or


[03/26/10 - 12:08 AM]
Development Update: Friday, March 26
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!


ARE WE THERE YET? (TBS) - Telma Hopkins ("Family Matters"), Keesha Sharp ("Why Did I Get Married, Too?") and Christian Finnegan ("Best Week Ever") have all been cast in the upcoming comedy, about a woman, Suzanne (Essence Atkins), who - along with her two children - move in with her new husband Nick (Terry Crews). Hopkins will play Nick's mother, who "isn't happy about his marriage nor her new role as grandmother"; with Sharp as Suzanne's best friend, who "has a taste for men and the finer things in life"; and Finnegan as Nick's best friend and owner of a sports memorabilia store. They join executive producer Ice Cube, who will recur as Suzanne's SWAT officer brother. Ali LeRoi, Joe Roth and Matt Alvarez are also behind the half-hour, which launches in June.


EDGAR FLOATS (ABC) - Alex Solowitz ("Dark Ride") has landed a role on the drama pilot, about the title character (Tom Cavanagh), a police psychologist who becomes a bounty hunter. He'll play Mason ("like a big farm boy with a military hair cut and a big smile"), one of Edgar's fellow bounty hunters, who's regularly paired with another named Jesus (Raoul Trujillo). In addition, Miguel Ferrer ("Bionic Woman") is set to guest star as Bob Martin, an ex-con - whose son is on the lam from Edgar and company - that Edgar offers psychological help. Alicia Witt, Derek Webster and Robert Patrick also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which comes from director Jace Alexander and writer Rand Ravich.


FRANKLIN & BASH (TBS) - Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Reed Diamond and Dana Davis are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about "two street lawyers and lifelong friends (Breckin Meyer, Mark-Paul Gosselaar) who, after taking down a white-shoe law firm in a high-profile case, are recruited by the firm's patriarch (Malcolm McDowell)." Diamond will play the nephew of McDowell's character, with Beauvais-Nilon as his girlfriend. Davis will play an unspecified employee at the firm. Bill Chais and Kevin Falls are behind the hour, which is set up at Sony Pictures Television.


GLORY DAZE (TBS) - Tim Jo and Josh Brener have landed roles on the pilot, a dramedy about the lives of four incoming freshman in the 1980s - Joel (Kelly Blatz), Jason (Drew Seeley), Eli (Matt Bush) and Brian (Hartley Sawyer) - who pledge a fraternity at a Wisconsin college. The former will play Peter Chang, Eli�s roommate, who joins an Asian fraternity. Brener then is believed to be playing Zach Paulson, Joel's roommate, "an early aficionado of the MAC computer, Zach has the wild eyes of a guy who plays a lot of Dungeons and Dragons, and the fashion sense to match." Callard Harris, Julianna Guill and Tim Meadows also star in the ensemble, which comes from co-creators Michael LeSieur and Walt Becker.


HITCHED (CBS) - Thomas Middleditch ("Splinterheads") has scored a role in the comedy pilot, about a newlyweds (Kristin Kreuk, Jack Carpenter) dealing with their family and friends. He's on board as Zarnow, their hopelessly single best friend who's always seen wearing a vintage T-shirt, a vest and a fedora. Eugene Levy and Kurtwood Smith also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which Rob Greenberg is directing from a script by co-creators Josh Schwartz and Matt Miller.


IN SECURITY (TBS) - Brandon Routh, Hal Linden, Amir Arison, Tina Majorino and Kevin Michael Richardson have all landed roles on the drama pilot, about "sisters (Constance Zimmer and Kat Foster) who take over their father's private-security business protecting the super-elite while dealing with personal and family issues." Linden will play their father with Routh as "a former Navy SEAL-turned-bodyguard at the firm who sleeps with one of the sisters." Details on Richardson, Majorino and Arison's characters, all employees of the company, weren't given. Pete Segal is directing the hour from a script he co-wrote with Ric Swartzlander.


THE LINE (CBS) - Terry Kinney ("The Unusuals") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about Jack Donovan (Dylan Walsh), an ATF agent who hunts down the most dangerous criminals. He'll play Alex Gunderson, Donovan's nemesis, a "mystic, poet, philosopher, and fucking sociopath." Lorraine Toussaint, Michael Rapaport and Sean Patrick Thomas also star in the Michael Dinner-created project, a co-production of CBS Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television.


