FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news
ON TELEVISION (MONDAY 7/20/26)
HGTV: Ugliest House in America (Premiere) at 9p
HULU: King of the Hill
ID: A Killer Among Friends (Premiere) at 9pm
THE ROKU CHANNEL: Solo Traveling With Tracee Ellis Ross (Premiere)
A federal judge on Friday declined to issue an immediate ruling on an emergency bid to block the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, saying she would decide by July 22. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín heard arguments from a coalition of 12 Democratic states seeking a temporary restraining order — an initial move toward a preliminary injunction that could put the $110 billion deal on indefinite hold.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Google wants to put you on camera — no camera required. Two new features for Google Vids, its AI-powered video creator, are designed to streamline video creation: Gemini Omni and personal avatars. Gemini Omni lets users generate and edit video through natural language prompts, with the option to include image references like photos or sketches to guide output. The tool builds on the February rollout of Veo 3.1 and allows for iterative, chat-based editing — swapping backgrounds, adjusting lighting, or adding effects — on both AI-generated clips and self-shot footage. And personal avatars give users a camera-free way to appear on screen. By uploading a selfie and a short voice recording, users can create a digital likeness that delivers scripted messages on their behalf. Together, the features signal Google’s push to make professional-looking video accessible to anyone — whether or not they ever step in front of a lens.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Melissa Gilbert, best known for her role in the original “Little House on the Prairie” (which is currently being rebooted on Netflix) will not be returning to “When Calls the Heart” for Season 14.
- Gilbert, who appeared alongside the late Michael Landon on “Little House,” has been guest-starring for the past two seasons of the Hallmark Channel series, which was co-created by her former co-star’s son, Michael Landon Jr.
- Gilbert broke the news on Instagram, citing “budget issues” as the reason for her exit. “Many people have asked if I will be returning to ‘When Calls the Heart’ this coming season,” she wrote. “The answer to that is, no I will not.”
- The actress expressed gratitude to Michael Landon Jr. for bringing her into the Hope Valley fold. “I will be eternally grateful to my dear friend for giving me the chance to bring Georgie McGill to life,” she wrote, adding that she’s looking forward to “whatever comes next.”
- Hallmark confirmed the departure, noting that Gilbert’s storyline wrapped in Season 13. “We adore Melissa and are always grateful when we get to work with her,” the network said in a statement.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Ultimate Self-Defense Championship is expanding its footprint, which in combat sports terms means it has decided to start throwing punches in multiple directions at once. The series — which has spent three seasons teaching YouTube audiences how to survive parking garage altercations — will launch a female-focused spinoff this summer. A fourth season of the flagship show is also slated for later this year.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Mortal Kombat II” makes its streaming debut on Friday, July 24 on HBO Max, moving to linear the following night at 8 p.m. on HBO. The martial arts fantasy film was released in theaters on May 8.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The All-Star MLB game on Fox and Fox Deportes averaged 8.79 million viewers, to rank as the most-watched all-star game since 2018, up 21 percent over last year.
(Source: Cynopsis)
NYC RESTAURANT WEEK (JULY 20 – AUGUST 16, 2026)
https://www.nyctourism.com/restaurant-week/
POWERBALL
Today’s Jackpot is $544 million.
(One ticket costs $2.00)
Powerball is played in 43 states.
NYLottery.NY.gov
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
The Odyssey – $124.5 million
Moana (Live Action) – $19 million
Minions & Monsters – $14.8 million
Toy Story 5 – $14.8 million
Evil Dead Burn – $5 million
(Source: Box Office Mojo)
Keely's Korner 