2/15 development news

from the futon critic

THE 12TH MAN (FOX) - Jodi Lyn O'Keefe ("She's All That") and newcomer
Andrew Katz are the first to be cast in the comedy pilot, about a
not-so-good professional basketball player who spends most of the time
on the team's bench. O'Keefe will play Lindsay, the assistant general
manager of said basketball team, while Katz is set as Oggie. 20th

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Century Fox Television is behind the half-hour, which is based on the
life of Phoenix Suns reserve forward Paul Shirley. Tim Story is
directing from a script by Dan Fogelman with both serving as executive
producers.

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24 (FOX) - Howard Gordon, the veteran drama's showrunner, has inked a
mid-seven-figure multi-year overall deal with the show's producer,
20th Century Fox Television. The pact, which begins in June, covers
his duties on the show's expected sixth season. In addition, he'll
also develop new projects for the studio.

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THE ADVENTURES OF BIG HANDSOME GUY AND HIS LITTLE FRIEND (FOX) -
Mircea Monroe ("The Code") and Margo Harshman ("Run of the House") are

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the latest additions to the comedy pilot, about the unlikely
friendship between two men - one for which everything comes easy
(Hayes MacArthur), the other not so much (Jason Winer). No details on
their respective character were given. Dennie Gordon is directing the
single-camera pilot from a script by MacArthur and Winer. Joshua
Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia also serve as executive producers.

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ALPHA MOMS (NBC) - "Scrubs" creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence
has signed on to direct the single-camera comedy pilot, about a
corporate mom who tries to balance kids, a stay-at-home husband and a
job. He'll direct the NBC Universal Television-based half-hour from a
script by creator Kerry Ehrin.

AVENGER (TNT) - The Sam Elliott-led/Wolfgang Petersen-produced
original movie has been slated to premiere on Sunday, April 9 at
8:00/7:00c. Here's how the network's press materials describe the
project: "AVENGER tells the story of Cal Dexter (Elliot), whose duty
during the Vietnam War was to locate and destroy the jungle hideouts
of the enemy. But today he's nothing more than a simple attorney in
small town New Jersey. Or so it seems to most. Covertly, he has been
hired by a tycoon to track down and deliver justice to the man who
killed his grandson, an American aid worker in Bosnia. As the quest
takes Dexter around the globe, CIA agent Frank McBride must stop him
before his mission of vengeance throws the world into chaos."

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC) - "Crumbs" star Eddie McClintock has scored
a recurring role on the smash hit series. He'll play Frank, a low-life
who becomes involved with the Solises. It's not clear when his first
episode will air.

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E-RING (NBC)/RELATED (The WB) - Jaime Ray Newman, who was recently
cast in the ABC drama pilot "Hollis & Rae," has signed on to appear in
multi-episode arcs on both dramas later this season. In the former,

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she'll play the daughter of Army General Hughes (Bob Gunton) for four
episodes while no character specifics were given about her two-episode
"Related" guest spot.

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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (NBC) - Newcomers Gaius Charles and Scott Porter
have both been cast in the Kyle Chandler-led drama pilot, a small
screen take on the 2004 high school football-themed feature of the
same name. Charles will play Brian "Bomber" Williams, an extremely
confident and larger than life running back, while Porter is set as
Jason Street, the talented quarterback and pride of the
football-obsessed Texas town. Peter Berg wrote the script to the NBC
Universal Television/Imagine Television/Film 44-based hour which he's
also executive producing along with David Nevins, Brian Grazer, Sarah
Aubrey and John Cameron. Production is set to begin this week in
Austin, Texas.

IN JUSTICE (ABC) - Tim Guinee ("Tarzan") is set to appear in the
show's final four episodes this season. No specifics about his
character however were given.

MEN IN TREES (ABC) - Anne Heche ("Everwood") has booked the lead role
in the drama pilot, about a female shrink (Heche) who moves to Alaska
after she learns that her husband had been cheating on her, only to
discover herself surrounded by available men. Derek Richardson
("Hostel") and Emily Bergl ("Gilmore Girls") have also joined the cast
of the Warner Bros. Television/Tree Line Film-based hour, which James

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Mangold is directing from a script by Jenny Bicks. The pair also serve
as executive producers along with Cathy Konrad.

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THE O.C. (FOX) - Autum Reeser, who plays Taylor Townsend on the
series, is on track to be upped to series regular should the FOX soap
return for a fourth season. Also set for a return appearance is Nikki

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Griffin, who plays Jess Sathers - the recently introduced new love

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interest for Benjamin McKenzie's character. It's not clear however how
many episodes her second arc will encompass.

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ORPHEUS (CBS) - Bruce Beresford ("And Starring Pancho Villa as
Himself") has signed on to direct the drama pilot, about the journey
of a young man (Nick D'Agosto) into first love and the seductive world
of a sophisticated, modern-day cult. Nicholas Meyer is behind the CBS
Paramount Network Television/Scott Free Productions-based hour, which
he's also executive producing along with Scott Free principals Ridley
Scott and Tony Scott.

SEEING RED (NBC) - Emmy-nominated actor Jeff Goldblum ("Will & Grace")
is in final talks to play the lead role in the drama pilot, about an
eccentric, brilliant cop (Goldblum) with the ability to talk to dead
victims, who help him solve his cases. Goldblum's involvement would

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presumably lift the cast-contingency on the pilot's production. Frank
Darabont is directing the NBC Universal Television-based hour from a
script by creator Graham Yost.

THAT GUY (FOX) - Betty Thomas, who directed the pilot to the upcoming
FOX comedy "The Loop," has come aboard to direct the comedy pilot,
about a thirtysomething guy who realizes everyone around him has grown
up. She'll direct from a script by creators/co-executive producers
Josh Lobis and Darin Moiselle. Regency Television and the Montecito
Picture Co. are behind the half-hour, which is executive produced by
Jackie Marcus and Ivan Reitman.

UNTITLED DANNY COMDEN PROJECT (ABC) - Bonnie Somerville ("Kitchen
Confidential") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about an
egotistical real estate agent (Danny Comden) who decides to change his
life after realizing that he hates who he has become. She'll play Sam
in the Warner Bros. Television/Wonderland Sound & Vision-based
project, which also stars Scott Caan. Robert Duncan McNeill is

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directing the single-camera half-hour from a script by Comden, who's
also executive producing along with McG and Peter Johnson.

UNTITLED PALLADINOS PROJECT (The CW) - "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy
Sherman-Palladino confirmed to The Associated Press over the weekend
that her and husband Daniel Palladino's drama project has been
scrapped in the wake of the UPN/WB merger. The untitled hour, which

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was described as a New York-based family mystery series (a la "Nick &
Nora"), was originally given a blind six-episode commitment last year
by the WB. No other details about the news were given.

VANISHED (FOX) - Gale Harold, who will play Wyatt Earp in the upcoming
season of "Deadwood," has been cast as the lead role in the drama
pilot, about the search for a missing senator's wife. No specifics
about his character in the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour
however were given. Mimi Leder is directing the pilot from a script by
Josh Berman.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters