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[03/21/11 - 10:59 PM]
Development Update: Monday, March 21
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!
ANGLER (HBO, New!) - Barton Gellman's book of the same name - about former Vice President Dick Cheney - is being developed as a potential mini-series at the pay channel. Rick Cleveland ("Six Feet Under") is penning the adaptation, which will track Cheney's life from "his early days as Donald Rumsfeld's protege in the Nixon administration, to the nation's youngest Chief of Staff under President Ford, to serving as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, through two controversial terms as Vice President under President George W. Bush." Spring Creek Productions and Fair Catch Productions are co-producing with Paula Weinstein, Jeffrey Levine, David Kennedy and "Frontline's" David Fanning and Michael Kirk executive producing.
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC) - Jonathan Cake ("Six Degrees") is set to join the cast of the long-running soap. He'll play Aaron, "a handsome, sexy, college-educated police detective with strong family values who becomes involved with Bree (Marcia Cross) when he comes to Wisteria Lane to investigate a case," in an upcoming four-episode arc before returning as a regular next season.
EATING WITH THE ENEMY (HBO, New!) - James Gandolfini ("The Sopranos") is set to star in and executive produce a potential docudrama at the pay channel about the true story of Bobby Egan, the owner of a Hackensack, New Jersey rib joint who became involved in back channel negotiations with North Korea to stop producing nuclear weapons. Said project is based on Egan and Kurt Pitzer's book of the same name, subtitled "How I Waged Peace With North Korea from My BBQ Shack in Hackensack." Egan improbably made inroads with the North Korean government after showing up at the doorstep of their consulate near the U.N. and offering his friendship. He subsequently made several trips to North Korea itself, where he was approached by the State Department to be their conduit in backdoor nuke talks. As for the film, Mark Armstrong, Nancy Sanders, Jane Rosenthal, Brandon Brito and Megan Lyvers will executive produce for Tribeca Productions and Gandolfini's Atta Boy Productions with Pitzer and Kimberly Levin co-producing. No other auspices were given.
FREE AGENTS (NBC) - Kathryn Hahn ("Hung") is set to star opposite Hank Azaria in the comedy pilot, about "the attraction between two quirky PR executives working together - Alex (Azaria) and Helen (Hahn) - who both are on the rebound, Alex from a divorce and Helen from the loss of a fiance." Todd Holland is directing the Universal Media Studios-based half-hour, from creator John Enbom. Mo Mandel also stars.
LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN (NBC) - Network sources have confirmed the Jillian Michaels-led series, in which "The Biggest Loser" trainer travels across the country to transform one family at a time, won't be returning for a second. Said effort was absent from the Peacock's summer lineup, which was revealed earlier today.
MORE AS THE STORY DEVELOPS (A.K.A. UNTITLED AARON SORKIN PROJECT) (HBO) - Jeff Daniels is reportedly in talks to topline the Aaron Sorkin-penned drama pilot, set behind the scenes of a nightly cable news show. He'd play Will McCallister, "a famous cable newsman of the Anderson Cooper/Brian Williams mold who is smart and talented guy but just a pain in the ass to work with and for." Sorkin and Scott Rudin are the executive producers.
PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC) - Benjamin Bratt ("The Cleaner") is on track to join the cast of the veteran drama. Details about his role are being kept under wraps, however it's understood he'll be introduced in the season finale. Said casting is designed to fill the void left by Audra McDonald, who's departing the series at the end of the season.
R.E.M. (NBC) - Cherry Jones ("24") and Michaela McManus ("The Vampire Diaries") have both joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Mark Britten (Jason Isaacs), a police detective living in two different realities following a horrible car accident: one in which his son Rex (Dylan Minnette) lives, another in which his wife Hannah lives - each with their own partner and psychiatrist. In addition, co-star Laura Allen has been recast as Hannah ("stunning, warm"). The actress was previously attached as Tara ("long, slender, like someone who not only plays a sport for a living, but does it well"), Rex's tennis coach and trusted confidante. Said role will now go to McManus. Jones then is set as Stephanie Evans, Mark's psychiatrist in the reality where Rex lives. The previously cast B.D. Wong conversely is Mark's psychiatrist in the reality where Hannah lives, while Steve Harris and Wilmer Valderrama play Mark's respective partners. David Slade is directing the Kyle Killen-penned hour, from 20th Century Fox Television.
SECRET CIRCLE (The CW) - Natasha Henstridge ("Eli Stone") and Australian actor Louis Hunter have both landed roles on the drama pilot, about Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson), 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 Dawn Chamberlain ("a strikingly beautiful woman in her late 30's"), the vice principal at Cassie's school and an old friend of her mother's; while Hunter is on board as Nick Armstrong ("good physique, and he knows it"), Cassie's new neighbor, another member of the circle, a coven of young witches. Jessica Parker Kennedy, Phoebe Tonkin, Shelley Hennig and Thomas Dekker also star in the hour, which Liz Friedlander is directing from a script by Andrew Miller.
