or


[12/15/09 - 06:21 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, December 15
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!


DEXTER (Showtime, New!) - Clyde Phillips is departing the series as showrunner after four seasons. "24" co-executive producer Chip Johannessen has been tapped to succeed Phillips for the show's fifth season, due in the fall of 2010. It's understood Phillips's departure is so he can spend more time with his family, which is still based in Connecticut. John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Charles H. Eglee, Melissa Rosenberg, Scott Buck and star Michael C. Hall also served as executive producers this past season.


THE REAL AMANDA STRAUSS (FOX, New!) - Callie Khouri ("Thelma and Louise") and Angelina Burnett ("The Cleaner") have booked a script at the network for a new drama about "a woman in the district attorney's office who harbors a big secret: she hails from a family of con artists." Sony Pictures Television is behind the hour, which also comes from the studio-based Furst Films. Sean and Bryan Furst will then executive produce alongside Burnett and Khouri, the latter of which may also direct.


TOUGH LOVE: COUPLES (VH1, New!) - The cable channel has commissioned a spin-off of its "Tough Love" franchise, simply dubbed "Tough Love: Couples." Said hour will feature host Steve Ward and his mother JoAnn as they "take five couples on the verge of becoming engaged and puts their relationships to the test." Ward will ultimately deliver "his verdict on whether the couples are right for each other, though it's up to the couples to decide whether to take his advice." Eight episodes are set to be filmed for a second quarter launch next year. Jim Berger, Pamela Healey, Nancy Juvonen, Drew Barrymore, Ember Truesdell and Chris Miller are the executive producers for High Noon Entertainment and Flower Films with Richard Hall, Steve and JoAnn Ward also serving in said capacity. Jeff Olde, Jill Holmes and Noah Pollack are supervising for VH1.


TRUE BLOOD (HBO) - Natasha Alam, Gregg Daniel, Cooper Huckabee and Joe Manganiello are the latest to score roles on the pay channel series. Entertainment Weekly reports Alam will play Yvetta, Eric's (Alexander Sarsgard) new dancer at Fangtasia, while Daniel is set as Reverend Daniels, whom Lettie Mae (Adina Porter) turns for comfort. Rounding out the bunch is Manganiello, who is set as Alcide, "a hot and sexy alpha male werewolf," with Huckabee as Joe Lee Mickens, Sam's (Sam Trammell) biological father.


THE VANDERBILTS (Showtime, New!) - Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park") is developing a new period drama at the network about "the family behind the Vanderbilt railroad and shipping empire, starting with Cornelius Vanderbilt, once one of the wealthiest men in the world." CBS Television Studios is behind the 19th century-based hour with Simon West, Bob Balaban and Rob Paris also serving as executive producers.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [december 2009]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· 24 (FOX)
· CLEANER, THE (A AND E)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
· REAL AMANDA STRAUSS, THE (FOX)
· TOUGH LOVE (VH1)
· TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
· VANDERBILTS, THE (SHOWTIME)





[03/20/26 - 02:01 PM]
CBS Has Top 2 and 11 of Top 20 Series in Live + 7-Day Multiplatform Viewership Among All Broadcast and Streaming Competition in the First Week of March
CBS has #1 series/drama ("Marshals"), #1 comedy ("Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage"), #1 primetime news program ("60 Minutes") and #1 unscripted series ("Survivor") of the week.

[03/20/26 - 01:01 PM]
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" Tops Late-Night for Third Week in a Row Among Adults 18-49
The Thursday, March 5, episode scored the show's top telecast across all three weeks among Adults 18-49 (0.21 rating), with the show's best rating in the key adult demo in four weeks.

[03/20/26 - 10:40 AM]
Discovery Channel Greenlights Seven New Series to Premiere in 2026
Highlights include new spin-offs of "Naked and Afraid" and "In the Eye of the Storm."

[03/20/26 - 10:09 AM]
"Saturday Night Live UK" Begins Historic Run on March 21
Ahead of "SNL UK's" launch tomorrow (March 21), Sky has confirmed an additional two episodes, extending the run to eight 75 minute shows.

[03/20/26 - 09:32 AM]
The Clock Never Stops in Return of Groundbreaking Culinary Competition Series "24 in 24: Last Chef Standing"
The new season premieres Sunday, April 26 at 8pm ET/PT on Food Network and streams the next day on HBO Max and discovery+.

[03/20/26 - 09:13 AM]
"Betrayal," The Hit Docuseries Based on the No. 1 True Crime Podcast, Is Coming to Primetime with All-New Stories Premiering Sunday, March 29, on ABC, and Streams Next Day on Disney+ and Hulu
Following three seasons of "Betrayal," the popular docuseries streaming on Hulu, the podcast-turned-docuseries is making the leap to primetime television, featuring a new story each week.

[03/20/26 - 09:00 AM]
A24's Oscar Nominated and Golden Globe Winning Film "Marty Supreme" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max April 24
The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, Fran Drescher, Luke Manley, and Koto Kawaguchi.

[03/20/26 - 08:31 AM]
Kevin Hart to Be Roasted Live on Netflix from the Epic Final Night of Netflix Is a Joke Fest, Hosted by Shane Gillis
The special will stream live on Netflix Sunday, May 10, 2026.

[03/20/26 - 07:13 AM]
Tubi Greenlights Sequel to Hit Original Film "R.L. Stine's Pumpkinhead"
Inspired by R.L. Stine's beloved "The Haunting Hour," the young-adult horror movies blend just the right mix of chills and thrills, delivering a frightfully fun experience.

[03/20/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Jeff Ross: Take a Banana for the Ride" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Making his Broadway debut, legendary comic Jeff Ross turns the spotlight on himself in a one-man show that is as heartfelt as it is hilarious.

[03/20/26 - 05:31 AM]
Netflix's "Assassin's Creed" Begins Production in Rome, Italy
The original story will be set in Rome 64 AD.

[03/19/26 - 06:01 PM]
Awkward Teen Moments and Heartfelt Laughs Drive Prime Video's Korean Coming-of-Age Series "Absolute Value of Romance"
The youthful Korean coming-of-age series arrives exclusively on Prime Video April 17.

[03/19/26 - 02:34 PM]
10,784,000 Viewers: World Baseball Classic Final on FOX and FOX Deportes Delivers Most-Watched WBC Telecast Ever
Viewership peaked with 12,148,000 from 10:30-10:45 PM ET on FOX.

[03/19/26 - 01:17 PM]
Maya Hawke to Star in Netflix's Series Adaptation of "The God of the Woods"
The multi-generational drama series is set in the Adirondacks, exploring the Van Laar family's dark secrets, class tensions, and the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of 13 year old Barbara Van Laar from her family's summer camp - in the wake of an earlier family tragedy that may be related.

[03/19/26 - 01:16 PM]
Renee Rapp Joins "The Morning Show" for Season 5
New network talent.