FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (MONDAY 1/5/26)
ACORN TV: My Life Is Murder (Premiere)
FOOD NETWORK: Baking Championship: Next Gen (Premiere) at 8pm
NBC: St. Denis Medica (Premiere) at 8pm
NBC: The Wall (Premiere) at 9pm
NBC: Brilliant Minds (Premiere) at 10pm
PBS: Antiques Roadshow (Premiere) at 8pm
PRIME VIDEO: Spring Fever (Premiere)
Warner Bros. Discovery plans to reject Paramount Skydance’s amended $108.4 billion takeover bid, reports CNBC. Paramount had strengthened its December 8 tender offer with a $40.4 billion personal guarantee from Orace co-founder Larry Ellison and increased its regulatory termination fee. But the board is expected to stick with its $83 billion deal with Netflix for WBD’s streaming and studio assets, versus Paramount’s bid for the entire company. WBD shareholders who disagree with the board’s stance have until January 21 to tender their shares as part of Paramount’s hostile takeover bid.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Tony Dokoupil made his debut as anchor of “CBS Evening News” two days early, with an interview with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday, following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Dokoupil was to have started the job on Monday in Miami as part of a tour of US cities, but his official first week will broadcast from New York instead. The tour will begin later next week, said CBS. During a listening tour last week, Dokoupil told viewers, “Here’s my promise to you today and every time you see me in this chair: you come first. Not advertisers. Not politicians. Not corporate interests. And, yes, that does include the corporate owners of CBS. I report for you.” Dokoupil, who is replacing co-anchors John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, will be the fourth to hold the anchor slot since 2019.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Paramount+ is expanding the “Avatar” universe with animated film “The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender” (w/t) and new 2D series “Avatar: Seven Havens,” both from Avatar Studios. “The Legend of Aang” is set to premiere exclusively on Paramount+ in Fall 2026. Based on the original series “Avatar: The Last Airbender created” by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the film will be directed by Lauren Montgomery with Steve Ahn and William Mata co-directing.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Tron: Ares” starts streaming Wednesday, January 7 on Disney+.The sci-fi action-adventure film starring Jared Leto was released in theaters on October 10.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair” premieres Friday, April 10 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. The four-episode revival series is based on the 2000-06 Fox sitcom. Linwood Boomer created the original series and returns as writer and executive producer. Cast member Bryan Cranston, as well as Tracy Katsky (KatCo), Gail Berman and New Regency’s Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan and Natalie Lehmann are executive producers.
(Source: Cynopsis)
CNBC’s “Leaders Playbook,” exploring the leadership philosophies and the strategic and personal decisions that have shaped influential companies, launches Wednesday, January 7 at 10p. CNBC’s Senior Media & Tech Correspondent Julia Boorstin hosts.
(Source: Cynopsis)
MTV’s “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” returns Tuesday, February 17 at 8p. Logline: “In the A, all is fair in Love & Hip Hop … and a new year brings new beginnings, but not everyone wants to begin again.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
CBS’ telecast of the 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors on December 23averaged an all-time low 3.01 million viewers, according to Nielsen Live+ Same Day Panel + Big Data. The ceremony was hosted by President Trump, and honored Sylvester Stallone, Michael Crawford, KISS, George Strait, and Gloria Gaynor. Roma Daravari, the Kennedy Center’s VP of PR, suggested comparing the telecast to past years was “evidence of far-left bias,” noting, “The program performed extremely well across key demographics and platforms, despite industry and timing disadvantages, including a Tuesday air date two days before Christmas.” The event raised $23 million, added Daravari, nearly twice the amount of last year’s haul.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ABC’s “World News Tonight with David Muir” was the most-watched newscast across broadcast and cable in the fourth quarter in Total Viewers (7.862 million) and Adults 25-54 (973,000), based on Nielsen’s Big Data+Panel Ratings. “NBC Nightly News” clocked 6.224 million viewers and 848,000 in the demo, followed by 4.031 million and 502,000 for “CBS Evening News.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
ABC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” hit a four-year high of 19 million viewers in the 11:30p-12:30a hour. The show drew 30 million viewers at midnight, up 35% from last year, and reached an average of 34 million across the night, not counting out-of-home data.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The NFL’s week 17 delivered 28.8 million viewers to Fox, up 9% over last year, and the week’s most-watched telecast.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Prime Video’s Christmas night presentation of Broncos vs. Chiefs averaged 21.06 million viewers, delivering the most-watched “TNF on Prime” regular-season game ever. It was the third “TNF on Prime” game of the season to achieve an all-time viewership mark.
(Source: Cynopsis)
CBS News Special “Rob Reiner: Scenes From a Life” on December 21 averaged 6.23 million viewers and 858,000 in A25-54, according to Nielsen Panel + Big Data.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The season four debut of the BBC’s “The Traitors” delivered a series-best 6.4 million viewers. Season four of the US version kicks off Sunday, January 8 on Peacock.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. died December 30. He was 71. Television credits for the actor, who appeared in six Spike Lee films, included “Veep,” “The Wire” and “Your Honor,” among others.
(Source: Cynopsis)
31ST ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS (2026) – COMPLETE WINNERS LIST
https://www.eonline.com/news/1426448/critics-choice-awards-2026-winners-list
POWERBALL
Today’s Jackpot is $86 million.
(One ticket costs $2.00)
Powerball is played in 43 states.
NYLottery.NY.gov
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
Avatar: Fire and Ash – $40 million
Zootopia 2 – $19 million
The Housemaid – $14.9 million
Marty Supreme – $12.6 million
Anaconda – $10 million
(Source: Box Office Mojo)
Keely's Korner 