or


[03/18/14 - 11:37 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, March 18
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!


CLIPSTERS (TBS/WHT; W: David Kohan & Max Mutchnick; D: TBA) - Ryan Pinkston, Matt Cook and Mike Castle are the first to be cast in the comedy pilot, about an eclectic cast of stylists working in a barbershop in the Boston suburb of Worcester, Massachusetts. Pinkston is set as Ben, "the greedy owner of Buzzy's, who is always trying to squeeze an extra penny out of his business and appears to be unaware that all his employees know and despise his shopworn manipulative ploys"; with Castle as A.J. Salerno, "one of the hair stylists at the shop, a true hometown boy who was his town's top hockey player before being humbled by a devastating knee injury"; and Cook as Mo, "another stylist at the shop who is Ben's best friend and his direct opposite." (Deadline.com)


DEAD BOSS (FOX/Warner Bros.; W: Patricia Breen; D: Barry Sonnenfeld) - Comedian David Cross has booked a role on the comedy pilot, about Helen Stephens (Jane Krakowski), an overachiever who is wrongfully convicted of murdering her boss and forced to rely on Laura (Justine Lupe), her train wreck of a sister to prove her innocence. He'll guest star as Eric Bridges, "the narcissistic, credit-stealing, misogynistic" title character. Amy Sedaris, Cedric Yarborough, Rachel Dratch and Ravi Patel also star. (Deadline.com)


EMPIRE (FOX/20th; W: Danny Strong & Lee Daniels; D: Lee Daniels) - Grammy winner Macy Gray has booked a role on the pilot, a unique family drama set in the world of a hip-hop empire run by music superstar Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard). She'll recur as Tasha, "a woman having an affair with the much-younger Hakeem Lyon (Bryshere Y. Gray), over whom she exercises considerable influence and control." Gabourey Sidibe, Grace Gealey, Jussie Smollett, Kaitlin Doubleday, Malik Yoba and Taraji P. Henson also star. (THR.com)


FEED ME (NBC/Universal; W: Sally Robinson; D: Michael Trim) - Ethan Peck, Ed Quinn and Hart Bochner have all been cast in the Mary-Louise Parker-led comedy pilot, about a dysfunctional family bound by love and the restaurant they run together. "The three adult children of restaurant owners Alice and Len Carroll are all struggling with various romantic/sexual/marital crises, all of which seem to come to a head as they gather in a hospital waiting room to support Emma (Parker) as her husband Will (Bochner) recovers from a heart attack suffered during an extra-marital tryst." Peck then will play Ned, "Emma's terminally adolescent younger brother, a culinary artist who tries hard to bring some sophistication and modernity to his family's decades old restaurant, but his menu changes only infuriate his dad"; with Quinn as John, "the eldest and the most cynical and ironic of the three Carroll children." In addition, Michael Trim is slated to direct. (Deadline.com)


HOW AND WHY (FX/FXP; W/D: Charlie Kaufman) - Oscar-nominees Sally Hawkins and Catherine Keener have both been cast in the comedy pilot, the story of a man, Goodman Hesselman (John Hawkes), who can explain how and why a nuclear reactor works, but is clueless about life. "After losing his gig hosting children's science show How And Why, he tries to start over with a new show in a little TV market in the middle of nowhere when he encounters the supernatural world." No details were given about their characters. (Deadline.com)


JANE THE VIRGIN (The CW/CTS; W: Jennie Snyder Urman; D: Brad Silberling) - Ivonne Coll ("Switched at Birth") has booked a role on the drama pilot, about Jane Gloriana Garcia (Gina Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated. She'll play Alba, "Jane's 60-ish doting grandmother who teaches her at an early age the importance of staying pure until marriage." Andrea Navedo, Brett Dier, Jaime Camil, Justin Baldoni and Yael Grobglas also star. (Deadline.com)


