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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!
COOPER & STONE (The CW) - Alexandra Breckenridge ("Life Unexpected") has scored one of the title roles in the drama pilot, about Jenna Cooper and Angela Stone, two pop culture savvy detectives working in Chicago's Northside precinct. She'll play the former, the fashionista of the duo. John Dahl is helming the CBS Television Studios-based hour from a script by Laurie Arent. John Wirth also serves as an executive producer.
COUNCIL OF DADS (FOX) - Kyle Bornheimer ("Perfect Couples") is the newest addition to the comedy pilot, about a man who, after being diagnosed with rare, life-threatening cancer, assembles four of his closest friends - each with their area of expertise - who agree to help raise his young twin daughters following his death. He's set - in second position to the NBC comedy - as Marty "The Party" Parkinson, the "loud and larger than life" fun dad. Anthony and Joe Russo are directing the Sony Pictures Television-based half-hour from a script by Peter Tolan, based on Bruce Feiler's book of the same name. Diane Farr, Ken Howard and Patrick Breen also star.
THE CROSSING (NBC) - Martin Henderson ("Off the Map") has booked the lead role on the pilot, a period drama set in Circle Bend, Missouri following the Civil War and revolves around Jason Edding, a former soldier who is welcomed as its savior - whether he likes it or not. He'll play the man in question, a role which is in second position to his duties on the ABC drama. Joshua Brand penned the teleplay from a story he co-wrote with Peter Horton, who's attached to direct. Universal Media Studios is producing while Claire Wellin and Rachelle Lefevre, herself a member of the "Map" ensemble, also star.
DELOCATED (Adult Swim) - The cable channel has reportedly ordered a third season of the series, about a family in the witness protection program who agree to star in a reality series - provided they wear ski masks and have their voices surgically disguised. 10 new half-hour episodes have been ordered. Jon Glaser stars in and created the series.
GEORGETOWN (ABC) - Katie Cassidy ("Gossip Girl") and Daisy Betts ("Persons Unknown") are the latest to book roles on the drama pilot, about a quartet of young staffers in Washington, D.C. - Sam (Betts), Nikki (Cassidy), Peter (yet to be cast) and Andrew (Jimmy Wolk) - who share a DuPont Circle townhouse together. Cassidy is set as Nikki Argo ("looks like a model because she was a model"), who works for White House Communications Director Gale Sullivan; with Betts as Samantha "Sam" Whitman ("high energy, pretty without trying"), who works for White House Senior Adviser Michael Kline. Will Fetters penned the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, reportedly to be helmed by Mark Piznarski.
GRACE (ABC) - Newcomer Anabelle Acosta has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Michael Grace (Eric Roberts), a famous choreographer whose womanizing ways have produced three daughters - Sarah (Abigail Spencer), a lawyer; Shay, a photographer; Eden, a teenager - all with different mothers. She's set as Eden Ruiz ("mixed-race, beautiful, vulnerable and tough"), a talented dancer whom Michael meets for the first time in the pilot. ABC Studios is behind the hour, from writer Krista Vernoff and director Lesli Linka Glatter.
HEAVENLY (The CW) - Robert Doherty ("Medium") is set to supervise the drama pilot, about "a dedicated young female attorney and a former angel-turned-human who tackle cases together at the attorney's legal aid clinic." The writer/producer recently extended his overall deal with CBS Television Studios, which is producing the hour. Richard Hatem penned the pilot while Mimi Leder is attached to direct.
HOW TO BE A GENTLEMAN (CBS) - Adam Chase ("Better With You") has signed on as an executive producer of the comedy pilot, about an uptight magazine writer (David Hornsby) who learns the lessons of life with the help of his old high school classmate. Hornsby penned the half-hour and will run the series alongside Chase should it move forward. Pamela Fryman is reportedly directing for CBS Television Studios while Dave Foley, Nancy Lenehan and Rhys Darby also star.
IDENTITY (ABC) - Angela Bassett ("ER") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, a procedural set at the Identity Crimes Division, the FBI's first cyber-crime unit mixed with traditional investigators. She'll play Martha Adams ("Bronx tough, but from Greenwich; degree from Vassar, educated by New York"), the head of the ICD. The actress was previously attached to "One Police Plaza," also from ABC Studios and The Mark Gordon Co., which didn't move forward to pilot. Jay Paulson and Orlando Jones also star in the hour, while Wentworth Miller is in talks to join. Gary Fleder is believed to be directing the project, which was written by John Glenn.
SUBURGATORY (ABC) - Allie Grant ("Weeds") has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about Tessa (Jane Levy), "a teenage girl who is moved by her dad George from Manhattan, where she grew up, to her version of hell: the suburbs." She'll play Lisa Shay, "a socially awkward girl at school who befriends Tessa." Alan Tudyk also stars in the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, from writer Emily Kapnek and director Michael Fresco.
UNTITLED KARI LIZER PROJECT (NBC) - Sarah Paulson ("Cupid") has booked the lead role on the comedy pilot, about Mary Leahy, "a relationship-challenged woman who, with the help of her co-workers, guides people through unexpected career transitions and downsizings." She'll play the aforementioned woman ("cute in a smart looking way, confident in a trying to convince herself kind of way"), the casting of which lifts said contingency off the pilot's production. Kari Lizer penned the half-hour for Warner Bros. Television, while Craig Zisk is set to direct.
WEEKENDS AT BELLEVUE (FOX) - Two-time Emmy-nominee Lauren Ambrose ("Six Feet Under") has landed the lead role on the drama pilot, about Ellie Harlow, "the weekend physician in charge of Bellevue's psychiatric emergency room, a one-woman front line charged with assessing and treating some of the city's most vulnerable and troubled citizens." She'll play said woman, Ellie Harlow ("attractive, slight edge"), in the project, which is based on Julie Holland's memoir of the same name. Janet McTeer also stars in the Universal Media Studios-based hour, which was penned by Lisa Zwerling. Jack Bender is directing.
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