average of 748K total viewers (P2+) on a live +7 days of time-shifted viewing basis.

[08/22/25 - 08:30 AM]
Video: Official Trailer for "Doc" Season 2 Premiering Sept. 23 on FOX!
The series begins its second season of the life-affirming medical drama following the heartbreak and victories of hard-charging, brilliant physician Dr. Amy Larsen (Molly Parker) as she rebuilds her life after a car crash erased eight years of her memory.

[08/22/25 - 07:13 AM]
TNT Sports to Debut Expansive Programming Lineup for Inaugural Season of Big 12 Football Across TNT, truTV, HBO Max & Bleacher Report
Live game coverage for the network will kick off with the Arizona Wildcats hosting the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Saturday, August 30, at 10:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.

[08/22/25 - 07:00 AM]
What's New on HBO Max This September
Highlights include the debut of the new drama "Task" as well as documentaries "Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television," "The Devil Is Busy," and "Prime Minister."

[08/21/25 - 05:01 PM]
From "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Deathwatch" to "Devil May Cry" Season 2, Netflix Goes Big on Adult Animation!
"Sakamoto Days," "Blue Eye Samurai," and "Record of Ragnarok" were also showcased by the streamer.

[08/21/25 - 04:18 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Kicks Off Season 38 Tuesday, Sept. 2
Season 38 picks up where Season 37 left off, following an unprecedented run of ratings dominance, a spring move to "Live"'s brand-new studio in Disney's New York headquarters, plus Emmy nominations for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Hosts.

[08/21/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Hell of a Summer" - Trailer - Hulu
Directed by and starring Billy Bryk and Finn Wolfhard.

[08/21/25 - 12:09 PM]
Peacock's Highly Anticipated Comedy "The Paper" Will Now Drop All 10 Episodes on Its Sept. 4 Premiere Date
With initial reaction to the series overwhelmingly positive, executives at Peacock and Universal Television, as well as the producers, thought it made the most sense to allow and encourage audiences to binge the series.

[08/21/25 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "The Great British Baking Show" Collection 13 - Official Trailer - Netflix
The new season premieres Friday, September 5 on Netflix.

[08/21/25 - 11:00 AM]
Mariah Carey to Receive Video Vanguard Award and Perform at 2025 MTV VMAs Airing Sept. 7 on CBS
The best-selling female artist of all time returns to the VMAs stage for the first time in 20 years, with a full circle moment to accept the same award she presented to LL Cool J in 1997.

[08/21/25 - 10:06 AM]
Video: "Futurama" Season 13 Trailer and Key Art Debut
Season 13 lands on Hulu September 15 at 8PM ET with all 10 episodes.

[08/21/25 - 10:03 AM]
The "Hell's Kitchen" Season 24 Contestants Are Facing Off in a "Battle of the States"
Don't miss the season premiere airing Thursday, September 25 at 8:00/7:00c on FOX and next day Hulu.

[08/21/25 - 10:02 AM]
Video: Peacock Releases Supersize Trailer for "Love Island USA" Season 7 Reunion
The reunion special will feature this season's winners, fan-favorite couples, and this year's bombshells for an up-close-and-personal look back at their experience in the Villa.

[08/21/25 - 10:01 AM]
"A Man on the Inside" Season 2 - First Look Debut and Date Announcement
Here's your first look at Season 2,due on November 20, with new cast additions including Mary Steenburgen, Max Greenfield, Jason Mantzoukas, David Strathairn, Constance Marie and more.