2/8 development news

from the futon critic

THE CLASS (CBS) - Andrea Anders ("Joey"), Jon Bernthal ("How I Met
Your Mother") and Heather Goldenhersh ("Tempting Adam") have all
joined the cast of the upcoming comedy series, about a group of eight
twentysomethings that are reunited after one of them (Jason Ritter)
throws a surprise anniversary party for his girlfriend, all of whom
knew each other in the third grade. Anders, Bernthal and Goldenhersh
join the previously cast Ritter, Lucy Punch and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
in the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which comes from

Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball...

I'm sorry - they *want* me to watch this?!

creators David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik. In addition, veteran sitcom
director James Burrows ("Will & Grace") has come aboard to helm the
pilot from a script by Crane and Klarik.

THE GAME (The CW) - Wendy Raquel Robinson ("All of Us") is the first
to be cast in the potential "Girlfriends" spin-off, about a group of
women in various stages of relationships with pro football players. No

Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball...

I maintain this will not be picked up - even the new CW is smart enough
to avoid a UPN-castoff like this.

details about Robinson's character however were given. "Girlfriends"
creator Mara Brock Akil is writing the script to the CBS Paramount
Network Television/Grammnet Productions-based half-hour, to be
directed by her fellow "Girlfriends" collaborator Salim Akil.

VANISHED (FOX) - Paul Redford ("The Unit") has inked a two-year,
seven-figure overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. The pact,
which has an option for a third year, calls for Redford to come aboard
the Josh Berman-created drama pilot as showrunner should it move
forward to series. The 20th-based hour is a serialized drama about the

Jack Bauer's Spunky Sidekick, Ian J. Ball...

Interesting - they obviously didn't have enough confidence in Berman to
be a showrunner, so they brought someone else on. (Shades of Rod Lurie
and Bochco, or Minear's being brought on to "Wonderfalls"...)

search for a senator's wife who goes missing as part of a larger
conspiracy, as told through the eyes of law enforcement, family
members and the media. Mimi Leder is directing the "Vanished" pilot
from a script by Berman. On the feature front, Redford co-wrote the
soon the film drama "The Crusaders," starring Oscar-nominee Terrence
Howard as Thurgood Marshall.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters