[Airhead]

February Updates

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FX has ordered up two new series: 
Set to launch this July, Over There (20th/Steven Bochco Prods) is a contemporary war drama about soldiers of a U.S. Army Unit in Iraq during their first tour of duty, exploring the effects of war on those soldiers on the front, as well as their families at home.  FX has ordered 13 eps.  Cast of Over There includes Josh Henderson, Luke MacFarlane, Erik Palladino, Keith Robinson, Sticky Fingaz, Lizette Carrion, Nicki Aycox, and Sprague Grayden.

Thief (Fox Television Studios/Regency Television/Pariah Pictures) stars Andre Braugher as the head of a robbery crew who's attempting to put together the biggest robberty of his career and at the same time faces personal issues with his teenage daughter among other ordinary life interrupts.  Thief is set to launch in early 2006. FX has ordered 6 eps.  Other cast members include: Yancy Arias, Malik Yoba, Mae Whitman, Will Yun Lee, Michael Rooker, Clifton Collins and Dina Meyer .


Casting Updates:
Lauren German has been cast in UPN's Wildlife (Paramount Network TV/Axelrod Edwards) in the role of Rose. Wildlife is about twentysomething friends living in Hollywood's Silverlake area. Cast already includes Denise Richard, Eric Balfour, Tamara Taylor and Omar Benson Miller and directing is David Straiton.

ABC's comedy pilot Joint Custody (20th) has signed Marilu Henner as the mother of a college student returning home to find things aren't quite as he had left them. Also recently cast were Nick D'Agosto and Will McCormack; and directing the pilot is Shawn Levy.

Soccer Moms (Touchstone TV) for ABC has added Gina Torres to star opposite Kristen Davies as the two soccer moms who in their spare time are private investigators.

WB's drama pilot Haley's Comet (20th/David E. Kelley Prods) has nearly completed casting with the addition of Audrey Marie Anderson in the title role, Adam LaVorgna as the romantic interest, Marika Dominczyk as Haley's friend, and Sean Maher as Chief Resident at the hospital where Haley is attending medical school.

WB has added Laura San Giacomo to its untitled drama cast about four sisters living in NYC and making their way in love and careers. The project is from Liz Tuccillo, produced by Warner Bros. TV and Classic IV Prods.

Another untitled comedy project for WB is about two twin sisters with nothing in common from David Kohan and Max Mutchnick. Cast as one of the sister is Sara Gilbert.

WB drama pilot Grown Men about five frat brothers reuniting more than a decade after college years, has added Dean Cain as one of the brothers.  Thus far, no studio is attached, and the project still has a cast contingent restriction on it.

Fox's Amy Coyne (20th) drama pilot, about a woman (Ashley Williams) who inherits her father's sports agency, has added Bill Bellamy to the cast that already includes Tom Berenger, Kate Jennings Grant and Phillip Vaden

NBC drama pilot Book of Daniel (NBC Universal/Sony Pictures TV) starring Aidan Quinn has added Susanna Thompson as the minister's wife.  Other cast members include Christian Campbell and Alison Pill as the minister's children; Dylan Baker as the church warden and Garrett Dillahunt will play God.

NBC's Blue Skies (NBC Universal Studios) has added Anna Faris in the lead role, about a stockbroker turned YMCA lifeguard.

CBS has added David Arquette to the cast of the comedy pilot The Commuters (Paramount Network TV), which also includes Jeri Ryan.

This post has been edited by Airhead: 28 March 2005 - 02:11 PM

[KRAD]

Airhead, on Mar 1 2005, 09:03 AM, said:

Thief (Fox Television Studios/Regency Television/Pariah Pictures) stars Andre Braugher as the head of a robbery crew who's attempting to put together the biggest robberty of his career and at the same time faces personal issues with his teenage daughter among other ordinary life interrupts.  Thief is set to launch in early 2006. FX has ordered 6 eps.  Other cast members include: Yancy Arias, Malik Yoba, Mae Whitman, Will Yun Lee, Michael Rooker, Clifton Collins and Dina Meyer .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Andre Braugher? I'm there.

[Caretaker]

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Sean Maher as Chief Resident at the hospital where Haley is attending medical school

Too bad it's unlikely his character's last name will be Tam.