TITANIC (ABC, New!) - Simon Vaughn's long-in-the-works mini-series has found a U.S. broadcast home at the Alphabet. Said effort will chronicle the famous ship's maiden and final voyage through multiple points of view, using both fictional and historical characters. Production is set to begin in Hungary shortly for a premiere in April 2012 - the 100th anniversary of the boat's sinking. Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park") penned the project with ITV Studios, Lookout Point, Deep Indigo Productions, Sienna Films and Mid Atlantic Films co-producing.
VINCE UNCENSORED (CBS) - Elizabeth Perkins ("Weeds") has booked the female lead on the comedy pilot, about Vince Donohue (Michael Chiklis), "a man who decides to take a more honest approach to life after a life-altering experience." She'll play his Wife, Janet, a middle school teacher and mother to their three daughters. Kelsey Grammer is directing the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, from creator Phoef Sutton.
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[02/18/26 - 11:02 AM]
AMC Networks' March Streaming Highlights Include "Dark Winds," "The City Is Ours: A Crime Family Saga," "100 Nights of Hero" and More
Other offerings include the return of "Mystery Road: Origin" and the debut of "The Feud on Shelbury Drive."
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[02/18/26 - 10:10 AM]
Video: Official Trailer for "The Faithful: Women of the Bible" Premiering March 22 on FOX
The highly anticipated biblical event series stars Minnie Driver, Natacha Karam, and Jeffrey Donovan.
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[02/18/26 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Documentary "Fukushima: A Nuclear Nightmare" Debuts March 10
The film reconstructs the nine harrowing days following the disaster in forensic, real-time detail, from the control-room engineers fighting to prevent a total meltdown, to the political leaders confronting the unthinkable, to ordinary citizens caught in the fallout.
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[02/18/26 - 09:17 AM]
Great American Media Launches, "40 Days of Scripture & Film," A Lenten Journey Featuring Acclaimed Faith-Based Films, Including "God's Not Dead," "The Blind," "Someone Like You," and "Just in Time"
Other highlights include the mid-winter finale of "Crossroad Springs"; the original movie "Blessings in Disguise"; and an all new season of "When Hope Calls: Brookfield."
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[02/18/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Unicorn Academy: Secrets Revealed" Teaser - Netflix Family
Follow Sophia and her friends as they embark on a glimmering quest to unlock Unicorn Island's mysteries and banish Grimoria - and Ravenzella - for good!
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[02/18/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Hulu Debuts Official Key Art and Trailer for Season Four of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"
The series returns with all 10 episodes on Thursday, March 12 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the U.S. and Disney+ in select international markets.
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[02/18/26 - 09:00 AM]
Adult Swim Gives Green Light to Animated Comedy from Dan Licata and Joe Pera, "My Two Cars"
The animated quarter-hour comedy is the only show brave enough to explore what happens when a man owns two cars and all the joy and frustration that comes with it.
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[02/18/26 - 08:31 AM]
BET Honors the Enduring Legacy of Civil Rights Trailblazer Rev. Jesse Jackson with Special Tribute, "Jesse Jackson: In His Own Words," Airing February 18 and 19 on BET
Narrated by CBS News National Correspondent Michelle Miller, this BET News special offers a rare and powerful look at Rev. Jackson's life through archival interviews and historic speeches that capture his profound national and global impact.
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[02/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV Debuts Trailer for "Imperfect Women," Premiering Globally March 18
The eight-episode series will make its global debut on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Wednesday, March 18, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through April 29.
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[02/18/26 - 06:31 AM]
"Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution" - Historian Lucy Worsley Explores One of History's Most Explosive Breakups and How the British Empire Lost the War for America's Independence Against a Ragtag Band of Rebels
The new two-part series, filmed on both sides of the Atlantic, premieres Tuesday, April 7.
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[02/18/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Animal Love" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
Destiny doesn't follow the rules, and neither does the official trailer for "Animal Love."
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[02/18/26 - 05:31 AM]
Video: "Eva Lasting" Season 4 - Official Trailer - Netflix
A mysterious teen girl arrives at an all-boys school in 1970s Colombia, breaking stereotypes, rules... and a few hearts.
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[02/18/26 - 01:01 AM]
Video: "Blue Therapy" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Seven couples move out of their comfort zones and onto the therapist's couch to try and work through their relationship issues in this reality series.
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[02/17/26 - 03:31 PM]
Netflix Announces Adult Animated Series "Bass X Machina"
Brian Tyree Henry, Janelle Monáe, Tati Gabrielle, Cree Summer, Chaske Spencer, Currie Graham, and Starletta DuPois star in the series, due on October 6, 2026.
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[02/17/26 - 02:00 PM]
FOX Unveils Spring 2026 Premiere Dates, Anchored by Eventized Storytelling and Epic High-Profile Adventure
From high-stakes game shows and iconic culinary battles to heartfelt romance, immersive adventure, and epic event series, the spring lineup delivers must-watch programming anchored by familiar favorites and all-new original programming.
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