Peacock Orders True Crime Series ‘Friend of the Family’ With Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, Lio Tipton

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShondaland has scored another series order at Netflix, with the streamer picking up the murder mystery drama “The Residence,” Variety has learned.The series is inspired by Kate Andersen Brower’s book “The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House.” It is described as a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion. The show is said to feature “one dead body, one wildly eccentric detective, and one disastrous State Dinner,” per Netflix.The show has received an eight-episode order. Paul William Davies is the showrunner and executive producer on the show.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAll past and future seasons of the Ryan Murphy shows “American Crime Story” and “American Horror Story” and all three seasons of “Pose” will soon be available to stream on Hulu.While all past seasons of “American Horror Story” are currently available on Hulu, both “American Crime Story” and “Pose” had previously only been available on Netflix due to a deal between Netflix and studio 20th Television. All three seasons of both “ACS” and “Pose” will become available on Hulu on March 7, while all future seasons of both “AHS” and “ACS” will then stream exclusively on Hulu.“AHS” has been renewed through Season 13 at FX, with Season 11 due to debut this fall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRobin De Jesús has joined the Hulu series “Immigrant,” which tells the story of the founding of Chippendales.He joins previously announced series lead Kumail Nanjiani as well as series regulars Annaleigh Ashford, Murray Bartlett, and Dan Stevens.“Immigrant” is the true story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Nanjiani), the Indian-American entrepreneur who started Chippendales. The series will detail the darkly comedic, crime-ridden story behind the unique male revue that became a cultural phenomenon.De Jesús will appear in the recurring role of Ray Colon. Described as a proud Nuyorican from the Bronx, Colon comes on the Chippendales scene as the resident handyman and self-proclaimed jack of all trades.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSpectrum Originals has ordered the dramedy series “Panhandle” starring Luke Kirby and Tiana Okoye, Variety has learned.Set in the Florida panhandle, the series follows agoraphobic arm-chair detective Bell Prescott (Kirby) and reluctant traffic cop Cammie Lorde (Okoye) as they wrestle with personal demons, shocking twists, and a few Florida gators on their journey to heal themselves and their town.Spectrum has ordered an eight-episode first season of the series, which will shoot in Savannah, GA. It will have a nine month exclusive ad-free run on Spectrum before an ad-supported second window on The Roku Channel.Nicholas Stoller and Carla Kettner created the series and will serve as executive producers.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCallum Greene and Sara Greene’s Bright Greene production banner has entered into a first-look deal with Amazon, Variety has learned.Callum is an executive producer on Amazon’s highly-anticipated TV series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” Under the deal, Bright Greene will develop and produce new projects for Amazon’s streaming platform. UTA brokered the deal on behalf of Bright Greene.\“After the epic journey of Season One we couldn’t be more excited to continue our work with Amazon,” said Callum Greene.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSera Gamble is developing a series adaptation of the Francesca Lia Block book “Weetzie Bat,” Variety has learned exclusively.The series follows Weetzie, her best friend Dirk, and their found family as they traverse the sparkling, dangerous, secret world beneath the surface of 1980s Los Angeles. Weetzie faces the deepest heartbreaks of life with a spirit of hard-won optimism and an unfailing knack for finding the magic hidden inside the ordinary. Weetzie has discovered something amazing: magic is real, and it is hiding in plain sight in the city of Los Angeles.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC has given a straight-to-series order to the drama “Avalon” from David E. Kelley that is based on a short story by Michael Connelly.Titled “Avalon,” the series takes place in the main city of Avalon on Catalina Island, where LA Sheriff Department Detective Nicole “Nic” Searcy heads up a small office. Catalina has a local population that serves more than 1 million tourists a year, and each day when the ferries arrive, hundreds of potential new stories enter the island.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Twisted Metal” TV show has landed at Peacock with a series order, Variety has learned.As previously announced, Anthony Mackie will star in and executive produce the series, which is baed on the video game franchise of the same name. The show was first reported as being in development back in February 2021.The half-hour action comedy will see Mackie play John Doe, a smart-ass milkman who talks as fast as he drives.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming Apple limited series “Manhunt” has added Anthony Boyle and Lovie Simone to its cast, Variety has learned.The pair join previously announced series lead Tobias Menzies. The show is based on the book “Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” by James Swanson.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming “Dark Winds” series at AMC has cast Deanna Allison in a series regular role, Variety has confirmed.The series is based on the Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman. It follows Navajo police officer Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) as he investigates the murder of a young Navajo woman and begins to uncover ominous, dark forces at work in a 1970’s ‘reservation’ world. Season 1 will consist of six episodes.