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[10/30/09 - 06:09 PM]
Development Update: Friday, October 30
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!
AIRPLANE REPO (Discovery) - Craig Piligian ("Dirty Jobs") has booked yet another series at the cable channel in which repossessor Nick Popovich and his team re-acquires jets and helicopters from delinquent owners around the world, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Finland. Eight episodes are set to roll out early next year from Piligian's Pilgrim Films & Television banner. Popovich and Bill Rancic ("The Apprentice") are executive producing alongside Piligan.
APOSTLE PROJECTS (Various, New!) - Denis Leary and Jim Serpico's Sony Pictures Television-based Apostle Films has lined up a half-dozen series projects around town. At CBS, the company is redeveloping its Michael Rapaport-led drama about "a social worker who's good at helping others with their problems, but not necessarily his own." Peter Ocko ("Pushing Daisies") is taking over scripting duties from Bryan Goluboff. Over at FOX, Apostle continues to shepherd "Extended Family" from John Beck and Ron Hart ("According to Jim"). The multi-camera comedy is based on Beck's experiences growing up in a family that also made room for foster kids.
Newly revealed are an untitled hour for FX set in the world of televangelists. David Folwell ("Medium") is writing the project, which is set up at FX Productions. At Spike TV there's "The Rebel League," loosely based on Ed Willes's book of the same name (subtitled "The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey"), about "the startup of a contemporary hockey league and its out-of-control managers and players." Stephen Engel ("The Big Bang Theory") is writing the half-hour. Meanwhile, USA is developing "Partners in Crime" from Janine Sherman-Barrois and "Scales of Justice," from New York playwright Joe Sutton. The former revolves around ex-husband and wife private eyes while the latter is a New Orleans-set drama about "an overweight ex-cop who enlists his overeaters support group to fight crime." Lastly, the company is looking to bring the feature film "Gattica" to the small screen. Gil Grant ("NCIS: LA") is penning the hour, a police procedural set in the future, which will go out to networks soon.
COUGAR TOWN (ABC) - "The Unit" alum Scott Foley has landed a three-episode arc on the freshman comedy, Entertainment Weekly reports. He'll play a client of Courteney Cox's realtor character whom she begins dating. It's not clear when his first episode will air.
THE FOLLOWER (HBO, New!) - Jason Starr's novel of the same name is set to be the focus of a potential new drama at the pay channel. Said hour, which is set up at Lionsgate Television, is "described as a dark social satire chronicling the dating lives of a group of twentysomething New Yorkers as seen through the eyes of a stalker." Bret Easton Ellis ("American Psycho") is penning the adaptation with Jason Blum ("Paranormal Activity") and Vertigo Films partners Doug Davison and Roy Lee and Media Talent Group's Geyer Kosinski also executive producing. Vertigo's Gabriel Mason is likewise attached as a co-executive producer with Steven Schneider serving as an associate producer. Vertigo has a first-look deal with Lionsgate.
JOSH HEALD PROJECTS (Various, New!) - Feature writer Josh Heald (the upcoming "Mardi Gras" and "Hot Tub Time Machine") has sold a pair of projects, multi-camera comedies at NBC and FOX. The Peacock effort, "Sausagefest," is about "two very different twentysomething best friends whose lives are complicated by their clingy dads, one a thrice-divorced misogynist who means well and the other a gentle widower." Norm Macdonald is already attached as the former dad. The FOX project, "Sequestered," then revolves around "12 strangers forced to live together when they are sequestered for a lengthy jury trial." BermanBraun's Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun are executive producing the Universal Media Studios-based "Sausagesfest" while The Chernin Co.'s Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope are likewise executive producing the 20th Century Fox Television-based "Sequestered."
NCIS (CBS) - Rena Sofer ("Heroes") is set to appear on an upcoming episode of the veteran CBS drama. She'll play a no-nonsense attorney with mysterious motives, a role which is potentially recurring.
