Keely's Korner

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 2/20/20)
TLC: Save My Skin (Premiere) at 11pm

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang has joined CNN as a political commentator.The former Democratic presidential candidate, who drew followers known as the Yang Gang during his campaign, ended his run last week. “I’m excited to join @CNN to help shed light on the election and the candidates’ experiences. Learned a lot these past months and am glad to contribute to the public discussion,” Yang tweeted on Wednesday.
(Source: Cynopsis)

CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and CBS This Morning host Gayle King will anchor the February 25 Democratic candidate debate in South Carolina. Margaret Brennan, Major Garrett and Bill Whitaker will help question the presidential hopefuls. Twitter is a debate partner; the Congressional Black Caucus Institute will co-host. The event will be simulcast on BET.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Discovery, Inc. is developing a consumer products program inspired by adventurer Coyote Peterson, YouTube star and host of Animal Planet’s Coyote Peterson: Brave the Wild. Discovery will represent Peterson across all licensing categories and develop a consumer products program that extends his mission to engage the next generation of animal enthusiasts. “Coyote Peterson is a great example of Discovery talent whose personality transcends the screen and connects deeply with our passionate fans around the world,” said Carolann Dunn, VP, Consumer Products, Discovery, Inc. “Animal Planet serves animal lovers of all ages, and with Coyote we are thrilled to be able to connect with that younger audience through a line of fun, innovative and inspirational toys.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Paley Center for Media has moved out of its Beverly Hills location and into new offices in Century City. The Beverly Hills Public Library will house the center’s TV and radio archives, under a two-year lease. Three employees were let go as part of the relocation, reports Variety. “We are so proud to announce the Beverly Hills Public Library as the new home of the Paley Archive, and are incredibly grateful to the city of Beverly Hills for recognizing the historical and educational value of the Paley Archive,” said Maureen J. Reidy, the Paley Center’s President and CEO.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Entries are being accepted for the first edition of HITN TV’s ¡Tú Cuentas! Cine Youth Festival, running April 15 – May 15. The festival is designed to support emerging Latinx filmmakers. “We wanted to showcase the unique perspectives and experiences of young Latinos, and we decided the best way to do this was to give young Latinos a platform to express their perspectives,” said Michael D. Nieves, President and CEO of HITN.
(Source: Cynopsis)

HBO Max is getting in business with Real Housewives of New York City standout Bethenny Frankel. In The Big Shot with Bethenny (wt), from MGM Television, Mark Burnett and Frankel and her B Real Productions, the next generation of business moguls will compete for a chance to be second-in-command to the Skinnygirl founder.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Cosmos: Possible Worlds, hosted by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, premieres with back-to-back episodes on Nat Geo on Monday, March 9 at 8p. Series continues the long-running story that started in 1980 on PBS, Cosmos: A Personal Journey, with Carl Sagan.
(Source: Cynopsis)

MTV and Sean “Diddy” Combs didn’t have to look far to enlist judges for their Making the Band revival. Combs’ sons Christian Combs, Quincy Brown and Justin Combs are onboard the competition series, along with a returnee, celebrity choreographer LaurieAnn Gibson. The series revival, which launched on ABC in 2000 before moving to MTV from 2002-2009, will premiere in 2020.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Fuse Media and Genius, the media company that delivers music knowledge, announced a partnership that will bring Genius’s digital content to Fuse. Genius x Fuse will premiere on March 18. Series will feature Genius’s artist-centric content, including Verified, Deconstructed, and For The Record With Rob Markman, along with other existing formats that will air under the Genius x Fuse banner. Said Fuse Media Chief Content Officer J-T Ladt, “Partnering with such a credible resonating brand like Genius allows us to continue to expand our music culture-based content offerings to our growing young audience in an impactful way.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Daily Show writer and stand-up comedian Josh Johnson is set to commence production on his first one-hour stand-up special, in Chicago. Trevor Noah Presents: Josh Johnson will be taping at The Laugh Factory on Saturday, April 4, for a 2020 premiere on Comedy Central.
(Source: Cynopsis)

History is launching a new non-fiction programming strand, “History’s Greatest Mysteries,” hosted and narrated by Laurence Fishburne (black-ish, The Matrix) that will investigate historical events and topics and the mysteries surrounding them. Slated to launch this summer, programs will offer new evidence and perspectives including never-before-released documents to the general public, personal diaries and DNA evidence. Initial projects (all working titles) include: Titanic’s Lost Evidence; The Escape of John Wilkes Booth; Roswell: The First Witness; The Final Hunt for DB Cooper; Bermuda Triangle: Expedition to the Abyss; Endurance: The Hunt for Shackleton’s Ice Ship; and Hunting Hitler’s U-Boats.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Cartoon Network’s Ben 10 vs. The Universe: The Movie is currently in production and set to premiere this fall, with new settings and characters from the series. Season four of Ben 10 air Sundays at 10a.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In more kids’ content news, multiplatform animated preschool brand Zoonicorn has teamed with Toonz Media Group for a development, co-production and distribution partnership that will launch 52 seven-minute episodes in 2021. The 3D CGI content will be distributed for the worldwide TV and digital marketplace by Toonz.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lifetime gave a series order to Battlefield of Love, a docu-series centered on members of the military who fell in love with civilians they met online. “Battlefield of Love is another authentic offering in our core relationship genre,” said Gena McCarthy, EVP and Head of Lifetime Unscripted. “This dating phenomenon really happens, and the series blends aspects of Army Wives with Married at First Sight, with incredibly high stakes and a legitimate ticking clock.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Nickelodeon renewed Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Top Elf and The Casagrandes for second seasons, as well as 10 more episodes of freshman reboot All That. Also returning to the kids’ net are Blue’s Clues & You! for season three; Blaze and the Monster Machines and Bubble Guppies for sixth seasons; and PAW Patrol for season eight.
(Source: Cynopsis)

New shows coming to Nick include action-adventure series The Astronauts, taking off this summer; TV-movie The Loud House: A Very Loud Christmas!; animated series Big Nate; Henry Danger spin-off Danger Force, premiering Saturday, March 28; Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan, bowing Saturday, February 29; and prequel Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Aspiring food truck owners compete for big-money opportunities in a new season of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race: Gold Coast, launching Thursday, March 26 at 9p. First stop: Los Angeles.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In Smithsonian Channel’s Humboldt: Epic Explorer, historian Andrea Wulf follows the footsteps of German scientist Alexander von Humboldt, who over 200 years ago made revolutionary discoveries about the natural world during travels across the South American continent. Docu-drama launches Wednesday, March 25 at 8p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Chris Anderson and criminal defense attorney Fatima Silva team up again for a third season of Reasonable Doubt, helping families who are convinced that their loved ones were wrongfully convicted of murder. Series returns to Investigation Discovery on Tuesday, March 3 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Also on ID, the net is teaming with the New York Post for a pair of true crime shows. Torn From the Headlines: New York Post Reports takes viewers “into some of the most inconceivable crimes of all time,” starting Monday, March 16 at 10p. New York Post Reports: Off the Record will be available on IDGO on March 30. “When you think of New York, there’s great pizza, Broadway … and the New York Post. Their headlines are infamous, and their crime reporting is what investigative reporting is all about,” said Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Escapade Media has sold its new TV series, Crash Test World, to Discovery for the US and Canada. Hosted by Kari Byron (MythBusters), series takes viewers on a journey to explore how history, technology, culture and people come together to make the world a better place. Andrew Zimmern’s Intuitive Content is producing the 6-parter.
(Source: Cynopsis)

My Perfect Landing jumps to Canada’s Family Channel on Sunday, March 1 at 11:30a. Drama stars real-life gymnast Morgan Wigle as a gymnast who moves to a new city when her parents get an opportunity to start their own gymnastics club.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Paradise Lost drops Monday, April 13, ad-free on Spectrum Original’s on-demand platform. Gothic mystery series set in small-town Mississippi stars Josh Hartnett as a prodigal son returning to his hometown.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Women’s lifestyle site Popsugar is expanding its experiential IP with a one-day “Grounded” fitness and wellness event on Saturday, March 7 at Goya Studios LA to kick off International Women’s Day. The event is inspired by the media brand’s two most popular villages, fitness and wellness.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Fox News will host a town hall with Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar on Thursday, February 27, moderated by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. It’s FNC’s eighth town hall of the election season, and second with Klobucar.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Sundance Now nabbed US rights to six-part Australian drama series The Secrets She Keeps from DCD Rights. Based on the novel by Michael Robotham, the Lingo Pictures Production is written by Sarah Walker (All Saints) and Jonathan Gavin (Offspring) and stars Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey), Jessica de Gouw (The Crown), and Michael Dorman (Patriot). Domestic noir thriller will make its exclusive US premiere on the streamer in 2020.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Paley Center for Media added a lineup of new programs to its spring calendar. Among the offerings: Girls Trip & First Wives Club: An Evening with Creative Powerhouse Tracy Oliver on Thursday, April 9; 50 Years of PBS on Monday, May 4; and Lessons in Leadership: A Candid Conversation with Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn CEO, and his father, Bruce Weiner, on Wednesday, April 29. Events take place at the center’s NYC location.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The third annual Disney Channel Fan Fest kicks off at at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, California, on Saturday, May 9. The event will also expand to Lake Buena Vista, Florida, during the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival at Walt Disney World Resort over three weekends (May 16-17, May 23-24 and May 30-31).
(Source: Cynopsis)

