FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 1/14/16)
ANIMAL PLANET: Alaska Proof (Premiere) at 9pm
COMEDY: Workaholics (Premiere) at 10pm
COMEDY: Idiotsitter (Premiere) at 10:30pm
FOX BUSINESS NETWORK: Republican Presidential Debate at 9pm
MTV: Greatest Party Story Ever and Other Epic Tales (Premiere) at 10:30pm
USA: Colony (Premiere) at 10pm
The six cast members from Friends (1994-2004) will reunite for a tribute honoring the career of James Burrows, who directed fifteen episodes of the sitcom starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer. “I’m hoping all six will be in the same room at the same time,” NBC president Robert Greenblatt told reporters at the TCA winter press tour on Wednesday, but “I’m not sure we can logistically pull that off.” Two-hour special airs Sunday, February 21 at 9p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Late Night host Seth Meyers extended his contract with NBC Entertainment through February 2021. Said Meyers, who started in February 2014, “I can’t thank NBC enough for continuing to support our show and this more than makes up for my disappointment in not getting cast in The Wiz.” Meyers will also host a 2016 New Year’s Eve Late Night special at not-so-late 10p. Late Night averaged a 0.51/3 rating and 1.658 million viewers in 4Q15, maintaining 100% of its A18-49 rating year-to-year and growing by 4% in total viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)
DGA Award nominees for directing achievement in television, documentaries and commercials were announced Wednesday. Earning nods for drama were Michael Engler (Downton Abbey), Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland), David Nutter (Game of Thrones), Steven Soderbergh (The Knick) and Matthew Weiner (Mad Men). Comedy nominations went to Chris Addison (Veep), Louis C.K. (Louie), Mike Judge (Silicon Valley), Gail Mancuso (Modern Family) and Jill Soloway (Transparent).
(Source: Cynopsis)
NBC’s next live musical will be Hairspray. Network head Robert Greenblatt made the announcement at TCA. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who produced A Sound of Music Live, Peter Pan Live and The Wiz Live, will return for the latest live event, slated for December. Tracy Turnblad, Corny Collins and Co. are no strangers to Zadan and Meron – the duo also produced the 2007 Hairspray movie.
(Source: Cynopsis)
New millennial-focused studio Gunpowder & Sky, founded by former Viacom Media Networks CEO Van Toffler, ex-Endemol Group global head of strategy Floris Bauer and Otter Media, is “the defiant love child of YouTube, the MCNs and Netflix,” said Toffler. “The organizing principle is, we want to nurture and find people with new ideas about how to tell stories. And we want to do that globally, with stuff that lives primarily in the digital ecosystem.” Co-production partners so far include UK’s Realm Pictures, Supergravity Pictures, Bona Fide Productions and Adaptive Studios.
(Source: Cynopsis)
NBC has had early talks with Dick Wolf about launching Chicago Law, reports Variety. It would be the fourth in the net’s successful procedural franchise set in the Windy City.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Tonight Show is heading back to LA. After a two-hour primetime Valentine’s Day special on February 14, the NBC late night talker will be telecast from Stage One at Universal Studios the week of February 15. Should be worth the airfare – last year, the Tonight Show’s trip to California was its top-rated week in almost eight months in A18-49 and delivered 4.185 million total viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)
AXS TV honors rock icon David Bowie with a special presentation of 1973 concert film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars on Sunday, January 17 at 10p. The Fame singer died January 10 at age 69.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The second annual World Dog Awards airs on CW tonight at 8p. George Lopez hosts the Juma Entertainment-produced show.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Showtime placed a 12-episode order for season seven of Shameless. Season six is airing Sundays at 9p. “Shameless has clearly resonated with audiences as evidenced by their steady growth on Sunday nights over the past 6 years,” said Showtime Networks president of programming, Gary Levine. The net also announced season premiere dates for season five of House of Lies (Sunday, April 10 at 9p) and season three of Penny Dreadful (Sunday, May 1 at 10p).
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season six of AXS TV’s The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands bows Wednesday, February 17 at 10p. Show airs live from the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Added to the cast of Disney Junior upcoming animated series Elena of Avalor: Jenna Ortega (Jane the Virgin), Chris Parnell (Archer), Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) and Carlos Alazraqui (Sheriff Callie’s Wild West). Aimee Carrero (Young & Hungry) stars as “the first Disney princess inspired by diverse Latin cultures and folklore.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
The season two cast of Netflix’s Between will include Steven Grayhm (Alcatraz) and Mercedes Morris (Forest Fairies). The Canadian thriller centered on a quarantined town of people 21 and under has started shooting new episodes in Toronto.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Rutina Wesley landed a series regular role in OWN’s Queen Sugar. The True Blood alum will play a journalist and activist based in New Orleans.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Tina Arning (Everybody Loves Raymond) will guest on ABC’s Modern Family Wednesday, January 20, as the trophy wife of Claire’s colleague.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Disney’s smash hit Frozen will air on Disney Channel for the first time Sunday, February 14 at 7p. Fan fave Olaf makes a special appearance on Sofia the First the next morning at 11:30a on Disney and at 7p on Disney Junior.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Hasbro Studios announced Transformers: Robots in Disguise will be back for season two on Cartoon Network in the U.S. Bumblebee will resume her fight to save the world in 1Q16.
(Source: Cynopsis)
CBS delivered the most-watched primetime coverage of Tuesday’s State of the Union address, with 6.89 million viewers, according to Nielsen Live+SD data.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Top syndicated talker Kelly and Michael rose 10% the week of December 28 to hit a new season high of 3.4. It was also up 10% from last year, the largest annual increase in the genre.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Also reaching season highs in syndication were Maury (up 18% week to week to 2.0), Rachael Ray (up 14% to 1.6), Dr. Oz (up 15% to 1.5), Jerry Springer (up 17% to 1.4) and The Doctors (up 22% to 1.1).
(Source: Cynopsis)
TV One closed out 2015 with five consecutive quarters of year-over-year gains in Primetime (4Q14-4Q15), with returning originals Hollywood Divas (Season 2), Unsung (Season 8), Fatal Attraction (Season 3) and Unsung Hollywood (Season 2) all growing over their previous seasons. The net also posted its best Primetime and Total Day performance ever among W25-54.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Veteran sportscaster Jim Simpson died January 13 after a brief illness. He was 88. Simpson’s credits include 14 Olympics, six Super Bowls, six World Series and 14 Wimbledon championships.
(Source: Cynopsis)
BROADWAY
Noises Off revival opens on Thursday January 14, 2016.
http://ppc.broadway.com/shows/noises/
Our Mother’s Brief Affair with Linda Lavin opens on Wednesday January 20, 2016.
http://ppc.broadway.com/shows/our-mothers-brief-affair/
A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder closes on Broadway on Sunday January 17, 2016
http://ppc.broadway.com/shows/gentlemans-guide-love-murder/
Keely's Korner 