or


[03/18/10 - 12:07 AM]
Development Update: Thursday, March 18
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!


BEAT THE CHEFS (CBS, New!) - RelativityReal ("Find My Family") has scored a pilot commitment from the Eye for a new competition series in which "talented amateurs with a staff of family and friends cook their classic family recipe as top chefs make their own versions of the same dish." Judges then will ultimately decide who receives the cash prize. Tom Forman is executive producing the hour, additional details of which weren't released.


KEEP HOPE ALIVE (FOX) - Skyler Stone (Comedy Central's "Con") has booked a role on the comedy pilot, about "a 25-year-old single parent (Lucas Neff) raising an infant with the help of his quirky family after the baby's mother, with whom he had a one-night stand, ends up on death row." He'll play Mike, the man's best friend, "an unkempt, fairly oblivious guy in his early twenties." Kate Micucci originated the role, which is being recast. Cloris Leachman, Garrett Dillahunt, Martha Plimpton and Shannon Marie Woodward also star in the project, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television. Michael Fresco is directing from a script by Greg Garcia.


LEAPFROG (ABC) - Josh Cooke ("Big Day") has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about two sisters Maddie (Jennifer Finnigan) and Mia (Joanna Garcia) at different stages in their romantic relationships. He'll play Ben ("attractive, stylish and clearly in love"), Maddie's boyfriend of nine years. Debra Jo Rupp also stars in the half-hour, which comes from Warner Bros. Television and creator Shana Goldberg-Meehan.


NOMADS (The CW) - Michaela McManus ("One Tree Hill") and Warren Kole ("Mental") are both the latest additions to the presentation, a drama about a group of nearly broke young backpackers - Zack, Nadia, Donna and John (Scott Porter) - traveling the world who agree to earn money by working secret missions for the CIA. He'll play Ryker, the group's handler, who's "well-dressed, perfectly average to the edge of bland looking... but with hard, authoritative eyes." McManus then is believed to be playing Donna ("pretty in an accessible way"), an Army brat who grew up in Korea, Okinawa and Germany that passed on an analyst desk at the Clandestine Service in order to prove herself as a potential field agent. Production is set to begin shortly on location in Thailand with Ken Sanzel directing from his own script. CBS Television Studios, Scott Free Productions and Warner Bros. Television are co-producing.


PARKS & RECREATION (NBC) - The Peacock and Universal Media Studios have confirmed production on the show's third season has been moved up to accommodate co-star Amy Poehler's pregnancy, which will not be written into the show. The series is expected to stay in continuous production after it wraps its sophomore run. It's not clear how many installments will be banked. Poehler's due date is in September, when the comedy would have been in the middle of production on season three.


PATRIOTS (New!) - "24" executive producer Howard Gordon is looking to import the Israeli drama "Prisoners of War," about "three soldiers who return home from 17 years in Syrian captivity and must readjust to life in Israel and reunite with their families." 20th Century Fox Television and Keshet Broadcasting Group (FOX's "Traffic Light") are co-producing the hour, which Gordon will co-write alongside fellow "24" writer Alex Gansa and "War" creator Gideon Raff. The American version is expected to revolve around "three soldiers who were captured soon after the war on terror began in the wake of 9/11," two of which are finally released a decade later from their captors while the other died under mysterious circumstances. Said incarnation will also introduce a new character, a counterterrorism agent, who is looking into "suspicions that one of the returning soldiers may have turned rogue - and could be a terrorist threat himself." Keshet's Avi Nir is executive producing alongside Gordon, Gansa and Raff.


RIDE ALONG (FOX) - Jason Clarke ("Brotherhood") has been tapped for the lead role in the drama pilot, a police procedural set (and filmed) in Chicago. He'll play Jarek Wysocki, who's detailed as follows: "A local legend and outsized character, Jarek stands at center of the show that takes place in the center of the country. Like the city of Chicago itself, Jarek is razorblades and brass knuckles wrapped in politeness and ego-less charm. He's a Polish-American, Chicago-born and raised detective with a wicked sense of humor, a cynic's eye, but a romantic's heart." Clarke joins the previously cast Devin Kelley, Matt Lauria and Todd Williams. Charles McDougall is directing while Shawn Ryan penned the script.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [march 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· 24 (FOX)
· BEAT THE CHEFS (GSN)
· BETTER WITH YOU (ABC)
· BIG DAY (ABC)
· BROTHERHOOD (SHOWTIME)
· CHICAGO CODE, THE (FOX)
· CON, THE (COMEDY CENTRAL)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FIND MY FAMILY (ABC)
· MENTAL (FOX)
· NOMADS (CW)
· ONE TREE HILL (CW)
· PARKS & RECREATION (NBC)
· RAISING HOPE (FOX)
· TRAFFIC LIGHT (FOX)





[02/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces March 19 Premiere Date for "Meal Ticket"
The feature-length documentary from Roc Nation, Known Originals, and Creative Control chronicles the history of a storied basketball tradition - the McDonald's All American Games.

