FIRST LOOK
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ON TELEVISION (WEDNESDAY 5/15/24)
A&E: Killer Cases (Premiere) at 9pm
A&E: Murder at the Motel (Premiere) at 9pm
FREEFORM: Royal Rules of Ohio (Premiere) at 10pm
IFC: In the Kitchen with Harry Hamlin (Premiere) at 11pm
NETFLIX: Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal (Premiere)
PBS: Pompeii: The New Dig (Premiere) at 10pm
TLC: Botched Bariatrics (Premiere) at 10pm
VICE: United Gangs of America (Premiere) at 9pm
LIFETIME: Dance Moms (Finale) at 8:30pm
Bundle up! A streaming bundle of Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ called StreamSaver is headed to consumers this month. At the MoffettNathanson Media conference, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the offering will be introduced at a “vastly reduced” price from anything currently on the market. The news comes days after Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery announced they are banding together to launch a Disney+/Hulu/Max combo this summer.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Hulu and Disney+ will launch concert doc “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band” in October, offering behind-the-scenes access to the group’s 2023-2024 world tour. That news was dropped at Disney’s Upfront event on Tuesday, along with word of a fourth season order for FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham.” Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds shared the news at the Disney Upfront event on Tuesday.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ViX has inked a production deal with Secuoya Studios and William Levy Enterprises for two projects. A series, “Arcadia” (w/t) and film, “Bajo Un Volcun” (w/t) will star Levy, who will also executive produce.
(Source: Cynopsis)
UPFRONT UPDATES
Disney’s Head of Global Advertising Rita Ferro got animated for her company’s presentation at the Javits Center – during the video intro, she was portrayed as a character on “Family Guy.” And CEO Bob Iger took to the upfront stage, introduced by Emma Stone, for what he said was the first time in decades. “Today we’re going to share with you the incredible projects that we’re working on. And then later Jimmy Kimmel will be out to tear them all apart. I think he’ll probably be tearing me apart too,” he told the cavernous house. ABC announced a 2024-2025 fall primetime slate that includes Ryan Murphy procedural “Doctor Odyssey,” from Ryan Murphy and starring Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson, and crime procedural “High Potential,” from Drew Goddard, based on the popular French series and starring Kaitlin Olson. “Doctor Odyssey” will air on Thursdays at 9p, pushing “Grey’s Anatomy” to 10p. “High Potential” will follow “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesdays. “The Golden Bachelorette” joins the Wednesday lineup at 8p, followed by the night’s lone comedy, “Abbott Elementary” at 9:30p, then ABC News Studios documentary series “Scamanda,” based on podcast about a woman whose tragic cancer tale captivates thousands, show has a secret she’s dying to keep. The title of new Disney Channel series “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place,” a continuation of the “Wizards of Waverly Place,” was announced by Selena Gomez, who serves as the new series’ executive producer and guest star. And speaking of Gomez, season four of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” launches Tuesday, August 27.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Prime Video made a splash at its inaugural Upfront presentation – delayed because of the crowd – at Pier 36. Alicia Keys kicked things off with a medley of songs, then Paul Kotas, SVP, Amazon Ads, took to the stage to say, “Today is all about how we’re bringing together the vast reach of Prime Video with ad tech that leverages Amazon’s billions of customer signals.” As for programming, four new sports documentaries were ordered, including a four-part documentary on NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Sr.; a four-part series chronicling the history of the Madden video game franchise; an anthology series about the most epic Game 7s throughout sports history; and a true crime doc about ChiefsAholic, the notorious Kansas City Chiefs superfan and serial bank robber. In addition, docufollow series “Coach Prime” was renewed for a third season. Drama “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” will be back for season two and “The Boys” for a fifth season, along with an expanded, 11-episode season three of “The Summer I Turned Pretty”; a “Jeopardy!” spinoff, “Pop Culture Jeopardy!”; a Spider-Man Noir live-action series; and a “Legally Blonde” prequel series. An adaptation of video game “Tomb Raider” from Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), also landed a series order. Jake Gyllenhaall helped announce a sequel to “Roadhouse,” Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell touted their film, “You’re Cordially Invited,” and Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer teamed to pitch their untitled action adventure series.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Shakira was on hand for TelevisaUnivision’s event – dubbed Casa Cultura (house of culture) – to share the news that her Punteria will be the official song of the company’s coverage of the 2024 Copa America soccer tournament. Univision announced the creation of “Sistema Uforia,” a way for advertisers to take advantage of all of Univison’s Latin music assets and festivals tied to award shows, and revealed Hyundai as the automotive partner of Liga MX in the US. “Brands can only win when they are relevant in the culture that surrounds them, and your connection to Latin culture starts right here,” said Donna Speciale, President of US Advertising Sales and Marketing. “Nobody has the size, scope and sophistication like TelevisaUnivision. We are a massive culture platform encompassing thousands of consumer touchpoints – a cross-screen juggernaut with four leading networks, the top Spanish-language streamer, an enormous social audience, 300 radio and local stations – and the home of soccer, music, entertainment, and news for Latinos. Our culture platform is your critical agent for growth, and we are your culture partner – the bridge connecting you to the most coveted consumer base in the country.” Speciale outlined the company’s suite of sophisticated capabilities, from its creators practice through Así Studios to its Household Graph, which covers nearly 100% of Spanish-speaking households in the US and has been activated by over 250 brands in the last year.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The first of four new episodes of HGTV’s “Celebrity IOU” premieres Sunday, June 2 at 9p. The series drew more than 15 million fans to its last season.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season two of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” debuts Thursday, August 29 on Prime Video, and the streamer offered a teaser trailer at its Upfront. “Prepare yourselves,” says Galadriel….
