FIRST LOOK
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ON TELEVISION (MONDAY 3/11/19)
ABC: The Good Doctor (Finale) at 10pm
FOOD NETWORK: Kids Baking Championship (Finale) at 9pm
FOX: The Passage (Finale) at 8pm
Speaking at SXSW, Jeff Zucker, CNN president who recently was elevated to WarnerMedia News & Sports chairman, said the Department of Justice’s ploy to overturn the AT&T-Time Warner merger “came from the president… There was absolutely no basis to be doing what they were doing and clearly there was a political agenda at work.” Zucker also noted his expanded role will not affect his post at CNN, saying he has “the capacity to handle both.” When it comes to coverage of the 2020 election, “I want to make sure we are not afraid of having that policy conversation,” said Zucker.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Trevor Noah and The Daily Show crew also took the stage at SXSW, for a panel moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper. Noah said for his show’s 2020 election coverage, he wants to give an accurate “journey and story” of what is going on in the country.
(Source: Cynopsis)
A grand jury in Chicago Friday returned 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct and false report of offence against Jussie Smollett surrounding the “potential hate crime” the actor is believed to have falsely claimed in January. The new counts are based on false statements Smollett allegedly made to the Chicago PD investigating the attack, and they follow state charges against Smollett that could send him to jail for three years. Each new charge carries a potential sentence of up to three years. Fox, home of Empire, on which Smollett stars, had no comment at press time.
(Source: Cynopsis)
In the first 24 hours after HBO released the trailer for the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones last week, the two-minute spot was viewed 81 million times, a record for any trailer for any HBO show across digital platforms including YouTube and Twitter. The previous record was 61 million views in 24 hours for GoT season 7, reports Deadline.
(Source: Cynopsis)
In other HBO news, the network canceled Crashing after three seasons, with last night’s Season 3 finale serving as the series finale. Crashing was created by and starred Pete Holmes and exec-produced by Judd Apatow.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Amid an investigation into SMILF creator and star Frankie Shaw‘s alleged on-set misconduct, Showtime canceled the Golden Globe-nominated comedy after two seasons. Additionally, ABC Studios, which produces the series and had an overall deal with Shaw, suspended that arrangement. “Frankie Shaw’s overall deal with ABC Studios has been suspended without pay while we review our options,” an ABC Studios spokesperson said in a statement.
(Source: Cynopsis)
R. Kelly walked out of jail on Saturday after paying more than $161,000 in back child support. The controversial singer, subject of Lifetime doc Surviving R. Kelly, was taken into custody March 6 following a hearing for failing to pay ex-wife Andrea Kelly overdue child support by a court-ordered deadline and just hours after he was interviewed by CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Endeavor has now returned the $400 million investment it received from the Saudi Public Investment Fund following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The move is final punctuation on the process company CEO Ari Emanuel began last year following Khashoggi’s disappearance.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The WGA plans to release new report tomorrow (March 12) titled “No Conflict, No Interest,” detailing the Big Four talent agencies’ “conflicted business practices that harm Hollywood’s writers.” Friday’s announcement follows the guild and the Association of Talent Agents’ talks about resuming negotiations on a new franchise agreement.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Lionsgate laid off about 20 of its 1,600 employees, or 1 percent, most in corporate divisions, with a few staffers in TV distribution and the motion picture group.
(Source: Cynopsis)
During filming of their new WGN America series Dog’s Most Wanted in Louisiana, Duane “Dog” Chapman, aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, and his wife Beth Chapman ended up negotiating the surrender of Jinel Sexton, who was wanted on sexual battery of a minor. Sexton was booked into Covington jail on a no bond hold.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Univision will premiere the second season of legal drama series Por Amar Sin Ley (Love without Law) on Tuesday, March 12 at 9p, with new characters and unexpected twists that dig deeper into the lives of the featured attorneys.
(Source: Cynopsis)
VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta returns Monday, March 25th at 9p with back-to-back eps.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Food Network is cooking up content galore this spring. Bobby Flay and daughter Sophie Flay search for the greatest local dishes around on new series The Flay List, premiering Thursday, April 11th at 10:30p. Restaurant: Impossible returns with chef Robert Irvine on Saturday, April 20 at 9p, while beginning Sunday, April 21st at 9p, Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence return for a new season of Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition. In daytime, 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray kicks off 30 days of 30 new eps on Monday, April 1 at noon, and Ina Garten returns with a new season of Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro on Sunday, April 21 at 11:30a.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) will make her Saturday Night Live host debut on March 30, the weekend before her BBC America series’ season 2 premiere. Coachella headliners Tame Impala will be the musical guest.
