or


[01/04/10 - 06:43 PM]
Development Update: Monday, January 4
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!


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





  [january 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· DAWSON'S CREEK (WB)
· DETROIT 187 (ABC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· ENLIGHTENED (HBO)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· LIGHTS OUT (FX)
· LOVE & DEATH (ABC)
· MERCY (NBC)
· OFF THE MAP (ABC)
· RETIRED AT 35 (TV LAND)
· SOUTHLAND (TNT)
· TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
· UNTITLED ADAM CAROLLA PROJECT (NBC)
· YEAR TO YEAR (ABC)





[07/02/25 - 03:04 PM]
ABC News Announces "Verdict: The Diddy Trial," Airing Wednesday, July 2, at 10 P.M. on ABC, Streaming Next Day on Hulu
A verdict has been reached in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, who has been found guilty on two of five counts.

[07/02/25 - 02:38 PM]
Hallmark Channel Earns #1 Most-Watched Network on Weekends Throughout June with "Passport to Love" Programming Event
"Passport to Love" helped elevate Hallmark Channel to be the #1 most-watched network on weekends throughout the month of June.

[07/02/25 - 11:52 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: American League Leading Detroit Tigers to Visit Texas Rangers on July 20
Through 14 games, "Sunday Night Baseball" is averaging 1,750,000 million viewers, up 11 percent from last year.

[07/02/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Trainwreck: Storm Area 51" - Official Teaser - Netflix
The stranger-than-fiction story of the greatest meme ever made.

[07/02/25 - 10:00 AM]
First Look - "Big Brother: A Summer of Mystery" Unlocks a Season of Secrets When Houseguests Enter "The Hotel Mystere"
In a season full of surprises, the premiere will be filled with unexpected twists and turns including a masked visitor, a secret accomplice and the shocking arrival of a "Mystery Houseguest" whose identity will remain under wraps... at least for now.

[07/02/25 - 09:00 AM]
"The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" Season Three Drops August 6 on Disney+
Ahead of the summer debut, the series has also been renewed for a fourth season, coming to Disney+ in 2026.

[07/02/25 - 08:12 AM]
ESPN Original Series "The Fight Life" Returns for Season Two on July 7
After each episode's debut, "The Fight Life" will also air across ESPN's linear platforms.

[07/02/25 - 07:09 AM]
Apple's Sci-Fi Drama "Invasion" to Return for Season Three on August 22
The 10-episode third season will make its global return on Friday, August 22 on Apple TV+ with one episode, followed by one new episode weekly, every Friday through October 24.

[07/02/25 - 06:12 AM]
"South Park's" 27th Season Premiere Moves to Wednesday, July 23rd at 10:00pm ET/PT on Comedy Central
The show's social media accounts confirmed the news this morning.

[07/02/25 - 05:06 AM]
Video: Trailer Released for ESPN's "Fanatics Fest: All Access" Special
From June 20-22, Fanatics Fest drove more than 125,000 fans to the Javits Center in New York City, captivating all in attendance and taking over social feeds throughout the three-day event.

[07/02/25 - 04:00 AM]
Roku Will Live-Stream Viral Sensation Savannah Bananas' Banana Ball World Tour Game from Fenway Park
Roku viewers will see the Savannah Bananas take on the Firefighters at historic Fenway Park on Sunday, July 6, at 3:30 PM ET, exclusively streaming on The Roku Channel's Roku Sports Channel in the U.S.

[07/01/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "Low Life" - Official Trailer - Disney+
Outlaws. Opportunists. One deadly chase. Who will sink, and who will score?

[07/01/25 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Glass Heart" Main Trailer and Title Song Revealed
This summer, Netflix presents a harmonious blend of emotion and music.

[07/01/25 - 02:48 PM]
FX's "The Bear" Renewed for Season Five
Christopher Storer's Emmy-award winning hit will return in 2026.

[07/01/25 - 02:25 PM]
Emmy Winner Michael Imperioli Set to Star Opposite Patrick Dempsey in New FOX Drama Series "Memory of a Killer," from Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment
The new drama series is scheduled to premiere midseason on FOX.