MADAME ROSE (HBO, New!) - The pay channel is developing a biopic of original stage mom Rose Hovick, "the indomitable mother of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee and actress June Havoc, who would do anything to advance her daughters' career in show business." Adam Shankman (Hairspray) is attached to direct and executive produce the project alongside Jennifer Gibgot via their company Offspring Entertainment. Said effort will be based on the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee. No writer was specified. (Deadline.com)


STATE OF AFFAIRS (NBC/Universal; W: Alexi Hawley; D: Joe Carnahan) - Tommy Savas ("Hollywood Heights") has been cast in the drama pilot, about Charleston Whitney Tucker (Katherine Heigl), a key CIA attache who counsels the president on high-stakes incidents around the world, all while balancing her intense political responsibilities with a complicated personal life. He'll play Miles Singh, Charleston's intrepid assistant, in the project, which also stars Cliff Chamberlain, Sheila Vand and Adam Kaufman. (Deadline.com)


UNTITLED RICHARD LAGRAVENESE PROJECT (ABC/ABC Studios; W: Richard LaGravenese; D: Taylor Hackford) - Britne Oldford ("Ravenswood") has landed a role on the drama pilot, about the love and rivalry between Philip Fitzgerald Julien (Rufus Sewell) and Margot Worth Cole (Melissa George), two equally matched, powerful socialites who play out their obsessive attraction and seduction of each other through their manipulation of others. She's set as Cecelia Karelle, "the No. 1 fashion model/cover girl in the world who is publicly, and in truth, a virgin, yet is portrayed in every photo shoot as sexual and unattainable." Elliot Knight, Oded Fehr, Katie Holmes and Daphne Rubin-Vega also star. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - CBS has placed its single-camera comedy pilot "Taxi-22" on hold because of problems casting the lead (Deadline.com); Bille Woodruff has been tapped to direct VH1's "Drumline: A New Beat" (Deadline.com); Walon Green is set to pen and executive produce National Geographic's four hour mini-series "Killing Jesus" (Deadline.com); Heather McComb has booked an arc on "Ray Donovan" as "a working-class mother who befriends Bunchy Donovan (Dash Mihok)" (Deadline.com); Mia Vallet will recur on "Believe" as "a vulnerable woman with a dark edge who becomes an antagonist to Bo (Johnny Sequoyah)" (Deadline.com); "Modern Family" co-creator Steve Levitan has inked a massive four-year overall deal with producer 20th Century Fox Television (Deadline.com);

Cynthia Addai-Robinson has been cast as Emily West, the Yellow Rose of Texas, in History's mini-series "Texas Rising" (Deadline.com); Caterina Scorsone will reprise her role from "Private Practice" on "Grey's Anatomy" later this season (TVGuide.com); Franka Potente is bound for "The Bridge" as a "shunned Mennonite who has a no-nonsense attitude" (EOnline.com); Betsy Brandt will visit "Masters of Sex" as the new secretary to Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) (THR.com); and Michael A. Goorjian will guest on "Covert Affairs" as "a former U.S. soldier who has become disillusioned with the American Dream" (TVGuide.com).






  [march 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· BELIEVE (NBC)
· BRIDGE, THE (CBS)
· CLIPPED (TBS)
· COVERT AFFAIRS (USA)
· DANGEROUS LIAISONS (ABC)
· DEAD BOSS (FOX)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DRUMLINE: A NEW BEAT (VH1)
· EMPIRE (FOX)
· FEED ME (NBC)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS (TEEN NICK)
· HOW AND WHY (FX)
· JANE THE VIRGIN (CW)
· KILLING JESUS (NGC)
· MADAME ROSE (HBO)
· MASTERS OF SEX (SHOWTIME)
· MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
· PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC)
· RAVENSWOOD (ABC FAMILY)
· RAY DONOVAN (SHOWTIME)
· STATE OF AFFAIRS (NBC)
· SWITCHED AT BIRTH (FREEFORM)
· TAXI 22 (CBS)
· TEXAS RISING (HISTORY)





[11/26/24 - 03:01 PM]
Video: New Games, New Stakes - "Squid Game" Season 2 Main Trailer and Key Art "Round and Round" Unveiled
With its premiere just around the corner on December 26, the trailer delivers an electrifying glimpse into the deadly games and gripping character dynamics that await fans worldwide.