RIZZOLI (TNT) - Sasha Alexander, Bruce McGill, Jordan Bridges and Lee Thompson Young have all joined the cast of the drama pilot, based on Tess Gerritsen's popular Jane Rizzoli mystery novels about the crime-solving team of Boston police detective Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles. Alexander will play the latter role with McGill as "the gruff but lovable Detective Vince Korsak, Jane's former partner who is a bit hurt that she had taken the likable but green Barry Frost (Young), as her new partner." Bridges then is set as Franke Rizzoli Jr., "Jane's younger brother, a Boston patrol officer who worships her and hopes to make detective someday." Janet Tamaro penned the hour and is executive producing alongside Bill Haber.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[08/25/26 - 04:16 PM]
"Dolly Parton: An American Original - Special Edition of 20/20" Airs Tonight, Tuesday, Aug. 25, on ABC at 10 P.M., Streams Tomorrow on Disney+ and Hulu
The one-hour special celebrates the extraordinary life and legacy of beloved global icon Dolly Parton, who died at age 80.
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[08/25/26 - 03:10 PM]
ESPN Delivered Its Second Most-Watched MLB Little League Classic Ever!
The audience peaked at 2.2 million viewers during the 9:45 p.m. ET quarter-hour.
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[08/25/26 - 03:03 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Stays Hot with 3,079,000 Viewers, Most-Watched MLB Telecast of the Week on Any Network
The network's coverage reached a peak audience of 3,779,000 viewers from 9:45 - 10 PM ET.
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[08/25/26 - 02:34 PM]
CBS to Air "A CBS News Special: Dolly Parton - An American Icon" Tonight at 10:00 PM
Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil, and a team of CBS News journalists will celebrate the life and mark the passing of entertainment legend Dolly Parton.
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[08/25/26 - 02:31 PM]
The Mic Is Hot When Jeff Lewis Returns to Bravo with "Still Flipping Out", Premiering Sept 28 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
The new series follows former "Flipping Out" star Jeff Lewis as he navigates the demands of his hit SiriusXM show on Radio Andy, an eponymous design empire, and everything in-between.
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[08/25/26 - 02:20 PM]
FOX Sports Scores Landslide Win with Freedom 250
Coverage reached a peak viewership of 3,482,000 viewers from 2:30-2:45 PM ET.
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[08/25/26 - 01:00 PM]
Starz Announces Additional Casting for New Untitled Black Rodeo Drama
Shannon Wallace, Curtiss Cook, Lauren E. Banks, Liv Symone, and Jason Dirden round of the show's cast.
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[08/25/26 - 12:58 PM]
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" Dominates During Show's Summer Run - Jumping Over Last Year's Average by +9%
The series also stands as Wednesday's No. 1 primetime program among Total Viewers in each of its five weeks.
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[08/25/26 - 12:16 PM]
Netflix and Shonda Rhimes Extend Creative Partnership
The extended partnership will give Netflix and Shondaland the opportunity to continue to exclusively produce, stream and distribute TV series, feature films and gaming while continuing merchandise and live events opportunities connected to its IP.
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[08/25/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of August 17 - "Outer Banks" Strikes Gold at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
"My Brilliant Career" traversed the Australian bush to land at No. 2 on the English TV list with 4.7 million views.
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[08/25/26 - 12:01 PM]
The CW to Honor the Life and Legacy of Dolly Parton with Special Encore Presentation of "Dolly Parton: Here I Am"
Featuring exclusive interviews and remarkable archival footage, the documentary offers an intimate look at the woman behind the iconic songs, unmistakable style and enduring cultural impact that made Parton one of the most beloved entertainers of all time.
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[08/25/26 - 12:00 PM]
"Survivor" to Reveal the Season 51 Castaways on YouTube Livestream
During the livestream, viewers will meet the new castaways and will also be treated to a first-look tour of the Survivor 51 Tribal Council by host and showrunner Jeff Probst.
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[08/25/26 - 11:31 AM]
Netflix and Kevin Langue Partner to Bring "The Kevin Langue Show" to Netflix
Beginning September 5, members can watch a curated collection of episodes from each channel pulled from Kevin's back catalog, with new episodes dropping day-and-date alongside YouTube going forward.
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[08/25/26 - 11:00 AM]
A24's "Backrooms" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max September 25
The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell.
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[08/25/26 - 10:23 AM]
Four New Documentaries Celebrating Some of Comedy's Most Influential Voices Are Coming to Netflix This October
Martin Mull, Norm Macdonald, Maria Bamford, and SCTV are among the featured subjects.
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