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX and BBC have announced the main cast for the upcoming “Great Expectations” limited series, Variety has learned.The six-episode version of the Charlies Dickens classic will star: Olivia Colman (“The Favourite,” “The Crown”) as Miss Havisham, Fionn Whitehead (“Dunkirk,” “Bandersnatch”) as Pip, Ashley Thomas (“Them,” “The Night Of”) as Jaggers, Johnny Harris (“London to Brighton,” “This Is England ’86”)  as Magwitch, Shalom Brune-Franklin (“Roadkill,” “Line of Duty”) as Estella, Hayley Squires (“I, Daniel Blake,” “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain”)  as Sara, Owen McDonnell (“Killing Eve,” “Women on the Verge” as Joe, Trystan Gravelle (“A Discovery of Witches,” “The Terror”) as Compeyson, and Matt Berry (“What We Do in the Shadows,” “Toast of London”) as Mr. Pumblechuck. Steven Knight is writing and executive producing the series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPaul Reiser has joined the cast of the upcoming Hulu comedy series “Reboot” from Steven Levitan.Reiser is taking over the role of Gordon in the series from Michael McKean. He joins previously announced cast members Judy Greer, Keegan-Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, Rachel Bloom, Calum Worthy, and Krista Marie Yu.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCary Joji Fukunaga and chef René Redzepi are teaming for a new docuseries at Apple, Variety has learned exclusively.The series is produced by Film 45, Noma Projects, Parliament of Owls and Endeavor Content, with Endeavor serving as the studio. Narrated by Redzepi of the famed restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, the series is titled “Omnivore.”It will look at the world through the lens of food and explores how food binds and defines us, powers politics, shapes our beliefs, explains our past, and forecasts our future .Each episode will take viewers on a journey around the world, exploring the ingredients that have built societies, shaped spirituality, and forever altered the human story. The series was developed by Redzepi, Fukunaga, James Beard, and Matt Goulding, Xan Aranda serves as showrunner and executive producer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Beauty and the Beast” prequel series is no longer moving forward as planned at Disney Plus.According to sources, the live-action musical show is being postponed for an undetermined amount of time due to creative and scheduling issues. The show was meant to begin shooting this summer in Europe, but certain creative elements were not yet ready, which would have delayed shooting. Given the scheduling issues this would cause with the show’s cast as well as weather constraints, it was decided to hold off and revisit the show at a later date.News of the postponement comes just days after it was announced that Rita Ora was set to join the cast of the show, while Variety exclusively reported that “Hawkeye” alum Fra Fee was joining back in January.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAndrew Rannells has been cast in a recurring role in the upcoming Hulu limited series “Immigrant.”The darkly comedic series tells the true story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Kumail Nanjiani), the Indian-American entrepreneur who started Chippendales. Along with Nanjiani and Rannells, the cast also includes Murray Bartlett and Annaleigh Ashford.Rannells will play the rich kid investor in Chippendales New York and the love interest of Bartlett, who stars as producer-choreographer Nick De Noia.Rannells’ recent onscreen roles include “Black Monday” at Showtime and “Girls5Eva” at Peacock.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA series adaptation of the 2012 film “End of Watch” has gotten a script to series commitment at Fox, Variety has learned.The one-hour drama project hails from writers and executive producers David Ayer and David Matthews, with Ayer having written and directed the film. Like the film, the show would follow the daily grind of two young police officers in Los Angeles who are partners and friends, and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.Ayer will executive produce via Cedar Park Studios, with the company’s Chris Long and Darryll C. Scott also executive producing.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGood news, everyone! “Futurama” is being revived at Hulu.Variety has learned that the streaming service has ordered 20 new episodes of the adult animated sci-fi comedy series. The revival hails from David X.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLiane Moriarty’s novel “Apples Never Fall” is being adapted into a limited series at Peacock, Variety has learned exclusively.In a competitive situation, Peacock has won the rights to the book, which was published in September 2021, and given it a straight-to-series order. Since its debut, the book has sold over one million copies.The series centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered the dark comedy series “Sunny” with Rashida Jones set to star, Variety has confirmed.The 10-episode series is based on the book “Dark Manual” by Colin O’Sullivan. In the half-hour show, Jones stars as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming “American Born Chinese” series adaptation at Disney Plus has found its main cast, Variety has confirmed.Ben Wang, Michelle Yeoh, Yeo Yann Yann, Daniel Wu, Chin Han, Ke Huy Quan, Jim Liu, and Sydney Taylor will all star in the series, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang.The series follows Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a teenager juggling his high school social life with his immigrant home life. When Jin meets a new foreign exchange student (Jim Liu) on the first day of school, their worlds collide as Jin becomes entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.