[Airhead]

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TNT projects in various stages of development:
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From The Stories Of Stephen King (Ostar Enterprises).  TNT has ordered 8 one hour eps.

Confessions (Sony Pictures Television) is a drama project about what happens when a professional hit man suddenly develops a conscience and starts seeing the faces of his many victims all around.  And before he decides on a career change, he has to do something bout the people who know what he's done.

The Dark (Warner Bros. TV/Stephen J. Cannell) has completed its pilot, starring Billy Burke, Michelle Hurd, Erk Jensen, Colleen Porch, Fred Ward and Andrew Ware.  Based on an actual FBI team, The Dark follows a group of men and women called upon to investigate the most disturbing and baffling serial criminals. 

Currently in development, Grace (Spelling Television) is about a veteran female cop involved in a car accident on her way home one day, killing the driver of the other car.  After screaming to Heaven not to let the man die, an angel comes to her and erases the event, on the one condition that she change her life and her embittered attitude towards others. 

The Midnight Club (Lions Gate Television) is about a NYPD cop trying to track down a member of The Midnight Club, a secret international society of crime lords. 

Sanctuary is from exec prod Deborah Joy LeVine and Dan Levine; set in a mental hospital where a young doctor goes against established protocol in an attempt to treat the patients more humanely. The series is told from the points of view of the doctors and patients, giving viewers a rare and provocative glimpse inside the many mysteries of the human mind. 

Smoke & Mirrors (Warner Bros. TV/Shephard Robin Co) is set in the world of advertising, with truth spinning and anything that needs to be done to sell the client's product.

Talk to Me (Lions Gate Television) is about hostage negotiators, whose only weapons are their fast talk and even faster minds.

TBS projects in various stages of development:
Sketch Off (One Ho Prods), a project travels across the United States in search of the best sketch-comedy troupe.

Loser Leaves Town (Nash Entertainment) has been ordered to series.  The show gives two feuding neighbors the chance to duke out their differences in a series of competitions.  The loser has to move.  (If this sounds like something you might be interested in, check out tbs.com for more info).

Daisy Does America (Coquette Prods) has received a 9 ep order, starring Daisy Donovan.  This British gal Daisy is trying to become the All American girl, which is a bit of a strain for someone who knows nothing about being American.  In her quest, she travels America in hopes of picking up the nuances of the American way.

Minding the Store (Shapiro Grodner Prods/Bayonee Ent) stars Pauly Shore and has been ordered to series. Previously announced, this show is about Pauly attempting to bring his mother's club, the LA based Comedy Store back on track.  The show is scheduled to premiere in 4th Qtr 2005.

Fox has order four new pilot presentation - all comedies:  Grandmaster Freak and the Furious 15 (20th) is from David X. Cohen and Ice Cube, an animated project that focuses on the world of hip hop and old-school rap, and at the center is high school student known as Grandmaster Freak. Lonely Island Guys (20th/Original TV) features sketch troupe of the same name.

Freebirds (20th) is a partially scripted / improv comedy.  The last one is as yet untitled, also animated, from 20th's Fox 21 and the guys who brought you Rugrats Chuck Swenson, about a single guy with three kids who move back in with his parents.

UPN has ordered a drama pilot called South Beach (Paramount Network TV / Nuyorican Prods / Flame TV), set in Miami, and focusing on three young and single adults with big dreams. South Beach is exec prod by Jennifer Lopez (Nuyorican Prods. is her prod co.).

Stone Stanley & Co. has signed lawyer Mark Geregos (atty for Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson, Winona Ryder, among others) to star in a new reality show called Extreme Justice, according to Variety.  Think People's Court - only bigger.  Each episode will feature one case with Geregos will representing one of the principles, and other high end attorneys representing the opposing party.  Each lawyer will argue their case, and a judge will decide who wins. the lawyers get a percentage of their client's settlement.  The project is currently being pitched.  Involved as exec prods are Scott Stone, Sharon Levy, Howard Lapides, and Geragos.


Casting Updates:
CBS:
Eriq La Salle has signed to star in its drama pilot Conviction (Warner Bros. TV/25C Prods).  Previously cast was Lisa Gay Hamilton in as an Assistant District Attorney. The premise focuses on a prosecutor building his case against the defendant.

Sitcom pilot How I Met Your Mother (20th) has added Josh Radnor, as the man who examines his life 20 years ago when he was a single man.