[02/26/26 - 08:04 AM]
ESPN and the Horizon League Extend Long-Standing Rights Agreement
ESPN linear networks will remain the home of the Horizon League men's basketball semifinals and championship, six regular season men's basketball contests and the women's basketball championship game.

[02/26/26 - 08:01 AM]
Production for Netflix's "A Different World" Sequel Is Officially Underway in Atlanta
The alumni cast Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Darryl M. Bell, and Cree Summer will be joined by Charnele Brown and Jenifer Lewis of the original series.

[02/26/26 - 08:00 AM]
Video: Exclusive First Look at the Explosive New Season of "Mama June"
The eighth season premieres Friday, March 13 at 9 PM ET/PT on We TV and streaming only on All Reality.

[02/26/26 - 07:01 AM]
UK Broadcaster Sky Enters the Ring as Co-Commission Partner on Starz's Boxing Drama "Fightland" Executive Produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
The series recently wrapped season one production in London.

[02/26/26 - 07:01 AM]
Apple TV Unveils First Look at "Star City," The New Space-Race Drama from the Creators of "For All Mankind"
The thrilling, eight-episode series will debut globally on Apple TV with two episodes on Friday, May 29, followed by one new episode every Friday through July 10.

[02/26/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Debuts Official Trailer and Key Art for "Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat"
The trailer provides a sneak peek into the Annual Company Retreat at Rockin' Grandma's and introduces you to their new temp worker, Anthony, who finds himself caught in the middle of a corporate takeover with the small business.

[02/26/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Jo Nesbo's Detective Hole" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a series of ritualistic murders hits Oslo, a gifted detective must navigate a puzzle of patterns, corruption and his own demons to catch the killer.

[02/26/26 - 05:44 AM]
Great American Media Announces Regal Return of "A Prince in Paradise" Films, "A Prince in Paradise: A Royal Wedding," Starring Rhiannon Fish and Mitchell Bourke, Majestic New Chapter in Production
The film sees the return of fan-favorite leads, Rhiannon Fish and Mitchell Bourke, who have enchanted audiences since the very first film.

[02/26/26 - 01:01 AM]
Marwan Kenzari and Rianne van Rompaey in Psychological Thriller "The Silence"
When acclaimed author Sara Post (Rianne van Rompaey) vanishes without a trace, her husband Tarik (Marwan Kenzari) is drawn into a dangerous search that unravels her hidden past and a closed community where silence is valued above the truth.

[02/26/26 - 12:01 AM]
Third Season of "Love Is Blind: Sweden" Drops Extra Episodes Featuring Influencer Reactions
The episodes will feature six influencers talking about and reacting to the recorded episodes from the iconic pods - a brand new format for this show.

[02/25/26 - 09:01 PM]
Video: "The Red Line" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Three women fall prey to a ruthless phone scam. To settle the score, they'll take on the criminal network that stole their money - and their dignity.

[02/25/26 - 07:03 PM]
Video: Important Announcement from Michael and Zach - "Smiling Friends" - Adult Swim
The animated comedy is now ending after three seasons with two extra episodes on April 12.

[02/25/26 - 06:31 PM]
Human and Spirit Realms Collide in Fantasy Action Series "Agent from Above", Premiering April 2
Premiering globally on Netflix on April 2, "Agent from Above" is an action-fantasy VFX spectacle inspired by Taoist mythology, adapted from the first installment of Taiwanese author Teensy's popular novel series "The Oracle Comes".

[02/25/26 - 05:44 PM]
ABC Wins Monday Night as "American Idol" Dominates with Best Audience Since Season Premiere
In fact, "American Idol" scored its largest margin of victory ever in Total Viewers over "The Voice" during its nine-season run on ABC.