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[03/28/11 - 11:15 PM]
Development Update: Monday, March 28
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!


BOSS (Starz) - Jeff Hephner has scored a role on the upcoming drama, about Thomas Kane (Kesley Grammer), the mayor of Chicago who is diagnosed with a degenerative mental condition that only he and his doctor know about. He's set as Alex Zajac ("impeccably handsome"), the state's treasurer. The actor was previously attached to the NBC pilot "Playboy" but was ultimately replaced by Eddie Cibrian following the table read. Connie Nielsen also stars in the Lionsgate Television-based hour, from writer Farhad Safinia and director Gus Van Sant.


GIMME SHELTER (CBS) - TNT is reportedly looking to revive the John Wells-produced drama, about a mobile team of volunteer doctors that travels the world and the U.S. helping those in need. Amy Smart, Janeane Garofalo, Jay Hernandez, Michael Beach, Rachelle Lefevre, Sissy Spacek and Skeet Ulrich co-starred in the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which didn't make the cut for CBS's 2010-11 season lineup. Christopher Chulack directed from a script by Hannah Shakespeare. Wells, Chulack and Shakespeare are expected to be involved with the new incarnation however no other specifics were given.


IT'S NOT ME, IT'S YOU (ABC, New!) - Ben Karlin ("The Colbert Report") has inked a two-year overall deal with ABC Studios. The pact, financial details of which weren't released, calls for the writer/producer to develop new projects for the company via his SuperEgo Industries banner alongside 3 Arts Entertainment's David Miner. Karlin previously received a cast-contingent pilot order from ABC for "It's Not Me, It's You." No details however were given about the project, which had Julie Anne Robinson attached to direct.


MORE AS THE STORY DEVELOPS (HBO) - Greg Mottola ("Paul") has been tapped to direct the Aaron Sorkin-penned drama pilot, about "the host of a political show who, from the network perspective, can be difficult to handle." As previously reported, Jeff Daniels is in talks to star in the project. Sorkin and Scott Rudin are the executive producers.


UNTITLED MICHAEL ROSENBAUM PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Actor/writer Michael Rosenbaum, who will recur on the network's upcoming "Breaking In," has snagged a blind script commitment from FOX and sibling 20th Century Fox Television. No details were given about the project, presumably a half-hour. A year ago, Rosenbaum sold "Saved by Zeroes" - in which two friends (Rosenbaum, Jonathan Silverman), former actors on a popular science-fiction show, who have hit rock bottom and must work together to get their lives back on track - to Syfy and Sony Pictures Television.


UNTITLED WHITNEY CUMMINGS PROJECT (NBC) - Rhea Seehorn has been cast in the comedy pilot, about a young couple - Whitney (Cummings) and Alex (Chris D'Elia) - navigating the ups and downs of a committed relationship. She'll play Roxanne ("tired, blunt, no bullshit, divorcee"), their friend. Beverly D'Angelo, Maulik Pancholy and Zoe Lister also star in the half-hour, from Universal Media Studios. Andy Ackerman is directing from a script by Cummings.


WORK IT (ABC) - Rochelle Aytes and Kacie Lynch have both been cast in the comedy pilot, about "two out-of-work car salesmen - Angel (Amaury Nolasco) and Lee (Ben Koldyke) - who realize that in order to find employment again, they'll need to dress as women to land jobs as pharmaceutical reps." Aytes is set as Vanessa Warner ("extremely professional and even more beautiful"), the guys' boss at Fleming Pharmaceutical Company; while Lynch will play Kat, Lee's glammed-out 14-year-old daughter. John Carapulo, Kirstin Eggers and Rebecca Mader also star in the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, from co-creators Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen. Beth McCathy-Miller is directing.






  [march 2011]  
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· BOSS (STARZ)
· BREAKING IN (FOX)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· GIMME SHELTER (CBS)
· IT'S NOT ME, IT'S YOU (ABC)
· NEWSROOM, THE (HBO)
· PLAYBOY CLUB, THE (NBC)
· SAVED BY ZEROES (SYFY)
· UNTITLED MICHAEL ROSENBAUM PROJECT (FOX)
· WHITNEY (NBC)
· WORK IT (ABC)





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