NBC:
E-Ring (Warner Bros. TV/Jerry Bruckheimer TV) has signed Leonor Varela to join the cast which already includes Benjamin Bratt, Sarah Clarke, Aunjanue Ellis.  E-Ring takes place inside the Pentagon.

Fathom (NBC Universal TV) has added Jay Ferguson as an expert diver who discovers a new sea life.  The creature is cute, clever, appealing, and also extraordinary dangerous. Ferguson joins Lake Bell, Rade Serbedzija and Leighton Meester.

Fox:
Nicole Vicius has been added to the cast of Amy Coyne (20th), about a woman (Ashley Williams) who inherits her father's sports agency. Other cast members include Bill Bellamy, Tom Berenger, Kate Jennings Grant and Phillip Vaden.

ABC:
ABC has added to the cast of its drama pilot Laws of Chance (20th/Roundtable Ink) with Bruce McGill, who joins Kadee Strickland. The project is about Strickland's character, a Houston based DA who theatrics in the courtroom usually add to her 95% win rate.

Joining the real estate brokers of Westside (Warner Bros. TV/Classic IV Prods) will be Judith Light. Other players include Ashley Scott and Charlotte Ross.

Invasion (Warner Bros. TV) pilot has signed Eddie Cibrian. Invasion refers to aliens, and takes place in a small Florida town after a massive hurricane.

Emily's Reasons Why Not (Sony Pictures TV/Pariah) about a self-help author who could use some help in her personal life and based on the Carrie Gerlach book, has added Emily Schiff as show runner/exec prod, thereby lifting the cast contingency on the project.

WB:
The net's untitled drama project from Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson (Warner Bros. TV/HBO Indep Prods) set in a Manhattan college, and more specifically in a course teaching human s#xuality and behavior, has cast Matthew Modine as the Professor of the class.  Other cast members include Ernest Waddell, Penn Badgley, and Milo Ventimiglia.

[Christopher]

^^I'm not sure which is sadder... the contents of most of those shows, or the fact that somebody somewhere finds it necessary to bleep "human sexuality" as though it were a dirty word.

[Nick]

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Soccer Moms (Touchstone TV) for ABC has added Gina Torres to star opposite Kristen Davies as the two soccer moms who in their spare time are private investigators.

Gina Torres? I'm there!! (besides, from the premise, it sounds like it won't last more than a few episodes. )

-Nick

[Airhead]

Christopher, on Mar 2 2005, 12:14 PM, said:

^^I'm not sure which is sadder... the contents of most of those shows, or the fact that somebody somewhere finds it necessary to bleep "human sexuality" as though it were a dirty word.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's to avoid email spam filters.

[Airhead]

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Lifetime has added Rick Schroeder to its cast of Strong Medicine when the show kicks off its sixth season this June.  Schroeder will play a physician, and the one male lead character.


ABC:
The network has found its president - Geena Davis has been cast to star in Commander in Chief (Touchstone TV/Battle Plan Prods), lifting the cast contingency.  Commander in Chief is about the first female President of the United States.  Previously cast as the First Gentleman is Kyle Secor, an dother cast members include Ever Carradine and Henry J. Lennix.

William Fitchner joins the cast of Invasion (Warner Bros. TV) as the town sheriff dealing with aliens.  Also cast is Eddie Cibrian.

Westside (Warner Bros. TV/Class IV Prods) has another real estate broker in Stark Sands, who joins Judith Light, Ashley Scott and Charlotte Ross.

WB:
Drama pilot Pepper Dennis (20th) has cast Rebecca Romijn in the lead role about a woman reporter in Chicago who is also juggling her family and her romantic relationships.

NBC:
Blue Skies (NBC Universal Studios) has cast Missi Pyle, about a stockbroker turned YMCA lifeguard, played by Anna Faris.

Fox:
New Car Smell (20th) has added two to its cast lineup - Dave Atell and Dana Daurey.  As previously announced, Brooke Shields will lead the cast which also includes Christopher McDonald.

Krista Allen joins Chris O'Donnell and Adam Goldberg in the as yet untitled drama about two nuts lawyers - one who should really be in anger management classes (Goldberg), and the other who has suffered a nervous breakdown (O'Donnell).  Allen's role is as O'Donnell's characters ex wife. Other cast members include Rachael Leigh Cook and Rockmond Dunbar.

