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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!
Here are the latest projects being picked up to series for the 2016-17 season (via press release):
CONVICTION (ABC)
Hayes Morrison (Hayley Atwell) grew up in the public eye as the nation's First Daughter. Now she is a gorgeous mess, with a brilliant legal mind but a self-destructive streak. Arrested for cocaine possession, she gets an offer from Wayne Wallis, the NY District Attorney: no jail time if she heads his new Conviction Integrity Unit that reexamines cases where there's credible suspicion of wrongful conviction. Hayes resents having to take the offer, but is not totally upset about working with Wayne. He was her former courtroom nemesis, who she still finds rather sexy. She is working with the CIU team including forensics expert Frankie Rios, Paralegal Tess Thompson, and NYPD Detective Maxine Barton, who makes a point of telling Hayes that she didn't vote for her father, the former President. They have tight deadlines to identify cases where they suspect the wrong person has been convicted of a crime. The first case should be easy to overturn, but it's not. Neither is Wayne who has Assistant DA Sam Sullivan spy on Hayes, and calls her bluff when she tries to get herself fired. Wayne's tough love is a turn-on. But, it all gets worse when she finds out that her mother, the former First Lady who is running for Senate, was the one behind job offer. If Hayes quits, she is going to jail. She better work, despite her demons, because this is really her last second chance. She needs this job as much as the wrongfully convicted need her brilliance. It's time to follow her mother's advice: "Do your best. For once."
CAST LISTING
Cast
Hayley Atwell
Eddie Cahill
Shawn Ashmore
Merrin Dungey
Emily Kinney
Manny Montana
Daniel DiTomasso
CREDITS LISTING
Writer
Liz Friedman
Executive Producers
Liz Friedman
Mark Gordon
Nick Pepper
Production Company
ABC Studios
Mark Gordon Company
DOWNWARD DOG (ABC)
Martin is a philosopher of sorts and recently a lonely one. The woman he lives with, Nan (Emmy nominated Allison Tolman), just isn't giving him the attention he needs. Their daily walks are a thing of the past. He has a hard time telling her how he feels, so he has resorted to destroying her favorite boots. He actually chewed them up, because if you haven't guessed by now, he's a dog. A lonely, controlling, self-obsessed dog who lets us in on all his thoughts. He tries to set boundaries with Nan to make her feel safe. It has been hard on both of them since she broke up with her boyfriend, Jason (Lucas Neff), a musician, bartender and aging millennial. Now, she spends way too much time at work trying to impress her boss and co-workers, and Martin is left at home too much trying to imagine what could be more important than snuggling on the couch with him. Nan's not the most organized person, but wants her ideas to be heard at Clark and Bow Outfitters where she's worked for six years. Co-worker Jenn (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) gives her advice on how to impress the boss, Kevin (Barry Rothbart). After months of hitting a brick wall, Nan is finally making some headway, but in a few short moments Martin ruins everything. Is she really going to have to tell everyone at work that her dog ate her presentation? It's time for obedience school. As Martin says, "I think Nan just needs things to be kind of spelled out in really obvious ways." He feels like she's lost track of what's really important: him. One session at obedience school already makes them realize that even at their worst, they may be the best thing for each other.
CAST LISTING
Cast
Allison Tolman
Lucas Neff
Kirby Howell-Baptiste
Barry Rothbart
CREDITS LISTING
Writers
Michael Killen
Samm Hodges
Executive Producers
Michael Killen
Samm Hodges
Kathy Dubziek
Sam Hansen
Jimmy Miller
Production Company
ABC Studios
Legendary Television
STILL STAR-CROSSED (ABC)
Still Star-Crossed, a period drama from Shondaland, picks up where this famous story ends. The deaths of Romeo and Juliet have escalated the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. The streets of Verona have become dangerous, traitors have emerged, and the kingdom is vulnerable to attack. The young ruling Prince of Verona, Escalus, wants to end the feud and bring peace to the kingdom. Following the sage advice of his sister Princess Isabella he devises a plan to marry a Capulet to a Montague to unite the families and strengthen his position. He commands a union between Romeo's cousin, the womanizing Benvolio, with Juliet's cousin, Rosaline, who is in love with Prince Escalus. Each is fiery and independent. In the pandemonium on the streets after Romeo and Juliet's deaths, Benvolio saves Rosaline from assault. Instead of being grateful, she's insulting. Their courtship has a long way to go and they'll have to banter their way to a compromise in the midst of treachery, power grabs and palace intrigue. Another star-crossed love story begins.