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues alums Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd will re-team as stars of MRC Television dark comedy The Shrink Next Door, based on the podcast…Annaleigh Ashford (Masters of Sex) landed the female lead in CBS comedy pilot B Positive. Ashford is also co-starring as Paula Jones in FX’s Impeachment: American Horror Story…Odessa Young (Assassination Nation) and Ella Rumpf (Raw) have boarded HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice…Patina Miller (Madam Secretary) has joined Starz’ Power prequel Power Book III: Raising Kanan.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY 
West Side Story is opening on Thursday February 20, 2020
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/west-side-story/

The Minutes starts previews on Tuesday February 25, 2020
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/minutes/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 2/13/20)
ID: Man With a Van (Premiere) at 9pm
OXYGEN: Killer Couples (Premiere) at 8pm
OXYGEN: In Ice Cold Blood (Premiere) at 9pm
PARAMOUNT NETWORK: Wife Swap (Premiere) at 9pm
A&E: Alaska PD (Finale) at 9pm

Entertainment Studios has closed on the acquisition of 11 broadcast television stations for $305 million – and it looks like they’re just getting warmed up. “Over the past six months we’ve invested nearly $500 million to acquire best-in-class, top-tier broadcast network affiliates,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Entertainment Studios/Allen Media Group. “We plan to invest approximately ten billion dollars to acquire ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox television stations over the next three years with the goal of being one of the largest broadcast television groups in America.” The most recent acquisition of 11 stations, serving nine US markets, was from USA Television.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Epix renewed Godfather of Harlem, starring Forest Whitaker, for a 10-episode second season. Drama from ABC Signature Studios tells a story inspired by infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Nickelodeon parent ViacomCBS released a study that found that 72% of kids globally play a role in household decisions, with 60% of parents saying that when watching TV together, their child usually decides what to watch. In “Are We There Yet?: Today’s Parents, Tomorrow’s Kids,” 58% of parents surveyed said they use TV or screen time to reward good behavior from their children, and 84% said watching TV together is good for family bonding.
(Source: Cynopsis)

It’s not just about funny cat videos – a study from Whistle Wise found that millennial and Gen Z audiences actively seek out inspirational content online, too. Six percent of inspiration seekers find their desired content on YouTube, which is 181% more than Amazon Prime Video, 95% more than cable TV, and 19% more than Netflix, according to the “Capturing More Than Just Their Impressions” report.
(Source: Cynopsis)

News wire Reuters has launched a fact checking unit aimed at flagging misinformation on social media, in partnership with Facebook’s Third Party Fact-Checking Program. The unit will verify content posted on Facebook and Instagram and identify media that is false or misleading. “It’s a growing issue that impacts society daily and it’s a responsibility for news organizations and platforms to halt the spread of false news,” said Jess April, Director of Global Partnerships, Reuters. “Reuters has a superior track record in sourcing, verifying and clearing user-generated content for distribution to thousands of clients globally and we are best placed in using our in-house expertise to fact check social media content.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

In related news, Twitter is teaming with the US Census Bureau to reduce the spread of misinformation around the 2020 population count, with the launch of a new tool. When someone searches for certain keywords associated with the Census, a prompt will direct them to the official Census site, where they’ll get accurate info. It’s not Twitter’s first Census dance – the social networking service also partnered with the bureau in November to host training at TwitterDC that educated civil society partners about the platform’s civic integrity policies and best practice content tactics.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Winners of the 2020 Kidscreen Awards were announced in Miami, with shows from Netflix, Amazon, Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop and more taking home trophies.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Peach Maria Productions is producing GameMaster, a new esports reality show hosted by Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) featuring 12 amateur contestants living in the same house as they compete for a $100,000 prize. Nine-parter is expected to debut on a streaming service (TBD) in spring 2020.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Stephanie Allain, co-producer of the 2020 Academy Awards, inked a multi-year first-look deal at Warner Horizon Scripted Television. Allain will develop new scripted programming for cable and broadcast networks and streaming services.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Netflix nabbed a docu-series about young tennis star Naomi Osaka from Uninterrupted and Film 45. “It won’t look like a traditional sports documentary, and I’m so excited to share it with everyone,” said Osaka of the so-far-untitled series.
(Source: Cynopsis)

New series Three Busy Debras and Beef House debut on Adult Swim on Sunday, March 29 at midnight and 12:15, respectively. Three Busy Debras follows three women named Debra in the affluent suburb of Lemoncurd, while Beef House centers on five men living under one roof.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Limited series The Third Day makes its HBO debut on Monday, May 11, with six stand-alone, but interconnected episodes divided between “Summer” and “Winter.” Jude Law (The New Pope) stars in “Summer” as a man drawn to a mysterious island off the British Coast, while Naomi Harris (Moonlight) plays a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island in “Winter.” An immersive theater event will take place midway through the show’s run.
(Source: Cynopsis)

TLC’s Little People, Big World returns on Tuesday, March 31 at 9p. For those who can’t get enough of the Roloffs, digital series Little People Big World: Inside the Episode will be available on the TLC GO app each Tuesday after the regular episode premiere.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Some of the most shocking cases of espionage in the last 50 years are explored in Smithsonian Channel’s eight-episode Spy Wars with Damian Lewis, premiering Sunday, March 22 at 8p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Kings of confection Buddy Valastro (Cake Boss) and Duff Goldman (Ace of Cakes) face off again in season two of Food Network’s Buddy vs. Duff, starting Sunday, March 15 at 9p. Viewers needing a refresher on the rivalry can check out special Buddy vs. Duff: Road to Rematch at 8p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season 12 of The Real Housewives of New York City premieres on Bravo Thursday, April 2 at 9p. Dropping into the drama this go-round is an “edgy downtown girl [who] has the ladies clutching their pearls.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

NBC set season premiere dates for three alternative series. Little Big Shots returns “in a completely reimagined season” on Sunday, March 1 at 8p, with a special preview on Monday, February 24 at 10p after the season debut of The Voice. The Wall is back Sunday, March 15 at 7p, with Chris Hardwick returning as host, and Songland starts season two on Monday, April 13 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Pete Davidson’s (SNL) first stand-up comedy special for Netflix, Pete Davidson: Alive From New York, drops on the streamer on Tuesday, February 25.
(Source: Cynopsis)

CuriosityStream has teamed with Gedeon Programmes and the Archaeological Park of Pompeii for documentary Pompeii: Disaster Street, premiering Thursday, March 19. The film follows archaeologists over 10 months as they excavate the site of Vesuvius’s eruption, revealing evidence of daily life, works of art, mythical figures, and human remains buried for 2000 years.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Discovery special #TeamPluto focuses on the controversy surrounding Pluto, once considered the ninth planet in the solar system, but reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006. YouTube host Nick Uha joins astronomers, scientists and historians for the show, premiering at 11p on Tuesday, February 18, the 90th anniversary of Pluto’s discovery.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ET is on location in London for Royal Revolution: Harry & Meghan On Their Own, a special episode of the newsmag airing Monday February 17 (check local listings). ET is also on the ground in Canada, to offer a look and the new life of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new life.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls) landed the lead in upcoming Disney+ series The Mighty Ducks, based on the ‘90s movie franchise. Brady Noon (Good Boys) will play her son…Look for Dave Annable to guest on an episode of NBC’s This Is Us this season. Annable starred on Fox’s Red Band Society, where This Is Us’ Mandy Moore recurred as his character’s former fiancée…John Carroll Lynch (American Horror Story) will co-star in upcoming ABC procedural thriller The Big Sky…John Corbett (Northern Exposure) joins Katey Sagal in ABC drama pilot Rebel, inspired by the life of Erin Brockovich.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Tuesday’s special live episode of ABC’s The Conners shot up over its last original telecast two weeks ago by 19% in total viewers (6.3 million vs. 5.3 million) to deliver its most-watched telecast this season. The episode, airing during the New Hampshire primary, beat its most-recent original by 22% in A18-49 (1.1/6 vs. 0.9/5).
(Source: Cynopsis)

The return of the XFL was a winner, with week one football games averaging over 3.1 million viewers across Fox, ABC and ESPN. Fox’s Tampa Bay/New York competition on Sunday was the weekend’s highest scorer, Nielsen-wise, delivering 3.4 million viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
Six is starting previews on Thursday February 13, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/six/

David Byrne’s American Utopia is closing on Sunday February 16, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/david-byrnes-american-utopia/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 2/6/20)
CBS: Tommy (Premiere) at 10pm
CW: Katy Keene (Premiere) at 8pm
HGTV: Hot Properties: San Diego (Premiere) at 10pm
USA: The Sinner (Premiere) at 9pm
USA: Briarpatch (Premiere) at 10pm
WE TV: Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars (Premiere) at 10pm
ID: Dead of Winter (Finale) at 9pm

Say hello to Warner Max, a new feature film production arm for HBO Max. The joint venture between Warner Bros. Pictures Group and HBO Max will launch in May to ensure the forthcoming streaming platform has a steady stream of original films, with an initial target of eight to 10 per year. New venture will be overseen by HBO Max’s chief content officer Kevin Reilly and Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich, who will share responsibility for green-lighting content.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Chock up more YouTube records for the Biebs. The premiere episode of Justin Bieber: Seasons docuseries is YouTube Originals’ most-watched debut episode ever during the first week, according to the platform. Bieber also is the first artist to reach 50 million subscribers on his YouTube artist channel, and is the most-subscribed artist on YT. Seasons premiere ep drew 32.65 million viewers reaching 97 countries. That audience handily beat out the season 2 premiere of Liza on Demand (25.4 million) and Cobra Kai S2 (21 million). The doc is produced by Bieber Time Films, SB Projects and OBB Pictures.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lester Holt, Chuck Todd, Hallie Jackson, Noticias Telemundo’s Vanessa Hauc and the Nevada Independent’s Jon Ralston will moderate the Democratic debate in Las Vegas on February 19. Sponsored by NBC News and MSNBC, the debate precedes the Nevada caucuses by three days and is the first under new criteria put in place by the DNC.
(Source: Cynopsis)

E! once again set up headquarters at Spring Studios—the official home of New York Fashion Week—to bring viewers an exclusive and inside look at one of the year’s biggest fashion events. Multiplatform coverage begins this week including exclusive fittings, backstage interviews and collection walk-throughs with Lisa Rinna, Delilah and Amelia Hamlin, Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, Serena Williams, Billy Porter and Brandon Maxwell.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Jamie Foxx will receive the Excellence in Arts Awards at the Black Film Festival Honors, February 23 in LA. Others being feted at the event are Louis Gossett Jr., Lena Waithe, Cynthia Erivo and HBO series The Wire.
(Source: Cynopsis)

First Ladies, starring and exec-produced by Viola Davis, is a go at Showtime. The net gave a series order to the first season of the drama, which focuses on impactful First Ladies and will star Davis Michelle Obama. Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Ford also will be featured in season one. From Lionsgate Television, series also will be exec-produced by Julius Tennon, Cathy Schulman (Crash, Five Feet Apart), Jeff Gaspin (Rhythm + Flow, L.A.’s Finest), Brad Kaplan (Mr. Church) and author Aaron Cooley.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Amazon Studios acquired The Dark of the Night, based on the upcoming third novel in Meg Gardiner’s UNSUB series, and will develop it as a drama series. Book series features a young FBI agent pursuing other UNSUBs, aka Unknown Subjects, the FBI’s name for an unknown serial killer.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Stanley Tucci will traverse Italy on a culinary adventure in upcoming CNN original series Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. Four-part series, from Three Identical Strangers and Raw Television, will see Tucci travel to different regions as he delves into the history of cuisine and culture.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Writer/producer Wellesley Wild (Family Guy) inked an exclusive, multiyear deal with Warner Bros. Animation—the studio’s first major producer. Wild’s overall deal will see him develop, write and produce new animated projects for adult, kids and family audiences, and also encompasses the other scripted programming divisions of the Warner Bros. Television Group.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Production is underway on season 2 of Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, slated to debut on Disney+ in late 2020. This go-round, East High drama students prepare to perform Beauty & The Beast as their spring musical. Series is created and exec-produced by Tim Federle (Ferdinand).
(Source: Cynopsis)

Broadway Video’s Above Average Productions and film/TV producer M. Blair Breard are teaming for a premium scripted content production company. Breard continue to develop projects independently.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Next project for Left Bank, producer of The Crown, is a four-part adaptation of Robert Harris’ novel The Fear Index, for British broadcaster Sky. Set at a fictional hedge fund in Geneva, story follows an American expat physicist, who stays out of the public spotlight but in private sits atop a potent cocktail of in AI and hedge funds.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The US division of Yellow Bird, a joint venture of Bunim/Murray Productions, is adapting Krystal Sutherland’s novel A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares into a series. Story centers on a 17-year old girl who believes everyone in her family has been cursed with a debilitating phobia that will ultimately kill them.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The final, frenetic months before Marilyn Monroe’s death in 1962 are the centerpiece of 101 Studios and Seven Seas Films series The Last Days Of Marilyn Monroe, adapted from Keith Badman’s book The Final Years Of Marilyn Monroe: The Shocking True Story.
(Source: Cynopsis)

UK’s House Productions optioned screen rights to Jack Fairweather’s The Volunteer, the true story of a covert operative who volunteered to be captured and taken to Nazi death camp Auschwitz in order to infiltrate the camp, organize a resistance and ultimately attack the Nazi forces.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ID returns The Lake Erie Murders, where something sinister lurks in the waters, for season 2 on Sunday, February 9 at 10p. Series follows murders and mysteries in the Great Lake region.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The third season of Acorn TV’s Agatha Raisin premieres Monday, February 10, with three 90-minute episodes on tap. “She’s so supremely confident, and sometimes doesn’t really give a s**t about how other people feel really,” is how star Ashley Jensen describes the titular character. “I think I’m a bit more worried about other people’s feelings than she is. It’s quite freeing to play a character like that, but if she came into the room I think I’d just let her control the room. I can hold my own, but I’m not competing with that!”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Married at First Sight spinoff Bride & Prejudice: Forbidden Love is moving from FYI to sister net Lifetime for its second season. Bowing Wednesday, February 26 at 10p, season 2 again features Pastor Cal Roberson helping couples whose friends and families don’t approve of their relationships.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The season five premiere of Total Bellas muscles back to E! on Thursday, April 6 at 10p. Season five features Brie Bella, Nikki Bella, Daniel Bryan and Artem Chigventsev, as a romantic proposal is planned and twin pregnancies are revealed.
(Source: Cynopsis)

IMDb TV, the Amazon-owned free, ad-supported streamer, acquired rights to Desperate Housewives and more than 20 additional scripted shows controlled by Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International division. Additional content includes My So-Called Life, White Collar and The Glades. Many of the shows will have their free streaming exclusives on IMDb.
(Source: Cynopsis)

CBS Sports Network celebrates Black History Month with the premiere of Jacksonville U: Can Do! on Sunday, February 9 at 7p. One-hour doc chronicles Jacksonville University’s memorable NCAA Tournament run led by All-American Artis Gilmore and Head Coach Joe Williams, which took place 50 years ago this March.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Monday, February 10 episode of Nat Geo’s Brain Games will feature actor/musician Jack Black and his Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass learning how music affects the brain. Among highlights, Black will test his brain power in the Gauntlet, and then be joined by singer/songwriter Meghan Trainor for an improvised jam session.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Beginning Tuesday, February 11, ABC spices things up with Valentine’s Day-themed eps of comedies including Modern Family visiting the city of love, Paris; Tommy Lee appearing on The Goldbergs; and Tyler Cameron, formerly of The Bachelorette, guesting on Single Parents. The net will air Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Valentine on Friday, February 14.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Cinelatino is celebrating the month of love with a lineup of box-office romcoms, beginning with La Boda de Valentina on Sunday, February 9, at 9p and concluding February 16 with Camino a Marte.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lior Raz (Fauda), co-creator and exec producer of Netflix’s Hit and Run, will also headline the upcoming series. He joins female lead Sanaa Lathan (The Affair), Kaelen Ohm (Queen of Spades), Moran Rosenblatt (Fauda), and Gregg Henry (Scandal); Gal Toren (Para Aduma) guest stars… Also at Netflix, Carmel Laniado (Doolittle) joined the second season of The Witcher in a supporting role, and Jennifer Esposito is set for a lead role opposite Julia Garner and Anna Chlumsky in Inventing Anna. Additionally, Zach Gilford (The Purge: Anarchy), Kate Siegel (The Haunting of Hill House) and Hamish Linklater (Legion) will topline Midnight Mass, a seven-ep Netflix horror series.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In a recasting, O’Shea Jackson Jr. is in as the lead of Apple’s basketball-themed drama Swagger… Medalion Rahimi, who recurred on CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles since last season, has been upped to series regular… West Duchovny scored a series regular gig opposite Jordana Spiro and Josh Andrés Rivera in HBo Max’s Vegas High… The CW’s Superman & Lois cast the iconic couple’s sons, with Jordan Elsass and Alexander Garfin joining the series.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
Girl From The North Country is starting previews on Friday February 7, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/girl-north-from-the-country/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 1/23/20)
ABC: Station 19 (Premiere) at 8pm
AXS TV: The Very VERY Best of the 70’s (Premiere) at 8:30pm
COURT TV: OJ25 (Premiere) at 9pm
FOX: Outmatched (Premiere) at 8:30pm
FREEFORM: The Bold Type (Premiere) at 9pm
HISTORY: Swamp People (Premiere) at 9pm
REELZ: Inside The Mind of a Serial Killer (Premiere) at 8pm
NBC: Perfect Harmony (Finale) at 9:30pm
OXYGEN: An Unexpected Killer (Finale) at 8pm

Bill Abbott, President and CEO of Hallmark Channel parent Crown Media Family Networks, is leaving the company after 11 years, effective tomorrow. “I want to thank Bill for his many years of success and contributions to Crown Media and wish him continued success,” said Mike Perry, President and CEO of Hallmark Cards, which owns Crown Media. While no reason was given for the exit of Abbott, who saw Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” programming propel the network up the ratings chart, last month, Hallmark drew criticism for pulling a Zola.com ad featuring a same-sex couple. Days later, Perry issued an apology and reversed the decision. Perry said he will begin a search for Abbott’s replacement. “I have tremendous confidence in the Crown Media management team,” Perry added. “In a time when there is immense competition among television networks and streaming services, it is more important than ever that we find relevant new ways to grow our business and continue to produce high quality programming that resonates with our growing audience.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

