FIRST LOOK
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ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 8/21/25)
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HBO MAX: Peacemaker (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Hostage (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Death Inc. (Premiere)
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Today marks a milestone for ESPN with the debut of its new direct-to-consumer streaming platform. “This is a defining moment not just for ESPN, but for how sports are experienced in the digital age,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN. The new service allows fans to personalize their viewing experience, offering a product that is “more interactive, more immersive, and more responsive to the rhythms of fandom,” Pitaro explained. As for traditional TV, ESPN isn’t leaving it behind. “The cable and satellite ecosystem remains incredibly important to us,” Pitaro noted. “We’re committed to walking parallel paths – continuing to support our cable partners while also making ESPN directly available to any fan who wants it.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
WWE’s premium live events will be moving from Peacock to ESPN’s new DTC service months earlier than previously announced. With WWE apparently having met its contractual obligations to Peacock ahead of schedule, its five-year, $1.6 billion rights deal with ESPN will commence with the Wrestlepalooza event on September 20.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Yahoo Sports has launched a FAST channel, Yahoo Sports Network, featuring more than 60 hours of original programming a week covering a range of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, combat and more. Operated by C15 Studio, Yahoo Sports Network is now available on LG Channels and Sling Freestream, and launching on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Fire TV, Fubo, Plex, Prime Video, and The Roku Channel over the coming weeks.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HBO Max’s “The Pitt” dominated the Television Critics Association Awards with four wins, taking home program of the year, outstanding achievement in drama, outstanding new program, and individual achievement in drama. Apple TV+’s “The Studio” earned top honors in comedy, while Netflix’s “Adolescence” was recognized as best miniseries.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The American Cinema Editors’ Eddie Awards will for the first time accept submissions from digital platforms, in the categories of theatrical short films; original short-form content made specifically for digital platforms; and narrative, documentary, animation, and experimental works. “This is not about catching up to a trend,” said ACE Executive Director Jenni McCormick. “It’s about planting our flag and saying: ACE is committed to leading the way into what’s next – without ever losing sight of where we came from.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Food competition “Next Gen Chef,” hosted by influencer and former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo, premieres Wednesday, September 17 on Netflix. Carlton McCoy (“Nomad with Carlton McCoy”) and season 16 “Top Chef” winner Barnard Clark will serve as judges.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Paris & Pups,” an animated series inspired by Paris Hilton and her real-life pets, premieres Tuesday, September 23 on YouTube.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Ready to get hooked? For the first time, the Major League Fishing Clash Team Series will air live on national TV. RFD-TV and RFD-TV Now will cover the action starting Sunday, August 24.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HBO and Sky have greenlit legal thriller “War” with a two-season commitment. The series, starring Dominic West (“The Crown”) and Sienna Miller (“American Sniper”), follows two rival firms as they go head-to-head in a scandalous divorce case.
(Source: Cynopsis)
MTV and Paramount+ have greenlit “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for an 18th season and “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” for an 11th, along with “Untucked” aftershows for both.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Kartoon Studios announced the launch of “Bitcoin Brigade: Adventures in Satoshi City,” an animated series at the center of a business model spanning content, digital education, merchandise, interactive apps, and a Bitcoin treasury strategy. The series is scheduled to debut in fall 2026 on Kartoon Channel!. “Years ago, I produced and created the animated series of both ‘Super Mario Brothers’ for Nintendo, and ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ for Sega,” said Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Kartoon Studios. “Those successes helped launch the Nintendo and Sega game platforms. We believe ‘Bitcoin Brigade’ will have an equally revolutionary impact on the next level of entertainment, education, and gaming powered by blockchain technology.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Antonia Thomas (“The Good Doctor”), Josh Dylan (“Buccaneers”), and Imelda Staunton (“Harry Potter”) will star in BritBox’s “Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence,” a six-part contemporary adaptation of the Agatha Christie novels and short stories. Lookout Point is producing in association with Agatha Christie Limited. The series will begin shooting this fall.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Amalia Williamson (“Sullivan’s Crossing”) and Tom Cavanagh (“Ed”) have joined the cast of “You’re Killing Me,” the Acorn TV mystery series led by star and executive producer Brooke Shields. The six-episode series, which starts production in Nova Scotia, Canada next month, is set to debut in 2026.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HBO and the BBC have released the first look at “Half Man,” from Richard Gadd (“Baby Reindeer”). The six-episode drama will debut in 2026 on HBO Max in the US, Latin America, and Europe, and on BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland in the UK and Ireland.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Friendship,” a dark comedy about a man trying to befriend his charismatic new neighbor, hits HBO Max on Friday, September 5. The film was released in theaters in May.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Andscape, the Black content studio, announced the premiere of its newest &360 documentary, “Imported,” debuting exclusively on Hulu on Thursday, August 28. The film tells the story of American athletes who, after falling short of their NBA dreams, discover purpose, growth, and global fandom on courts around the world.
(Source: Cynopsis)
NBA All-Star John Wall will join Prime Video’s lineup for the inaugural season of NBA on Prime as an analyst. The longtime Washington Wizards guard will make appearances in-studio alongside Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, Candace Parker and Udonis Haslem.
(Source: Cynopsis)
FX’s “Alien: Earth” premiered to 9.2 million views globally in its first six days of streaming. Episodes premiere Tuesdays on FX and Hulu, and on Disney+ internationally.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season two of “Wednesday” again topped the Netflix chart the week of August 11, drawing 29.11 million views in its second week of streaming. The season’s debut episode drew 50 million views in its first five days.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The debut of Acorn TV crime drama series, “Irish Blood,” starring and executive produced by Alicia Silverstone (“Clueless”), ranks as the most watched new series premiere in Acorn TV history. The August 11 premiere also drove the biggest day of subscriber sign-ups on Acorn TV’s direct-to-consumer platforms in nearly two years.
(Source: Cynopsis)
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