or


[04/09/10 - 12:07 AM]
Development Update: Friday, April 9
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!


THE BORGIAS (Showtime) - Jeremy Podeswa ("The Pacific") has joined the upcoming drama - about the cunning, manipulative patriarch of The Borgia family (Jeremy Irons) who ascends to the highest circles of power within Renaissance-era Italy - as in-house director. He'll presumably helm the bulk of the show's 10-episode first season. Creator Neil Jordan is already set to write and direct the two opening installments with Michael Hirst penning the remaining eight. James Flynn, John Weber and Sheila Hockin have also been confirmed as executive producers where they'll serve alongside Jordan and Hirst. Colm Feore and Francois Arnaud also star in the project, a Canadian-Hungary-Ireland co-production.


CINEMA VERITE (HBO) - Diane Lane ("Nights in Rodanthe") is the first to be cast on the Gavin Polone-produced telefilm, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the groundbreaking 1973 documentary "An American Family." She'll play Pat Loud, "the mother and main character of the documentary, which chronicled an intimate look at a Santa Barbara family." Shari Springer Berman and Bob Pulcini are co-directing the project from a script by David Seltzer.


HELLCATS (The CW) - Sharon Leal ("Private Practice") has joined the cast of the presentation, a drama set in the world of competitive college cheerleading. She'll play Vanessa Hodge ("an elegant, striking African-American, a tough but loving taskmistress"), a former Hellcat star who now serves as the squad's coach. Meanwhile, Elena Esovolova has been confirmed as Patty "The Wedge" Wedgerman, not Sofia Vassilieva as previously rumored. Aly Michalka, Ashley Tisdale, Gail O'Grady, Heather Hemmens, Matt Barr and Robbie Jones also star in the project, which comes from director Allan Arkush and writer Kevin Murphy. CBS Television Studios, Tom Welling Productions and Warner Bros. Television are co-producing.


JERSEY SHORE (MTV) - The cable channel has announced the second season of the much-ballyhooed reality series will launch Thursday, July 29 at 10:00/9:00c. "It's official, the 'Jersey Shore' cast began filming Season 2 in Miami," said an MTV spokesperson. "Once the boardwalk heats back up, the series will return to the Jersey Shore to complete the season." In addition, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, Jenni "JWoww" Farley, Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Vinny Guadagnino and Angelina Pivarnick will all return for the show's sophomore run while a casting site has launched "in case the show decides to explore the option of adding new cast members."


LUCK (HBO) - Jason Gedrick ("Desperate Housewives") and Jill Hennessey ("Crossing Jordan") have both landed roles on the pilot, a drama set in the world of horse racing. She'll play a veterinarian who flirts with Turo Escalante (John Ortiz). Said role, The Veterinarian, is listed as a guest star. Gedrick then is believed to be playing Jerry ("haggard good looks, wears a wryly defeated expression"), a racetrack gambling degenerate. Dennis Farina, Dustin Hoffman, Ian Hart, Kerry Condon, Kevin Dunn, Nick Nolte, Richard Kind, Ritchie Coster and Tom Payne also star in the hour, which is currently in production at the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Michael Mann is directing from a script by David Milch.


MILDRED PIERCE (HBO) - Mare Winningham is the latest addition to the upcoming five-hour mini-series, about a bored housewife (Kate Winslet) who gets into the restaurant business, an enterprise that leads to backstabbing, romance and murder. She'll play her friend Ida Corwin in the project, which also stars Brian F. O'Byrne, Evan Rachel Wood, Guy Pearce, James LeGros, Melissa Leo and Morgan Turner. Todd Haynes is directing off his own script while John Wells Productions, Killer Films and MGM Television are co-producing.


TRUE LOVE (CBS) - Lizzy Caplan ("Party Down") has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about four people in their 20s in New York looking for love. She's on board as Connie Grabowski, "the cynical, gruff cousin and best friend" to Kate (Minka Kelly), one of the aforementioned quartet. Caplan takes over for Ashley Austin Morris, who was previously cast in the role - now billed as a guest star. Hal Williams, Jason Biggs, Sarah Wright and Tyler Labine also star in the Matt Tarses-penned half-hour, which comes from CBS Television Studios, FanFare Productions and Sony Pictures Television. Pamela Fryman is directing.