NBCUniversal is flying high over streaming service Peacock. “Peacock can transcend the generations because we’re providing content for everyone,” said Laura Molen, President of Ad Sales and Partnerships for NBCU, at NATPE. Comcast reports its 4Q19 earnings this morning; the streaming service, with a tiered subscription model, launches April 15 for Comcast Xfinity X1 and Flex subscribers, and nationwide July 15.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos, World News Tonight anchor and managing editor David Muir and ABC News correspondent Linsey Davis will moderate The Democratic Debate in New Hampshire on Friday, February 7 at 8p on ABC. They’ll be joined by WMUR-TV political director Adam Sexton and WMUR-TV news anchor Monica Hernandez. Muir will anchor World News Tonight from the debate hall in Manchester on Thursday, February 6, and Friday; Stephanopoulos will anchor GMA and anchor Byron Pitts will anchor Nightline from Manchester on Friday. ABC News is partnering with Apple News and Hearst Television’s WMUR-TV for the event.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Supreme Court refused to hear Facebook’s appeal of a lower court ruling that allows Illinois residents to sue the social media giant. Facebook is accused of violating the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act with its facial-recognition software. Facebook argues that the lawsuit should be dismissed since Illinois residents weren’t harmed by its photo-tagging function.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard is suing Hillary Clinton for defamation, citing the former presidential candidate’s saying in October, on the podcast Campaign HQ, that a candidate assumed to be Gabbard is “the favorite of the Russians” and being groomed to be a third-party candidate. Gabbard “has seen her political and personal reputation smeared and her candidacy intentionally damaged by Clinton’s malicious and demonstrably false remarks,” said her lawyer. Gabbard is seeking $50 million.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Producers and entrepreneurs L.C. Crowley and Brandon Barr, along with animator and VFX artist Grzegorz Jonkajtys, announced the launch of Trioscope Studios, dedicated to next-generation enhanced hybrid animation. The LA- based studio will be developing original dramatic content as well as adapting and producing third party intellectual property. Crowley will serve as CEO with Barr as Chief Content Officer and Jonkajtys as Chief Creative Officer. Joining them is Brian Lavin, SVP of Development.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ABC gave a pilot order to Harlem’s Kitchen, an ensemble family drama set in a restaurant in Harlem. Project comes from writer Zahir McGhee (For the People), Mandeville Television and ABC Studios.
(Source: Cynopsis)

TNT has put into development Liars Club, reports Deadline. The dramedy/thriller about a woman living two very different lives comes from Amy Rutberg (Daredevil), Paul Giamatti and Dan Carey’s Touchy Feely Films, Christopher Silber (NCIS: New Orleans) and CBS Television Studios.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In development at Amazon is a series based on James Patterson’s best-selling Alex Cross novels. Project comes from Amazon Studios, Paramount Television Studios and Skydance Television.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ITV Studios has sold a range of scripted content to the US. Brassic, Sky’s highest-rating comedy in seven years, has been acquired by Hulu; Gold Digger, a character-driven relationship thriller, is headed to Acorn TV; and new comedy drama The Trouble with Maggie Cole, which delves into what happens when idle gossip escalates out of control, has been picked up by PBS Distribution. ITV has also teamed with BritBox North America to co-produce the up-coming six-part mystery series McDonald & Dodds, about a pair of mismatched police detectives.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars returns for its final 12 episodes on Disney+ on Friday, February 21.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Strange email messages following the disappearance of Christopher Smith led to the revelation that his business partner, Edward Shin, had murdered him, then covered it up. A two-hour 20/20 broadcast on Friday January 24 at 9p, and multipart podcast, tell the story of how authorities connected the dots to get Shin sent to prison for life. Podcast starts Thursday, February 27, with new episodes posting every Thursday.
(Source: Cynopsis)

She’s the boss: Judith Light (Transparent) will be honored with the Excellence in Media Award at the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards on March 19 in NYC. Lilly Singh, openly bisexual executive producer and host of NBC’s A Little Late with Lilly Singh, will serve as host of the Awards; Ryan Murphy will receive the Vito Russo Award.
(Source: Cynopsis)

On the series finale of ID’s Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda, Detective Kenda is called in to investigate a triple homicide and discovers one of his most personally brutal murders to date. Titled “The End,” the episode airs Wednesday, January 29 at 9p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The premiere of Paramount Network’s Army medic drama 68 Whiskey delivered 2 million viewers in Live+3 Nielsens, making it the most-watched cable drama series debut since November 2018.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Tuesday debut of Univision’s Rubí reached nearly 3 million Total Viewers 2+ who tuned in to all or part of the one-hour premiere. Rubi averaged 1.7 million Total Viewers 2+, 749,000 A18-49 and 256,000 A18-34. On Sunday, the second telecast of Univision reality series Mira Quien Baila All Stars averaged 1.9 million total viewers 2+, 679,000 A18-49 and 257,000 A18-34.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The January 17 episode of WE tv spin-off After Lockup: Life After Lockup was the highest performing episode for the series among A5-54 and total viewers, and also achieved season high ratings across all key demos, including W18-49, W25-54, A25-54 and total viewers. The most recent episode garnered more than 1.3 million viewers in Nielsen Live+3 ratings and also grew its ratings across all key demos.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Nickelodeon’s animated series It’s Pony was the net’s biggest animated series launch since 2018’s The Adventures of Kid Danger, posting double-digit gains over last year with Kids 2-11 (2.1/453,000, up +24%) and Kids 6-11 (1.9/250,000, +27%).

In syndication news, freshman The Kelly Clarkson Show climbed 20% in the target W25-54 demo the week of January 6 and extended its winning streak among the season’s newcomers to 18 weeks, despite being one of the shows negatively affected by coverage in the aftermath of Iran’s missile strike on US bases in Iraq. Meanwhile, the top entertainment magazines nabbed big rating increases following the Golden Globe Awards on January 5. Entertainment Tonight (new season high 3.0, up 20%) claimed sole possession of first place among magazines with its strongest Nielsens since the week of March 11, overtaking Inside Edition (2.9, up 16%).
(Source: Cynopsis)

The premiere of Lifetime’s Robin Roberts Presents: Stolen By My Mother: The Kamiyah Mobley Story on Saturday ranked as the #1 telecast across television with W25-54, drawing 2 million total viewers, 776,000 A25-54 and 538,000 W25-54, according to Nielsen. It was Lifetime’s best movie premiere since Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance in May 2018.
(Source: Cynopsis)

UniMás achieved double-digit year-over-year audience growth during primetime the week of January 13 among Total Viewers 2+ (+73% to 556,000), A18-49 (+93% to 264,000) and A18-34 (+70% to 109,000), marking the thirteenth consecutive week of audience growth.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Author and actor Terry Jones, co-founder of Monty Python, died at age 77. He was diagnosed with dementia in 2015. “He was far more than one of the funniest writer-performers of his generation, he was the complete Renaissance comedian – writer, director, presenter, historian, brilliant children’s author, and the warmest, most wonderful company you could wish to have,” said Monty Python member Michael Palin.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Sheldon Cooper, former GM of Chicago’s WGN-Channel 9 and founding President of Tribune Entertainment died of obstructive pulmonary disease on January 19. He was 93. “Sheldon was a pioneer, bringing talent such as Mike Douglas and Phil Donahue to the Chicago market,” said Paul Rennie, VP and GM of WGN.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Producer/showrunner David Valentine Osper died December 30 of cancer. He was 47. Known for work on shows like Road Rules, Storage Hunters and Ancient Aliens, Osper most recently served as Vice President, Unscripted Development at MTV.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Billy Eichner (American Horror Story) will play Matt Drudge in FX limited series American Crime Story: Impeachment…Rosario Dawson (Daredevil) landed the lead in HBO Max pilot DMZ, based on the DC comic book series…Johnny Flynn (Beast) will star with Andrew Scott in Showtime drama Ripley, based on the Tom Ripley novels by Patricia Highsmith.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
Grand Horizons with James Cromwell, Jane Alexander, Michael Urie and Ben McKenzie is opening on Thursday January 23, 2019.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/grand-horizons/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 1/16/20)
ABC: The Last Days of Richard Pryor (Premiere) at 9pm
FREEFORM: grown-ish (Premiere) at 8pm
FREEFORM: Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Premiere) at 8:30pm
ID: Hometown Homicide (Premiere) at 10pm

Overall viewership of cable networks dipped nearly 10% in 2019, according to MoffettNathanson Research, thanks mostly to the defection of younger viewers. Total day for the A18-49 demo was down an average of 15% in C3 viewing; viewership for those 50+ dipped 4%. News programming was especially hard hit, down 23% among younger viewers, versus just 1% among 50+.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The value of pirate video services accessed by pay TV and non-pay TV users will exceed $67 billion worldwide by 2023, according to a report from Parks and Associates, Video Piracy: Ecosystem, Risks and Impact. “Credential sharing falls into two categories. Most sharing is casual, with no intent to profit. But the bigger risk is from pirates that purchase large stolen consumer databases via the ‘Dark Web’ and use automation to discover penetrable end user accounts,” said Steven Hawley, contributing analyst at Parks Associates and managing director of Piracy Monitor.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Apple TV+ and director M. Night Shyamalan were slapped with a lawsuit over the streamer’s Servant series. The lawsuit, alleging the show is “a wholesale copy” of plaintiff Francesca Gregorini’s 2013 feature film, The Truth About Emanuel, seeks to shut down Servant, and collect damages.
(Source: Cynopsis)

George Cheeks, Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios, is leaving for a senior role at ViacomCBS, reports the Wall Street Journal, possibly to succeed Joe Ianniello as head of CBS. Before joining NBCU, Cheeks spent 14 years at Viacom.
(Source: Cynopsis)

“There is little doubt that Netflix has structured itself to avoid paying tax,” said UK think tank Tax Watch in a report that alleges the company funneled up to $430 million of profits into tax havens, while receiving over $1 million in tax relief in Britain. Nothing to see here, responded Netflix. “Corporate taxation is an important and much-debated issue,” said a Netflix spokesperson. “Ultimately, it’s for governments to decide the rules when it comes to tax – and in every country in which we operate, Netflix respects those rules.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

