or


[11/29/10 - 06:38 PM]
Development Update: Monday, November 29
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!


AZTECS (Starz, New!) - Hans Beimler ("The Middleman") is developing an eight-part limited series for the pay channel billed as "a historic re-telling of the romantic relationship between Hernan Cortes and Malinali whose love story was a twisted tale of passion and deceit, of murder, ambition, and shattered dreams that brought an empire to its knees, forever altering the fate of America and Europe." Eva Longoria and Virginia Trinkle of Unbelievable Entertainment are reportedly executive producing alongside Beimler.


BIRD DOG (TNT) - Eliza Dushku ("Dollhouse") has booked the female lead on the drama pilot, about "an unlikely partnership of two cops who happen to be father and daughter." She'll play Gail McGrath, "who followed in her father's footsteps in becoming a police officer but had little else in common with him. She left the big city she had grown up in to move to a small Pacific Northwestern town where she was patrolling the streets until her dad, a NYC cop, showed up on her front doorstep to join her as her new partner." Mike Robe is behind the hour, which is set up at Warner Horizon Television.


BRAIN TRUST (TBS) - D.B. Sweeney ("The Event") has scored the lead role on the drama pilot, about Detective Billy Doyle, "whose career and life have hit rock bottom after he accidentally ends his partner's career. Doyle's life gets turned around, however, when a recent murder case gets unexpected and unconventional help from three hyper-smart geniuses from a private think tank. If Doyle can survive the chaos and keep these new partners in line, they just may be the antidote to resurrect his career and, ultimately, his life." Dean Devlin and Marco Schnabel are behind the hour, which comes from the former's Electric Entertainment.


LIFE UNEXPECTED (The CW) - Co-star Kristoffer Polaha has inked a talent holding deal with The CW's corporate siblings CBS and CBS Television Studios. The pact calls for the duo to develop a new series projects for the actor or cast him in one of their existing properties should the netlet drama not return for a third season.


PARENTING BY COMMITTEE (ABC, New!) - Alyssa Embree and Jessica Koosed are developing a new comedy at the network about "four single women who find their lives completely changed when one discovers she is having a baby. The four proceed to raise the boy without a man via parenting by committee." Said half-hour is set up at ABC Studios and Eva Longoria's Unbelievable Entertainment. Embree and Koosed are penning the pilot and executive producing alongside Longoria and Virginia Trinkle.


SENDERA (ABC, New!) - Actors-turned-producers Eva Longoria ("Desperate Housewives") and Kathryn Morris ("Cold Case") are developing a new drama for the Alphabet "described as a modern day Shakespearean drama about two wealthy families, one from Texas the other from Mexico, locked in a struggle for power, land, sex and legacy." Sally Robinson is penning the hour, which Longoria and Morris will executive produce via their respective companies, Unbelievable Entertainment and Hotplate Productions, for ABC Studios. Alan Barnette, Josh Gold and Virginia Trinkle are also believed to be executive producers.


UNTITLED KEVIN WILLIAMSON PROJECT (The CW, New!) - Kevin Williamson ("The Vampire Diaries") is in the early stages of developing a potential new drama for the netlet about "a group of people who investigate paranormal happenings." Fellow "Diaries" co-creator Julie Plec is reportedly in talks to come onboard and co-write the project with him. Williamson recently inked an overall deal with producer Warner Bros. Television.


UNTITLED OWEN BENJAMIN PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Comedian Owen Benjamin ("The Jay Leno Show") is set to star in a potential multi-camera comedy for the network about "a question-everything high school counselor balancing bachelorhood and his eccentric family." Marsh McCall ("Ruby & the Rockits") is co-writing the half-hour and will executive produce alongside Bill Haber, Peter Principato, Paul Young and Joel Zadak for ABC Studios.