(Source: Cynopsis)
Hulu announced the launch of its comedy stand-up brand, “Hulu’s Laughing Now.” Jim Gaffigan will be the first comedian to host a stand-up special as part of the venture, with his special “The Skinny” launching on the platform November 22. “Hulu’s Laughing Now” will feature 12 comedy specials per year.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“The 2024 ESPYS Presented by Capital One” will be hosted by tennis legend Serena Williams on Thursday, July 11 at 8p on ABC.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Telemundo’s “La Casa de los Famosos” will wrap with a live gala on Monday, May 20 at 7p. The celebrity with the highest audience vote will be crowned as the champion and take home the briefcase with $200,000 in cash.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The HISTORY Channel two-hour documentary “Triumph: Jesse Owens and the Berlin Olympics” premieres Wednesday, June 19 at 8p. Narrated by Don Cheadle (“Carry On”), the doc will showcase Jesse Owens’ historic triumph over Nazi Germany during the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Brats,” a documentary from director and former Brat Packer Andrew McCarthy, premieres Thursday, June 13, on Hulu. “The Brat Pack captivated a generation and defined cool for so many,” said Mike Kelley, who heads ABC News Studios. “Andrew, as a seminal member, brings unbelievable access and perspective to the phenomenon as director of this film. It’s a deeply personal, surprising and entertaining journey.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Federer: Twelve Final Days,” chronicling the final 12 days of Roger Federer’s professional tennis career, premieres Thursday, June 20 on Prime Video.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Antenna TV will air “Father Knows Best 70th Anniversary Marathon,”featuring two days of “Father Knows Best” on Father’s Day Weekend, starting Saturday, June 15 at 6p.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HDNET Movies is holding “The Memorial Day Western Marathon” on Monday, May 27, starting at 8a. First up: Burt Lancaster in “The Rainmaker.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Jason Kelce was introduced as ESPN’s new “Monday Night Countdown” analyst at Disney’s Upfront. The Philadelphia Eagles legend signed a multi-year agreement with the sports net.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The CW will provide full national coverage for 11 Pac-12 games featuring Oregon State and Washington State during the upcoming 2024 season, starting August 31 with a doubleheader featuring Portland State at Washington State and Idaho State at Oregon State. “Adding the Pac-12 conference to The CW’s growing roster of live sports gives the network coast-to-coast coverage in key markets and solidifies our position as a national player in college sports,” said Dennis Miller, President, The CW. “The CW will truly be a destination for all sports fans this fall with impressive weekend lineups consisting of Pac-12 football, ACC football, LIV Golf and NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff races.” All broadcasts will be produced by Pac-12’s production facility, Pac-12 Enterprises.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Prime Video opens its 2024” Thursday Night Football” slate with AFC East division rivals and two playoff teams from last season, as the Miami Dolphins host Josh Allen and the new-look Buffalo Bills on Thursday, September 12. “Two of the top quarterbacks in the game, with two of the top offenses in the league,” said Jay Marine, VP and Global Head of Sports and Ads, during Amazon’s inaugural 2024 Upfront presentation. “It’s going to be a must-watch game, and I personally can’t wait to get down to Miami for it, that’s going to be a fun one.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Prime Video also announced that its inaugural season of NASCAR Cup Series coverage will kick off May 25, 2025 with the 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Dallas Cowboys defensive star Micah Parsons has reached a multi-year extension with Bleacher Report that will include the title of President of B/R Gridiron, and his continuation as host of The Edge with Micah Parsons, launching its second season in August.
(Source: Cynopsis)
WSC Sports has announced the creation of a generative artificial intelligence group. “We have been an AI company first and foremost for over a decade. Creating this group is the logical next step given advances in the technology,” said CEO and Co-founder Daniel Shichman. “Our team is actively developing new Gen AI products that include various features with text, audio, and video in coordination with design partners at some of the most recognized sports brands in the world. We believe Gen AI will unlock even more opportunities for teams, leagues and broadcasters to create new fan experiences and have released our first product in AI generated audio commentary.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
The National Lacrosse League announced a multi-year partnership with AXIA Time as the “Official Timepiece of the NLL” and the presenting partner of the upcoming 2024 NLL Finals presented by AXIA Time.
(Source: Cynopsis)
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