WarnerMedia is expanding its relationship with All Elite Wrestling, extending their deal for AEW: Dynamite, a new top 20 new unscripted series, through 2023. The deal also includes another night of AEW action, with a second wrestling show going straight-to-series. “When we launched AEW one year ago, we wanted to start a revolution that would disrupt the wrestling business, but everyone said that it would take a strong weekly television partner to make AEW real in the eyes of everyone – above all, the fans,” said Tony Khan, president and CEO of AEW. “What virtually no one realized at the time was Kevin Reilly and TNT were committed to this very same movement from Day One, and their belief in us made it possible for AEW to think and act big from the start.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

TBS greenlit Lost Resort, it was announced at the TCA tour. Unscripted series follows a group of people at a three-week Costa Rican retreat. “Lost Resort is an inside look at the exclusive, explosive and often hilariously experimental world of self-help retreats,” said Corie Henson, EVP and head of unscripted programming for TBS, TNT and truTV. “Wait until you see the lengths people will go in their quest for happiness.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

TBS also ordered two more seasons of American Dad!. Said co-creator and co-showrunner Matt Weitzman of the animated comedy, which moved from Fox to TBS in 2014, “After these next two seasons, we will have over 300 episodes. Thus proving that whatever American Dad! lacks in quality, we make up for in quantity.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Animal Planet’s The Aquarium is back for season two on Sunday, February 9 at 8p. This season, the series follows the stories of a moray eel moving from one habitat to another, a giant sea turtle named Tank who needs to learn healthier eating habits, and baby fantail rays Bacon and Tomato. Camera crews also follow Georgia Aquarium biologists under the nighttime waves, to film a rarely witnessed event: the spawning of critically endangered corals.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The 40th season of CBS’s Survivor will feature 20 past winners competing for a $2 million prize. The “Winners at War” edition “unites the most memorable, heroic and celebrated champions from the past two decades in the biggest battle in the show’s history,” said the network. Games begin Wednesday, February 12; retrospective special Survivor at 40: Greatest Moments and Players airs February 5.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Mark Ruffalo, star of HBO’s limited series adaptation of the 1998 novel I Know This Much Is True, said at TCA that there was a six-week break between shooting the twin characters he plays. “We didn’t want it to be like, I run and put a wig on and then do the same scene I just did,” the actor explained. Instead, he used the hiatus to pack on 30 pounds to portray the twin brother who suffered from mental illness. “These medications, these mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics, a lot of people put on weight … It was important for us to have these guys really, really be two different people,” he told reporters.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The two-hour season premiere of Discovery’s Expedition Unknown on Wednesday, February 5 at 8p will be followed by the debut of a new series, Expedition X, where Unknown host Josh Gates will be joined by Phil Torres and Jessica Chobot to investigate reports of supernatural encounters and extraterrestrial phenomena.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Outcry, a five-part docu-series exploring the controversial conviction of a high school football star for sexual assault, premieres on Showtime Friday, April 3 at 9p. The show will have its world premiere at the South by Southwest Conference.
(Source: Cynopsis)

It’s Personal with Amy Hoggart makes its debut on truTV on Wednesday, February 26 at 10p. Docu-style comedy series exec produced by Samantha Bee has self-proclaimed “empath and really nice person” Hoggart attempting to untangle people’s issues.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In more truTV news, announced at TCA: Hot Ones: The Game Show, based on the Hot Ones web series, premieres Tuesday, February 18 at 10p, and Tacoma FD returns for season two on Thursday, March 26 at 10p. The net also ordered Tirdy Works, an unscripted sitcom focused on a small town with a new business – arts and crafts made out of moose poop.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season four of Insecure will premiere Sunday, April 12 on HBO. The season will see “the fallout of what happens when turning 30,” said creator and star Issa Rae at TCA.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Adult Swim’s Beef House, from Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim (Tim and Eric Awesome Show) will focus on five men living under one roof. The comedy, slated to premiere later this year, is produced by Heidecker and Wareheim’s Abso Lutely Productions.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season eight of Shahs of Sunset debuts on Bravo on Sunday, February 9 at 9p. Sara Jeihooni joins the crew this time around.
(Source: Cynopsis)

TLC announced the series premiere of Dragnificent!, featuring drag queens as they sprinkle their glitz on people eager for a mega- makeover. The queens help each person reveal the best version of themselves, inside and out, starting in April, 2020.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Disney+ offered a first look at at Stargirl, an offbeat coming-of-age story based on the best-selling young adult novel about an unassuming high schooler who finds himself drawn to the free-spirited new girl, played by America’s Got Talent winner Grace VanderWaal. Stargirl starts streaming March 13.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Bravo launched a new Vanderpump Rules Snapchat series, featuring the most notable and buzzy moments from each episode.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Weather Channel will air a second installment of 2020: Race to Save the Planet, its primetime special featuring conversations with 2020 presidential candidates, politicians, scientists, experts and communities in crisis, with a specific focus on environmental justice, on Saturday, February 1.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Not anxious enough about November 2020? HBO will air new documentary Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections this March. The film examines the security of US election technology, revealing how unprotected our voting systems are.
(Source: Cynopsis)

On a lighter note, a new, musical one-hour Arthur special premieres on PBS Kids on Monday, January 20. The Rhythm and Roots of Arthur takes the elephant back to the family farm for his Great-Grand Uncle Theo’s 85th birthday.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Nomads, based on the true story about a female African-American teacher who joins forces with a male Caucasian colleague to develop a men’s rugby team in an inner-city school in North Philadelphia, makes its TV premiere on Bounce on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 20 at 9p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Parrot Analytics will honor David Crane and Marta Kauffman, co-creators of Friends, with the Global Iconic Award at the 2nd Annual Global Demand TV Awards taking place on January 21 during the NATPE. The award honors the most in-demand shows of 2019, based on empirical global TV demand data.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Whitney Houston, Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails, The Notorious B.I.G. and T. Rex will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Ceremony will be broadcast live, May 2 on HBO.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Women in Comedy Festival is back for year eleven on Thursday, May 7 through Sunday, May 10 throughout the Greater Boston area. The four-day festival, sponsored by HBO, brings together more than 150 performers and artists to celebrate and showcase women in comedy. “More than ever, we need to hear from female comics, writers, and directors,” said Kelly Edwards, HBO’s SVP of Talent Development. “The Women in Comedy Festival gives them a tremendous platform to be heard.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

NBC will televise The Road to F9: Fast & Furious Fan Fest on Friday, January 31, at 9p. The hourlong special hosted by Tyrese Gibson and Maria Menounos celebrates Universal Pictures’ upcoming ninth chapter in the Fast & Furious series.
(Source: Cynopsis)

WE tv’s Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup drew more than 1.2 million total viewers for its January 10 episode in Nielsen Live +3 ratings. WE tv saw ratings growth across all key demos in 2019, including increases of 7% among total viewers, 5% among W18-49, 6% among W25-54, 3% among A18-49, and 4% among A25-54 in Live +3 compared to 2018.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The midseason return of NBC’s This Is Us on Tuesday drew 6.64 million viewers and 1.4 among A18-49, Tuesday’s top-rated scripted program. ABC’s Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time had a winning 1.9 rating and 13.51 million viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
Oklahoma is closing on Sunday January 19, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/oklahoma/

Slave Play is closing on Sunday January 19, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/slave-play/

A Soldier’s Play with David Alan Grier, Blair Underwood, Jerry O’Connell, and Nnamdi Asomugha (Kerry Washington’s Husband) is opening on Tuesday January 21, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/soldiers-play/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 1/9/20)
DISCOVERY: Reclaimed (Premiere) at 9pm
DISCOVERY: Building Off The Grid (Premiere) at 10pm
E!: Very Cavallari (Premiere) at 9pm
SCIENCE CHANNEL: What on Earth? (Premiere) at 9pm
ID: The Interrogator (Finale) at 10pm

Highlights from ABC’s Winter TCA presentation: Young Frankenstein Live! (wt) will debut in the fall, based on the stage version of the Mel Brooks comedy classic. Brooks, who wrote and directed the 1974 film and 2007 Broadway adaptation, will produce…The series farewell of Modern Family is set for Wednesday, April 8. Fan votes will decide which episodes run in a March 11 Modern Family binge… How to Get Away With Murder returns for its final six episodes on Thursday, April 2…The Conners will air live on Tuesday, February 11, the night of the New Hampshire primary, with ABC News coverage of the primary incorporated into the story in real time as results roll in… Shark Tank returns to Friday nights beginning February 28, and American Housewife moves to Wednesdays at 9p starting on April 15… and The Emmy Awards have a date: Sunday, September 20.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The 2020 Academy Awards will once again go host-less, announced Karey Burke, ABC entertainment president, at TCA – but she promised “huge entertainment value, big musical numbers, and star power.” Last year’s show was also without a host, after Kevin Hart withdrew amid controversy over old tweets, and the show saw an uptick in ratings versus the year prior.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActive Corp. is selling CH Media, parent of College Humor, to CH chief creative officer Sam Reich in a deal that is costing about 100 jobs. “IAC, our parent company, has made the difficult decision to no longer finance us,” Reich said. “While we were on the way to becoming profitable, we were nonetheless losing money – and I myself have no money to be able to lose.” Said IAC, which has owned CollegeHumor since 2006, “Sam was the best choice to acquire CH Media and define its next chapter. The decision places CH Media with an owner who is beloved by fans, passio nate about the business and sees a future we believe in.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Abby Phillip will be joined by the Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannenstiel to moderate the January 14 Democratic debate, the final debate before the Iowa caucuses on February 3. Candidates qualifying so far are Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Houses were just the beginning – HGTV is now looking for a whole town to make over. Inspired by the success of its series Home Town, which helped transform Laurel, Mississippi, the net is asking fans to submit a bid to have their own small towns (population less than 40,000) featured in upcoming event series, Home Town Takeover, slated to premiere in 2021. “This is a big one,” said Home Town co-host Erin Napier. “HGTV has never, ever taken on a whole town renovation and restoration project and we’re so proud and excited to be leading the team that will get it done.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