  [november 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· AZTECS (STARZ)
· BIRD DOG (TNT)
· BRAIN TRUST (TBS)
· COLD CASE (CBS)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DOLLHOUSE (FOX)
· EVENT, THE (NBC)
· GHOST (CW)
· JAY LENO SHOW, THE (NBC)
· LIFE UNEXPECTED (CW)
· MIDDLEMAN, THE (ABC FAMILY)
· PARENTING BY COMMITTEE (ABC)
· SENDERA (ABC)
· UNTITLED KRISTOFFER POLAHA PROJECT (CBS)
· UNTITLED OWEN BENJAMIN PROJECT (FOX)
· VAMPIRE DIARIES, THE (CW)





[01/30/26 - 01:01 PM]
Lifetime Sets Seven All-New Thrillers Premiering Saturdays, Beginning Valentine's Day Featuring All Star Casts
Kicking off on Valentine's Day and based on a true story, is "The Dating App Killer: The Monica White Story" executive produced and directed by Elisabeth Rohm and starring NAACP Image Award winner Lela Rochon and Jarod Joseph.

[01/30/26 - 11:06 AM]
Top-Tier Pastry Chefs from Across the Country Battle for Elite Title in "The Ultimate Baking Championship" on Food Network
In each episode, host Jesse Palmer tests the competitors on the core techniques that outstanding pastry chefs must master, from laminated dough and pâte à choux to chocolate work and sugar artistry.

[01/30/26 - 10:12 AM]
Prime Video's "God of War" from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios Announces Three New Cast Members
Alastair Duncan, Jeff Gulka, and Danny Woodburn are among the latest additions.

[01/30/26 - 10:11 AM]
HBO Renews Original Late-Night Comedy Series "It's Florida, Man." for a Third Season
From Rough House Pictures, this outrageous late-night comedy series brings to life unbelievable ripped-from-the-headlines tales of the Sunshine State - straight from the people who live there.

[01/30/26 - 10:11 AM]
"20/20" Ranks No. 1 in the Two-Hour Time Period Across the Board Versus CBS and NBC
"20/20" posted across-the-board gains week to week: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, hitting 9-week highs in both key Adult demos.

[01/30/26 - 10:03 AM]
Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Potomac" Three-Part Reunion Begins Sunday, Feb. 15 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Host Andy Cohen sits down with Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Stacey Rusch, Keiarna Stewart, Tia Glover, Angel Massie and friends Monique Samuels and Jassi Rideaux to discuss the biggest moments of their milestone season 10.

[01/30/26 - 07:01 AM]
Apple's Neo-Noir Detective Story "Sugar" Set to Return for Season Two on June 19
The eight-episode second season of "Sugar" will make its global return on Friday, June 19 on Apple TV with one episode, followed by one new episode weekly, every Friday through August 7.

[01/30/26 - 06:20 AM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers
"Nightline" was also up year to year in Total Viewers for the week of January 19.

[01/30/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "In the Mud" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
Five female prisoners forge a unique bond after a deadly accident... until corruption and turf wars within a ruthless prison threaten to destroy them.

[01/30/26 - 12:16 AM]
The Danish Crime Series "The Asset" Returns for a Second Season
The second season brings back returning cast members Clara Dessau, Maria Cordsen, Afshin Firouzi, and Nicolas Bro, among others, who will encounter their greatest challenges yet in the fight for survival and justice.

[01/30/26 - 12:01 AM]
Video: "The Museum of Innocence" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In 1970s Istanbul, a man's forbidden love for a shop-girl evolves into a lifelong journey of obsession and longing. Based on Orhan Pamuk's iconic novel.

[01/29/26 - 07:02 PM]
NBC Comedy Pilot Orders: "Newlyweds" & "Untitled Lizer, Lynch and Sagal Pilot"
Gail Lerner is behind the former; while Kari Lizer is behind the latter, which stars Jane Lynch and Katey Sagal.

[01/29/26 - 12:56 PM]
"Dirty Rotten Scandals" Premieres Wednesday, March 4 at 9PM ET/PT on E!
This season explores the darker side of some of America's most beloved television shows by delivering untold stories from past participants and new original reporting.

[01/29/26 - 12:19 PM]
Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Coogan, Caleb Jonte Edwards, Marissa Long, Alexander Ludwig, Chris Messina, and AJ Michalka Are Headed to "The White Lotus"
Reservations confirmed.

[01/29/26 - 12:11 PM]
Mandy Patinkin Signs on to Play Odin in Prime Video's "God of War" from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios
Based on PlayStation's massively popular ancient mythology-themed video game, the series has received a two-season order, with pre-production underway in Vancouver, and casting has begun.