or


[04/02/10 - 12:08 AM]
Development Update: Friday, April 2
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!


HELLCATS (The CW) - Robbie Jones ("One Tree Hill") and Heather Hemmens ("The Candy Shop") are both on board the presentation, a drama set in the world of competitive college cheerleading. He's believed to be playing Luis Famosa, an "easy and laid-back, seriously unserious" member of the squad who befriends Marty (Aly Michalka), much to the chagrin of Dan (Matt Barr). Said role was originally written for someone of Cuban descent. Hemmens then is set as Alice Vandermark ("a willowy beauty with jaded New York cool"), a fellow Hellcat that suffers a hairline wrist fracture. Ashley Tisdale and Gail O'Grady co-star in the hour, which was penned by Kevin Murphy. CBS Television Studios, Tom Welling Productions and Warner Bros. Television are co-producing.


HITCHED (CBS) - Riki Lindhome has landed a role on the comedy pilot, about a twentysomething newlywed couple (Jack Carpenter, Kristin Kreuk) navigating their new life together. She's on board as Shari Ratner, the bride's best friend, "a ball buster" whose husband never speaks. Josh Schwartz and Matt Miller are behind the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, which also stars Eugene Levy, Kurtwood Smith and Thomas Middleditch. Rob Greenberg is directing.


HUGE (ABC Family) - Gina Torres ("Gossip Girl") is the latest addition to the series, which launches Monday, June 28 at 9:00/8:00c. She'll play Dr. Dorothy Rand in the hour, about "the lives of seven teens and the staff at a weight-loss camp, as they look beneath the surface to discover their true selves and the truth about each other." Andrew Caldwell, Ari Stidham, Ashley Holliday, Harvey Guillen, Hayley Hasselhoff, Nikki Blonsky and Zander Eckhouse also star in the ensemble.


LAW & ORDER (NBC) - S. Epatha Merkerson is departing the series after 17 seasons. Said decision comes as production is about to begin on the show's 20th season finale. Merkerson reportedly made the request in time to give her character an appropriate send-off. Earlier this week, the Peacock announced Olympic Gold Medal winning skier Lindsey Vonn would guest star on the aforementioned finale, to be written and directed by Rene Balcer. As for the future of the series, rumblings persist that a 21st season will be contingent on whether or not TNT, home to its off-network run, will extend its contract beyond season 20 which in turn will help offset the cost of production.


PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (ABC Family) - Chad Lowe ("24") has joined the cast of the upcoming drama, about "four estranged best friends who are reunited one year after their best friend and queen bee of the group, Alison, goes missing only to discover they are receiving messages from an anonymous "A" who knows all their secrets." He'll play Byron, one of the girls' (Lucy Hale) fathers, a "handsome professor that the college girls on campus all talk about when they get drunk and horny." Alexis Denisof originated the role in the pilot. No reason was given for the recasting. Ashley Benson, Laura Leighton, Nia Peeples, Shay Mitchell as Emily and Troian Bellisario also star in the project, which bows Tuesday, June 8 at 8:00/7:00c.


STRANGE BREW (FOX) - Greg Germann ("In Case of Emergency") and Damon Gupton ("Deadline") have both booked roles on the comedy pilot, about a family-owned brewery. The former will play Burt ("fit, comfortable in his Republican skin"), a president of a rival company who tries to convince patriarch Ted (Jere Burns) to sell him a piece of the business. Gupton then is set as Lester Lewis III, a third generation brewmaster who's a de facto member of the family. Aya Cash, Laurie Metcalf, Mo Mandel and Skylar Astin also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, which Marc Buckland is directing from a script by David Kohan and Max Mutchnick.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· 24 (FOX)
· DEADLINE (NBC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GOSSIP GIRL (CW)
· HELLCATS (CW)
· HITCHED (CBS)
· HUGE (ABC FAMILY)
· IN CASE OF EMERGENCY (ABC)
· LAW & ORDER (NBC)
· ONE TREE HILL (CW)
· PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (FREEFORM)
· STRANGE BREW (FOX)





[07/15/26 - 12:50 PM]
FOX Sports Secures Most-Watched FIFA Men's World Cup Semifinals Telecast in English-Language U.S. History
11.462 million viewers watched Spain knock out France in the semifinal Tuesday afternoon on FOX.