NowThis announced a new division, “NowThis Impact,” dedicated to covering global challenges important to a young audience. “Our audience is deeply passionate and incredibly eager to engage on the issues that matter most to them,” said Athan Stephanopoulos, President of NowThis. “They’ve made it crystal clear that they are looking for new ways to not only learn more about the challenges dominating the world around them, but how they can get involved and take action themselves.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Martha MacCallum inked a new multi-year deal with Fox News Channel, where she will continue as anchor of The Story with Martha MacCallum and co-anchor of the network’s election and special event political coverage alongside Bret Baier.
(Source: Cynopsis)

NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker will succeed Sheinelle Jones as co-host of Weekend Today, with Peter Alexander. Jones announced last month she was leaving the show to spend more time with her family.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Wireless speaker maker Sonos is suing Google, seeking a ban on Google speakers, smartphones and laptops in the US, as well as financial compensation. “Google has been blatantly and knowingly copying our patented technology in creating its audio products,” said Sonos CEO Patrick Spence. Sonos alleges Chromecast Audio and Google Home speakers, Nest Mini, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, Nest Wifi Point, Pixel phones, Pixel Slate Tablet and Pixelbook laptop all infringe on its patents.
(Source: Cynopsis)

thirtysomething(else), a sequel to 1987-1991 series thirtysomething, landed a pilot pickup from ABC. The show will follow the grown-up children of the original cast, reprised by Ken Olin, Mel Harris, Timothy Busfield, and Patty Wettig.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ABC also picked up The Brides to pilot. Vampire drama comes from executive producer/writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale), Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
(Source: Cynopsis)

More fun and games at ABC: The net is bringing back Supermarket Sweep, hosted and executive produced by SNL standout Leslie Jones, and a new version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Produced by Fremantle, Supermarket Sweep follows three teams of two as they battle it out using their grocery shopping skills. “I’ve always dreamed of being on Supermarket Sweep,” said Jones. “Seriously, I tried out for the show years ago; and after getting turned away, I knew I’d have to take matters into my own hands. Being able to bring the iconic game show back to life on ABC is my ultimate redemption story!” The original format aired on ABC from 1965-1967 and went on to become adapted in 13 international territories. Production on the 10-episode order is set to begin this spring. Millionaire will feature celebrities playing for charity, and an interactive game viewers can play from home, starting Wednesday, April 8.
(Source: Cynopsis)

A series based on The Last of the Mohicans is in development at HBO Max. Written by Joji Fukunaga (True Detective) and Nick Osborne (Remember Me) and directed by Nicole Kassell (Watchmen), the series will be a retelling of James Fenimore Cooper’s historical novel.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Quibi announced the development of The Hot Drop, a new take on the dating genre. At the start of each week, Quibi will drop a profile of an eligible single, and the audience can submit videos vying for the possibility to join the single on an adventure via the Quibi app. That same week, Quibi will reveal the top three candidates; then the Quibi community will determine who goes on the date. ITV America’s Sirens Media and ITV Studios Entertainment are producing.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Netflix gave a 10-episode order to Love Is Blind, a dating show hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey. Unscripted series from Kinetic Content (Married at First Sight), following singles who want to meet the person they’ll spend the rest of their lives with without having seen them, premieres February 13.
(Source: Cynopsis)

A documentary exploring the connections between the mythical creatures in JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and real animals is on the way from the BBC, Warner Bros and the UK’s Natural History Museum. Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History (wt) will be made by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit and narrated by Stephen Fry.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Netflix’s Ozark is back for a ten-episode season three on March 27. Jason Bateman and Laura Linney star in the drug-money-laundering drama.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The Baker and the Beauty, a “modern-day fairytale” from ABC, debuts Monday, April 6 at 10p. Romantic dramedy focuses on the relationship between a man who works in his family’s bakery and an international superstar.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Also on the way from ABC is an addition the The Bachelor franchise.The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart, which will have single men and women going on dates that focus on music, premieres Monday, April 13 at 8p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Comedic travel series High & Low made it onto the upcoming programming slate of Quibi. Produced by Renegade 83, High & Low explores the luxury and budget options at travel destinations.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Cleo TV offered season two premiere dates for Cleo Speaks (Saturday, February 15 at 9a), Just Eats With Chef JJ (Saturday, February 22 at 12p), New Soul Kitchen (Saturday, April 4 at 12:30p) and Heart of the Batter with Jordin Sparks (Saturday, May 9 at 1p).
(Source: Cynopsis)

Discovery’s new programming block, “Off the Grid Thursdays,” begins tonight with a new episode of Homestead Rescue, followed by the series premiere of Reclaimed and a new season of Building Off the Grid.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Netflix earned the most nominations for the GLAAD Media Awards, which honor outstanding LGBTQ images in the media. The streamer’s 15 nods were followed by HBO’s 8. ABC, CBS, and NBC each earned 4 nominations, Apple TV+ and Disney+ received their first nominations (for Dickinson and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, respectively). ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise and MTV’s Are You The One? received their first nominations in the Outstanding Reality Program category, and Univision received 7 nominations in Spanish-Language categories.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Seven honorees will be celebrated at the Cable Center Hall of Fame celebration on April 30 in NYC, including Bridget Baker, CEO, Baker Media; Jim Blackley, advisor to the CEO, Charter Communications; Cathy Hughes, founder and chairwoman, TV One, and Alfred C. Liggins III, CEO, Urban One and chairman and CEO, TV One; cable pioneer Jeff Marcus; Dave Watson, president and CEO, Comcast Cable; and Jeff Zucker, chairman, WarnerMedia News & Sports and president, CNN Worldwide.
(Source: Cynopsis)

A&E’s second annual “True Crime Week” gave the network its best week in six years (averaging 577,000 A25-54). The event, which kicked off January 1, made A&E the #2 cable network for the week (12/30/19-1/5/20) among A25-54, behind ESPN.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The season two premiere of Univision’s Amor Eterno reached nearly 3 million Total Viewers 2+ who tuned in to all or part of the episode. The one-hour premiere averaged 1.9 million Total Viewers 2+, 747,000 A18-49 and 305,000 A18-34.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Live with Kelly and Ryan (2.2 Live+SD) was one of the few programs that remained steady in an otherwise low-rated Christmas session ending December 29, with a boost from its holiday-themed “Kelly and Ryan’s Christmas Eve” telecast. Usual talk topper Dr. Phil (new season low 1.8, down 25%) was in repeats on all five days, but was still in second place among talk shows.
(Source: Cynopsis)

TLC was the #1 fastest growing ad-supported cable network in Prime in 2019 with P/W25-54, W18-49 and P2+, rising in the overall ad-supported cable rankings to become the #2 cable network with W25-54/18-49 and #3 with W18-34. In other Discovery Inc. highlights: In Live+3 Nielsen numbers, Discovery Channel wrapped 2019 as cable’s #1 network in Prime among M25-54 (excl. sports) for the 5th straight year; HGTV nabbed the #1 spot in Weekend among upscale W25-54; Food Network was a top 10 cable network in Prime among P25-54 (#9) and W25-54 (#7); ID finished 2019 as the #1 cable network for W25-54 in Total Day for the 3rd consecutive year, and was #2 for P25-54, behind only ESPN; OWN delivered 3 of the top 10 original scripted series on cable among W25-54; Animal Planet was a top 10 cable destination for women on Saturday nights (W2+) for 2 out of 4 quarters in 2019 (2Q19-3Q19); Travel Channel had its highest-rated year ever in Prime among HHs & W25-54 and second-highest-rated year ever among P25-54, while Science Channel boasts its highest-rated year among P25-54 with YAGO in Prime and Total Day; and Cooking Channel posted its highest ever Primetime ratings among P25-54 (+7% vs. YAGO) and M25-54 (+14%).
(Source: Cynopsis)

ABC’s Jeopardy: The Greatest of All Time delivered 14.42 million viewers on Tuesday, and 2.4 among A18-49. The premiere of NBC musical dramedy Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist drew 2.66 million viewers and 0.6 in the demo.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
My Name is Lucy Barton with Laura Linney is opening on Wednesday January 15, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/my-name-lucy-barton/

Freestyle Love Supreme (created by Lin-Manuel Miranda) is closing on Sunday January 12, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/freestyle-love-supreme/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 1/2/20)
A&E: 60 Days In (Premiere) at 10pm
FOX: Last Man Standing (Premiere) at 8pm
FOX: Deputy (Premiere) at 9pm
HGTV: Christina on the Coast (Premiere) at 9pm
ID: Dead of Winter (Premiere) at 9pm
LIFETIME: Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning (Premiere) at 9pm
SCIENCE CHANNEL: How The Universe Works (Premiere) at 9pm
TLC: Dr. Pimple Popper (Premiere) at 9pm
TLC: My Feet Are Killing Me (Premiere) at 10pm
TRAVEL CHANNEL: Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room (Premiere) at 9pm
ABC: The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition (Finale) at 9pm