Another untitled project for Fox is set in a Las Vegas wedding chapel, and focuses on a brother and sister who own the 24/7 service. Recently cast is Leslie Bibb as the sister, opposite Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the brother in the Spelling TV project.

[Christopher]

Airhead, on Mar 3 2005, 09:03 AM, said:

The network has found its president - Geena Davis has been cast to star in Commander in Chief (Touchstone TV/Battle Plan Prods), lifting the cast contingency.  Commander in Chief is about the first female President of the United States.

Hmm. Does this mean there's going to be two groups of White House sets up in Hollywood at the same time? Or are they going to work out some kind of timeshare deal for The West Wing's sets?

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Previously cast as the First Gentleman is Kyle Secor, an dother cast members include Ever Carradine and Henry J. Lennix.

Does that mean Harry Lennix from the Matrix movies?

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Blue Skies (NBC Universal Studios) has cast Missi Pyle...

Trying to place the name... wasn't she one of the Thermians in Galaxy Quest?

[Cardie]

Christopher said:

Does that mean Harry Lennix from the Matrix movies?

I'm sure it does. He was most recently in Ray.

Quote

Blue Skies (NBC Universal Studios) has cast Missi Pyle

Trying to place the name... wasn't she one of the Thermians in Galaxy Quest?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Indeed she was--Lailai (sp) the one who stays behind to hook up with Tony Shalhoub's character.

Cardie

This post has been edited by Cardie: 05 March 2005 - 11:47 AM

[RommieFan]

I read tonight that Stuart Townsend has been cast as Kolchak. Gabrielle Union is also in the Kolchak cast.

[LiberalBob]

I'm no moral puritan or paragon myself, but a show about the hardships of a THIEF? I'll watch shows about conflicted characters who do bad things for the right reasons but this is ridiculous. Should movies and video games be catering to these people? I know thieves watch TV like the rest of us, but still. I guess I shouldn't be surprised with that vidoe game where the objective is to steal cars. I guess I'm being anal retentive. I just won't watch, how's that?

[Airhead]

Sorry been unexpectedly offline!

March 3:

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Casting / Development / Production:
Fox has ordered a pilot titled Queen B which stars Alicia Silverstone in a comedy about Bea (Silverstone) who is at the center of her world and happily manipulates those around her, though is coming to the realization as she gets into her late 20's that all of her adoring friends may not see her as she does, nor do her skills at getting what she wants as successful.


Casting Updates:
CBS:
Julie Louis-Dreyfus is back for more, cast in the title role of the comedy pilot Old Christine (Warner Bros. TV) about a 30-something single mom trying to keep up with the married neighbors. Signing Louis-Dreyfus lifts the cast contingency from this project.

ABC
Night Stalker (Touchstone TV), the remake of the 1970's series, has cast Stuart Townsend and Gabrielle Union as crime reporter Kolchak and his newspaper colleague and supernatural searching partner.

Crumbs (Touchstone TV/Tollin Robbins Prods) has added three to the pilot cast - Jane Curtin, Fred Savage and William Devane, about three brothers brought back together after the divorce of their parents.  Curtin and Devane play the parents; Savage one of the brothers.

Invasion (Warner Bros. TV) has added Tyler Labine to the project set in a Florida town following a hurricane which uncovers an alien presence.

WB:
Dog Town Lawyers (Warner Bros. TV/Jerry Bruckheimer TV) about two lawyers - one young and idealistic (Jay Baruchel), the other, his mentor, who has become cynical since his fall from big lawfirm grace - has added Don Johnson to the cast as the mentor.

Fox:
Pilot project Bones (20th) has cast David Boreanaz and Micheala Conlin, in the drama based on the real life dealings of forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs who solves crimes based on evidence from skeletal remains.

[Airhead]

March 7:

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* NEW ORDERS / DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCTION *


Discovery Times Channel has ordered a full season of its original limited series Off to War (Downtown Community TV Center, Brent and Craig Renaud producers).  Off to War provides a look at the war in Iraq a little differently, with a keen focus on 57 citizen soldiers of the Arkansas National Guard, serving both on the frontlines and the homefront.  Filmmakers followed the unit thru their call-up, deployment and service, while also keeping a lens on their families back home. Three eps of Off to War aired in 2004; Discovery Times Channel has now ordered an additional 7 episodes.