[07/15/26 - 12:40 PM]
"Time and Water" Premieres July 31 at 9/8c on National Geographic and Streams Next Day on Disney+
From Academy Award-nominated director Sara Dosa, the film is a universal reflection on the power of home and what it means to be alive amid profound epochal change.

[07/15/26 - 12:18 PM]
Ryan Garcia Set to Defend World Title Against Conor Benn in Paramount+ Global Bout at T-Mobile Arena on September 12 Over Mexican Independence Day Weekend
The entire Garcia vs. Benn card will stream exclusively on Paramount+ at no additional cost to subscribers worldwide (excluding UK & Ireland).

[07/15/26 - 12:01 PM]
Video: "The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Through bodycam footage, texts and interviews with loved ones, this documentary investigates the horrifying murder of four University of Idaho students.

[07/15/26 - 12:01 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of July 6
"Elle," "Off Campus," "Every Year After," "Clarkson's Farm," and "The Boys" led all original series worldwide.

[07/15/26 - 12:00 PM]
Key Art Debut: "Futurama" Season 14 (Premieres Monday, August 3)
New episodes will stream on Mondays.

[07/15/26 - 11:22 AM]
Adult Swim Takes Over San Diego Comic-Con with Star-Studded Panels, Exclusive Reveals and Brand New "Rick and Morty" Immersive Ride
Across four days of programming and events, fans will have multiple opportunities to connect with the shows, talent and offbeat experiences that make Adult Swim unlike anything else.

[07/15/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: "Bill Maher: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Featuring Louis C.K., Whitney Cummings, Matt Friend, Woody Harrelson, Arianna Huffington, Jay Leno, John Mellencamp, and Stephen A. Smith.

[07/15/26 - 11:00 AM]
FOX Enlists a New Group of All-Star Celebrity Recruits for the Fifth Season of "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" Premiering Thursday, September 24 on FOX and Next Day Hulu
This season, the recruits will be deployed in Malaysia to endure the world's toughest test in the most hostile environment a soldier could operate in... the jungle.

[07/15/26 - 11:00 AM]
Video: Official Trailer for "Wizards Beyond Waverly Place" 4-Part Finale Event Revealed
A marathon of the four-part finale event kicks off Tuesday, August 4, on Disney Channel (8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT) and Disney Channel On Demand.

[07/15/26 - 10:01 AM]
"Stranger Things" Celebrates 10 Years
10 years ago, a quiet Indiana town, a missing boy, a girl with extraordinary powers, and an obsession with Eggo waffles quietly debuted on televisions worldwide.

[07/15/26 - 10:01 AM]
ESPN and Southwestern Athletic Conference Announce Multi-Year Media Rights Agreement Through 2030-31
The global rights agreement includes championship and regular-season coverage across ESPN's linear and digital networks.

[07/15/26 - 10:00 AM]
Gabriel Luna Joins Season Two of "Dexter: Resurrection" for Paramount+
Luna will guest star as Ray Ballard, a serial killer operating under the name "The Sleepy-Eyed Stranger."

[07/15/26 - 09:31 AM]
Nick Digiovanni to Bring His Culinary World to Netflix
Later this year, Netflix members globally can watch his culinary library with new episodes from "Nick DiGiovanni" (food entertainment) and "Nick's Kitchen" (food education) dropping day-and-date alongside YouTube, giving fans more ways to enjoy.

[07/15/26 - 08:28 AM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver Most-Watched WNBA Game of 2026 Season with Fever-Aces on "Sunday Night Basketball"
The July 12 game averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 2.64 million viewers on NBC and Peacock in primetime.