FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 1/7/16)
ABC: Beyond The Tank (Premiere) at 8pm
ABC: My Diet Is Better Than Yours (Premiere) at 9pm
CBS: Angel From Hell (Premiere) at 9:30pm
ID: Real Detective (Premiere) at 10pm
IFC: Todd Margaret (Premiere) at 10pm
LIFETIME: Child Genius: Battle of the Brightest (Premiere) at 8pm
NBC: Shades of Blue (Premiere) at 10pm
RFD-TV: Market Journal (Premiere) at 5pm
SPIKE: Lip-Sync Battle (Premiere) at 10pm
UP: Bringing Up Bates (Premiere) at 9pm
USA: SmackDown! (Premiere) at 8pm
WE TV: Growing Up Hip Hop (Premiere) at 10pm
Break out the cigars – House of Lies is Havana-bound. The Showtime comedy will film an episode during season five in Cuba, the first time an American scripted series has shot in the country since the U.S. and Cuba restored diplomatic relations.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Michael Weatherly, who has played NCIS’s Special Agent Tony DiNozzo since 2003, is leaving the CBS procedural. “Les Moonves & CBS gave me the opportunity of a lifetime,” said the actor via Twitter. That opportunity is ongoing. “We thank Michael for all of his contributions to this successful franchise and look forward to continuing to develop projects with him as part of our ongoing development deal,” said the net.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season six will be the end of the road for HBO’s Girls. Fifth season of the Lena Dunham comedy following a group of twentysomethings launches Sunday, February 21.
(Source: Cynopsis)
A White House petition prompted by a Netflix documentary, calling for the pardon of convicts Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey, has collected over the 100,000 signatures needed to get a response from the White House. “Based on the evidence in the Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer, the justice system embarrassingly failed both men, completely ruining their lives,” says the petition. The men were convicted of killing photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005. Complication: because the men were convicted of a crime against the state of Wisconsin, not the U.S., only the governor has the power to pardon. And Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker told Fox, “I am not going to override a system that is already put in place.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Rock and a Hard Place, from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions and 44 Blue Productions, premieres on HBO in May. Documentary follows incarcerated young people who get a chance to trade prison for a harsh but effective rehabilitation program. “I’m always drawn to stories of redemption and second chances,” says EP and 44 Blue president Rasha Drachkovitch (Lockup). “Rock and a Hard Place hits those themes and offers a powerful and uplifting story of corrections in America today.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
It’s all about feel-good TV for UP, with upcoming shows like The McGhee Family (wt) and movies including Love Finds You in Valentine and The Game of Love. What’s the game plan? Amy Winter, net GM and EVP, said at TCA on Tuesday, “At a time when other networks are either walking away from family entertainment or are ‘family networks’ in name only, UP is doubling down and refining what that means.”To inspire real-life positive action, UP will continue to release videos each quarter as part of its pro-social initiative, “Uplift Someone.” The effort has so far generated over 132 million views.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Big day coming up on AXS TV. Sunday’s new line-up launches January 24 with returning Live from Abbey Road at 7p followed by three new series: Live from Red Rocks (8p), Rock and Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar Presented by Mercury Insurance (9p) and Breaking Band (9:30p). AXS TV Concert premieres at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Join or Die With Craig Ferguson, starring the former Late Late Show host, launches on History Thursday, February 18 at 11p. The comedian will debate “provocative and timely topics” with the likes of guests Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Nickelodeon’s The Halo Effect arrives Monday, January 18 at 8p. Pro-social docu-series highlights teens making positive changes in their communities.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Inside Amy Schumer was renewed for season five at Comedy Central, three months ahead of the debut of season four. Can you blame them? “I’ve gotten picked up many times,” said Schumer, “but this time feels the best.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Ion’s Saving Hope, returning for season two on Tuesday, January 12 at 11p, has been renewed for a fifth season. The medical series has ranked in the top ten in households, Adults and Women 25-54 and Adults and Women !8-49 in its time period, reports the network, as well as growing each month it has been on the air.
(Source: Cynopsis)
TV Land renewed Younger for a 12-episode season three. The comedy’s sophomore run begins Wednesday, January 13 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
A&E’s Born This Way will be back for season two. The docu-series following a group of adults with Down syndrome has shown steady growth since its December 8 premiere, up 83% among A25-54 and total viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Being Mary Jane will be back on BET for season four, the net announced at TCA. Production on the drama will start later this year in Atlanta.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season four of A&E’s Bates Motel premieres Monday, March 7 at 9p. New original horror drama Damien, a continuation of 1976 scarefest The Omen, follows at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
StarTalk returns for season three on Nat Geo in fall 2016, coinciding with the release of the first-ever StarTalk book, published by National Geographic Books and serving as a companion to the series and podcast hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Jenna Fischer (The Office) will recur on NBC’s The Mysteries of Laura. Fischer will play an attorney who stirs up trouble for Debra Messing’s Laura. Series airs Wednesdays at 8p.
Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) and James Tupper (Revenge) are onboard Big Little Lies. HBO limited series stars Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.
R&B group Boyz II Men will play Teen Angel on Grease: Live. Fox event airs Sunday, January 31 at 7p.
Tuesday’s crossover between CBS sibs NCIS and NCIS: New Orleans delivered season highs for both shows in viewers (18.72 million and 17 million) and among A18-49 (2.7 and 2.5).
HGTV’s annual, day-long All-Premiere New Year attracted more than 16.5 million total viewers, boosting January 1 ratings 11% over last year’s holiday.At 9p, a special episode of Fixer Upper averaged a .91 rating among viewers P25-54. The episode grew ratings 56% among viewers P25-54 versus year ago and ranked as a top 10 cable program among P25-54 audiences.
Bounce TV increased 23% among HHs (155,000), 24% among P18-49 (98,000) and 22% in P25-54 (109,000) in 2015.On a Total Day basis, the net ended the year up 22% (145,000) in HHs compared to 2014, while also posting gains of 10% in P18-49 (76,000) and 6% in P25-54 (83,000).
(Source: Cynopsis)
Monday’s season two premiere of Food Network’s Kids Baking Championship posted a .7 rating among A25-54, ranking #5 for its time period and up 35% versus the season one premiere and tying for the net’s second-highest-rated 8p hour ever.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Discovery’s Gold Rush on Friday hit season highs in Persons and Women 25-54/18-49/18-34 and Persons 12-17 in L+3. Pre-show,The Dirt hit season highs total viewers and demos that included all 25-54’s and all 18-49s.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Azteca America reached more than 3.6 million total viewers and 1.7 million among A18-49 in December, according to Nielsen. With primetime delivery reaching a four-year high, the network reported year-over-year growth of 22% among total viewers and 12% in the demo.
(Source: Cynopsis)
PEOPLE CHOICE AWARDS 2016 – WINNERS LIST
http://www.peopleschoice.com/pca/awards/nominees/
BROADWAY
The Gin Game with James Earl Jones & Cicely Tyson is closing on Broadway on Sunday January 10, 2016.
http://ppc.broadway.com/shows/gin-game/
Keely's Korner 