FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 9/21/23)
BET+: Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy (Premiere)
MAX: Young Love (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Sex Education (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Kengan Ashura (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Scissor Seven (Premiere)
TASTEMADE: Struggle Meals (Premiere)
ABC: Generation Gap (Finale) at 8pm
ABC: The Prank Panel (Finale) at 9pm
WGA picketers were quickstepping to “Dancing with the Stars” rehearsals. Approximately 30 writers protested outside of the ABC series’ rehearsal studios in West Hollywood yesterday and outside the 3rd Street Dance Studio near the Beverly Center ahead of the show’s season premiere on Tuesday. Signs targeted competing contestants, with signs like, “This one time… At band camp… Alyson Hannigan screwed the entire WGA,” “Can’t dance your way out of this!” and “MATT WALSH, DON’T DANCE AS A SCAB!”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Russell Brand is facing backlash after damaging allegations emerged about his treatment of women. “The UK TV industry should not become synonymous with the scandals of #MeToo.” The comedian is facing accusations of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse over a seven-year period from four women. At the RTS Cambridge Convention, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said the industry should provide “places where people feel safe, where working cultures are responsible and accountable and don’t allow abuses of power.” She continued, “I would urge all of you as leaders in your industry to look hard at your culture and processes in your own organizations and lead change if change is needed.” Brand’s comedy special, “Russell Brand in New York,” was removed from Paramount+ following the allegations.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Fuse Media closed its Upfronts with double-digit growth in volume and high single-digit growth in CPMs across platforms. The increases were driven by wins in original programming on both linear and streaming as well as growth in the FAST space, including the return of Big Freedia in “Big Freedia Means Business” and Critic’s Choice Real TV Award nominee “Like a Girl.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Box Box is taking on new genres after the success of its docuseries “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.” The production company founded by James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin is expanding into new territory such as true-crime and scripted. Martin told Deadline, “We looked at sport as an area, particularly in the premium space, that felt underserved. “ou had ESPN, which did ‘30 for 30’ and HBO doing ‘Hard Knocks’ once a year. But we felt there was a ton of opportunity for really well done, premium storytelling in the sports space. I don’t think we expected ‘Drive to Survive’ to suddenly become this thing that was bigger than just a TV show. But we definitely sensed that there was an opportunity in that space. Then ‘Drive to Survive’ became the right show at the right time and probably fast tracked where we are.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
The MVPs of “Basketball Wives L.A.” are back. Evelyn Lozada, Jennifer Williams, Shaunie Henderson, Jackie Christie and Brooke Bailey have returned for season 11 of the reality series. Lozada said in the season’s promotional video, “I actually miss the ladies, the hustle and bustle.” Four new wives have joined the roster: Brittany Renner, Vanessa Rider, Jac’Eil Duckworth and Clayanna Warthen.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Apple’s “Slow Horses” starring Gary Oldman returns December 1. The espionage drama’s third season will air with the first two episodes, followed by one new episode weekly, Fridays through December 29, on Apple TV+.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“AKA Mr. Chow” debuts on HBO on October 22. Oscar-nominated Diane Quon produces and Nick Hooker (“Agnelli”) directs the documentary portrait of the artist, actor and restaurateur Michael Chow. The documentary includes interviews with artists including Peter Blake, Julian Schnabel and Ed Ruscha.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Telemundo’s “Exatlón All-Stars” kicks off its new season on September 26. The eighth edition of the network’s longest-running reality series will feature the return of 24 champions and runners-up who will test their physical and mental skills to win half a million dollars, the largest prize ever awarded on US Hispanic TV. Competitors will tackle brand-new parkours such as The Circus, Olympic Pool, Black Box, ExaArena and more.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Nickelodeon and Mattel’s “Monster High” animated series debuts October 2. The series continues with the original and legacy characters and half-hour specials throughout season one, with students battling a zombie invasion and a Night of Terror, as well as a hunt to find Monster Talismans, and midterms. Fans can watch “Monster High” on the Nick App, Nick.com and VOD.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Wendy Guevara’s “Wendy, Perdida Pero Famosa” premieres October 5 on ViX. The new 13-episode reality show provides an exclusive glimpse into the life of Guevara, the winner of “La Casa de los Famosos México,” as she shares her beginnings and her relationship with her closest circle. Guevara was the first transgender woman to win a reality show in Mexico.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Ms. Pat is the latest to take on the role of TV judge on BET. With a jury of her friends and family members, as well as guest stars, Patricia Williams will star in the unscripted series, “Ms. Pat Settles in,” set to premiere October 18 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season two of FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham” continues Tuesdays, starting next week. Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds navigate running the third-oldest professional football club in the world.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro is back! The celebrity baker, chef and entrepreneur has joined A&E’s Home.Made.Nation with two new series produced by Six West Media, an A+E Factual Studios brand. Premiering with back-to-back episodes on November 11 at 9p, “Legends of the Fork” follows Buddy as he travels the country in search of the most renowned dishes and restaurants to uncover the “secret sauce” to their success. Immediately following at 10p, “Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty” highlights Buddy and his family as they bring the Carlo’s Bake Shop empire to new levels.
