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[12/10/09 - 06:13 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, December 10
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!
AMERICA: THE STORY OF US (History) - Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Colin Powell, Brian Williams, Buzz Aldrin, Tommy Franks, Donald Trump, John Lasseter and Stevie Wonder have all been tapped to participate in the upcoming 12-part event, which will "focus on the elements that distinguish American democracy, the conflicts that shaped it and the myriad social and industrial innovations that have fueled the country's prosperity." Said talent will serve as on-camera commentators with Jane Root executive producing via her Nutopia production banner. "America" is due sometime in 2010.
DELTA BLUES (TNT) - Alfre Woodard ("Three Rivers") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee), "a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother (Celia Weston) and moonlights as a tribute artist." She'll play "the formidable new lieutenant who tries to exercise her power over Dwight," a role presumably in second position to the hiatused "Rivers." Warner Horizon Television and Smokehouse Productions are behind the hour, which also stars Abraham Benrubi, DJ Qualls, Leonard Howz, Robyn Lively and Sam Hennings. Clark Johnson is directing from a script by Joshua Harto and Liz Garcia.
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (HBO) - Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement have announced via their web site their pay channel series won't be returning for a third season. "We've noticed the less we say about the future of the show, the more people want to talk about it, so in an effort to reverse this trend we are today announcing that we won't be returning for a 3rd season," said the statement. "We're very proud of the two seasons we made and we like the way the show ended. We'd like to thank everyone who helped make the show and also everyone who watched it. While the characters Bret and Jemaine will no longer be around, the real Bret and Jemaine will continue to exist." The show wrapped its second season back in March.
GLEE (FOX) - Tony-winning actress Idina Menzel ("Wicked") is reportedly in talks to recur on the back half of the show's freshman season. She would play the coach to glee club "Vocal Adrenaline," the McKinley High glee club's main competition. Menzel had already been the focus of a fan campaign to cast her as Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) biological mother. Also signing on for a five to six episode arc is Jonathan Groff. He'll play the lead male vocalist of "Vocal Adrenaline" and a potential love interest for Rachel Berry. Groff co-starred opposite Michele in the Broadway production of "Spring Awakening."
KEEP HOPE ALIVE (FOX) - Kate Micucci ("Scrubs") has landed a role on the comedy pilot, about Jimmy (Lucas Neff), "a 25-year-old single parent 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." She'll play Mike, "an unkempt, fairly oblivious cousin of Jimmy living in a tent in the laundry room of their great-grandmother's house." Said role was originally envisioned a male. Garrett Dillahunt, Kate Micucci, 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 SIX (ABC, New!) - Merv Griffin Entertainment has landed a presentation order from the Alphabet for a new game show based on the Russian format "What? Where? When?" Said project, which has been running for 35 years in its home country, is being redubbed "The Six," after the number of contestants on the show. The late Vladimir Voroshilov created (and hosted) the series, which pits a panel of six knowledgeable persons against the viewing audience. Said experts are tasked with answering audience-submitted questions listed on a spinning horizontal wheel divided into segments. If the experts answer correctly in the allotted 60 seconds they receive a point, if they don't the audience receives a point with question's author also earning a prize. (Sample question: "They first appeared in 1908 in Mexico. There were two of them. Over time, they came closer and closer together, like wings of a black raven. Name them." Answer: "Frida Kahlo's eyebrows.") Exact format details however are still being worked out. Merv Griffin's Roy Bank is executive producing the project alongside Ukranian-born actor Alex Reznik, Jonathan Barry and Ron Ward. Dwight Smith and Michael Agbabian are the showrunners with Brian Veskosky serving as a co-executive producer.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[10/23/26 - 10:37 AM]
FOX Sports Unveils Elite 2026-27 Regular Season College Basketball Schedule
FOX's Saturday primetime slate features No. 17 Kansas at No. 4 UConn, No. 6 Michigan State at No. 22 UCLA, Villanova at Creighton, Nebraska at Michigan State and Providence at UConn.
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[10/23/26 - 09:30 AM]
Season 3 of History's "Mysteries Unearthed" Returns Nov. 12 at 8/7c
Whether it's buried underground, hidden in ice, or concealed deep underwater, the world is full of mysteries just waiting to be unearthed.
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[10/23/26 - 09:00 AM]
Comedy Central Announces "Chloe Radcliffe: Eyes Down Here"
The brand new hour-long standup special premieres Tuesday, October 27 on the Comedy Central Stand-Up YouTube Channel.
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[10/23/26 - 08:40 AM]
UP Faith & Family to Exclusively Premiere Season 20 of the Hit Family Series "Heartland" in the U.S. Beginning November 19
As part of the premiere celebration, UP Faith & Family subscribers will have the chance to participate in an exclusive live virtual viewing event on premiere night.
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[10/23/26 - 08:30 AM]
Record College Football Viewership Propels ESPN to Second Best Start Since 2011 with "College GameDay" on Track for Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks are averaging 2.2 million viewers across 120 games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU - the second-best start for ESPN since 2011.
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[10/23/26 - 08:01 AM]
Bravo Unveils New Series, Returning Favorites and First Scripted Microdrama Ahead of Bravo Fan Fest Charleston
The network expands the "Next Gen" franchise with new series "Next Gen Atlanta" and renews "Next Gen NYC," "In The City," and "Southern Hospitality."
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[10/23/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Fallout Shelter: The Experiment" - Date Announce - Prime Video
The all-new competition series arrives January 13, only on Prime Video.
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[10/23/26 - 08:00 AM]
TLC's "7 Little Johnstons" Returns for a New Season Tuesday, November 17 at 9PM ET/PT
This season is packed with life-changing milestones, big celebrations, and plenty of Johnston family fun.
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[10/23/26 - 08:00 AM]
AMC Global Media's November Streaming Highlights Include a New Season of "The Assassin" and New Episodes of "Yaga" and "Kill Jackie" on AMC+
Other offerings include the return of "The Madame Blanc Mysteries" and A Remarkable Place to Die" on Acorn TV; plus the debut of "Snooki: The Paranormal Rookie on All Reality" on All Reality.
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[10/23/26 - 07:00 AM]
AMC Global Media Launches New Unscripted Clip Series, "Cue the Laughs," Premiering Saturday, November 7 on IFC, AMC+ and All Reality
Hosted by comedian and actor Adam Ray, the comical clip show for grown-ups proves that the most outrageous moments in life are the ones nobody scripted, and nobody saw coming.
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[10/23/26 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "The Gentlemen" Is Back in Production for Season 3 and Confirms New Cast to Join, Including Robert Carlyle, Elijah Wood and Orlando Bloom
Other additions include Dexter Fletcher, Bruna Marquezine, Ed Speleers, Saffron Burrows, and Bugzy Malone.
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[10/23/26 - 03:01 AM]
Video: "Secrets" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Former sex worker Parni built a peaceful life for her daughter, but her abusive ex resurfaces, threatening to destroy everything she fought to protect.
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[10/23/26 - 01:05 AM]
Netflix Adapts the Classic by Clarin: Production Begins on "La Regenta"
This new contemporary version is brought to life by a creative team that reinterprets the classic from a fresh female perspective, with Mar Coll directing, María Zamora producing, and Ester Expósito leading the cast as Regenta.
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[10/23/26 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "Style Wars" - Pre-Teaser - Disney+
The looks are fierce, but the competition is fiercer.
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[10/22/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "The Blue Road" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Two detectives join forces when brutal murders and cryptic messages surface across borders - but the deadly truth lurks dangerously close.
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