Snap is launching Bitmoji TV, a cartoon series starring users’ customizable avatars and those of their friends, for its Discover section. The Snapchat Show page for Bitmoji TV says it will debut globally in February.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Hasbro’s $3.8 billion acquisition of Canadian studio Entertainment One is complete. “Our businesses are highly complementary with substantial synergies and a great cultural fit,” said Hasbro chairman and CEO Brian Goldner of the deal, which gives Hasbro access to popular characters like Peppa Pig and Ricky Zoom. “The addition of eOne accelerates our blueprint strategy by expanding our brand portfolio with eOne’s beloved global preschool brands, adding proven TV and film expertise, and creating additional opportunities for long-term profitable growth.” Darren Throop, eOne president and CEO, will report to Goldner.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Eddie Murphy, up for a Critics’ Choice Award for his role in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name, won’t go home empty-handed even if he doesn’t win Best Actor. The SNL vet will receive the Critics’ Choice Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in the ceremony on Sunday, January 12 broadcast on The CW.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Carrie Underwood announced that after 12 years of hosting the CMA Awards, she’s stepping down. “It’s hard to imagine topping what we have accomplished together, so I’ve decided that it’s time to pass the hosting torch (at least for now!) to others that will cherish it and honor it as much as I do,” said the country music star. Underwood hosted the show for 11 years with “partner in crime and friend for life” Brad Paisley, and last year was joined by Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Science Channel space series How the Universe Works returns for season eight tonight at 9p with a two-hour special that investigates the threat of a catastrophic asteroid impact.
(Source: Cynopsis)

YouTube and Justin Bieber are partnering for Justin Bieber: Seasons. The 10-part docu-series chronicling the making of Bieber’s new album is set to debut Monday, January 27 at 12p; new eps will launch Mondays and Wednesdays at noon.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Netflix shared its Top 10 lists of titles for 2019. Topping the chart in the US is Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston movie Murder Mystery, followed by season three of Stranger Things; Ryan Reynolds movie 6 Underground; The Incredibles 2; The Irishman; new series The Witcher; Triple Frontier, starring Ben Affleck; Ted Bundy film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile; The Umbrella Academy; and movie The Highwaymen.
(Source: Cynopsis)

One popular show fans will no longer find on Netflix is Friends, which ended its run at midnight on December 31, and is set to join HBO Max when the service arrives in May. If you gotta have Friends, the 1994-2004 sitcom that never gets old is still airing on TBS and Nick at Nite, and is for sale via digital retailers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In more Netflix news, The Witcher was the most in-demand TV series in the world during its first full week of availability, from December 22-28, according to Parrot Analytics. The new fantasy drama was 37.12x more in demand than the average series globally.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The debut of Fox’s Flirty Dancing, following football, delivered 3.2 million viewers and an 0.9/4 rating among A18-49 on Sunday.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Univision’s broadcast of the second leg of the LMX Apertura Final on Sunday night drew 3.0 million total viewers and 1.6 million among A18-49, making it the highest-rated LMX MX match in 2019 on the net.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Jazz trumpeter Jack Sheldon died December 27 at age 88. Sheldon was best known to TV audiences as a sidekick to Merv Griffin, as well as for work in shows including Run, Buddy, Run, The Simpsons and Family Guy, among others.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
My Name is Lucy Barton is starting previews on Saturday January 4, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/my-name-lucy-barton/

Derren Brown: Secret is closing on Saturday January 4, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/derren-brown-secret/

Waitress is closing on Sunday January 5, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/waitress/

A Christmas Carol is closing on Sunday January 5, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/a-christmas-carol/

Slava’s Snowshow is closing on Sunday January 5, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/slavas-snowshow-broadway/

The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays is on Sunday January 5, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/illusionistsmagic-holidays/

Tootsie is closing on Sunday January 5, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/tootsie/

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is closing on Sunday January 5, 2020.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/the-lightning-thief/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 12/26/19)
FOOD NETWORK: Restaurant: Impossible (Premiere) at 9pm
NETFLIX: You (Premiere)
NETFLIX: The Bonfire of Destiny (Premiere)
NETFLIX: Fast & Furious: Spy Racers (Premiere)
SCIENCE CHANNEL: Underground Marvels (Finale) at 10pm

BROADWAY
A Soldier’s Play with David Alan Grier, Blair Underwood, Jerry O’Connell, and Nnamdi Asomugha (Kerry Washington’s Husband) is starting previews on Friday December 27, 2019.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/soldiers-play/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 12/12/19)
ABC: The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition (Premiere) at 9pm
VICELAND: The 2020 Project (Premiere) at 10pm
HGTV: Flip or Flop (Finale) at 9pm

Nominees in TV categories for the SAG Awards include broadcast’s single nod, for Sterling K. Brown (This Is Us), along with Steve Carell and Billy Crudup (The Morning Show), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) and David Harbour (Stranger Things) for male actor in a drama series; Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show), Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Colman (The Crown), Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) and Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) for female actor in a drama series; Alan Arkin and Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method), Bill Hader (Barry), Andrew Scott (Fleabag) and Tony Shaloub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) for male actor in a comedy; and Christina Applegate (Dead to Me), Alex Borstein and Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) for female actor in a comedy. Awards show airs Sunday, January 19 at 8p on TBS and TNT.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Website ET Online and streaming network ET Live are merging , leading to the layoffs of at least 12 people. “We have integrated the ET Online and ET Live teams to create one content group that will support and drive the ET brand across all digital platforms,” said a CBS Television Distribution Digital spokesperson. “As a result, some positions were reduced.” ET Live hosts Tanner Thomason and Jason Carter were let go, while host Melicia Johnson moved to ET Digital.
(Source: Cynopsis)

HGTV gave a season three renewal to Bargain Mansions , with an order for eight new episodes. The Kansas City-based series attracted more than 11.2 million Total Viewers during its sophomore run.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Marvel Television is shutting down , with current TV projects continuing but development on new shows discontinued. Karim Zreik, SVP of current programming and production, and his team will move to the Marvel Studios group, but the change is expected to mean the elimination of other positions. Word of the impending exit of Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb came out in October.
(Source: Cynopsis)

An upcoming scripted series from Netflix will follow the story of music streamer Spotify. Yellow Bird UK (Young Wallander) is producing.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Fox put in development an animated comedy about identical twin brothers with nothing in common except DNA, reports Deadline. Show comes from creators Mike Luciano and Phil Matarese (Animals); studio is Fox Entertainment’s SideCar Content Accelerator.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In new Discovery Channel series Reclaimed, homesteaders who purchased mining claims for pennies on the dollar enlist two experts to help unearth hidden treasure. Launching Thursday, January 9 at 9p, the series is part of Discovery’s new “Off the Grid Thursdays” block, along with Homestead Rescue (premiering January 2) and Building Off the Grid, beginning a new season January 9.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Miz & Mrs will be back for season two on USA on Wednesday, January 29 at 10p. Docu-series follows the family lifestyle of married WWE stars The Miz and Maryse, and complements USA’s five hours of live WWE programming each week.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Also picked up for a sophomore run is Comedy Central interview show Good Talk with Anthony Jeselnik. “Anthony has a knack for wit and irony in the flow of conversation, which makes him a hilarious and great interviewer,” said Sarah Babineau and Jonas Larsen, Co-Heads of Original Content at CC. “It’ll be a treat to see him continue to push boundaries with an all-new lineup of comedian friends.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

A new season of VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Miami kicks off Monday, January 6 at 9p, after Love & Hip Hop: New York. And here comes trouble: Joseline Hernandez returns to the franchise after a three-year absence.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Season six of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie drops Wednesday, January 15. Season seven of the comedy starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin is slated to be its last.
(Source: Cynopsis)

HBO set a date for the long-awaited season 10 debut of Curb Your Enthusiasm . The Larry David comedy, which last released new episodes in 2017, returns Sunday, January 19 at 10:30p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning , a three-night event that follows up on the explosive documentary seen by over 26.8 million people, begins Thursday, January 2 at 9p. A six-hour marathon of part one starts at 3p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

New Universal Kids preschool series Powerbirds lands Sunday, January 19 at 10a. Show centers on parakeets with super powers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