MIDLAND (FOX) - Mark Deklin ("The Ex List") and Hannah Leigh ("The Suite Life of Zack and Cody") have landed the final principal roles on the drama pilot, about a con artist (Jimmy Wolk) juggling two lives in two Texas cities with two different women (Adrianne Palicki, Eloise Mumford). He'll play Trammell ("Brooks Brothers suit, might as well have Wharton MBA stamped on his forehead"), the brother of Palicki's character, Cat. Leigh then is set as Grace ("cute but plain on purpose"), Cat's daughter from her first marriage. Bryce Johnson, David Keith and Jon Voight also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, to be helmed by Marc Webb from a script by Kyle Killen.


MR. SUNSHINE (ABC) - Portia Doubleday ("Youth in Revolt") and James Lesure ("Las Vegas") are both on board the comedy pilot, about Ben (Matthew Perry), a self-involved manager of a second-rate sports arena who begins to reevaluate his life on his 40th birthday. She'll play Ben's assistant Heather ("blonde, very pretty, very sweet") while he's set as Alonzo ("athletic, handsome, unbelievably happy"), a former basketball star whose sunny disposition annoys Ben. Allison Janney, Andrea Anders and Nate Torrence also star in the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour, which Perry co-wrote with Alex Barnow and Mark Firek. Thomas Schlamme is directing.


NOMADS (The CW) - Luke Ford ("McLeod's Daughters") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a group of nearly broke young backpackers traveling the world who agree to earn money by working secret missions for the CIA. He's on board as one of them, Zack Morgan, "a shaggy blonde 20's Aussie surfer dude with the good nature (and sex drive) of a Labrador Retriever." Michaela McManus, Scott Porter and Warren Kole also star in the presentation, which comes from CBS Television Studios, Scott Free Productions and Warner Bros. Television. Ken Sanzel is directing off his own script.


PLEADING GUILTY (FOX) - Melinda McGraw ("Hank") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about Mack Malloy (Jason Isaacs), an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic now serving as a partner in a top-drawer corporate law firm. She'll play Elise, Mack's ex-wife with whom he shares a teenager daughter, Carrie (yet to be cast). John Larroquette, Madchen Amick and Omid Abtahi co-star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which Jon Avnet is helming off a script by Jason Tracey.


SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT (ABC) - Steve Talley ("American Pie Presents Beta House") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about "a tough, hard-core conservative Texan (Don Johnson) whose life is turned upside down when his grown kids move back in." He'll play Ty Dobson, the eldest son, "a slacker who kissed off a baseball scholarship to pursue writing." Mary Steenburgen also stars in the project, which is set up at ABC Studios and Sony Pictures Television. Chad Kultgen penned the script.


TRUE BLUE (ABC) - Rachael Carpani ("McLeod's Daughters") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about a group of San Francisco cops who reunite to solve the murder of one of their own. She'll play Tess Flynn, the chirpy new partner of Malcolm-Jamal Warner's character whom he dubs "Veronica Mars." Also set to appear are Scott Elrod ("Men in Trees") as Kevin Ulster, the murdered cop in question; Malaya Rivera Drew ("The L Word") as Mia Sherman, Kevin's sometimes lover; and Titus Welliver ("The Good Wife") as John Leeson, her slick ex-husband and the prime suspect in Kevin's murder. Ana Ortiz, Eric Lange, Marc Blucas, Poppy Montgomery and Scott Foley are also among the ensemble. Chris Brancato and Jon Harmon Feldman co-wrote the ABC Studios-based hour, which Peter Horton is directing.


THE WALKING DEAD (AMC) - Jon Bernthal ("Eastwick") is the first to be cast in the drama pilot, which is based on the Robert Kirkman comic of the same name about a cop and his family trying to survive after a zombie apocalypse. He'll play Shane Walsh, the man's partner/best friend, an outgoing bachelor. Frank Darabont is behind the hour, which is set up at Circle of Confusion and Valhalla Motion Pictures.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [march 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· ARE WE THERE YET? (TBS)
· BIONIC WOMAN (NBC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EASTWICK (ABC)
· EDGAR FLOATS (ABC)
· EX LIST, THE (CBS)
· FRANKLIN & BASH (TNT)
· GLORY DAZE (TBS)
· HANK (ABC)
· HITCHED (CBS)
· IN SECURITY (TBS)
· L WORD, THE (SHOWTIME)
· LAS VEGAS (NBC)
· LINE, THE (CBS)
· LONE STAR (FOX)
· MEN IN TREES (ABC)
· MR SUNSHINE (ABC)
· NOMADS (CW)
· PLEADING GUILTY (FOX)
· SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT (ABC)
· TRUE BLUE (ABC)
· UNUSUALS, THE (ABC)
· WALKING DEAD, THE (AMC)