MTV has ordered a new reality series called That 70's House.  Think about it - take 12 modern day 20-somethings, put them on MTV (immediately their thinking Real World) and then send them to live in a house with no cell phones, no IPODs, no CD players, no internet connection and no cable TV.   MTV has ordered 10 eps from Super Delicious Prods.

NBC has ordered a 10 ep reality series called National Treasure - think Amazing Race meets Scavenger Hunt.  Teams, each comprised of several people, will be sent on a world wide search for clues to unlock a mystery - that mystery (like the movie National Treasure), will have its roots in history, with a dose of tall tales and fiction tossed in.  The project is from Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz.  NBC is potentially looking at a summer launch.

Fox will launch a new special, a spinoff of Nanny 911, called Marriage 911 from Granada Television, per Variety.  As you might imagine, the special focuses on a marriage in trouble, sending a team of experts, therapists, etc., to help make what wrong, right again.

Stuart Krasnow has signed a production deal with FremantleMedia North America.  Stuart's exec prod credits include several unscripted projects with NBC - Dog Eat Dog, Average Joe and The Weakest Link; this season he's also behind Pax TV's Cold Turkey.  With his new deal, Stuart will also launch his own banner, Krasnow Prods.

Comedy Central has signed Brett Butler (Grace Under Fire) to star in a 30m series described as Blue Collar TV meets Insomniac with Dave Attell, per Variety. Butler will tour the heartland, visiting with a variety of people, and utilizing her brand of blue collar humor to entertain.

Correction:  Fox has not officially cut North Shore loose, although the likelihood of it coming back is slim at best.


* CASTING UPDATES *


ABC:
Introducing Lennie Rose (Touchstone TV) has added Patricia Wettig and Vondie Curtis-Hall to the cast which is led by Abigail Spencer who plays Lennie Rose. Also previously cast was Aya Sumika. The ensemble show is about about a group of 20-somethings living in NYC.

CBS:
Love Monkey (Paramount TV Network/Sony Pictures TV) has added Jason Priestly to the cast, as one of the married friends. Larenz Tate plays another one of the four primary friends, in a story about the four friends in various relationship stages - married, single, divorced - as seen thru the eyes of a music producer, played by Thomas Cavanagh.

Henry Winkler has joined the cast of the pilot project from Christopher Lloyd and Joe Keenen, as yet untitled from Paramount Network TV, about a family of doctors.  Winkler plays the husband and father, opposite Stockard Channing cast as the mother/wife.

Joining the lineup at 3 LBS. (Paramount Network TV)  is Mark Feuerstein. Dylan McDermott was previously cast in this project about the lives and works of three neurosurgeons.

NBC:
Thick and Thin (NBC Universal TV/Broadway Video) comedy project has signed Jessica Capshaw, thereby removing the cast contingency. The story focuses on a woman who has recently lost a lot of weight and is now trying to adjust to the new body and mind.

FOX:
Emily Deschanel has been signed to head the cast of Bones (20th), as a forensic anthropologist, based on the real life of Kathy Reichs.  The cast also includes David Boreanaz and Micheala Conlin.

WB:
The Tom Fontana/Barry Levinson (Warner Bros. TV/HBO Indep Prods) pilot set in a Manhattan college, and more specifically in a course teaching human s#xuality and behavior, has added Audra McDonald to the cast which already includes Matthew Modine, Ernest Waddell, Penn Badgley, and Milo Ventimiglia.
Pepper Dennis (20th) has cast Lindsay Price as the title character's (played by Rebecca Romijn) best friend. Pepper Dennis is a Chicago based reporter, and this show revolves around her work, her life and her family.

UPN:
Crazy (Spelling TV) has added Lara Flynn Boyle to the cast, in the starring role of a psychiatrist who begins to see her patient's problems and issues in her own life. Other cast members include Kristin Bauer and David Julian Hirsh.

This post has been edited by Airhead: 08 March 2005 - 07:52 PM

[Airhead]

March 8:

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* NEW ORDERS / DEVELOPMENT / PRODUCTION *


Food Network has ordered a second season of Iron Chef America with 14 new eps.  Alton Brown returns as "food historian, scientist and commentator" with Kevin Brauch doing the play by play action.

