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[11/30/09 - 06:24 PM]
Development Update: Monday, November 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!
COUGAR TOWN (ABC) - Ryan Devlin ("Veronica Mars") has scored a recurring role on the freshman comedy. He'll play Smith, a love interest for Busy Phillipps's character. Further details about his character however weren't released.
FUNNY IN FARSI (ABC) - Barry Sonnenfeld ("Pushing Daisies") has been tapped to direct and executive produce the comedy pilot, based on Firoozeh Dumas's memoir about his experiences growing up in Newport Beach, California during the 1970s. The Alphabet originally issued the project a director-contingent order during its last development cycle. In any case, Sonnenfeld will work from a script by Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai ("Rita Rocks") for ABC Studios. His involvement is tied to a first-look deal the director/producer inked with the studio earlier this year. The pact also called for Sonnenfeld to direct two pilots for the studio.
KEEP HOPE ALIVE (FOX) - Garrett Dillahunt ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about Jimmy (Lucas Neff), "a 25-year-old man raising an infant with the help of his quirky family after the mother of the baby, with whom he had a one-night stand, ends up on death row." He'll play Jimmy's dysfunctional father and boss, "who is not thrilled to find himself a grandfather and worries that the baby might carry her mom's homicidal gene." Martha Plimpton and Olesya Rulin also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, which Michael Fresco is directing from a script by Greg Garcia.
THE MENTALIST (CBS) - Aunjanue Ellis ("E-Ring") has booked a multi-episode arc on the sophomore drama. She'll play the CBI's "beautiful but tough" new boss, who "is brought in to restore discipline and morale to the division after the murder of three agents." Ellis takes over for Gregory Itzin's Virgil Minelli, who is being written out to accommodate the actor's return to "24" later this season. Her first episode will likely air in the spring.
RAISING THE BAR (TNT) - The cable channel has passed on ordering a third season of the legal drama. "Everyone at TNT had a great experience working on 'Raising the Bar' with Steven Bochco and the rest of the show's terrific cast and crew," said the network in a statement. "We're proud of the series and appreciate the efforts of all of the creative people who were involved. Unfortunately, ratings for 'Raising the Bar's' second season did not reach the levels required for TNT to renew the series." The network still has three episodes yet to air of the series however when or if they will be broadcast wasn't specified.
ROOSTER TALES (FOX, New!) - Matthew McConaughey is developing an animated comedy at the network based on the life of his brother Rooster. The project, to be penned by Kell Cahoon ("Psych"), follows "the world of a beer-swilling, redneck sheriff who marries a much younger woman from Mexico [only to realize] he's gained not only a wife but an entire clan - 114 members and counting." McConaughey and Cahoon will executive produce the half-hour alongside Mark Gustawes for the actor's J.K. Livin' Productions. It's understood FOX beat out TBS and Comedy Central for the project, which has a script commitment.
TOUGH TRADE (Epix) - Lucas Black ("The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift") and Cary Elwes ("Disney's A Christmas Carol") have both been cast in the drama pilot, about the Tucker family, "a Nashville music dynasty whose penchant for drink, debauchery and divorce has left it on the verge of bankruptcy." Black will play "an extremely talented guitarist and singer who could have followed in the Tucker legacy started by his grandfather (the previously cast Sam Shepard) and father (Elwes) but has no interest in pursuing a career in country music." Chris Offutt and Jenji Kohan are behind the hour, which is set up at Lionsgate Television.
UNTITLED JASON MANTZOUKAS PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Jason Mantzoukas (NBC's "Off Duty") has landed a script order from the network for a new medical comedy about "a female doctor who is unraveling at the seams." 20th Century Fox Television and The Chernin Co. are behind the half-hour, which Mantzoukas will executive produce alongside Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[04/17/26 - 11:46 PM]
Development Update: Week of April 13-17
Updates include: CBS eyes expansion of "Fire Country," "Sheriff Country" universe; "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" season two locks in cast; and "The Copenhagen Test," "Law & Order: Organized Crime" among latest cancellations.
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[04/17/26 - 03:01 PM]
ABC News Is #1 on Sunday Morning and Friday Night
For the third week in a row, "20/20" built on its year-ago telecast in all key target demos: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
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[04/17/26 - 01:03 PM]
Fourteen Elite Survivalists Compete for National Pride and the Ultimate Cash Prize in "Naked and Afraid: Global Showdown"
Divided into seven pairs representing their homelands, survivalists' skills will be tested by three brutal and unpredictable ecosystems in South Africa's Zululand.
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[04/17/26 - 11:31 AM]
A Magical Cast Summoned for the "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" Final Season
Jennifer Stone, Gregg Sulkin, Maria Canals-Barrera, and Selena Gomez are among the featured talent.
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[04/17/26 - 10:10 AM]
TNT Sports Announces Commentators for 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Presented by Geico First Round Games on Sunday, April 19
TNT Sports will drop the puck on its coverage of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs featuring up to 28 First Round games.
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[04/17/26 - 09:31 AM]
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Presented by Geico Begin Saturday on ESPN
In all, 16 First Round games will play out over the first ten days on ESPN and ESPN2.
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[04/17/26 - 09:04 AM]
Video: "Glory" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In a small-town boxing hub, two brothers investigate a shocking murder while navigating a troubled reunion with their father, a renowned coach.
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[04/17/26 - 09:00 AM]
Hulu Adds "Handsome," "The Mess Around," "Prison Breaking," and "That Was Us" to Podcast Slate Beginning This Month
These new licensed additions join a growing slate of companion podcasts tied to Disney+ and Hulu's most popular series.
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[04/17/26 - 07:15 AM]
TNT Sports Acquires Multi-Year U.S. Broadcast Rights to FIA World Endurance Championship Races
A new era of endurance racing arrives in the U.S. as truTV airs three premier events in full: the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo, and Lone Star Le Mans in Austin, Texas.
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[04/17/26 - 06:31 AM]
Bokeem Woodbine and Nona Parker Johnson Join Season Two of "Dexter: Resurrection" for Paramount+
In addition to Woodbine and Johnson's casting, Paramount+ recently announced that Brian Cox will join this season as "The New York Ripper," Uma Thurman will reprise her role as Charley and Dan Stevens will play "The Five Borough Killer."
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[04/17/26 - 06:14 AM]
All Roads Lead to Rome: Eternal City Tip-Off Featuring Notre Dame vs. Villanova Launches 2026-27 NCAA College Basketball Season on FOX & FS1
The contest between the two Catholic college basketball powerhouses promises to be an electric start to the 2026-27 season on FOX, with coverage highlighting the incredible atmosphere surrounding the event.
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[04/16/26 - 05:01 PM]
A Turn-of-the-Century Superpower Adventure of Goofy Misfits: "The WONDERfools" Premieres May 15
Set in 1999, "The WONDERfools" is an adventure comedy series about a group of neighborhood misfits who unexpectedly gain superpowers and must band together to take on villains threatening world peace.
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[04/16/26 - 01:11 PM]
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Renewed for Season 28 by NBC
The network confirmed the news on social media this afternoon.
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[04/16/26 - 12:01 PM]
NBC Sports Adds to Game and Studio Teams for WNBA Coverage Beginning May
Zora Stephenson, Noah Eagle, and Michael Grady will call games as the play-by-play voices, with LaChina Robinson as both studio host and game analyst, and Sarah Kustok as a game analyst.
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[04/16/26 - 12:01 PM]
Next on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN - May 2026
Highlights include "Travis Japan Summer Vacation!! in the USA," "The Punisher: One Last Kill," and "The Nightmare Upstairs: What Happened to Ty and Bryn."
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