FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 8/14/25)
ESPN: The Kingdom (Premiere) at 9pm
HBO MAX: Hop (Premiere)
NETFLIX: In the Mud (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Miss Governor (fka She the People) (Premiere)
THE ROKU CHANNEL: Honest Renovations (Premiere)
SUNDANCE TV: True Crime Story: Smugshot (Premiere) at 10pm
GAMCO Investors chairman Mario Gabelli has filed a class-action lawsuit seeking damages for the “unfair and inequitable” merger payout given to National Amusements and its affiliates in the $8 billion merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media. GAMCO Investors voiced concerns early in the merger process, asking for more transparency regarding what National Amusements was receiving for Redstone’s voting shares, and that the merger be put to a vote by the company’s minority shareholders, said GAMCO Co-CIO Chris Marangi in statement. “These concerns were ignored and, lacking the ability to continue holding voting shares in the new Paramount entity, GAMCO was forced to redeem its shares for cash,” Marangi said. “We now look to the courts to rectify the situation.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
In more Paramount news, BET Networks is no longer being shopped, and will instead be a key part of the newly-formed company’s streaming strategy. “Our intention is to keep the company together and invest through the lens of long term operation,” said CEO David Ellison during a press conference. BET had drawn interest from prospective buyers including Tyler Perry and Byron Allen.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Dancing With the Stars” host Derek Hough is replacing Billy Bush as host of syndicated entertainment news show “Extra,” kicking off season 32 on Monday, September 8. “Derek brings a rare mix of energy, creativity, and a dynamic presence that perfectly captures the spirit of this exciting next era for our iconic show,” said Lauren Blincoe, SVP, Current Programming at Telepictures. “We’re energized by the future of ‘Extra’ with Derek front and center and can’t wait to see him turn the entertainment news genre on its head.” Hough will keep on “Dancing”; Bush announced his exit last May after five seasons.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season two Taylor Sheridan drama “Landman” kicks off Sunday, November 16. The series, starring Billy Bob Thornton, had 35 million global streaming viewers for the premiere episode and set new records for Paramount+.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Two returning families and three new couples will be the focus of “Seeking Sister Wife,” returning for a new season on Monday, September 22 at 9p on TLC.
(Source: Cynopsis)
All eight episodes of limited series “The Beast in Me,” starring Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, drop Thursday, November 13 on Netflix.
(Source: Cynopsis)
A pair of Halloween-themed competitions are returning to Food Network, starting Monday, September 15 at 9p with “Halloween Baking Championship,” hosted by John Henson and set in a haunted mansion. On Sunday, September 21 at 9p comes a new season of “Halloween Wars,” with host Jonathan Bennett presiding over teams of cake, sugar and pumpkin-carving artists.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana has partnered with The Roku Channel to launch 3D animated preschool series “Builder Brothers Dream Factory” in the US tomorrow, August 15. The animated series is inspired by the real-life Property Brothers, Drew and Jonathan.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Two-part doc “aka Charlie Sheen” drops Wednesday, September 10. Per the synopsis: “Through extraordinarily candid interviews with his family, friends, and cast members, including Denise Richards, Heidi Fleiss, Jon Cryer, Sean Penn, Ramon Estevez, Brooke Mueller, Chris Tucker, and his drug dealer Marco, the most outrageous moments of Sheen’s life are revisited with raw emotion and exceptional warmth.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
FOX Entertainment Studios has set a first-look deal with Bill Burr’s North Hill Productions. The agreement calls for comedian Burr and Mike Bertolina to serve as executive producers and content originators for scripted and unscripted television. “Bill Burr is one of the boldest, most original voices in comedy, and teaming up with him and Mike Bertolina at North Hill is exactly the kind of move that defines our studio,” said Hannah Pillemer, Head of Scripted for FOX Entertainment Studios. “FOX has always been home for comedy that swings big, and at FES, we’re doubling down, championing creators with strong points of view who don’t play it safe.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Cineverse and Banyan Ventures, the venture arm of former ABC Entertainment Group and WME Chairman Lloyd Braun, have teamed to launch MicroCo, a studio and AI native platform built specifically for serialized, short-form, mobile-first content. “The average person scrolls through hundreds of feet of content a day, but almost none of it is built to last,” said Braun. “We’re merging the storytelling rigor of series television with the pace, energy, and intimacy of short-form – creating addictive, emotionally rich, quality series that are developed specifically for this format and speak directly to how people consume content now.” Jana Winograde, former President of Entertainment for Showtime Networks, will serve as CEO, while Susan Rovner, former Chairman of Entertainment Content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, will hold the title of Chief Creative Officer as she continues as head of her AHA Studios.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Jersey Shore” regular Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino has teamed with ITV America (“Love Island USA”) for a documentary based on his memoir, Reality Check: Making the Best of the Situation – How I Overcame Addiction, Loss, and Prison. “I am beyond excited to partner with ITV America to bring the pages of my autobiography to life on screen,” said Sorrentino. “This project is more than just my story; it’s a raw, unfiltered journey through addiction, fame and redemption.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Eminem-produced documentary “Stans” will exclusively debut Paramount+ on Tuesday, August 26. The film had a limited run in the US from August 7-10.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“South Park” is still riding high. The second episode of the Comedy Central show’s 27th season delivered 6.2 million cross-platform global viewers in its first three days, versus 6 million for the premiere episode. On linear, the show drew 1.56 million Live+3 viewers. It was also the #1 telecast on Wednesday, August 6 across all cable, and #2 across all TV (behind CBS’ “Big Brother).
(Source: Cynopsis)
The season 14 premiere of “King of the Hill” drew 4.4 million views in its first seven days of streaming, to rank as the most-viewed adult animation season premiere on Disney+ and Hulu in five years, according to Disney.
(Source: Cynopsis)
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