or


[02/03/12 - 10:59 PM]
Development Update: Friday, February 3
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!


1600 PENN (NBC) - Josh Gad and Jon Lovett's comedy, about "a dysfunctional First Family where the out-of-control oldest son returns home and becomes not only it's biggest liability but also the glue holding everyone together," is on track for a pilot commitment. Gad is also on board to star in the half-hour as the aforementioned son. Jason Winer will direct the single-camera project, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television, as well as executive produce alongside the duo. (Deadline.com)


ANGER MANAGEMENT (FX) - Selma Blair has been tapped to star in the Charlie Sheen-led comedy, about a former baseball player with anger issues who winds up as an unconventional anger management therapist. She'll play his therapist, who's envisioned as a love interest for him. She joins Shawnee Smith, who was cast last week as Charlie's ex-wife. Production on the Lionsgate Television-based series begins in March. (Deadline.com)


BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (The CW) - Gary Fleder ("Life Unexpected") is set to direct and executive produce the drama pilot, about Catherine Chandler, a police detective who teams with Vincent Koslow, a genetically altered Afghanistan war veteran, to solve crimes in New York City. Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper are behind the hour, which is set up at CBS Television Studios. Fleder is also executive producing - but not directing - ABC's own take on "Beauty and the Beast," which is set in the mythical city of Kendan and concerns itself with a princess tasked with quelling a rebellion. Jonathan E. Steinberg penned said take, which comes from ABC Studios. (Deadline.com)


COLUMBINE (Lifetime, New!) - Dave Cullen's 2009 book about the tragic events surrounding the deadly 1999 school shootings in Columbine is being developed as a mini-series by the cable channel. Said tome is detailed as "a portrait of hatred, which delves into the shooting's effects on the survivors, victims' families and the community." Tommy O'Haver ("An American Crime") is on track to write and direct the project with Michael DeLuca ("Moneyball"), Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler ("Mildred Pierce") in talks to produce should it move forward. (THR.com)


FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER (NBC) - Ken Kwapis has closed his deal to direct the comedy pilot, about a quirky family that has dinner together every Friday night. He'll work from a script by Greg Daniels who's executive producing alongside Howard Klein for Big Talk Productions and Universal Television. David Koechner is in talks to star as part of his talent deal with the studio. (Deadline.com)


LAST RESORT (ABC) - Andre Braugher ("Men of a Certain Age") has booked a lead role on the drama pilot, about "the crew of the U.S.S. Nevada, a nuclear submarine, who, after disobeying a suspicious order, become fugitives, ultimately taking over the NATO Listening Station and declare themselves an independent nuclear nation." He'll play the sub's commander, Captain Marcus Chaplin, who's detailed as "a veteran of real combat, a leader by nature; nerves of steel; a patriot, but will not follow any man blindly." Daniel Lissing also stars in the Sony Pictures Television-based hour, which Martin Campbell is directing from a script by Karl Gajdusek and Shawn Ryan. (Deadline.com)


LET IT GO (A.K.A. UNTITLED DJ NASH PROJECT) (FOX) - D.J. Nash has landed a pilot order for his single-camera comedy, about "a married couple, his best friend, and her sister as they try to navigate, negotiate, and sometimes manipulate society's unspoken rules." Said half-hour is set up at the Sony Pictures Television-based Fedora Entertainment with the company's Peter Tolan and Michael Wimer executive producing alongside Nash. (Deadline.com)


MUST HIRE (A.K.A. UNTITLED AGNEW & JORNE PROJECT) (FOX) - Reed Agnew and Eli Jorne's comedy, about "an uptight, young executive who hires his dad for an entry level position and is shocked to discover that his new hire is a disruptive office clown," has snagged a pilot commitment from the network. Sony Pictures Television is behind the half-hour with FanFare's Jamie Tarses and Julia Franz executive producing alongside the duo. (Deadline.com)