[03/18/24 - 01:59 PM]
Chrissy Metz, Jaime Ray Newman, Katie Lowes, and George Ferrier Join as Series Regulars for Starz's New Drama "The Hunting Wives"
Production on the thrilling new series has started in Charlotte, North Carolina.

[03/18/24 - 11:30 AM]
Video: ALLBLK Releases Trailer for the World Premiere of New Thriller, "The Influencer" Premiering Thursday, April 4
The original film stars Christina Cooper as Niecy Fields, a social media influencer on the cusp of stardom.

[03/18/24 - 10:06 AM]
E! Announces Trendsetting Guest Judges and Pioneering Disruptors for New Cutting-Edge Design Competition Series "OMG Fashun" with Julia Fox
Handcrafted is the new haute couture on "OMG Fashun" as Julia inspires pioneering fashion disruptors to upend traditional style convention, break the rules and redefine cool.

[03/18/24 - 10:00 AM]
Video: Peacock Debuts Trailer For New Original Documentary "Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal" Premiering April 1
The documentary looks at the remarkable career of the late Windham Rotunda also known as Bray Wyatt, one of the most skillful, tenacious, and creative WWE Superstars of all-time.

[03/18/24 - 10:00 AM]
NBC Is the Official Home of Competition and Games This Summer with a Slate of Powerhouse Hit Series
NBC is the summer home for both the Paris Olympic Games and high-stakes competition with a robust lineup of returning powerhouse favorites, including "America's Got Talent," "American Ninja Warrior," "Password," "The Wall" and "Weakest Link."

[03/18/24 - 09:02 AM]
Netflix Announces News About 26 Upcoming Nordic Titles - Including 12 Brand New Titles
Plus: the streamer offers new looks at "Deliver Me," "The Helicopter Heist," "Ronja the Robber's Daughter," "Billionaire Island" and season two of "Baby Fever."

[03/18/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The rebels gear up for battle against the ruthless forces of the Motherworld as unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge - and legends are made.

[03/18/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Disney's "Wish" - Streaming April 3rd - Disney+
Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Wish" is an all-new musical-comedy welcoming audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force - a little ball of boundless energy called Star.

[03/18/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Our Living World" - Cate Blanchett - Official Trailer - Netflix
This stunning nature series narrated by Cate Blanchett explores the intelligence, resourcefulness and interconnectedness of life on our planet.

[03/18/24 - 08:00 AM]
Acorn TV Fan-Favorite "Harry Wild" Returns Monday, May 13
Season three consists of six episodes and will be available on Acorn TV in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

[03/18/24 - 08:00 AM]
Prime Video Orders "Beast Games" from MrBeast and Amazon MGM Studios
Based on his already successful YouTube show, "Beast Games" is set to become the biggest reality competition series ever with 1000 contestants competing for a $5 million dollar cash prize which will be the biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming.

[03/18/24 - 07:14 AM]
ESPN+ Original Series "Full Court Press" Presented by State Farm Featuring Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice to Premiere May 11 & 12 on ABC and ESPN+
From Iowa's historic preseason game that broke attendance records all the way through the WNBA draft in April, the series uses unparalleled access, exclusive interviews, and unique game footage, to transport audiences into the lives of these exceptional athletes.

[03/18/24 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Scoop" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization gives an insider account of how the women of Newsnight secured Prince Andrew's infamous interview.

[03/18/24 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV+ Debuts Trailer for Season Two of Iconic Emmy Award-Winning Series "Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock," Premiering Globally March 29
Award-winning season two cast includes the return of Daveed Diggs alongside Ariana DeBose, Brett Goldstein, Catherine O'Hara, Adam Lambert and K-pop group aespa in guest star roles.

[03/18/24 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Joy" - First Look Teaser - Netflix
Starring Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton and Bill Nighy, the new film based on the story of the birth of IVF.