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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!
ANOTHER PERIOD (Comedy Central, New!) - Comedians Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome are set to star in a potential Victorian-era comedy at the cable channel which "follows the misadventures of Newport's first family, The Bellacourts, a family with nothing to offer the world, but who have so much money that it doesn't matter. The show centers around the oldest Bellacourt sisters, Lillian (Leggero) and Beatrice (Lindhome), who care only about how they look, what parties they are invited to and becoming famous - which is a lot harder in 1902." Jeremy Konner ("Drunk History") will helm the pilot, which was created by Leggero and Lindhome. All three will executive produce alongside Ben Stiller of Red Hour Productions. (Deadline.com)
ELLEN MORE OR LESS (A.K.A. FORMER FAT GIRL) (NBC/Universal; W: J.J. Philbin; D: TBA) - J.J. Philbin's single-camera comedy - about "an average-size woman who, after losing 100 pounds, begins reinventing herself in life and love" - is the latest to receive a pilot order at the Peacock. Said effort is inspired by Amy Parham's book, "10 Lessons from a Former Fat Girl: Living with Less of You and More of Life." Jason Katims and Michelle Lee of True Jack Productions are executive producing alongside Philbin for Universal Television. (Deadline.com)
GRACEPOINT (FOX; W: Chris Chibnall; D: James Strong) - Kendrick Sampson is the latest to board the event series, a gripping crime drama which follows the tragic and mysterious death of a young boy found dead on an idyllic beach surrounded by rocks and a jutting cliff-face, from where he may have fallen. He's set as Dean Iverson, "who works shifts oystering, busing tables at his uncle's restaurant and saving money with the hopes of going to community college. He is dating Chloe to the disapproval of her parents, Mark (Michael Pena) and Beth (Virginia Kull)." Anna Gunn, David Tennant, Jacki Weaver, Jessica Lucas, Josh Hamilton, Kevin Rankin, Kevin Zegers and Nick Nolte also star. (Deadline.com)
HIEROGLYPH (FOX/20th; W: Travis Beacham; D: Miguel Sapochnik) - Kelsey Chow (Disney XD's "Pair of Kings") has scored a role on the ancient Egypt series, about a notorious thief who is plucked from prison to serve the Pharoah (Reece Ritchie), navigating palace intrigue, seductive concubines, criminal underbellies and even a few divine sorcerers. She'll play Lotus Tenry, "a young and wiry concubine of a more grounded allure than her fellow concubines, who is a spy for a rival kingdom." Condola Rashad also stars. (Deadline.com)
LOVE IS RELATIVE (A.K.A. UNTITLED DAN MAZER PROJECT) (NBC/20th; W: Dan Mazer; D: TBA) - Dan Mazer's multi-camera comedy - which "centers on a wife and husband who begin to see their marriage in a whole new way after her newly divorced brother moves in" - has also snagged a pilot order from the network. Good Humor Television's Tom Werner and 3 Arts Entertainment's Tom Lassally also serve as executive producers on the 20th Century Fox Television-based project. (Deadline.com)
THE MCCARTHYS (CBS/Sony; W: Brian Gallivan; D: TBA) - Kelen Coleman ("Super Fun Night") has boarded the multi-camera comedy pilot, about a sports-crazed Irish-Catholic family that shares a three decker house in Boston and the one member, Ronny, that dares to move out on his own. She'll play the daughter, Jackie McCarthy, who is roommates with Ronny. Jessica Chaffin originated said role in the original single-camera incarnation. Jack McGee, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre and Laurie Metcalf also star. (Deadline.com)
MISSION CONTROL (A.K.A. UNTITLED DAVID HORNSBY PROJECT) (NBC/Universal; W: David Hornsby; D: TBA) - David Hornsby's workplace comedy - "set in 1962, it examines what happens when a strong woman butts heads with a macho astronaut in the race to land on the moon" - has likewise scored a pilot commitment. Adam McKay and Will Ferrell of Gary Sanchez Productions will also executive produce for Universal Television. (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Thomas Dekker has been upped to series regular on the FOX drama "Backstrom" as Gregory Valentine, "an ex-hustler turned fence/entrepreneurial crook who is Backstrom's (Rainn Wilson) tenant, decorator and underworld connection" (Deadline.com); John Hodgman will guest on "Parks & Recreation" as August Clementine, a "public radio host and super snobby Eagletonian" who is forced to share his show with Derry Murbles (Dan Castellaneta) (EW.com); Nathan Parsons has joined the cast of "True Blood" as its new James, succeeding Luke Grimes (TVLine.com);
Rachel Bilson, Sarah Chalke and Lucy Hale are the latest "How I Met Your Mother" alums slated to return for its current swan song (TVLine.com); Keke Palmer will visit "Grey's Anatomy" as "a pregnant teen who seeks help from the Grey Sloan Memorial doctors" (THR.com); Mark Boone Junior, Rosanna Arquette and John Benjamin Hickey are among the latest faces bound for "Law & Order: SVU" (TVGuide.com); and Eric Bogosian will recur on "The Good Wife" as "an agent in the Office of Public Integrity who is convinced that Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) is guilty of voter fraud" (TVGuide.com).
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