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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!
1-8-7 DETROIT (ABC) - Jason Richman's drama script has been picked up to pilot by the Alphabet. The hour "follows the exploits of Motor City homicide detectives, as seen through the eyes of a fictitious documentary crew." ABC Studios is behind the project, which also comes from David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman's Mandeville Films. The pair then are executive producing alongside Richman.
ENLIGHTENED (HBO) - Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd, Amy Hill and Charles Esten are the latest additions to the comedy pilot, about Amy (Laura Dern), "a self-destructive woman who after a meltdown has a spiritual awakening and becomes determined to live an enlightened life, creating havoc at home and work." Wilson will play Levi, "Amy's unkempt ex-husband who has a drug problem," with Ladd (Dern's real life mom) as Amy's mother, "who takes in her daughter as a house guest after her crisis"; Hill as "the head of human resources at Amy's workplace"; and Esten in the recurring role of "Amy's boss and former lover who triggers her meltdown when he has her transferred." Mike White wrote and will direct the half-hour, which also stars Sarah Burns.
GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC) - Kim Raver has been upped to series regular on the veteran drama. The actress made her debut on the ninth episode this season as Teddy Altman, "a new cardio surgeon brought in by her former Army colleague Owen (Kevin McKidd)." She'll continue on in said role in all but one of the show's remaining episodes this season.
Separately, creator Shonda Rhimes has set up a trio of projects at producer ABC Studios via her overall deal. The offerings include "Year to Year," a "marriage-oriented drama" from J.J. Philbin ("Heroes"); "Off the Map," a medical drama from Jenna Bans ("Grey's Anatomy"); and "Love and Death," a "San Francisco-set romantic crime drama" from Mark Wilding ("Grey's Anatomy"). Rachel Eggebeen ("PU-239") was recently tapped as a development executive for Rhimes and Betsy Beers's Shondaland banner.
LIGHTS OUT (FX) - Catherine McCormack and Stacy Keach have both joined the cast of the upcoming drama, about Patrick "Lights" Leary (Holt McCallany), "an aging former heavyweight boxing champion who struggles to support his wife, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon, and three daughters after his fighting days are over." They'll play the man's wife and father in the project, which Clark Johnson directed from a script by Justin Zackham. They'll take over for Melora Hardin and Kevin Conway, who originated the roles in the pilot. Fox TV Studios and FX Productions are co-producing the hour, which is executive produced by Zackham, Warren Leight, Phillip Noyce and Ross Fineman.
MERCY (NBC) - "Dawson's Creek" alum James Van Der Beek is set to recur on the freshman drama as "the hospital's new womanizing ICU chief who harbors a dark secret." Said role, which could become a regular, is set to begin at the start of its back nine order.
RETIRED AT 35 (TV Land) - Casey Wilson, Jessica Walter, Matt Champagne, George Wyner, Jere Burns, Faye DeWitt and Christine Ebersole have all joined the cast of the multi-camera comedy pilot, about David (Johnathan McClain), "a successful young businessman who decides to leave the New York rat race behind and move into his father Alan's (George Segal) Florida retirement home." They join the previously cast McClain, Segal, Josh McDermott as David's best friend and Ryan Michelle Bathe as David's love interest. As for the newcomers, Wilson will play David's sister with Walter as David's mom; Ebersole as a potential love interest for Alan; Champagne as Amy's boyfriend; Wyner as Alan's best friend; and Burns and DeWitt as unspecified characters. Chris Case is behind the half-hour, which comes from fellow executive producers Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis.
TRUE BLOOD (HBO) - Kevin Alejandro ("Southland") has scored a role on the show's heavily populated third season. He'll play Jesus, "a Latino orderly who is taking care of Ruby Jean Reynolds (Alfre Woodard) at her care facility and becomes involved with her son, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis)." While Alejandro will appear in the majority of the show's third season episodes, said duties remain in second position to "Southland."
UNTITLED ADAM CAROLLA PROJECT (NBC, New!) - Adam Carolla is set to topline a potential new single-camera comedy at the network about "a contractor and father whose life is turned upside down when his wife leaves him." Carolla is penning the half-hour alongside Kevin Hench as well as executive producing alongside Jon Pollack, Jimmy Kimmel, Daniel Kellison, James Dixon, Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun. Universal Media Studios is the studio attached with the aforementioned's companies Jackhole Industries and BermanBraun producing.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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