FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 2/12/26)
BET DIGITAL: Minding Our Black-Owned Business (Premiere)
HULU: Love Story: John F. Kennedy & Carolyn Bessette (Premiere)
NETFLIX: How to Get to Heaven From Belfast (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Million-Follower Detective (Premiere)
PARAMOUNT+: Can You Keep a Secret? (Premiere)
PRIME VIDEO: Soul Power: The Legend of the American Basketball Association (Premiere)
The drama continues in the battle for Warner Bros. Discovery. Just one day after Paramount Skydance sweetened its hostile takeover offer, activist investor and WBD shareholder Ancora Alternatives registered its strong opposition to the proposed WBD/Netflix transaction. Warner Bros. Discovery “now has no choice but to deem Paramount’s amended offer as one that could reasonably be expected to result in a Superior Proposal, given Netflix’s presently inferior proposal and unaddressed regulatory issues,” said Ancora in a presentation. Ancora also warned that it would vote against the Netflix deal if WBD’s board declines to engage with Paramount. Warner Bros. Discovery defended its leadership, stating: “WBD’s experienced and independent Board and management team have a proven track record of acting in the best interests of the Company and shareholders – as demonstrated by the significant steps taken over the past year to unlock the full value of WBD’s unmatched portfolio of assets. We remain steadfast in our commitment to maximizing shareholder value.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
As staffers at “CBS Evening News” prepare for layoffs, eleven employees eligible for voluntary buyouts have accepted the offer, according to the New York Post. At least six of those departing are among the program’s roughly 20 producers. The buyout option — described by CBS News as an “enhanced separation payment” — was introduced last month as editor-in-chief Bari Weiss began overhauling the division.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Actor James Van Der Beek died February 11. He was 48. In November 2024, Van Der Beek announced he had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer. Van Der Beek was best known to television audiences for his role as Dawson on teen drama “Dawson’s Creek.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Harvest Studios, the production company founded by Bentley Kyle Evans(“Martin,” “The Jamie Foxx Show”) and co-founder Trenten Gumbs (“Family Time,” “In the Cut”), is expanding its global content footprint with the launch of Black Vision TV (BVTV). Evans and Gumbs are partnering with HC2 Station Group on the entertainment and lifestyle network that will deliver a variety of content celebrating Black culture.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“The Lady,” based on the true story of a former royal dresser accused of murder, premieres Wednesday, March 18 on BritBox.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Netflix’s “XO, Kitty” returns for season three on Thursday, April 2. The teen dramedy is a spinoff of “All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Hunt for the Missing: Chicago,” a six-parter from ID, premieres Wednesday, March 4 at 10p. The true crime show follows a retired Chicago detective whose mission is to keep cold cases from being forgotten.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Raj Kapoor, Sarah Levine Hall and Jack Sussman will produce The 79th Annual Tony Awards, airing Sunday, June 7 on CBS. It’s Kapoor’s first Tonys turn, while Levine Hall and Sussman are old hands at the event.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Austin-headquartered Texas Crew Productions has partnered with SXSW to provide all event-related production services for the 2026 SXSW EDU Conference and the 2026 SXSW Conferences & Festivals, spanning Innovation, Film & TV and Music.
(Source: Cynopsis)
John Gore Studios announced the strategic acquisition of independent production company Deep Fusion Films, recognized for combining storytelling with ethically led, insured and legally governed AI production tools and approaches. Under the deal, Deep Fusion Films will join John Gore Studios’ group of specialist labels, retaining its leadership team and creative identity while operating as a center of excellence for ethical AI-enabled production.
(Source: Cynopsis)
It’s never too early to get in the game. ESPN is already at work on “Year of the Super Bowl,” a 12-month, multi-platform event ahead of ESPN’s first-ever Super Bowl production, airing February 14, 2027, on ESPN and ABC in February. The effort launched immediately after Super Bowl LX with “The Handoff” at SoFi Stadium and Disneyland Park. “With the full strength of The Walt Disney Company and in collaboration with the NFL, ESPN has embarked on a year-long Super Bowl celebration,” said Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman. “Across our platforms, screens, and parks, we’ll build momentum throughout the year toward Super Bowl LXI – a monumental event for sports fans everywhere and for ESPN.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Interstate Batteries has become the title sponsor of High Limit Racing through an agreement with FloSports, which streams High Limit Racing exclusively on FloRacing. The multiyear partnership kicks off March 12-14 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The “BET Awards” have been set for Sunday, June 28. Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, serves as Executive Producer for the show, with Jesse Collins Entertainment as the production company for the broadcast. Fan experience BETX will take place in LA from June 25-27.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Rental Family,” starring Brendan Fraser as an actor hired to step into surrogate roles for strangers seeking affection, drops Wednesday, February 18 on Hulu. The film hit theaters on November 21.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The “Descendants/ZOMBIES Worlds Collide: Concert Special” premieres Thursday, February 19 on Disney Channel. The special offers performances, backstage access, and footage from the concert.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Telemundo delivered the most-watched Super Bowl in Spanish-language broadcast history with 3.3 million total viewers, up +47% over the previous record and ranking as the highest-rated non-soccer sporting event ever on Spanish-language TV, according to Nielsen. Bad Bunny’s halftime performance drove a record 4.79 million viewers, making it the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever on Spanish-language television.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Puppy Bowl” reached 15.3 million viewers across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, HBO Max and discovery+ on Super Bowl Sunday, ranking as the #1 non-sports cable telecast of the day among key adult demos and achieving a 20% year-over-year increase in reach.
(Source: Cynopsis)
NBC’s “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon” drew 2.4 million viewers in its post-Olympics perch on February 6, according to Nielsen. That’s the show’s best number since it had an NFL lead-in on Thanksgiving 2024.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The latest season of HGTV’s “Ugliest House in America” attracted over 11.9 million viewers across linear and streaming and scored a .71 Live+3 rating among Women 25-54, the highest season rating for the demo in nearly four years.
(Source: Cynopsis)
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