THE TRUTH BELOW (MTV) - Reid Ewing, who currently recurs as Haley's boyfriend on "Modern Family," has joined the cast of the recently-announced telefilm, about four friends - one played by Ewing - trapped under an avalanche of snow. Gillian Zinser co-stars in the project, which Scott Glosserman directing from a script by Wendy Diane Miller. Production began this week in Calgary.


UNDERCOVER BOSS (CBS) - Chris Carlson, the Eye's vice president of alternative programming, has joined the breakout hit as an executive producer. He'll transition from the network to running day-to-day operations on the series for its second season. Carlson, who helped develop the project, will take over from Shauna Minoprio, who has left the series for unspecified personal reasons. Eli Holzman and Stephen Lambert also serve as executive producers via the latter's Studio Lambert banner.


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· BORGIAS, THE (SHOWTIME)
· CINEMA VERITE (HBO)
· CROSSING JORDAN (NBC)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· HELLCATS (CW)
· JERSEY SHORE (MTV)
· LUCK (HBO)
· MAD LOVE (CBS)
· MILDRED PIERCE (HBO)
· MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
· PACIFIC, THE (HBO)
· PARTY DOWN (STARZ)
· PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC)
· TRUTH BELOW, THE (MTV)
· UNDERCOVER BOSS (CBS)





[06/24/26 - 08:03 AM]
Paramount+ Shares First Look at the High-Stakes Second Season of "Average Joe," Premiering August 19
The eight-episode second season will premiere globally on Paramount+ on Wednesday, August 19, with two episodes at launch, followed by weekly episodes every Wednesday.

[06/24/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Quarterback" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Netflix
The series follows Jayden Daniels, Joe Flacco, Baker Mayfield, and Cam Ward, pulling back the curtain on the grind, glory, and grit that define one of the game's toughest jobs - on and off the field.

[06/24/26 - 08:01 AM]
Good Tidings from Longbourn: "The Other Bennet Sister" to Return for Three-Part Christmas Special for BritBox
Sarah Quintrell, who wrote nine of the 10 episodes of the series, is returning to write all three episodes based on storylines by author Janice Hadlow.

[06/24/26 - 08:00 AM]
"Dutton Ranch" Renewed for Season Two on Paramount+
"Dutton Ranch" cemented itself as a smash-hit by amassing 12.9 million viewers globally in the seven days following its premiere - marking the biggest original series launch in Paramount+ history.

[06/24/26 - 06:46 AM]
Video: "Jeff Arcuri: Nice to Meet You" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The special premieres July 7, only on Netflix.

[06/24/26 - 06:45 AM]
HBO Max Orders New Animated Series "Adventure Time: Bubblegum and Marceline"
Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen journey across the farthest reaches of Ooo, encountering familiar faces and new dangers.

[06/24/26 - 06:12 AM]
Video: Trailer and Key Art Debut - Hulu's "King of the Hill" Season 15
All 10 episodes stream July 20 only on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.

[06/24/26 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix Previews Its Animation Slate for 2026 and Beyond
Netflix has become a go-to destination for animation in all its forms, with more than 130M members around the world watching a variety of animated titles every month.

[06/24/26 - 05:02 AM]
Video: "Helluva Boss" Season 3 - First Clip - Prime Video
Did you miss them? Stolas and Blitz return to your screens in an all new season, premiering October 14.

[06/24/26 - 05:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases Official Trailer for "Batman: Caped Crusader" Season Two
All 10 episodes will premiere as a binge release on Friday, July 31.

[06/24/26 - 04:57 AM]
Video: "Super Subbu" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Meet Subbu. The most innocent guy in town who just got the most awkward job.

[06/23/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Sakamoto Days" - Season 2 Teaser Trailer - Netflix
The hunt for Slur's database takes Sakamoto & Shin to the ultimate assassin training institution.

[06/23/26 - 03:15 PM]
Mexico's 1-0 win vs. Korea Republic in FIFA World Cup 2026 Delivers #1 Telecast of the Day on FOX
9,361,000 viewers watched Mexico's 1-0 win over Korea Republic Thursday on FOX.

[06/23/26 - 12:31 PM]
Video: DC, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Releases Official Trailer for "Batman: Knightfall"
Part one of the trilogy premiered tonight at the 2026 edition of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with an official release planned for later this year.

[06/23/26 - 12:01 PM]
Video: Paramount+ Releases Official Trailer for "The Real Wolf of Wall Street"
The three-part documentary event premieres on Tuesday, July 14, exclusively on Paramount+.