[02/20/10 - 12:07 AM] Development Update: Saturday, February 20 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!
BRICKLEBERRY PARK (FOX, New!) - Waco O'Guin and Roger Black ("Stankervision") have booked a pilot presentation order from the network for a new animated comedy about "a group of forest rangers at a declining park that's about to be shut down." Dave Herman ("Office Space"), Tom Kenny ("Spongebob SquarePants") and Carlos Alazraqui ("Reno 911") have already signed on to voice the project, as are Grey DeLisle, Martha MacIsaac and Jerry Minor, with Herman as a new ranger who's brought in to shape the place up. O'Guin and Black penned the half-hour, which Eric Kaplan ("The Big Bang Theory") is supervising. 20th Century Fox Television and its alternative arm, Fox 21, are co-producing.
CODE 58 (FOX) - Matt Nix's upcoming drama is now running under the working title of "The Five Eight." Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks topline the hour, about "what happens when an old-school cop and a modern-day detective expose the big picture of small crime." The newcomer launches with a pair of special Wednesday, 8:00/7:00c airings on May 12 and May 19 before settling into its regular Monday, 9:00/8:00c time period on June 7.
GREEK (ABC Family) - The cable channel is set to order a fourth season of its college soap, which currently airs on Mondays at 10:00/9:00c. 10 new episodes will roll out later this year, making it the network's longest running series to date. The current season, which wraps on March 29, has posted double-digit year-to-year gains in various key demos, most notably 22% among persons 18-34.
HITCHED (CBS) - Kristin Kreuk ("Smallville") and Jack Carpenter ("I Love You Beth Cooper") have been tapped as the leads of the comedy pilot, about "a newlywed couple dealing with their family and friends." They'll play said couple, Rachel and Brett Applebaum, in the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, which comes from co-creators Josh Schwartz and Matt Miller. Eugene Levy also stars.
NATHAN VS. NURTURE (NBC) - Bill Pullman ("Revelations") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about "an overachieving heart surgeon (Jay Harrington) who reunites with his biological father and underachieving brothers 35 years after his adoption." He'll play the father in question, Arthur Bennett, "whose over-coddling, over-praising and over-loving ways may have not resulted in the most successful adults." David Guarascio and Moses Port are behind the Sony Pictures Television-based project, to be directed by sitcom veteran James Burrows.
SHIT MY DAD SAYS (CBS) - William Shatner ("Boston Legal") is set to topline the comedy pilot, about a soon-to-be thirtysomething who moves back in with his larger-than-life father. Said half-hour, which was written by Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, was spawned by the former's popular Twitter feed of the same name. Shatner's casting as the dad lead to the multi-camera project receiving a green light to produce a pilot. David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are supervising Halpern and Schumacker, who will serve as co-executive producers. Warner Bros. Television is the studio attached.
UNTITLED WILL ARNETT PROJECT (FOX) - The Will Arnett-led comedy is reportedly close to landing a green light to produce a pilot. The "Arrested Development" alum also co-wrote the half-hour alongside "Arrested's" Mitch Hurwitz and Jim Vallely. Said development comes despite producer Sony Pictures Television pulling out from the project due to cost concerns. Lionsgate subsequently is on track to take over the production with the formal pickup coming after the studio signs on. The untitled single-camera project revolves around "a wealthy Beverly Hills man (Arnett) who winds up falling for a charitable tree-hugging woman who can't stand his obnoxious ways." Vallely and Hurwitz then will serve as executive producers alongside Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Peter Principato and Paul Young. Arnett is also expected to receive a producing credit.
WOMEN ARE CRAZY, MEN ARE STUPID (ABC) - The Alphabet has opted to shelve the comedy pilot, about "a new couple who, having both survived failed marriages, is determined to get it right this time." "Women" was one of the network's earliest pickups for the 2010-11 development cycle, however no casting has closed. It's understood ABC and producer ABC Studios may revisit the project at a later date. Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee co-wrote the half-hour, which is based on their book of the same name.