(Source: Cynopsis)
In her first one-hour special, The Daily Show‘s Desi Lydic explores how and why the US has fallen so far behind much of the world when it comes to women and education, economics, health and politics in The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Presents Desi Lydic: Abroad, premiering Monday, May 13 at 11p on Comedy Central.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Running With Beto, a documentary that follows the rise of Beto O’Rourke from virtual unknown to national political figure through his bold attempt to unseat Ted Cruz in the US Senate, will have its world premiere at SXSW before debuting on HBO on May 28.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Bluprint, NBCUniversal’s digital lifestyle learning platform and streaming service, on March 14 will launch an original online series celebrating Bravo’s Project Runway. Hosted by Mondo Guerra, runner-up from season 8 and winner of Project Runway All Stars, Runway Remake debuts in conjunction with the premiere of Project Runway and will draw from the trends and designs of the series.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Netflix acquired Hometown, a feature comedy starring Natasha Rothwell (Insecure), who’s writing the script with Paula Pell and Michelle Lawler. Little Stranger‘s Tina Fey and Eric Gurian will produce along with Pell and Rothwell; Jeff Richmond is exec producer.
(Source: Cynopsis)
James Corden is back in the driver’s seat. A new ep of Carpool Karaoke featuring Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson dropped, and is available free on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. New episodes are available every Friday.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Jean Luc Bilodeau (Baby Daddy) is set as a lead opposite Patricia Heaton in CBS comedy pilot Carol’s Second Act… Also at CBS, Kimberly Guerrero (Longmire) will topline opposite Sarah Drew in drama pilot The Republic of Sarah; Wilson Bethel (Daredevil) is set as a series regular in legal drama pilot Courthouse; and Sarayu Blue (I Feel Bad) will lead opposite Jennifer Morrison in drama pilot Under the Bridge. Blue is also joining the cast of Netflix comedy series Medical Police in a recurring role… Zazie Beetz and Betty Gabriel will appear in an early ep of CBS All-Access’ The Twilight Zone… At ABC, Juliet Rylance (McMafia, The Knick) is in as the lead in The Hypnotist’s Love Story, the drama pilot based on the book by Big Little Lies author Liane Moriarty… Finn Jones (Game of Thrones) scored the lead in Fox crime drama pilot Prodigal Son.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Richard Cabral (Mayans M.C.) landed the lead in an installment of Hulu’s monthly horror series Into The Dark… Stony Blyden (Edge of Seventeen) snagged a regular role opposite Jimmy Smits and Caitlin McGee in NBC legal drama pilot Bluff City Law (working title)… At Fox, Keiko Agena booked a series-regular role in crime drama pilot Prodigal Son… Kris D. Lofton (Ballers) joined Freeform comedy series Unrelated.
(Source: Cynopsis)
After creating the first university scholarship endowment, The Big Bang Theory Scholarship Endowment at UCLA, the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation in honor of the show’s final season is doubling down on support of endowment for undergraduate scholars in STEM fields. The endowment initially provided for five annual scholarships, in perpetuity, for students in financial need and now will fund 10 scholars each year in perpetuity.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Free Solo continued to break records last week, becoming the most watched National Geographic Documentary Films premiere ever on the network. The Academy Award- and BAFTA-winning doc averaged a 0.91 demo with its Live +3 ratings, bringing in an average 1.446 million (P2+), up nearly 340 percent in the target demo (A25-54) and nearly 200 percent among P2+ compared with the network’s prime average. The total cumulative reach was 3.1 million viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The season 2 premiere of E!’s Very Cavallari last Sunday garnered 748,000 Total Viewers, 560,000 A18-49, and 176,000 W18-34, up 35%, 47%, and 17%, respectively, from the prior season premiere, according to Nielsen. This marks highest-rated season premiere of the series among all key demos.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The second episode in season 6 of Hallmark Channel’s original scripted series When Calls the Heart was a cable standout last Sunday, once again catapulting the series to rank as the No. 2 original scripted series of the week. “We continue to see the industry underestimate the value and success of positive, feel-good series, but the ongoing ratings results for When Calls the Heart is proof there is demand for this type of content,” said Michelle Vicary, EVP, programming and network publicity. “Early in its sixth season, the show is ranking as the second highest rated and most watched scripted series on cable, as it has consistently done over the past several seasons.” The program delivered a 2.9 Household rating, 3.1 million Total Viewers, and 463,000 W25-54 and marked the second highest-rated and most-watched program of the day among HH and Total Viewers on a Live +3 basis.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Todd Hissong, a longtime SAG member who served as the organization’s Chicago branch president for six years, a National Board member for five years and held a seat on SAG-AFTRA’s post-merger National Board, has died. He was 64.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Actor Jed Allan died March 9. He was 84. Allan was best known to TV audiences for his roles on Days of Our Lives, Santa Barbara and Beverly Hills 90210.
(Source: Cynopsis)
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
Captain Marvel – $153 million
How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World – $14.7 million
Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Reunion – $12.1 million
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part – $3.8 million
Alita: Battle Angel – $3.2 million
(Source: Box Office Mojo)
Keely's Korner 