CAST LISTING
Cast
Wade Briggs
Zuleikha Robinson
Lashana Lynch
Ebonee Noel
Sterling Sulieman
Medalion Rahimi
Torrance Coombs
Dan Hildebrand
CREDITS LISTING
Writer
Heather Mitchell
Executive Producers
Heather Mitchell
Shondaland
Michael Goldstein
Production Company
ABC Studios
TIME AFTER TIME (ABC)
It is London, 1893. H.G. Wells is destined to become a famed science fiction author, but on this evening he's just a little known writer struggling to get published. He has invited his intellectual friends to show off his new invention - a time machine - but never suspects his late arriving guest, surgeon and friend John Stevenson, is the infamous Jack the Ripper. When the police arrive looking for Jack the Ripper, John sneaks into the time machine and flees to modern day Manhattan with Wells in hot pursuit. Wells arrives inside a museum exhibit featuring himself, The Man Ahead of His Time. Unrecognized by security, he's hauled off to the museum curator, Jane Walker, who is attracted to this odd fellow and intrigued that the machine is warm and security videos show two different men seemingly appearing out of thin air. Wells, meanwhile, is a complete fish out of water, always rising politely whenever Jane stands up, puzzled at everyone staring at the screens of their small devices and awestruck by the bustle and bling of Times Square. Wells must stop Jack the Ripper who needs Wells' key to the time machine so he can murder throughout the centuries with impunity. Wells manages to hold on to the key, but the Ripper slips through his fingers when Wells is knocked down by a yellow cab. As luck has it, Jane's business card is in his pocket and she is called to pick him up from the hospital. She takes H.G. to her apartment where he tells this modern independent woman that she fascinates him. Jane is more wary, but sparks really fly after she rescues him from an electric razor he's using to shave off his 19th century facial hair. The deal is sealed when he puts on her ex's jeans and t-shirt, and transforms into a 21st century hunk. It is the cat and mouse game between Wells and Jack the Ripper that fuels the action, as Wells tries to track down John while John tries to lure Wells in order to get the key. It's only when Jack the Ripper strikes again that Wells blurts out his true identity to Jane, and proves it by taking her on a trip in the machine three days into the future where, horrified, they learn Jane will be a victim of The Ripper unless they stop him.
CAST LISTING
Cast
Josh Bowman
Freddie Stroma
Genesis Rodriguez
Regina Taylor
CREDITS LISTING
Writer
Kevin Williamson
Executive Producers
Kevin Williamson
Lauren Wagner
Production Company
Warner Brothers Television
UNTITLED SARAH DUNN PROJECT (F.K.A. THE SECOND FATTEST HOUSEWIFE IN WESTPORT) (ABC)
Until recently, opinionated, confident, unapologetic, plump Katie Otto (Katy Mixon) has been the third fattest housewife in Westport, Connecticut. This is exactly where she wants to be. So when her chubbier neighbor moves away and she becomes the second fattest housewife, Katie becomes determined to regain her title. On a mission, she tries to orchestrate a suitable buyer for her neighbor's house. But things don't go according to her plans. She lives in this wealthy neighborhood with her adoring and level headed husband, Jeff, who works in public television and their three less-than-perfect kids. The Ottos live in the only remaining split level house - complete with a single car garage - in a cul-de-sac filled with East Coast glamour mansions. Her Lululemon, green-juice loving neighbors with their fake boobs and perfect hair often give her backhanded compliments for being so "real." Their eldest daughter is 14 year-old Taylor who went through an awkward phase before emerging drop-dead gorgeous. Katie is worried that her daughter will turn into the typical Westport female. Meanwhile, 12 year-old Harrison is a mogul in training; a Republican saving his money to buy Apple stock and refusing to donate canned food for the school food drive... something Katie doesn't approve of at all. The youngest is sweet yet peculiar 5 year-old Anna-Kat, who is secretly Katie's favorite. She has multiple phobias, including a fear of germs, but needs to learn that, "Friends are more important than germs." As Katie navigates raising her flawed family in a wealthy town filled with "perfect" mommies and their "perfect" offspring she lets us in on her deepest, most unfiltered thoughts through voice-over in this comedy.
CAST LISTING
Cast
Katy Mixon
Diedrich Bader
Johnny Sequoyah
Daniel DiMaggio
Julia Butters
Carly Hughes
Ali Wong
CREDITS LISTING
Writer
Sarah Dunn
Executive Producers
Sarah Dunn
Aaron Kaplan
Production Company
ABC Studios
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