FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 5/24/18)
ABC: The Last Days of Michael Jackson (Premiere) at 8pm
FOX: Terrence Howard’s Fright Club (Premiere) at 8pm
NBC: Red Nose Day (Premiere) at 10pm
ID: Extreme Measures (Premiere) at 10pm
WE TV: Growing Up Hip Hop (Premiere) at 9pm
FOX: Showtime At The Apollo (Finale) at 9pm
FREEFORM: Siren (Finale) at 8pm
ABC’s Good Morning America is expanding to three hours, with the addition airing at 1p EDT and noon CDT/PDT. “We believe there is great opportunity for viewers and advertisers in expanding to a third hour,” said Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks, and president, Disney|ABC Television. But something’s gotta give – while Live With Kelly and Ryan won’t be impacted, The Chew will cease production at the end of this season.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Comcast is moving forward with a rival bid for the 21st Century Fox assets that Disney has agreed to a acquire for $52.4 billion. A filing of SEC documents by Fox and Disney, ahead of shareholder meetings this summer, prompted the announcement by Comcast that it is in “advanced stages” of preparing an all-cash offer for the Fox businesses.
(Source: Cynopsis)
In an amended filing aimed at halting a change in the bylaws that diminishes the power of the CBS board, CBS said the actions of National Amusements and Shari Redstone are “disloyal, inequitable, and not entirely fair. Relief from such actions and threats is necessary to protect CBS and it public stockholders form exploitation by its controlling stockholder.” The CBS board had voted to shrink Redstone’s voting interest from 80% to 20%. CBS asserts NAI’s bylaw amendments were not effective at the time of CBS’s board vote because they needed to be submitted 20 days before they could go into effect.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The estate of Michael Jackson issued a statement objecting to ABC’s special on the King of Pop, airing tonight. The Last Days of Michael Jackson is “another crass and unauthorized attempt to exploit the life, music and image of Michael Jackson,” said the estate. Jackson died in 2009 of “acute propofol intoxication.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Former Telemundo CFO Vince Sadusky is set to replace Randy Falco as CEO of Univsion, reports the Wall Street Journal. Falco, who joined Univision in 2011, had extended his contract through 2020, then announced plans to retire at the end of this year.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Julia Louis Dreyfuss (Veep) will receive this year’s Mark Twain prize for American Humor, presented at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on October 21. Said Louis-Dreyfus, “Merely to join the list of distinguished recipients of this award would be honor enough, but, as a student of both American history and literature, the fact that Mr. Twain himself will be presenting the award to me in person is particularly gratifying.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Meredith Phillips, ABC’s Bachelorette in 2004, claimed during a podcast with Bachelor blogger Reality Steve that she was given a pill she thought was Tylenol by a female masseuse, then sexually assaulted. “When the pill kicked in, I literally couldn’t even move my body,” said Phillips, adding that she didn’t report the incident because she “wanted to protect the franchise.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Telemundo Deportes, Spanish-language home to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, unveiled the theme song and music production package for this summer’s World Cup broadcast on Telemundo and Universo, “Sueno de Campeones” (or “Champions Dream”), by composer and producer Yoav Goren. The music package supports Telemundo Deportes’ coverage of 64 matches, played across 12 venues in Russia.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation handed out the 43rd Annual Gracie Awards in LA, including the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Rita Moreno by Norman Lear. Other TV honorees for the awards, which celebrate programming created by, for and about women, included Will & Grace’s Megan Mullally; Elizabeth Smart, who received a standing ovation for two-part Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography; and NBC drama This Is Us.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ESPN, which last month landed streaming rights for the UFC, has also secured linear rights. Fox Sports had carried the event for seven years.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Nickelodeon is developing an animated project, Man of the House (wt), from Norman Lear’s Act III Productions. Concept from Colombian-American writer and illustrator Michael Molina (Trivia Night) follows an 11-year-old helping his mother watch over his siblings as he tries to form a hip-hop group. Lear and Brent Miller (One Day at a Time) will serve as exec producers.
(Source: Cynopsis)
New unscripted series Miz & Mrs, following the lives of married WWE Superstars The Miz and Maryse, premieres Tuesday, July 24 at 10p on USA.
