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[02/17/11 - 10:41 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, February 17
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!
ARE YOU THERE VODKA? IT'S ME CHELSEA (NBC) - Angel Laketa Moore ("ER") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about Chelsea Hanson (Laura Prepon), "a fresh-faced single cocktail waitress highly opinionated and open about her love to drink and have sex." She's on board as Shoniqua, the "smart, curvy and unapologetic" assistant manager at the sports bar where Chelsea works. Gail Mancuso is directing from a script by Dottie Zicklin and Julie Ann Larson for Warner Bros. Television. Said half-hour is based on Chelsea Handler's memoir of the same name.
EXIT STRATEGY (FOX) - Megan Dodds ("Detroit 1-8-7") is the latest addition to the Ethan Hawke-led drama pilot, about a team of CIA agents who are sent in to fix operations gone bad. She'll play Hannah Burke, a doctor with a prodigy-level IQ who trusts no one. Antoine Fuqua is helming the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour off a script by David Guggenheim.
GRACE (ABC) - Eric Roberts ("Heroes") has snagged the lead role on the drama pilot, about Michael Grace (Roberts), a famous choreographer whose womanizing ways have produced three daughters - Sarah, a lawyer; Shay, a photographer; Eden, a teenager - all with different mothers. In addition, Flody Suarez has been tapped as an executive producer. Lesli Linka Glatter is directing from a script by Krista Vernoff for ABC Studios.
GRIMM (NBC) - David Giuntoli ("Privileged") has booked the lead role on the drama pilot, about a police detective who discovers fairy tale creatures live among us. He'll play the aforementioned man, Nick Burckhardt, who is tasked with defending humans from these mythical beasts. David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf are behind the Universal Media Studios-based hour, to be directed by Marc Buckland.
HART OF DIXIE (The CW) - Wilson Bethel ("Generation Kill") has scored a role on the Rachel Bilson-led drama pilot, about "a young New York City doctor who inherits a medical practice in a small Southern town inhabited by an eclectic and eccentric group of characters." He'll play Wade Kinsella, her "gorgeous bad-boy fisherman" neighbor in the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which Jason Ensler is directing from a script by Leila Gerstein.
PAN AM (ABC) - Michael Mosley ("Scrubs") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about the pilots and flight attendants working at the iconic Pan Am airline in the 1960s. He'll play Ted, a pilot who's always sporting a buzz cut and an infectious smile. Margot Robbie also stars in the hour, which comes from Sony Pictures Television, director Thomas Schlamme and creator Jack Orman.
SECRET CIRCLE (The CW) - Britt Robertson ("Life Unexpected") has booked the lead role on the drama pilot, about a California teen who moves to her mom's hometown of New Salem, Maine and discovers that she comes from a family of witches. She'll play the young woman in question, Cassie Blake, who is "the key that will unlock a centuries-old battle of good versus evil." Liz Friedlander is helming the hour from a script by Andrew Miller. CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television are co-producing.
SPARTACUS: BLOOD & SAND (Starz) - Lesley-Ann Brandt is reportedly departing the series to pursue broadcast pilots, which are currently casting. It's understood her role of Naevia, slave to Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) and lover of Crixus (Manu Bennett), will be recast. Last month, Liam McIntyre was tapped to replace Andy Whitfield, who was forced to leave the show in order to deal with health issues.
TOUCH (FOX) - Kiefer Sutherland ("24") is reportedly mulling a role on the drama pilot, from "Heroes" creator Tim Kring. He'd star as Martin Bohm, an unassuming baggage handler at JFK who discovers that his autistic, mute son can predict events before they happen. The actor however is currently committed to Jason Miller's revival of "That Championship Season" on Broadway, which opened last week - meaning production would have to be pushed. Separately, Charles McDougall ("The Chicago Code") is in talks to direct. 20th Century Fox Television is producing.
UNTITLED JOE PORT/JOE WISEMAN PROJECT (FOX) - Rachael Harris ("Notes From the Underbelly") has been tapped as the female lead on the comedy pilot, about a headstrong patriarch (Mike O'Malley) who, determined to get some quality family time, embarks on a vacation with his extended family. She'll play his wife Marni, a stay at home mom with a bit of a wild side. Rob Huebel also stars in the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, to be helmed by Shawn Levy.
