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[09/20/10 - 06:13 PM]
Development Update: Monday, September 20
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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!
AGAINST THE WALL (Lifetime) - Australian actress Rachael Carpani ("McLeod's Daughters") has scored the lead role on the pilot, a drama set in Chicago about a policewoman who causes a rift with her three cop brothers when she decides to join the department's Internal Affairs division. She'll play said woman, Abby Kowalski, in the project, which Dean Parisot has signed on to direct from a script by Annie Brunner. Universal Cable Productions is the studio attached.
THE AMANDA KNOX STORY (Lifetime, New!) - Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes") is set to topline a new docudrama at the cable channel from Pilgrim Films and Television based on the true story of Amanda Knox, a U.S. exchange student convicted by an Italian trial jury of brutally murdering her roommate. 20-year-old Knox, her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivory Coast native Rudy Guede were arrested in November 2007 and ultimately convicted for the killing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher. The salacious details about Knox and company made headlines in the U.S. with Senator Maria Cantwell of Knox's home state of Washington decrying the verdict as the result of anti-Americanism in Italy. Robert Dornhelm is directing the project from a script by Wendy Battles while Craig Piligian, Battles, Trevor Walton and Craig Anderson executive producing and Randy Sutter producing.
EXTREME MAKEOVER: WEIGHT LOSS EDITION (A.K.A. OBESE) (ABC) - The Alphabet has rebranded the upcoming series "Obese" as "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition." 3 Ball Productions is behind the hour-long series, which "follows morbidly obese individuals through a year of their life as they work to lose at least half of their body weight." It's understood casting is already underway for a second six-episode cycle due to the lengthy lead time needed to produce the series while the show itself may expand to two hours as a result of the abundant footage available. J.D. Roth and Todd A. Nelson are the executive producers while Chris Powell (TLC's "The 650-Pound Virgin") serves "as their coach, moving into their homes with their families."
HOMELAND (A.K.A. PATRIOTS) (Showtime, New!) - Howard Gordon's drama, an import of the Israeli series "Prisoners of War," has found a home at Showtime with Ben Affleck ("The Town") in talks to direct. The "24" alum co-wrote the pilot alongside Alex Gansa and Gideon Raff, the creator of the original series. Said hour will revolve around an American solider who's rescued after going missing 10 years ago in Iraq and a female CIA operative who investigates the circumstances surrounding his return, after receiving a tip he may actually be part of an upcoming terror plot. Gordon, Gansa and Raff are executive producing with Avi Nir and Ron Telem for Fox 21 and the Keshet Broadcasting Group.
LAW & ORDER: LOS ANGELES (NBC) - Peter Coyote ("FlashForward") has been tapped as the District Attorney on the upcoming spin-off. He'll serve as the supervisor to Alfred Molina and Terrence Howard's characters, both ADAs who will alternate their services each week. Skeet Ulrich, Corey Stoll, Megan Boone, Regina Hall and Rachel Ticotin also star in the hour, which launches next week.
LEGENDS (NBC, New!) - Howard Gordon ("24") has booked his third project this development cycle, about a "CIA operative with an uncanny gift for 'legends' - aka false identities - who is sent on a variety of missions, while simultaneously coping with the possibility that his own identity may be a 'legend' itself." The project, which has a put pilot commitment, is based on a book by Robert Littell. Mark Bomback ("Live Free or Die Hard") is penning the hour and executive producing alongside Gordon and Jonathan Levin for 20th Century Fox Television.
NECESSARY ROUGHNESS (USA) - Callie Thorne ("Rescue Me") has been cast in the lead role on the drama pilot, about "a tough, sexy Long Island divorcee (Thorne) who, to make ends meet, becomes the therapist for a professional football team and quickly becomes sought after by other athletes, musicians, politicians and those living in the spotlight." Elizabeth Kruger and Craig Shapiro co-wrote the 90-minute pilot, production of which was casting said role. Sony Pictures Television is behind the project with Kruger and Shapiro executive producing alongside Donna Dannenfesler, Joe Sabatino and Kevin Dowling, the latter of which will direct.
PAN AM (ABC, New!) - Jack Orman ("Men of a Certain Age") and Thomas Schlamme ("Mr. Sunshine") are set to team for a potential new drama about the defunct air carrier. Said hour, which comes from Sony Pictures Television and has a pilot commitment, will be set in the mid-1960s and focus on "the pilots and flight attendants who once made Pan Am the most glamorous way to fly." Schlamme will direct the project from a script by Orman with Nancy Ganis executive producing alongside the duo. Sid Ganis is also attached as a co-executive producer. Pan Am formally closed in 1991 following a much-ballyhooed bankruptcy.
