CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
Looking to keep track of all the various pilots and other projects in development? Be sure to check out our detailed production chart listings by clicking here.
Note: Look for details on Bravo's latest projects, such as spin-off series "Queer Eye for the Straight Girl," to be posted when the network issues its press release(s) from its upfront presentation later today.
AMERICANA (A.K.A. HOME & HARDWARE) (NBC) - Various audience members attending the show's April 2 pilot taping have indicated the project now features the title "Americana."
DR. 90210 (E!) - The cable channel has scheduled the series, about the life of Hollywood plastic surgeon Robert Rey, to premiere Sunday, June 20.
MILES TO GO (WB) - Ricky Mabe ("Arthur") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about a young ex-British commando (Philip Winchester) who moves to the U.S. and becomes the nanny of a posh Beverly Hills family. He'll play one of the children under said nanny's care in the Warner Bros. Television project, which also stars Gerald McRaney and Kristin Bauer.
THE MOUNTAIN (WB) - Johann Urb ("C.S.I.: Miami") is the latest to join the cast of the drama pilot, about a 25-year-old (Oliver Hudson) who inherits his family's mountain resort when his grandfather dies. Urb will play a family friend/resort employee who becomes a threat to the family and the heir apparent. He joins the previously cast Barbara Hershey, Anson Mount, Mitch Pileggi, Chad Everett, Elizabeth Bogush, Tommy Dewey, Alana de la Garza and Penn Badgley in the project, which is set up at Warner Bros. Television and McG's Wonderland Sound & Vision.
N.Y.P.D. BLUE (ABC) - Charlotte Ross reportedly will not return as Det. Connie McDowell for the show's 12th and presumably final season. The actress, who's been on maternity leave since giving birth to her son last month, plans to focus on raising her newborn along with husband and manager Michael Goldman. It's not clear how the producers, who have yet to confirm the news, plan to write out her character. Nevertheless, Jessalyn Gilsig ("Boston Public") has signed on to appear in at least five episodes this season, playing a new female detective.
REVELATIONS (NBC) - Newcomers, and identical twins, Britney and Chelsey Coyle have joined the cast of the Peacock's upcoming limited series, about a group's efforts to forestall the apocalypse. They'll play girls who begin quoting scripture after being struck by lightning. Pariah Television is behind the project, which also stars John Rhys-Davis, Bill Pullman and Natascha McElhone.
SILVER LAKE (UPN) - Gariyaki Mutambirwa and Nadege August ("ER") are the latest to join the cast of the Spelling Television drama pilot, about a record store owner (Kerr Smith) who communicates with the dead. Mutambirwa will play the guy's best friend while August is set as an employee at the store. Hedy Burress, Sandra Bernhard, Stephanie faracy and William Russ also star.
THE STRAND (New!) - Daniel Myrick ("Blair Witch Project"), through his Pasadena-based production company Gear Head Pictures, is self-funding a one-hour drama pilot, about an interlocking set of characters on Venice Beach. Katherine Helmond ("Everybody Loves Raymond") has already signed on to co-star in the project as a '40s movie actress who's dating a 19-year-old immigrant. Other characters yet to be cast include a yuppie couple and a homeless man. The mid six-figure pilot's production is currently be chronicled on the company's official web site. Myrick apparently is shooting the pilot in advance of pitching the networks in order to illustrate some unique filming techniques planned for the series. In addition, the company is considering a DVD release of the project as well as possible webcasts of the pilot and/or future episodes.
THEN CAME MARRIAGE (A.K.A. MARRIAGE 101) (WB) - Eric Nenninger ("Malcolm in the Middle") has been revealed as an additional cast member of the comedy pilot, which taped this past Friday. The 20th Century Fox Television/Brad Grey Television project, which is now being developed under the title "Then Came Marriage," revolves around a young married couple who move in with the husband's friends. Brooke D'Orsay, Brian Sites, Josh waters and Katie Mixon also star.
UNTITLED MIKE FLEISS/DAVE SHERIDAN PROJECT (WB) - Laurie Naughton (PBS' "Manhattan Valley") has joined the cast of the pilot, a half-hour comedy that will mix a few reality elements into an otherwise scripted series about a man (Dave Sheridan) who moves in with an L.A. couple. Naughton joins the previously cast Chris Hogan in the Next Entertainment project, where she'll play the female half of said couple. In addition, Jeff Fisher and Joel Friedman ("The Nick Cannon Show") have signed on to direct the pilot installment.
THE WEST WING (NBC) - Jason Isaacs ("Peter Pan") and Mary McCormack ("K Street") have both signed on to appear in multi-episode arcs during the show's final installments this season. The former will play a photojournalist and potential love interest for Janel Moloney's character while the latter will play the new deputy National Security Adviser.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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