[11/26/24 - 02:34 PM]
Video: Paramount+ with Showtime Debuts Official Trailer for Showtime's "Dexter: Original Sin"
The series premieres Friday, December 13 on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan, before making its on-air US debut on Sunday, December 15 at 10pm ET/PT.

[11/26/24 - 01:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 vs. CBS' "After Midnight" and NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers"
"Nightline" posted double-digit gains week to week across the board, hitting a 6-week high in overall viewers and 7-week highs in both key Adult demos.

[11/26/24 - 12:03 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of Nov. 18: "The Merry Gentlemen" and "A Man on the Inside" Take the Top Spots
Season 2 of the animated series "Arcane" laid siege to #2 (6.4M views), while Season 1 took #5 with 2.2M views.

[11/26/24 - 11:44 AM]
TNT Sports to Debut "Evolve and Flex" with Lance Fresh Friday, Dec. 6, on truTV and Max
The show is hosted by sports-lifestyle expert Lance Fresh and features candid conversations with guests to discuss how life's events have contributed to their sense of style.

[11/26/24 - 11:19 AM]
MGM+ Announces 2025 Premiere Date for "NFL Icons" Season Four
In the upcoming fourth season, the docuseries will feature Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana, DeMarcus Ware, Kurt Warner and Gale Sayers.

[11/26/24 - 10:24 AM]
Video: "Rogue Heroes" (MGM+ 2025 Series) Season 2 Tease
"Rogue Heroes" is a dramatized account of how the world's greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two.

[11/26/24 - 10:09 AM]
Video: Acorn TV Releases Official Trailer for Second Season of Hit Australian Drama, "Darby and Joan"
The new season debuts with a two-episode premiere, exclusively on Acorn TV, on December 30, followed by weekly episodes through January 27.

[11/26/24 - 10:01 AM]
ABC News Studios Announces Fourth Season of Hit True-Crime Series "Wild Crime," Streaming Dec. 5 Only on Hulu
"Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls" delves into the haunting 2012 disappearance of Samantha Koenig, an 18-year-old Anchorage barista last seen leaving her place of work with an unknown man on a dark winter night.

[11/26/24 - 08:32 AM]
Bravo Greenlights "Vanderpump Rules" Season 12 with a New Group of SUR-vers
In addition, "Vanderpump Rules" will celebrate the past decade of heartbreaks, friendship rifts and scandals with a retrospective special highlighting the past 11 seasons.

[11/26/24 - 08:30 AM]
Video: Paramount+ and Nickelodeon Reveal Teaser, First-Look Images and Premiere Date for "Henry Danger The Movie"
"Henry Danger The Movie" will be available to stream in the U.S. on Paramount+ Friday, January 17, and premiere on Nickelodeon that same day at 7 p.m. (ET/PT).

[11/26/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Makayla is a teenage girl who has spent her life grappling with a rare form of autism that rendered her essentially nonverbal until her parents, filled with unwavering belief in their daughter's potential, embarked on a transformative journey to discover the true depth of Makayla's inner world.

[11/26/24 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Announces Ian Bonhote & Peter Ettedgui's Award-Winning "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story," Debuting December 7 on HBO and Max
The critically acclaimed film had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and recently won six Critics Choice Documentary Awards.

[11/26/24 - 08:00 AM]
HGTV Greenlights Gutsy Las Vegas Renovation Series "Sin City Rehab" (wt) Starring Indomitable Designer Alison Victoria
The eight-episode series will document Alison, best known for her Emmy-nominated series "Windy City Rehab," taking the biggest gamble of her career as she expands her successful design business out West.

[11/26/24 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Manny" Season 2 - Release Date Announcement - Netflix
A busy executive hires a cowboy to care for her kids in a moment of panic. Little does she know he'll challenge her views of gender roles - and of love.