LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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BRITNEY & KEVIN: CHAOTIC (UPN) - MTV has confirmed its second run of the UPN series will begin airing Thursdays at 10:00/9:00c starting May 26. Tuesday's premiere on the netlet earned UPN's best series numbers in the Tuesday, 9:00/8:00c hour since March 23, 2004 among total viewers (3.66 million), adults 18-34, adults 18-49 (1.9/5), women 18-34 and women 18-49 (2.7/6).
CRISS ANGEL: MINDFREAK/INKED (A&E) - The cable channel has confirmed its latest batch of reality entries - "Inked," about the Hart & Huntington tattoo parlor in the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and "Criss Angel: Mindfreak," about the life of said street magician - will premiere on Wednesday, July 20 at 9:00/8:00c and 10:00/9:00c respectively. Meanwhile, the network's reality veteran "Airline" will move to Mondays at 10:00/9:00c beginning June 27.
FIREFLY (FOX) - The Sci Fi Channel has landed the repeat rights to all 15 hours of the short-lived FOX series (and basis of the upcoming "Serenity" feature film). The network's July schedule lists the series as joining its Friday lineup on July 22 at 7:00/6:00c where it will precede original episodes of "Stargate SG-1," "Stargate Atlantis" and "Battlestar Galactica."
THE GIRL IN THE CAFE (HBO) - The pay channel's latest original movie is set to premiere on Saturday, June 25 at 8:00/7:00c. Here's how HBO's press materials describe the project: "A tenderly funny and poignant love story by award-winning screenwriter Richard Curtis ("Love Actually") Directed by David Yates, the film stars Bill Nighy ("Love Actually") and Kelly Macdonald ("Finding Neverland," "Gosford Park"). THE GIRL IN THE CAF� faces perhaps the most important issue of 2005: Will this be the year when world powers seriously address the issue of world poverty once and for all? The film is a passionate plea to everyman - wrapped in a love story, a comedy and a unique drama."
HALLMARK CHANNEL MYSTERY MOVIES (Hallmark) - The "second season" of Hallmark's rotating TV movie franchises is scheduled to begin on Sunday, June 5 at 7:00/6:00c with "Mystery Woman: Vision of a Murder." The following week look for "McBride: The Doctor Is Out... Really Out" on Sunday, June 12 at 7:00/6:00c with "Jane Doe: The Wrong Face" on Sunday, June 19 at 7:00/6:00c. Six additional telefilms featuring "Mystery Woman" ("Redemption" and "Game Time"), "McBride" ("Tune in for Murder" and "Anybody Here Murder Marty?") and "Jane Doe" ("The Harder They Fall" and "Vanishing Trick") are expected to run by the end of the year.
THE HOWARD STERN SHOW (E!) - Both Spike TV and HBO are reportedly in the running to snag the rights to Howard Stern's nightly series (a collection of highlights from that day's radio broadcast), which has been running on E! since 1994. E!'s contract for the series expires at the end of the summer. Spike, where Stern is developing his animated series "Howard Stern: The High School Years," is said to be the frontrunner to land the show however E! may end of retaining its longtime staple, which runs a whopping 250 original episodes per year.
LIFETIME ORIGINAL MOVIES (Lifetime) - The cable channel has scheduled a handful of its upcoming original movies. "Cyber Seduction: His Secret Life" (previously known as "Addicted.com") is set to premiere on Monday, June 20 at 9:00/8:00c. Kelly Lynch, Jeremy Sumpter and Lyndsy Fonseca all star in the project, about a teen's (Sumpter) addition to internet porn. Next up is the previously announced docudrama "Murder in the Hamptons" on Monday, July 11 at 9:00/8:00c. It stars Poppy Montgomery, David Sutcliffe and Shawn Christian. Finally, look for the network's adapatation of "The Dive from Clausen's Pier," starring Michelle Trachtenberg and Will Estes, on Monday, July 25 at 9:00/8:00c. Lifetime's limited series "Beach Girls" is also expected to launch that night at 8:00/7:00c.
THE SHIELD (FX) - FX is moving forward with a fifth season of the series, which still has another four installments left to air in its current season. To date this season "The Shield" is averaging 3.2 million viewers overall and 2.0 million viewers among adults 18-49, up noticeably from last season's average (2.5 million overall, 1.7 million among adults 18-49).
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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