(Source: Cynopsis)
John Glenn (Allegiance) will serve as showrunner for season two of CBS military drama SEAL Team. Creator/EP Benjamin Cavell and EP Ed Redlich are exiting the show.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The spinoff to Freeform’s The Fosters has a name: Good Trouble. Series follows Callie and Mariana as they embark on the next phase of their lives in LA. Also on Freeform: The Bold Type returns for a new season Tuesday, June 12 with a two-hour premiere starting at 8p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Wedding Cake Championship, hosted by Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, debuts on Food Network Monday, June 25 at 9p. Competition series is preceded that night by special Wedding Cake Countdown with Drew and Linda, featuring Property Brother Drew Scott, at 8:30p
(Source: Cynopsis)
Netflix is releasing all 10 episodes of new Matt Groening comedy Disenchantment on August 17. Animated series is set in the crumbling medieval kingdom of Dreamland.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Lifetime is introducing a “Real Love” relationship block this summer, with season seven of Married at First Sight launching Tuesday, July 10 at 8p with a match-making special, followed by a two-hour premiere at 9. Seven Year Switch debuts its third season Tuesday, July 17 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Marvel’s Spider-Man returns for season two on Monday, June 18 at 6:30p, in a one-hour telecast on Disney XD, DisneyNOW and Disney XD VOD. New episodes will debut every Monday through August.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Viceland is introducing four new series this summer. Post Radical, focused on the world of skateboarding, launches Tuesday, July 10 at 8p; Hollywood Love Story, hosted by Paris Hilton, debuts Wednesday, July 11 at 10p, followed later that night by science show Mister Tachyon at 11:30p. Previously announced Fighting ISIS, a coproduction with History, arrives Sunday, June 3 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Discovery’s “Shark Week” returns for its 30th anniversary Sunday, July 22, running through Sunday, July 29 with appearances by celebs including Ronda Rousey, Aaron Rodgers, Rob Gronkowski, Lindsey Vonn, Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John, and Bear Grylls. In addition to groundbreaking research and insights from marine biologists, the week will include stunts like “Shark Tank Meets Shark Week” and “Bear vs Shark.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Racecar driver Danica Patrick will host The 2018 Espys Presented by Capital One, airing Wednesday, July 16 at 8p on ABC.
(Source: Cynopsis)
E! marks the 20th anniversary of the debut of Sex and the City with a three-day binge-a-thon beginning Friday, June 8 at 7p. Action kicks off with a themed episode of E! News at 7p, followed by a 94-episode marathon of the series.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Comedy Central is following up last year’s “Up Next” showcase at Clusterfest, featuring the net’s rising stars, with another stand-up showcase and a variety showcase in San Francisco. The weekend will highlight over 20 comedians with two separate showcases taking place on Friday, June 1, hosted by Chris Redd with special guest Tim Dillon and Saturday, June 2, hosted by Jullian McCollough with special guest Mark Normand. The new variety showcase takes place on Sunday, June 3, hosted by Matthew Broussard.
(Source: Cynopsis)
For the 11th consecutive year, Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night will air during prime time every night of the NBA Finals, beginning with Game One on Thursday, May 31 on ABC. Set to guest are Sandra Bullock, Jamie Foxx, Ryan Gosling, Tiffany Haddish, Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Lopez.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Michael B. Jordan (Black Panther); Seth Rogen and Kristen Bell, from the new comedy Like Father; Mila Kunis (The Spy Who Dumped Me); Zendaya and Gina Rodriguez (Smallfoot); and Common are among the presenters for the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards, airing Monday, June 18 at 9p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The 2019 Miss America Competition will mark the “dawning of a new day,” promises ABC, highlighting women “from all walks of life who are advancing the message of female empowerment.” Two-hour show airs live Sunday, September 9.
(Source: Cynopsis)
El Rey Network celebrates Memorial Day weekend with all 100 episodes of Stargate: Atlantis, beginning Friday, May 25 at 4p. The U.S. TV premiere of Starhunter Redux airs Tuesday, May 29 at 8p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
James Cromwell (American Horror Story) has been cast in a recurring role on season two of Starz drama Counterpoint.,,,Paul Ritter (Electric Dreams), Jessie Buckley (Taboo), Adrian Rawlins (War and Peace) and Con O’Neill (Happy Valley) are onboard HBO miniseries Chernobyl….Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) has joined the cast of CBS All Access psychological thriller Tell Me a Story….Regina King (Ray), Don Johnson (Miami Vice), Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?),Louis Gosset Jr. (Roots), Adelaide Clemens (Justify) and Andrew Hoard (Hatfields and McCoys) have been added to the cast of HBO pilot Watchmen.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The season finale of ABC’s Roseanne scored a 2.5/12 among A18-49 and 10.33 million viewers, a dip from the prior week’s 2.6/10.73 million but still Tuesday’s number one series in the demo, a spot it held for all 8 of its original broadcasts. The series finale of The Middle earned 1.7/7 (up 34% from last year’s ender), second for the night to Roseanne in the demo.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean season 3 launch was the highest-rated season premiere of the series, with 984,000 P18-49 (up 37% versus the prior season premiere), 1.2 million P25-54 (up 43%) and 2 million total viewers (up 44%) in Live+3 Nielsens.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Fox Business Network’s Varney & Co. marked one year as the most-watched market on television, with 223,000 total viewers the financial news week of May 14.
(Source: Cynopsis)
BROADWAY
Children of a Lesser God with Joshua Jackson is closing on Sunday May 27, 2018.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/children-lesser-god/