Fox has four 60m eps of a project called Who Wants to Live Forever (Zig Zag Prods), . The show goes on the premise that once people have a clear picture of how long (or short) they are expected to live, they are willing to make sometimes drastic changes in their lifestyles.  Each ep begins with medical experts conducting tests to approximate the participant's life expectancy.  Once established, enter a a team of experts - doctors, nutritionists, etc. - to help individuals change their lifestyles to lengthen their life expectancy.  The show will be debuting soon in the UK on BSkyB's Sky One.

Sarah Jessica Parker and her production banner Pretty Matches Prods., have signed a deal with HBO to develop new long and short form programming.

WB has ordered a pilot called Bow (Touchstone TV) from rapper Bow Wow, who will star as himself.  (Bow Wow has a talent deal in place with the WB network.)


* CASTING UPDATES *


ABC:
Pros and Cons (Touchstone TV/Bad Robot) from JJ Abrams, a drama project about a group of con artists now working for the FBI, has added Paul Blackthorne to the lineup that already includes Natasha Henstridge and William Baldwin.

Soccer Moms (Touchstone TV) has added Rob Estes as the husband of one of the soccer moms, played by Gina Torres and Kristen Davies, who in their spare time are private investigators.

Commander in Chief (Touchstone TV/Battle Plan Prods) starring Geena Davis as the President, has added another to the cast - Julie Ann Emery as a Secret Service Agent. The cast also includes Kyle Secor, Ever Carradine, Caitlin Wachs and Henry J. Lennix.

CBS:
Regina King has been added to the cast of The Unit (20th), a drama pilot about the lives of the people and families in a Special Ops unit

Quantico (Touchstone TV/Paramount Network TV) has cast Thomas Gibson as a member of the FBI unit focused on behavioral analysis.

Brent Spiner joins the cast of Threshold (Paramount Network TV), a sci-fi drama about the threat of alien lifeforms.  Carla Gugino and Charles Dutton have been previously cast.

NBC:
E-Ring (Warner Bros TV / Jerry Bruckheimer TV) has added Dennis Hopper to the lineup, which already includes Leonor Varela, Benjamin Bratt, Sarah Clarke, Aunjanue Ellis.  E-Ring takes place inside the Pentagon.

FOX:
Joely Fisher and Matt Letscher have signed to star in the net's untitled drama pilot set in a fertility clinic, from 20th TV and Imagine TV and writers/producers Sean Jablonski and Jason Katims.  (This project should not be confused with NBC's project, same setting, titled Inconceivable).

Briar & Graves (20th / Adelstein-Parouse Prods), the drama pilot about exploring unexplained religious phenomena, has cast Elizabeth Rohm and Charles Mesure as the priest and investigator.  Also cast are Dondre Whitfield, Angel Desai and Graham Beckel.

WB:
Jennifer Esposito will join Laura San Giacomo in WB's untitled drama pilot about four sisters living in NYC and making their way in love and careers. The project is from Liz Tuccillo, produced by Warner Bros. TV and Classic IV Prods.

Pepper Dennis (20th) has added Brooke Burns and Rider Strong, who join Rebecca Romijn in the title role, and Lindsay Price as her best friend. Pepper Dennis is a Chicago based reporter, and this show revolves around her work, her life and her family.

Grown Men (Sony Pictures TV) has cast Dan Cortese and John DiMaggio, who will join Dean Cain.  Grown Men is about five frat brothers reuniting more than a decade after college years.  This project carries a cast contingent restriction.

UPN:
Wildlife (Paramount/Axelrod/Edwards and UPN) has cast James Stevenson, completing the series regulars (Denise Richards, Lauren German, Eric Balfour, Omar Benson Miller, Tamara Taylor). Wildlife is about a group of twentysomething friends living in Hollywood's Silverlake area.

Sci Fi:
Carmen Electra has joined the cast of Sci Fi Channel's animated series Tripping the Rift (IDT Film Roman), scheduled to debut season #2 in July. Electra's role will be the voice of Six, a brilliant love slave and the most advanced android ever created.  Tripping the Rift follows the adventures of Jupiter 42, a smuggling vessel led by a purple alien named Chode and his band of merry misfits.

[Christopher]

Egad, they're making more of that ghastly Tripping the Rift thing? I thought that died a quick and well-deserved death some time ago.