(Source: Cynopsis)
All episodes of “One Day in America” premiere on National Geographic on November 5. The franchise returns with its second installment, “JFK: One Day in America,” to mark the 60th anniversary of former President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. From 72 Films and David Glover along with Oscar-winning filmmakers Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin, the three-part docuseries weaves archival footage with testimony from the last surviving witnesses to create a minute-by-minute examination of that day, according to the description.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Ralph Barbosa’s “Cowabunga” is headed to Netflix. The hour-long stand-up comedy special was shot at The Kessler Theater in Dallas, TX, in August as part of Barbosa’s North American tour, and will premiere globally on October 31. Eric Abrams directed the special and Barbosa executive produced alongside Matthew Vaughan of Rotten Science and Zack Waxenberg of 3 Arts Entertainment.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Keltie Knight and Andrienne Bailon-Houghton will host The 72nd Miss USA Pageant. Led by the E! News chief correspondent and “The Real” host, the pageant judged by Nicole Miller, Vivica A. Fox, Emina Cunmulaj Nazarian and Patrick Starr airs on The CW on September 29.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Beacon 23” has moved to MGM+ after AMC dropped plans to air the psychological thriller. Starring Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”) and Stephan James (“Degrassi: The Next Generation”), the drama was first greenlit by Spectrum Originals and AMC Networks in 2021. Produced by Boat Rocker, “Beacon 23” is scheduled for a global premiere on November 12 on the streamer.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The upcoming stage production of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” cast its young Hopper, Joyce, Dr. Brenner and Vecna. The London play takes place in 1969 in Hawkins, Indiana, and acts as a prequel to the hit Netflix series, the final season of which is postponed due to ongoing strikes. Shane Attwool will play Chief Hopper, Isabella Pappas will play Joyce Maldonado and Louis McCartney will play Henry Creel (who later turns into Vecna).
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Tennis Channel will cover the Laver Cup from this weekend. The annual event, pitting the tennis players in Europe against those of the rest of the world, begins tomorrow at 4p. Four of the six players on Team World hail from the US, including Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul. They will counter Team Europe with a pair of top 10-ranked singles stars, Andrey Rublev (Russia) and Casper Ruud (Norway).
(Source: Cynopsis)
“The Masked Singer” season 10 premiere reached 5.8 million viewers. Following seven days of multi-platform viewing, the series drew viewers from Hulu and Fox linear, upping the 3.9 million who tuned in on September 10 to watch the episode live.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Hard Knocks: Training Camp with The New York Jets” scored its largest series audience in 13 years.The HBO series, which debuted on August 8, averaged 4.4 million viewers per episode and was the number one unscripted series on Max across its five-week run. “Telemarketers” also hit a high as the most-watched HBO documentary series (non-sports) in more than two years, with 1.9 million average viewers per episode.
(Source: Cynopsis)
TV director and producer Stan Harris died at 92. The director behind TV specials for Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, John Wayne and Jack Benny is survived by his wife Fai Harris, daughters Lauren and Jayne, son Danny, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Keely's Korner 