Keely's Korner

CBS and Viacom are heading closer to a merger deal, resolving who will head the combined company, reports the Wall Street Journal. In the working agreement, Bob Bakish, chief executive of Viacom, would hold that role in the combined company, and Joe Ianniello, acting chief executive of CBS Corp., would be offered oversight of all CBS branded assets. The WSJ says while CBS hasn’t submitted a formal offer for Viacom, a deal could be announced before the end of the month.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Horizon Media is teaming with Armand Christian Perez, aka singer/entrepreneur Pitbull, to launch 305 Worldwide, bringing together Horizon’s multicultural marketing, data and insights expertise with Pitbull’s creativity and cultural connectivity. “We have built a premier Multicultural media practice and the next evolution is in-culture storytelling,” said Bill Koenigsberg, Horizon Media President, CEO and founder. “Adding this capability will only further Horizon’s leadership position in the multicultural space.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Showtime renewed City on a Hill for season two, the net announced at the TCA summer press tour. Crime drama starring Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge is reaching 3.5 million viewers per week. “City on a Hill is that addictive kind of meaty and messy show we love at Showtime,” said Gary Levine, President of Entertainment. “We believe there is a rich future for this compelling series.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

“No missteps” led to a nearly two year wait for the eighth and final season of Homeland, said Levine at TCA. “It’s been a relatively smooth process. But it’s a very ambitious production schedule and it has taken more time.” Initially expected to launch in June, the spy drama’s premiere was bumped to fall 2019 and is now slated for Sunday, February 9.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The 100’s upcoming season seven will be its last on the CW, revealed net president Mark Pedowitz at TCA. The season will be made up of 16 episodes, for a total series run of 100.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Archie Comics shows will converge on the CW. “I think it’s very likely that we will be seeing some familiar faces from Riverdale crossing over to our Katy Keene show,” said exec producer Michael Grassi at TCA. Katy Keene is set five years after Riverdale.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Fitness expert Bob Harper will host USA’s reboot of The Biggest Loser, set to launch in 2020. Harper appeared for 17 seasons on NBC’s version of the reality series.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Nancy O’Dell is leaving Entertainment Tonight after nine years, but a new chapter in her life – including spending more time with her daughter – won’t mean leaving the genre. “I’ll be back and it won’t be long,” she told viewers on Friday’s broadcast.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Amazon’s Fleabag was a big winner at the 2019 TCA Awards, grabbing honors for Program, Individual Achievement in Comedy (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), and Outstanding Achievement in Comedy. AMC’s Better Call Saul picked up the Drama award, HBO’S Chernobylwon for mini-series and Netflix’s Russian Doll was chosen for Outstanding New Program.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Afton Williamson (The Rookie) announced via Instagram that she will not return for season two, alleging repeated instances of racial discrimination and sexual harassment by the head of the show’s hair department, harassment by a guest star and bullying from producers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) will star in and exec produce a Showtime limited series about Hedy Lamarr, from The Affair co-creator/executive producer Sarah Treem, The Handmaid’s Tale producer Warren Littlefield and Endeavor Content. “In Gal Gadot, we have found the transcendent actress to portray the deeply complex Lamarr,” said Showtime President of Entertainment Jana Winograde at TCA. “And with the award-winning talents of Sarah Treem and Warren Littlefield, this is going to be a special series.”

(Source: Cynopsis)

Pop TV renewed Flack for a second season, with Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) and Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0) joining the comic drama’s cast. Six episodes of of the show, a co-production with UKTV’s W Network, have been ordered. Executive Producer Stephen Moyer, husband of series star Anna Paquin, will make his series directorial debut with two episodes.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Showtime is not moving forward with the U.S. remake of The Wrong Mans, a mistaken identity comedy from James Corden and Matthew Baynton that was a co-production of BBC Two and Hulu in its original incarnation. Pilot starred Ben Schwartz (House of Lies), Jillian Bell (22 Jump Street) and Annie Chang (Shades of Blue.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The CW is developing The Horses, based on the life of musician Rickie Lee Jones.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Two ID series return for season two on Monday, August 12. Extreme Measures, focused on unsolved murders driving loved ones to seek justice, airs at 9p, followed by Twisted Sisters, about deadly sibling relationships, at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Showtime announced premiere dates at TCA. Season ten of Shameless launches Sunday, November 3 at 9p, picking up six months after last season’s finale, followed by season two of Kidding at 10p. Season seven of Ray Donovan premieres in its new slot Sunday, November 17 at 8p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

New Showtime series getting launch dates were relationship docu-series Couples Therapy, debuting Friday, September 6 at 10p, and comedy Work in Progress, debuting Sunday, December 8 at 11p. Sequel The L Word: Generation Q arrives Sunday, December 8 at 10p; the original series aired from 2004-2009. And British comedy Back to Life makes its Showtime debut October 6.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season three of the CW’s Black Lightning will launch two weeks earlier than scheduled, moving to Monday, October 7 at 9p, after the season debut of All American. Characters from the superhero series will join the network’s crossover event, “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season seventeen of E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians premieres Sunday, September 8 at 9p. The family’s not wearing out its welcome – last season averaged 1.9 million total viewers (up 7%) and 1.2 million P18-49 (up 5%).
(Source: Cynopsis)

Kelly Clarkson will host special Clear The Shelters, airing on NBC stations beginning August 23 (check local listings). The show will recap this year’s pet adoption campaign that culminates with Clear The Shelters day Saturday, August 17, when more than 1,400 animal shelters/rescues in the U.S. and Puerto Rico will reduce or waive pet adoption fees to help families and individuals bring home  a pet.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Paley Center will present a conversation between Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show), who will star in the upcoming drama series David Makes Man on OWN; and Lynn Whitfield (Greenleaf) on Wednesday, August 28 in LA.
(Source: Cynopsis)