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[08/16/19 - 11:29 PM]
Development Update: Friday, August 16
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!


AXEHOLES (Syfy, New!) - Emily Andras is developing a high-concept drama at the cable channel which "follows a mismatched bunch of comic convention attendees who inadvertently get transported into the real-life world of their favorite fantasy TV series, Blue Bar'Bara. In the worst role-playing game ever, the unequipped party must learn to navigate a dangerous land of profanity-spewing battle axes, sociopathic fairies, disturbingly sensual dragons and a chainmail-bikini-wearing shield maiden as they struggle to find a way back home." Syfy will co-produce the series alongside a yet-to-be-determined studio should it move forward. (THR.com)
BALLERS (HBO) - Catherine Haena Kim is slated to recur on the show's fifth season as Kate, "who joins Joe (Rob Corddry) and Lance (Russell Brand) at their Sports X venture." (Deadline.com)
DARK CARGO/IT'S A MAN'S WORLD (YouTube) - The streaming service has opted not to move forward with both pilots as it transitions its strategy to "a focus on music, learning and personalities fare." Entertainment One is actively looking to sell the former project elsewhere. (Deadline.com)
DEAD EDDIE (FOX, New!) - Matt Miller and Alex Taub are set to team for a potential drama at the network in which "after a near-death experience, misanthropic ex-cop-turned-private investigator Eddie Bana is burdened with the ability to talk to the dead. Eddie's nice enough to help them sort out their unfinished business, but always for a price." Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment are behind the project, which has a put pilot commitment. Taub and Miller are executive producing via the latter's Good Session Productions. (Variety.com)
DISHMANTLED (Quibi, New!) - Titus Burgess is slated to host a new cooking competition series at the short-form video service in which "each episode starts with the cannon-blasting of a mystery food dish into the faces of two blindfolded chefs. They'll use their culinary prowess to identify the exploded dish and then race against the clock to recreate it. Whichever chef comes closest to the original dish wins a cash prize." Good Egg Entertainment and Electus are behind the project with Linda Lea and Drew Buckley among the executive producers. (Deadline.com)
FIREFLY LANE (Netflix) - Sarah Chalke will star opposite Katherine Heigl in the upcoming drama, in which Kate Mularkey (Chalke) and Tully Hart (Heigl) meet as young girls and become inseparable best friends throughout thirty years of ups and downs, successes and failures, depression and disappointments. When an unthinkable betrayal breaks them apart, the two women go their separate ways and it's unclear whether they will ever be able to reconcile. (Deadline.com)
INSTINCT (CBS) - Executive producer Michael Rauch took to social media with the news CBS has canceled the series after two seasons. Look for the series' de facto finale next Sunday at 9:00/8:00c. (@Michael_Rauch)
KRYPTON/LOBO (Syfy) - The cable channel has pulled the plug on its Superman prequel series after two seasons. In addition, a proposed Emmett J. Scanlan-led "Lobo" series will also not be moving forward. Warner Horizon Television is looking to shop said efforts to other networks, including DC Universe and the upcoming HBO Max. (Deadline.com)
MR. BLACK (FOX, New!) - Adam Zwar is developing a domestic take on his Australian comedy at the network, which "follows the acid-tongued Mr. Black, a man who has one dying wish: to break up his adult daughter and her boyfriend - whom he happens to live with." Gail Berman is also on board to executive produce the single-camera project for her FOX Entertainment-owned SideCar banner and original series producer CJZ. (Deadline.com)
MRS. AMERICA (FX) - Niecy Nash is set to recur on the limited series as Flo Kennedy, "friend and confidant to Gloria Steinem and Shirley Chisholm, who co-created the Black Feminist Organization from salon style meetings in her apartment." (Deadline.com)
POWER (Starz) - Donna Murphy will recur on the show's final season as Lorette Walsh, "a moderate Democrat and Tate's toughest opponent in the gubernatorial race." (Deadline.com)
SCHOOLED (ABC) - Tim Doyle has been tapped to serve as showrunner of the series' second season. He succeeds co-creator Marc Firek, who will focus on development. (THR.com)
SIMPSONS, THE (FOX) - Olivia Coleman will lend her voice to an upcoming episode as "the most down home femme fatal ever who attracts every man she's ever met but falls hard, harder than she ever imagined, for Homer Simpson." (@canyonjim)
SINNER, THE (USA) - Jessica Hecht, Parisa Fitz-Henley and Eddie Martinez have all scored roles on the upcoming third season. Hecht will play Sonya, "a successful painter living a secluded life in Dorchester who meets Ambrose (Bill Pullman) when he investigates the car accident on her property." Fitz-Henley then is Leela Burns, "Jamie's (Matt Bomer) expectant wife and the stylish Brooklyn-born owner of a boutique in downtown Dorchester"; with Martinez as Vic Soto, "a hardworking former Marine and rising star detective at the Dorchester Police Department who works with Ambrose." (Deadline.com)
STEP UP: HIGH WATER/WAYNE (YouTube) - The streaming service has canceled both series as part of its shift in programming strategy to "a focus on music, learning and personalities fare." Lionsgate Television and Endeavor Content are looking for new homes for their respective projects. (Deadline.com)
SUPERGIRL (The CW) - Kate Micucci will drop by the season premiere in "a small cameo as a character working in a museum." (TVLine.com)
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (Amazon) - Damon Herriman will recur on Barry Jenkins's upcoming drama as Martin, "a station agent for the underground railroad in North Carolina." (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED CORINNE KINGSBURY PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Corinne Kingsbury ("Fam") is back in business with the Eye for a new multi-camera comedy "about a daughter and her mom. When Penelope's career takes off at exactly the same time as her husband's, they call on Penelope's young single mom, Georgia, to help raise their son, but what they find is Georgia needs more raising than their kid." Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor and TrillTV's Wendi Trilling will also executive produce the CBS Television Studios-based project, which has a put pilot commitment. (Deadline.com)
VICE NEWS TONIGHT (HBO) - The departing HBO series has found a new home on Viceland. The program will serve as a new nightly primetime anchor for the channel. No date was specified. (Deadline.com)





  [august 2019]  
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F
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· AXEHOLES (SYFY)
· BALLERS (HBO)
· DARK CARGO (YOUTUBE)
· DEAD EDDIE (FOX)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DISHMANTLED (ROKU)
· FAM (CBS)
· FIREFLY LANE (NETFLIX)
· INSTINCT (CBS)
· IT'S A MAN'S WORLD (YOUTUBE)
· KRYPTON (SYFY)
· LOBO (SYFY)
· MR. BLACK (FOX)
· MRS. AMERICA (FX ON HULU)
· POWER (STARZ)
· SCHOOLED (ABC)
· SIMPSONS, THE (FOX)
· SINNER, THE (USA)
· STEP UP: HIGH WATER (STARZ)
· SUPERGIRL (CW)
· UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, THE (AMAZON)
· VICE NEWS TONIGHT (VICE)
· WAYNE (YOUTUBE)
· WELCOME TO GEORGIA (CBS)





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