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[03/11/26 - 01:44 PM]
Academy Award Winner Tommy Lee Jones Joins Season Two Cast of "The Lowdown" Coming to FX and Hulu
Jones joins previously announced Betty Gilpin in the next season, which begins production this spring in Tulsa.
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[03/11/26 - 01:22 PM]
Lifetime Announces Two New "Ripped from the Headlines" Films for Spring
Nancy Travis and Stana Katic are among the featured talent.
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[03/11/26 - 01:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Studios Signs Development Commitment with Frankie Quinones for New Comedy Series
Quiñones is a Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian and actor known for his viral character, "Creeper" and for starring in the Hulu comedy series "This Fool."
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[03/11/26 - 11:30 AM]
ESPN Delivers Most-Watched Women's College Basketball Regular Season Since 2008-09
ESPN networks were home to six of the top 10 women's college basketball regular season games across all networks this season and 29 of the top 30 on cable.
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[03/11/26 - 11:01 AM]
98th Oscars Rounds Out Show Presenters
Rose Byrne, Nicole Kidman, Jimmy Kimmel, Delroy Lindo, Ewan McGregor, Wagner Moura, Pedro Pascal, Bill Pullman, Lewis Pullman, Channing Tatum and Sigourney Weaver are all on tap.
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[03/11/26 - 10:05 AM]
Josh Gates Returns with an All-New Season of "Expedition Files," Revealing Striking New Revelations Behind History's Biggest Mysteries
The series is returning with a brand-new season on Wednesday, April 1 at 9pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel.
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[03/11/26 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Special "Color Theories by Julio Torres" Debuts March 27
In his second HBO comedy special, Peabody-winner Julio Torres presents a helpful guide to understanding the world through his playful interpretations of colors.
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[03/11/26 - 09:31 AM]
Video: MLB Opening Night: Yankees vs. Giants - Official Trailer - Netflix
The 2026 Major League Baseball season leads off on Netflix, with Yankees vs. Giants in a star-studded opener live at Oracle Park in San Francisco.
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[03/11/26 - 09:01 AM]
Date & Cast Announcement: Hulu's "Love Overboard"
Produced by Alex Cooper's Unwell Productions and Jeff Jenkins Productions, "Love Overboard" premieres Thursday, March 26 with all nine episodes on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
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[03/11/26 - 09:01 AM]
Nikki Glaser Returns to Host "The 84th Annual Golden Globes" Airing Sunday, Jan. 10, 2027 on CBS and Paramount+
Glaser said, "I'm thrilled to host the Golden Globes for a third time, not only because it's the greatest gig I've ever had, but because my sister has three kids and now we will be equal in the eyes of my parents and the Lord."
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[03/11/26 - 07:04 AM]
"#SKYKING," the Gripping New Documentary Set to Make Its World Premiere at SXSW 2026, Premieres on Hulu April 14
The feature-length documentary tells the story of Richard "Beebo" Russell, who captured the world's attention when he stole a commercial plane and took off on a flight that would come to embody the dreams and despair of the American working class, while offering a look at the US mental health crisis.
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[03/11/26 - 07:02 AM]
New Episodes of "Rick and Morty" Premiere May 24 on Adult Swim
Get ready to portal-jump back into the multiverse - Adult Swim's #1 series returns with a season that's bigger, bolder, and more ambitious than ever.
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[03/11/26 - 07:01 AM]
"Friday Night Baseball" Returns to Apple TV on March 27 for Its Fifth Season
Highlights include the storied New York Subway Series matchup between the Yankees and Mets, plus multiple appearances by reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
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[03/11/26 - 06:47 AM]
Matt Vasgersian Joins NBC Sports as a Play-by-Play Voice for "MLB Sunday Leadoff" on Peacock and NBCSN
Vasgersian, who spent the last five years as a Los Angeles Angels TV play-by-play voice, will continue his role at MLB Network, a position he has held since its inception in 2009.
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[03/11/26 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "The Hawk" - Lonnie Hawkins Character Reveal - Netflix
One of the greatest names in golf history (that you're somehow only just hearing about), American hero Lonnie "The Hawk" Hawkins is Will Ferrell's newest original character.
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