And there were a couple of references to "removing/lifting the cast contingency" from shows. What the heck does that mean?

[Airhead]

AFAIK, it means they need a certain actor or "star level" of actor before they will agree to making (paying for) the pilot.

[Airhead]

Quote

* CASTING UPDATES *


ABC:
The Evidence (Warner Bros. TV/John Wells Prods) starring Martin Landau and Orlando Jones has added Nicky Katt.  The Evidence is a procedural drama about two homicide detectives.

Play Mates (Warner Bros. TV) has made its first casting decision with  Michael Boatman.  The comedy is about three couples whose lives intersect in a pre-natal baby class.

CBS:
The Commuters (Paramount Network TV) has added Johnathan Schaech and Christine Taylor, to a lineup that already includes David Arquette and Jeri Ryan.  The Commuters is about three couples who live in the suburbs and commute by train every day into the city.

Untitled drama project from John Gray and Touchstone TV starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, has also signed Aisha Tyler to co-star.  The project is based in part on James Van Praagh, and focuses on Hewitt's character, a psychic who speaks with dead people.

The Unit (20th) has added Scott Foley to the cast, which previously announced Regina King has been signed. The Unit is a drama pilot about the lives of the people and families in a Special Ops unit

FOX:
Ticket to Ride has been retitled to Windfall (Regency TV), and recently joining the cast is Sarah Wynter.  The project is about a large group of people who share a winning lottery ticket valued at $386 million.  Other cast members include Luke Perry and Jason Gedrick.

Pool Guys (Regency Television) signed Jonathan Sadowski and Jake Sandvig to star. This comedy project from writers/exec prod Jennifer Konner and Alexandra Rushfield, is described as Laverne & Shirley with Dudes. That is a pair of young guys who share an apartment and clean pools for a living, also share the ultimate dream of someday cleaning the pool at the Playboy Mansion.

Murder Book (20th) has added Nester Serrano to the lineup of Josh Brolin and Paula Patton.

NBC:
Notorious (NBC Universal) brings Loni Anderson back to the small screen, not as the blonde bombshell of yore, but as Tori Spelling's mother in the NBC pilot .  The story is semi-autobiographical for Spelling about her days immediately following BH 90210.

Idris Elba joins Vinessa Shaw in World of Trouble (NBC Universal TV Studio) about an elite government agency that investigates crimes against Americans both at home and on foreign soils.

UPN:
Crazy (Spelling TV) has cast Lindsay Sloane to join Lara Flynn Boyle.  Crazy is about a psychiatrist (Boyle) who begins to see her patient's problems and issues in her own life. Other cast members include Kristin Bauer and David Julian Hirsh.

WB:
Halley's Comet (20th/David E. Kelley Prods) drama pilot about a lifelong medical patient turned now working to become a doctor (played by Audrey Marie Anderson) has added Lucas Grabeel, as Halley's younger brother.  Other cast members include Adam Campbell, Adam LaVorgna, Marika Dominczyk and Sean Maher.

[DWF]

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Idris Elba joins Vinessa Shaw in World of Trouble (NBC Universal TV Studio) about an elite government agency that investigates crimes against Americans both at home and on foreign soils.

I wonder if Idris is related to Jessica Elba.

Also Brent Spiner will also be in Brannon Braga's Threshold pilot.


http://www.trektoday...080305_02.shtml

Quote

Brent Spiner, Star Trek: The Next Generation's beloved android Data, will be working once again with longtime Star Trek writer-producer Brannon Braga. Spiner has signed on to star in the pilot of Braga's new series Threshold for CBS.

Zap2It reports that Spiner has joined Carla Gugino in the series, which focuses on a team of scientists and military officers who make first contact with extraterrestrial life. In addition to Braga, who talked briefly about the series earlier this month (story), the production staff includes writer-director David Goyer of Blade: Trinity.

[Atavus]

DWF, on Mar 9 2005, 07:44 PM, said:

Quote

Idris Elba joins Vinessa Shaw in World of Trouble (NBC Universal TV Studio) about an elite government agency that investigates crimes against Americans both at home and on foreign soils.

I wonder if Idris is related to Jessica Elba.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you mean Dark Angel's Jessica Alba?

And yay for Brent Spiner getting a job again.