LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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ABC'S 2005-06 SEASON PILOTS (ABC) - The Alphabet has confirmed various pilot title changes as well as given monikers to several untitled projects: the Brenda Blethyn-led, Holly Hester-produced comedy pilot about a middle-aged woman (Blethyn) who leaves her family life for a divorce and a job now features the title "Carol Potter Gets a Life"; Freddie Prinze Jr.'s comedy pilot at the network is now simply being called "Freddie"; Chris Kattan's workplace comedy has been branded "Enough About Me"; Mark Torgrove and Paul Kaplan's couples comedy "Play Mates" is now titled "Play Dates"; Fred Goss and Nick Holly's previously untitled comedy presentation, about siblings dealing with their respective families, has been titled "Sons & Daughters"; and the untitled Peter Dinklage-led comedy pilot now runs under the title "Testing Bob."
FOX'S 2005-06 SEASON PILOTS (FOX) - FOX has confirmed a trio of name changes for its 2005-06 season pilots: the Lonely Island Guys sketch comedy presentation has been titled "Awesometown"; the Chris O'Donnell and Adam Goldberg-led legal drama pilot "Crazy Lawyers" is now called "Head Cases"; and Paul Scheuring's prison break drama pilot has been shortened to just "The Break." In addition, FOX has apparently passed on two of its sketch comedy pilots ("The Barenaked Ladies Variety Show" and "The Davey Gee Show") while drama pilot presentation "Anatomy of an Affair" has reportedly been scrapped.
MASTERS OF DOOM (Showtime, New!) - Writer/producer Naren Shankar ("C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation") is developing an original movie about John Carmack and John Romero, the creators of the video game phenomenon "Doom." David Kushner's book "Masters of Doom" will serve as the basis of the project, which Shankar will adapt and executive produce. The telefilm then is expected to track the pair's rags-to-riches story as well as how the game changed the gaming industry with its release in 1993 and the controversies that followed.
MY LIFE WITH FRED DURST (New!) - Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment and producer Scott Sternberg have pacted with Limp Bizkit front man Fred Durst to develop a one-hour hybrid talk show/docu-soap around the recording artist/sometimes actor ("Revelations"). The project, which will begin formal pitches at various networks next week, will feature Durst conducting interviews with celebrities as well as his life as a father, businessman and musician. Eric Bischoff, Jason Hervey, Patrick Panzerella and Sternberg then will serve as executive producers of the project, additional details of which weren't specified.
NBC'S 2005-06 SEASON PILOTS (NBC) - Dan Mazer's untitled comedy pilot presentation, which takes a look at everyday America, has now been titled "American Lives"; the Janeane Garofalo-led comedy pilot about the life of poker champ Annie Duke has been retitled once more to "Deal"; both Tina Fey's and Dave Flebotte's comedy pilots (the latter of which is now titled "Goody's") have had filming pushed back to June and are now targeted for midseason slots; and Fred Goss and Nick Holly's other comedy pilot presentation (which also comes from NBC Universal Television and Lorne Michaels & JoAnn Alfano's Broadway Video), a partly improvised show about three families living on cul-de-sac, has been branded "The Weekend."
SOUTH BEACH (UPN) - Sara Foster ("D.E.B.S.") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about three young adults whose dreams and aspirations lead them to Miami. No details however were given about her character. Vanessa L. Williams and Marcus Coloma also star in the project, which is set up at Nuyorican Productions, Flame Television and Paramount Network Television and comes from executive producers Philip Levens, Jennifer Lopez, Tony Krantz, Simon Fields and Matt Cirulnick.
THE STUDIO (A.K.A. THE LOT) (UPN) - The drama pilot, about a group of twentysomething assistants with big dreams working on a Hollywood studio backlot, is now being developed under the title "The Studio." Gina Gershon, Jessica Lucas and Kelly Overton all star in the Warner Bros. Television/Silver Pictures-based project, which is executive produced by Dana Baratta, Joel Silver, Jennifer Gwartz and Danielle Stokdyk.
UNTITLED RICH APPEL PROJECT (CBS) - The comedy pilot, about a divorced couple who remain best friends and share custody of their kids, has reportedly been shelved by CBS. No reason was given for the decision or if it will be shot later this year for possible midseason 2006 consideration. Rich Appel ("King of the Hill") is behind the project, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television.
THE WB'S 2005-06 SEASON PILOTS (The WB) - The Frog has revealed two title changes from its 2005-06 pilot slate: the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama pilot "Dog Town Laywers," which stars Don Johnson and Jay Baruchel, has now been branded "Just Legal"; and the Liz Tuccillo-produced drama pilot about four adults sisters in New York City has been retitled from "Sisters" to "Related."
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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