FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (MONDAY 5/4/26)
E!: E! Live From The Red Carpet: Met Gala 2026 at 6pm
HBO MAX: Margarita: Make Your Story Count (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Lord of the Flies (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Dr. Seuss’s Horton! (Premiere)
NBC has pulled the plug on two series: “Brilliant Minds,” the medical drama that ran for two seasons, and “Stumble,” the cheerleading comedy that lasted just one. Neither show found an audience — “Brilliant Minds” had already been benched in February, bumped from the schedule to make room for an expanded run of “The Voice.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Just one month after ESPN took control of NFL Network, the channel went dark on Comcast’s Xfinity service. “We proposed keeping these channels available while we continued good-faith negotiations, but unfortunately Comcast declined and took them down,” said ESPN owner Disney in a statement to Front Office Sports. Comcast responded that it is “in discussions” about future carriage.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
A small group of Paramount+ subscribers filed a lawsuit last week asking a federal judge to block the $110 billion Paramount deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery on antitrust grounds — the first legal effort to halt the merger, which has also drawn opposition from prominent Hollywood figures and warnings from California state officials. In a filing before the Northern District of California federal court, the plaintiffs argue the merger would “substantially lessen competition” and result in higher prices and reduced quality for consumers, among other harms.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The suit also raises concerns about Paramount gaining control of CNN, contending that CNN’s ownership was treated as a tool of political leverage, and it alleges that Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount last year was conditionally approved with the expectation that CBS News would realign its editorial direction to favor the Trump administration. The plaintiffs are asking the court to both block the Warner Bros. Discovery deal and require Skydance to unwind its earlier takeover of Paramount. Responded a Paramount spokesperson, “The combination of Paramount and WBD will create a stronger competitor that is well positioned to serve as a champion for creative talent and consumer choice.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, the guild shared on its website. The deal — tentative until its approval by SAG-AFTRA members — was applauded by the DGA, which starts its own negotiations with the AMPTP on May 11. The agreement “reflects the significance of its members’ work and helps support stable, enduring careers,” said the directors guild.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Versant, spun off from NBCUniversal in January, has divested SportsEngine’s assets to PlayMetrics. Versant says the deal reflects its broader strategy of focused capital deployment as it concentrates on its four core growth areas: business news, politics, golf, and sports and genre entertainment.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Five more states — Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Vermont — have joined a coalition now totaling 13 states seeking to block the proposed $6.2 billion merger between station operators Nexstar and Tegna. “This is not controversial stuff — this merger is illegal and will give Nexstar and Tegna the ability to control and raise prices, fire journalists, and dominate the media landscape,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement. Calling the attorneys general “misguided,” Nexstar responded with a warning: “The alternative to this deal is not more independently owned outlets — it’s the demise of your local broadcast station.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
FOX has set “Marriage Market” for its 2026–27 season. Hosted by Whitney Cummings (“Whitney”), the dating series invites singles fed up with endless first dates into an actual Marriage Market, where they hand over control of their love lives to family members. “’Marriage Market’ is a bold new format that reflects our strategy of creating distinctive IP that take the kind of big and culturally relevant risks that viewers love,” said Allison Wallach, Head of Unscripted, FOX Entertainment Studios. “We’ve taken a timeless idea and reimagined it in a modern, high-stakes way with the families in full control.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Love & Hip Hop” will wrap after 15 years with a six-part limited series premiering on VH1 the fall. In “Love & Hip Hop: The Final Chapter,” cast, creators, and cultural voices will look back at the impact and legacy of the reality show.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“This Is Poly,” a new reality show exploring polyamorous relationships,follows the lives of five very different polycules (interconnected groups of people in polyamorous relationships) starting Friday, May 29 at 9:30 p.m.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ITV has ordered game show “Name That Tune,” based on the U.S. format, for ITV1 and ITVX. British television personality Alison Hammond is set as host.
(Source: Cynopsis)
VICE Studios has partnered with author Anika Jade Levy to bring her debut novel Flat Earth to the screen for television. “Flat Earth is fearless, biting, and darkly funny,” said Amy Powell, President of VICE Studios. “This is exactly the kind of bold, singular storytelling we want to champion.” Levy will serve as co-creator.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Comedy special “Lisa Ann Walter: It Was an Accident” drops Friday, May 15 on Hulu. Per the logline, the show “takes on feral Gen-Xers, self-loathing, and navigating a backsliding America, via the no-filter lens of a grown-ass woman who has been paying attention.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
“The Mystery of Richard Simmons: A Diane Sawyer Special,” chronicling the fitness guru’s rise to fame and cultural legacy, airs Tuesday, May 12 at 9 p.m. on CBS. After ten years out of the public eye, Simmons reached out personally to Diane Sawyer to tell his story. He sent her dozens of flowers with a note attached: “I Trust You.” But before the two could sit down together, news broke of Simmons’ sudden and unexplained death. The special now turns its lens on the mystery surrounding his final days.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Longtime entertainment publicist Audrey Beth Davis died May 1 at age 82. Davis worked on numerous shows, including “The Golden Girls,” “Empty Nest,” “The Love Boat,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Scarlett.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
POWERBALL
Today’s Jackpot is $20 million.
(One ticket costs $2.00)
Powerball is played in 43 states.
NYLottery.NY.gov
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The Devil Wears Prada 2 – $77 million
Michael – $54 million
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – $12.1 million
Project Hail Mary – $8.6 million
Hokum – $6.4 million
(Source: Box Office Mojo)
Keely's Korner 