MY IDIOTIC TWENTIES (CBS) - Michael Angarano ("Will & Grace") has booked the lead role on the comedy pilot, about "a commitment phobic ad agency exec who, after breaking up with his girlfriend, realizes he has to continue working with her one cubicle away." He'll play said fellow, Jake, who's detailed as "good-looking in a nerdy way, supplements any confidence issues with humor, think John Krasinski, just a bit more confused." Nick Stoller is writing and directing the single-camera half-hour for the 20th Century Fox Television-based Chernin Entertainment. (Deadline.com)


OH F---, IT'S YOU (CBS) - JoAnna Garcia Swisher ("Better With You") is set to star in the comedy pilot, about a guy who has a health scare and realizes that his best friend and business partner of 15 years is "the one" and now must figure out how to break it to her. She'll play the gal in question, Wendy Cooke ("an adorable bundle of energy"), in the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which comes from executive producers Greg Malins and Greg Berlanti. The actress was previously attached to an untitled effort from Shana Goldberg-Meehan at ABC that didn't move forward. (Deadline.com)


REBOUNDING (FOX) - Joe Port and Joe Wiseman's single-camera spec, described as "an uplifting comedy about a man recovering from the death of his fiance with help from friends on his pick-up basketball team," has landed a pilot order at the network. Steve Levitan is also on board to executive produce the half-hour with Jason Winer directing for 20th Century Fox Television. (Variety.com)


THE SMART ONE (A.K.A. UNTITLED PORTIA DE ROSSI PROJECT) (ABC) - The Portia de Rossi-led comedy has found a new home at ABC, where it has a pilot commitment as a single-camera project. The Don Todd-penned half-hour revolves around "a brilliant and successful woman who has to go to work for her less brainy but more popular sister - a former beauty queen, weather girl and now big city Mayor." Said effort was originally set up at NBC in September with a put pilot commitment however the Peacock ultimately passed. Todd, Ellen DeGeneres and Lauren Corrao then are executive producing via DeGeneres's Warner Bros. Television-based A Very Good Production. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED DAVID AYER PROJECT (HBO, New!) - "Training Day" writer David Ayer and producer John Lesher are set to team for a potential drama at the pay channel about "U.S. Special Forces soldiers who take on new lives undercover inside the LA underworld, blurring the line between the war on terror and the war on drugs." Ayer will write, direct and executive produce with Lesher likewise serving as an executive producer. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - FX has picked up a sixth season of "Sons of Anarchy" as part of Kurt Sutter's recently inked overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television and FX Productions (THR.com); Bobby Cannavale has joined the cast of "Boardwalk Empire," where he'll play Gyp Rosetti, "a charming but ruthless gangster who challenges Nucky (Steve Buscemi)" (Deadline.com); Gabourey Sidibe has been upped to series regular for the third season of "The Big C" (TVLine.com); Terry O'Quinn will guest on two episodes of "Falling Skies" as "a former history professor and mentor to Tom Mason (Noah Wyle)" (EW.com); and Robert Forster and Mike Rowe will play the father and brother, respectively, of Tim Allen's Mike Baxter on "Last Man Standing," with Frankie Muniz also turning up in the same February 21 installment (EW.com).






  [february 2012]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· 1600 PENN (NBC)
· ANGER MANAGEMENT (FX)
· BEAUTY & THE BEAST (ABC)
· BEAUTY & THE BEAST (CW)
· BETTER WITH YOU (ABC)
· BIG C, THE (SHOWTIME)
· BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO)
· COLUMBINE (LIFETIME)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FALLING SKIES (TNT)
· FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER (NBC)
· LAST MAN STANDING (FOX)
· LAST RESORT (ABC)
· LET IT GO (FOX)
· LIFE UNEXPECTED (CW)
· MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE (TNT)
· MILDRED PIERCE (HBO)
· MUST HIRE (FOX)
· MY IDIOTIC TWENTIES (CBS)
· OH FUCK, IT'S YOU (CBS)
· REBOUNDING (FOX)
· SMART ONE, THE (ABC)
· SONS OF ANARCHY (FX)
· UNTITLED DAVID AYER PROJECT (HBO)
· UNTITLED JOANNA GARCIA PROJECT (ABC)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)





[12/06/25 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "The Boys" Explosive Final Season Premiere Date & Teaser Drop at CCXP Brazil
The fifth and final season will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on April 8, 2026.