SHARK TANK (ABC) - Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and chairman of cable channel HDNet, is the latest addition to the show's second season. He'll appear in three episodes as a guest venture capitalist. Cuban joins Jeff Foxworthy, who's likewise set to appear in three installments during the upcoming sophomore run. Cuban previously was the centerpiece of the Alphabet's short-lived reality competition "The Benefactor" in 2004.
UNTITLED MO MANDEL PROJECT (NBC, New!) - Comedian Mo Mandel ("Chelsea Lately") has set up a new comedy at the Peacock which "chronicles what a group of 20 somethings do in the last five years of their lives before the Earth is destroyed by a meteor." Mandel is writing the half-hour and may co-star in the pilot, should it move forward. 3 Arts Entertainment is producing.
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[08/20/18 - 02:53 PM]
"Scaled" Premieres Friday, August 24th at 9pm ET/PT on Animal Planet
Welcome to Cornel's World, where an animated group of reptile aficionados work together with owners to strip away the ordinary walls of their pet's terrarium and transform them into custom-made masterpieces that cater to their reptile's unique needs and personality.
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[08/20/18 - 02:23 PM]
Disney Channel's "Andi Mack" Ranks as Cable's No. 1 Series Telecast in August with Tweens 9-14
Disney Channel further spins the numbers for Monday, August 13.
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[08/20/18 - 01:33 PM]
VH1 Continues Its Wednesday Night Dominance with the Return of "Black Ink Crew" Wednesday, September 19th at 9PM ET/PT
After six years of inking their place in the New York tattoo scene, this season follows the crew as they set their sights on the future to grow their empires and families.
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[08/20/18 - 12:45 PM]
Celebrations Set to Continue on UPtv - Network Renews Three Unscripted Series Focused on Life's Biggest Moments
"Expecting," "Our Wedding Story" and "Crazy Beautiful Weddings" will all return in 2019.
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[08/20/18 - 12:01 PM]
"GLOW" Renewed for Season 3
The streaming service broke the news via social media today.
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[08/20/18 - 10:59 AM]
BET Networks and WP Narrative_ Let Fans Explore the Mind of Bobby Brown - Literally - Inside 30 Foot Tall Inflatable Replica of Singer's Head
The art installation is timed with the premiere of "The Bobby Brown Story" airing September 4-5 at 9:00/8:00c.
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[08/20/18 - 10:18 AM]
TNT Expands Relationship with Niecy Nash - "Claws" Star to Host and Executive Produce Late-Night Themed Pilot, "Naked with Niecy Nash"
Nash, never afraid to get real and tell it like it is, will serve up a tall glass of humor, advice, and one-of-a-kind "Niecy-isms" on all things love, sex, romance and relationships with everyday people.
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[08/20/18 - 10:02 AM]
HBO Renews "Random Acts of Flyness"
"We couldn't be happier with the response to 'Random Acts of Flyness' - it's struck such a powerful chord with our viewers," said Nina Rosenstein.
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[08/20/18 - 08:59 AM]
Nickelodeon's "Double Dare" Kicks Off Multi-City U.S. Tour, Hosted by Marc Summers and Original Sidekick Robin Russo
Featuring original host Marc Summers and his beloved sidekick Robin Russo, the live stage show will debut in Fayetteville, NC, on October 30 and will tour North America through November.
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[08/20/18 - 08:30 AM]
Viceland Renews "Most Expensivest" and "Slutever" and Orders a Reboot of "Bong Appetit"
The latter will feature a new competitive format and a few new hosts who will be joining returning expert Vanessa Lavorato in the kitchen, including Cypress Hill rapper B Real.
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[08/20/18 - 08:25 AM]
MTV to Harness the Power of Friendship with Its First-Ever Midterm Election Campaign "+1 the Vote," Debuting in Tonight's VMAs
"+1 the Vote" was developed based on MTV/AP-NORC research showing that young people feel a renewed sense of empowerment in their ability to impact politics.
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[08/20/18 - 08:20 AM]
Sunday's Broadcast Ratings: CBS Tops Viewers, Demos in Tight Race
The Eye's "Big Brother" leads the night among adults 18-49.
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[08/20/18 - 08:12 AM]
Netflix Announces First Mexican Original Reality Series to Debut September 28
"Made in Mexico" is a captivating reality show that follows Mexico City's wealthy socialites and their opulent lifestyles.
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[08/20/18 - 08:05 AM]
IFC Travels Back to the '80s with "The Goonies" Marathon This August
Join IFC this Thursday for a retro-inspired evening featuring everyone's favorite swashbuckling group of misfits followed by a marathon of the cult, late-night acid trip of a TV series, "Night Flight."
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[08/20/18 - 08:01 AM]
Mike Tirico Named Studio Host for "Football Night in America"
Dan Patrick previously served as "Football Night's" studio host from 2008-2017.
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