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[10/06/10 - 06:30 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, October 6
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!


BIG LOVE (HBO) - Robert Patrick ("The Unit") has snagged an arc on the show's upcoming fifth season. He's on board as Bud Mayberry, "the leader of a polygamist fringe group." Patrick joins the previously announced Gregory Itzin, who will also recur as the Republican leader of the Utah State Senate. The new season of "Big Love" rolls out early next year.


CHAMELEON (FOX, New!) - Tom Fontana ("The Philanthropist") has booked a new drama at the network about "a cop goes missing for weeks, only to return a changed and delusional man - much to the chagrin of his partner." Fontana is penning the hour and executive producing alongside his regular collaborator Barry Levinson for Warner Bros. Television. No other details were given.


THE GAME/LET'S STAY TOGETHER (BET) - The cable channel's revival of former CW series "The Game" is reportedly set to begin on Tuesday, January 11 at 10:00/9:00c. Leading out of the new season, the show's fourth, will be newcomer "Let's Stay Together." Malinda Williams and Bert Belasco star in the series, about "a newly engaged couple's efforts to balance their relationship with demanding careers." As for "The Game," production on the series began this week in Atlanta with all of the principal cast members returning.


NECESSARY ROUGHNESS (USA) - Scott Cohen ("The Return of Jezebel James") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Danielle Santino (Callie Thorne), "a tough, sexy Long Island divorcee 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." He'll play "a 'fixer' for a football franchise who works closely with Danielle." Marc Blucas also stars in the Sony Pictures Television-based project, which Kevin Dowling is directing from a script by Craig Shapiro and Liz Kruger.


OUTLAW (NBC) - The Peacock has confirmed production on the series is being suspended after eight episodes. Said development comes after another third place finish for the newcomer this past Friday (4.72 million, 1.0/4 in adults 18-49), behind CBS's "Blue Bloods" (11.32 million, 2.0/7 in adults 18-49) and ABC's "20/20" (4.60 million, 1.1/4 in adults 18-49). Should ratings rebound, filming could potentially resume. This coming Friday marks its fourth original telecast.


PARTY PEOPLE (NBC, New!) - David Bickel ("The King of Queens") has booked a new comedy at the Peacock about a group of "under-employed grown-ups" who work as entertainers at children's birthday parties. Said half-hour is set up at Ben Silverman's IAC-based Electus with the former NBC chief executive producing alongside Bickel.


RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS) - Sara Rue ("Eastwick") has booked a multi-episode arc on the veteran comedy. She'll play Brenda, Jeff (Patrick Warburton) and Audrey's (Megyn Price) new surrogate. In addition, Joan Collins ("Dynasty") has been tapped to guest star as Bunny Dunbar, the mother of David Spade's character. Both are expected to turn up during the November sweeps period.


UNTITLED TAMMY PESCATELLI PROJECT (WE tv, New!) - "Last Comic Standing" alumna Tammy Pescatelli is set to be the focus of a new reality series at the cable channel. 2C Media and ITV Studios are behind the hour-long project, which has a six-episode order. The series will follow the Los Angeles, California-turned-Meadville, Pennsylvania transplant as she juggles work and her large extended family in the small town. Pescatelli will also serve as an executive producer on the effort, which is expected to bow in January alongside the Joan and Melissa Rivers-led "Mother Knows Best."






  [october 2010]  
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F
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· 20/20 (ABC)
· BIG LOVE (HBO)
· BLUE BLOODS (CBS)
· CHAMELEON (FOX)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EASTWICK (ABC)
· GAME, THE (BET)
· JOAN & MELISSA: JOAN KNOWS BEST? (WE)
· KING OF QUEENS, THE (CBS)
· LAST COMIC STANDING (NBC)
· LET'S STAY TOGETHER (BET)
· NECESSARY ROUGHNESS (USA)
· OUTLAW (NBC)
· PARTY PEOPLE (NBC)
· PHILANTHROPIST, THE (NBC)
· RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES, THE (FOX)
· RULES OF ENGAGEMENT (CBS)
· STAND UP MOTHER, A (WE)
· UNIT, THE (CBS)





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