[12/06/25 - 02:46 PM]
Paramount and UFC Announce New Seasons of "Dana White's Contender Series" and "The Ultimate Fighter"
Beginning in 2026, Paramount+ in the U.S., Latin America, and Australia will become the exclusive home for all episodes of both series.

[12/06/25 - 02:27 PM]
Video: "School Spirits" Returns - Paramount+ Drops First Look at Season Three Premiering January 28
The date was unveiled alongside first look images at today's Paramount+ CCXP panel in São Paolo, Brazil featuring series lead and executive producer Peyton List.

[12/06/25 - 02:12 PM]
Video: Oscar-Nominee Paul Giamatti Surprises Fans at CCXP and Reveals Exclusive Scene from "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy"
The series will premiere globally with two episodes on Thursday, January 15 on Paramount+, and in Japan on Tuesday, January 23.

[12/06/25 - 10:47 AM]
Hulu Debuts First-Look Images from "The Testaments" Out of Brazil Comic Con
"The Testaments," a new chapter from the showrunner and executive producers of "The Handmaid's Tale," is coming in April 2026 to Hulu.

[12/06/25 - 10:31 AM]
Video: Date Announcement & Teaser Debut - Hulu's "Paradise" Season 2
The second season of the Emmy Award-nominated series premieres Monday, February 23 with three episodes, followed by new episodes weekly on Hulu and Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the US and Disney+ internationally.

[12/05/25 - 03:31 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers
"Nightline" improved on the previous week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, hitting nine-week highs in both measures.

[12/05/25 - 03:30 PM]
In Anticipation of "Avatar: Fire and Ash," ABC News to Premiere Two New Specials This December
First up: "Avatar: A New Era - Special Edition of 20/20" premieres Friday, December 12 on ABC.

[12/05/25 - 02:05 PM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Best College Football Regular Season Since 2011; "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" Scores Most-Watched Season Ever
ESPN networks aired the most-watched game in 34 of 42 key Saturday windows, including seven of 14 noon windows, 13 of 14 late afternoon windows and all 14 prime windows.

[12/05/25 - 12:35 PM]
2025 CFB Viewership Surges on FOX & FS1
The 2025 regular season wrapped with big numbers for "Big Noon Saturday," "Big Noon Kickoff" and more - including year-over-year gains across the board.

[12/05/25 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Premiere Week Episodes Post Gains and Lead In Live Plus 35-Day Multiplatform Viewership
"Tracker" delivered 17.3 million viewers, up +6% versus its year-ago premiere.

[12/05/25 - 10:05 AM]
"Landman" Booms Into a Third Season Renewal and Breaks Viewing Records on Paramount+
The second season is set to be a top three series among all original content the week of November 17 and a top two series for the week of November 24 according to Nielsen preliminary data.

[12/05/25 - 09:45 AM]
Video: "Taylor" - A CW Documentary Special - Trailer
The special - airing Saturday, December 13 - explores the global phenomenon of Taylor Swift and digs deep across the musician's 20-year career, a period that has seen her transcend the realm of pop star to become a cultural icon like no other.

[12/05/25 - 08:45 AM]
ESPN Delivered Most-Watched Women's College Volleyball Season on Record
Said coverage averaged 190,000 viewers, up 36% from the 2024 season.

[12/05/25 - 08:31 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Monkeypaw Productions' "Him" Beginning December 19
The film stars Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies and more.