With no lack of grist for the mill, Showtime’s The Circus returns for season five on Sunday, January 26 at 8p – a week before the Iowa caucuses. Season four had its finale on November 10.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Disney and France Télévisions ordered two more seasons preschool hit Gigantosaurus from Cyber Group Studios. The CGI-animated series will add 104 new episodes, to be made available worldwide on both Disney Junior and Disney+ as well as France Télévisions and Germany’s Super RTL.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Ellie Kemper and Ike Barinholtz will reprise their All in the Family roles as Archie and Edith Bunker, Gloria Stivic and Meathead in Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times, a holiday event airing on ABC on Wednesday, December 18 at 8p. Joining the cast this time around are Kevin Bacon, Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and Justina Machado (One Day at Time); Good Times talent will be announced at a later date. Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons, broadcast in May, averaged 14.29 million Total Viewers and a 2.86 rating among A18-49 across all platforms after 35 days of TV playback.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Amazon Studios offered up a launch date for Ilana Glazer: The Planet Is Burning. The Broad City star’s first stand-up special debuts Friday, January 3.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Fox News Sunday booked frequent President Trump targets James Comey and Adam Schiff. The former FBI director and the House Intelligence Committee Chairman will each be interviewed by Chris Wallace.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lauren Ash (Superstore), Karamo (Queer Eye) and singer/actress Kelly Rowland will sit on the judging panel for the Miss America 2020 competition, airing Thursday, December 19 at 8p on NBC. Access Hollywood hosts Kit Hoover and Mario Lopez will host. The show will be led by a female director, Sandra Restrepo, whose live show credits include the first live televised musical performance of Hamilton.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Revolt TV year-end marathon Revolt Rewind runs from December 26 to January 1, putting a lens on viral moments, game-changing new artists, big surprises and cultural shifts. On tap are n ew year-end specials from State of the Culture, Drink Champs: Happy Hour, Funny AF, The Breakfast Club and more.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Univision was the #2 broadcast net last Thursday for the entire night among A18-34, with live coverage of the 2019 Liga MX Apertura Semifinals averaging 1.8 million Total Viewers 2+, 937,000 A18-49 and 410,000 A18-34. It was also the third most-watched program on broadcast television.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In syndication ratings for the week ending December 1 , many, but not all, shows were able to exclude the very low-rated Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday from their averages. Game shows were hit hard, with Jeopardy (5.9, down 6%), Family Feud (new season low 5.3, down 10%) and Wheel of Fortune(new season low 5.2, down 17%) all losing ground. Among the major rookies, The Kelly Clarkson Show (1.4, up 8%) was the highest rated new show of the season for the 12^th week in a row, drawing approximately 2.0 million daily viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The premiere of the Bounce original movie Greyson Family Christmasreached over one million Total Viewers on Sunday, December 8. The premiere telecast at 9p also delivered 388,000 HHs, 173,000 P18-49 and 178,000 P25-54. The net’s Every Day But Christmas on Sunday, December 1 also topped one million Total Viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The week of December 8, UniMas for the seventh consecutive week delivered double-digit year-over-year audience growth during primetime among Total Viewers 2+ (+42% to 571,000), A18-49 (+48% to 267,000) and A18-34 (+26% to 103,000).
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
Harry Connick Jr. – A Celebration of Cole Porter is opening on Thursday December 12, 2019.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/harry-connick-jr-celebration-cole-porter/

FIRST LOOK
http://www.eonline.com/news

ON TELEVISION (THURSDAY 12/5/19)
A&E: Court Cam (Premiere) at 9pm
BLUPRINT: Fashion Sewing with Jhoan Sebastian Grey (Premiere)
BRAVO: Project Runway (Premiere) at 9:30pm
FYI: Ultimate Rides (Premiere) at 10pm
GREAT AMERICAN COUNTRY: My Lottery Dream Home (Premiere) at 9pm
ID: The Interrogator (Premiere) at 10pm
MTV: Ex On The Beach (Premiere) at 9pm
NETFLIX: Home For Christmas (Premiere)
OXYGEN: An Unexpected Killer (Premiere) at 8pm
WE TV: Growing Up Hip Hop (Premiere) at 9pm

The merger of Viacom and CBS concluded after the close of markets yesterday. “This is a historic moment that brings together two iconic companies to form one of the world’s most important content producers and providers,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO of ViacomCBS. “Through the combination of CBS’s and Viacom’s complementary assets, capabilities and talented teams, ViacomCBS will create and deliver premium content for its own platforms and for others, while providing innovative solutions for advertisers and distributors globally.” The companies agreed to an all-stock deal in August.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Marketers’ word of the year in 2019 is “personalization,” according to the Association of National Advertisers’ annual survey. Other top choices included “equality and inclusion,” “data,” and “in-house”; last year’s #1 was “brand purpose.”
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lady Gaga will be the featured performer for AT&T’s Super Bowl eve concert on February 1. The event, formerly DirecTV Super Saturday Night and renamed AT&T Super Saturday Night, will be live-streamed at twitter.com/ItsOnATT. Previous performers include Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Jay-Z and Beyonce.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Lifestyle entertainment company Kin struck a deal with TV One-owned Cleo TV to license lifestyle programming beginning in 2020. Episodes of All Things Adrienne and Heart of the Batter, originally developed and distributed for social platforms including YouTube and Facebook, have been re-edited as half-hour TV formats and will premiere on January 4, 2020 and in May 2020, respectively.
(Source: Cynopsis)

TV winners of the American Film Institute’s AFI Awards 2019 include HBO’s Chernobyl, Game of Thrones, Succession, Veep and Watchmen; FX’s Fosse/Verdon and Pose; and Netflix’s The Crown, Unbelievable and When They See Us, with a special award going to the BBC’s Fleabag. Two Netflix films made the movie cut: The Irishman and Marriage Story. Honorees will be recognized at a private lunch in LA on January 3.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BET original scripted miniseries Uptown will tell the story of Andre Harrell’s NYC record label, Uptown Records. Three-part event, premiering in 2020, will take viewers from the iconic label’s inception to current day.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Fox put in development crime drama Silent Witness, starring Melissa Leo (The Fighter), who will executive produce with Joy Blake (Outlander) and Kim and Eric Tannenbaum. Also in development at the net is comedy This Country, from Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City) and Paul Feig (Bridesmaids). Both are adaptations of UK shows.
(Source: Cynopsis)

David Tennant (Doctor Who) will play Phileas Fogg in an adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days produced by Slim Film + Television, reports Deadline. Eight-part drama will air on France Télévisions, ZDF in Germany, Italy’s RAI, Seven West Media in Australia and the BBC in the UK. David Niven played Fogg in the 1956 film adaptation, while Steve Coogan took on the role in a 2004 version.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Sony Pictures’ Affirm Films, focused on inspirational and family-friendly content, is partnering with Sony Pictures Television to dive into the faith-based TV market. Marybeth Sprows, formerly VP Original Programming for Crown Media Family Networks, will serve as VP of the new division, Affirm Television.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Tigra & Dazzler Show showrunner Erica Rivinoja (Girls Trip) and the comedy’s writing staff have been let go from the Hulu series due to creative differences with Marvel, according to the Hollywood Reporter. While production has been paused, Hulu and Marvel reportedly remain committed to moving forward with the adult-themed animated comedy.
(Source: Cynopsis)

YouTube stars Amy and Tammy Slaton share their efforts to lose enough weight to qualify for bariatric surgery in TLC’s new 1000-Lb Sisters, launching Wednesday, January 1 at 10p. Docu-series follows the determined sibs from doctor appointments, to exercise attempts, to giving up treats like bananas dipped in Miracle Whip and rolled in chopped peanuts.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Discovery’s Naked and Afraid takes its survivalist challenge to a new level, dropping series vets alone in the wild, instead of in pairs. New season debuts Sunday, January 5 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Also returning to Discovery is Dusty Crum, in Guardians of the Glades. Crum and his crew of snake hunters get back to work on Florida’s python problem starting Tuesday, January 7 at 10p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

In Travel Channel spin-off Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room, the Ghost Adventures team revisit and reflect on their favorite episodes, starting Thursday, January 2 at 9p.
(Source: Cynopsis)

WE tv is serving up a second season of Extreme Love starting Friday, January 3 at 10p. Docu-series looks at real people in unreal (think mermaid couples and role-playing kittens) relationships.
(Source: Cynopsis)

A second installment of Infinity Train arrives on Cartoon Network on Monday, January 6 at 7:30p. In the five-night event, two episodes will air nightly, telling the story of an escaped reflection from the mirror world and a 14-year-old jock from Arizona.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Collector’s Call, starring Lisa Whelchel (Facts of Life), returns to MeTV for an expanded 26-episode season on Sunday, January 12 at 9:30p. Series explores private collections like Batman costumes, Star Trek drawings and signed guitars.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The premiere of Netflix’s Locke and Key, an adaptation of the IDW Comics novels, is set for February 7. Story follows three siblings who move into their ancestral home and discover magical keys that could be connected to their father’s mysterious death.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ABC has a Marvel-ous special slated for Friday, December 20 at 8p. Celebrating Marvel’s Stan Lee, filmed in front of a live audience in NYC, explores the life of the legendary comic creator via interviews and archival footage.
(Source: Cynopsis)

TV One original film Dear Santa, I Need a Date premieres Sunday, December 8 at 7p. Romantic comedy stars Ray J (Moesha) and Reagan Gomez-Preston (The Cleveland Show).
(Source: Cynopsis)

Film and TV distribution company FilmRise acquired North American rights for the film Driveways, starring Hong Chau (Watchmen), Lucas Jaye (Fuller House), Brian Dennehy (Cocoon) and Christine Ebersole (The Wolf of Wall Street).
(Source: Cynopsis)

Antenna TV rings in 2020 with a marathon of NewsRadio on New Year’s Day, starting at 5a. The 1995-1999 sitcom will air weeknights at 12:30a on the net starting January 2.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Telemundo star Gaby Espino will serve as a judge in the Miss Universe Competition, airing live and in Spanish on Telemundo, and in English on Fox, on Sunday, December 8 at 7p. Miss Universe 2014 Paulina Vega has also joined the panel.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) will guest star as himself on Spectrum’s Mad About You revival, while Jean Smart (Watchmen) will play a lifestyle guru… Lou Llobell (Voyagers), Leah Harvey (Les Miserables), Laura Birn (Helene), Terrence Mann (Sense8) and Cassian Bilton (A Devil’s Harmony) landed series regular roles in Apple drama series Foundation…Finesse Mitchell (SNL) will appear as a series regular in Fox comedy Outmatched.
(Source: Cynopsis)

ABC’s World News Tonight won the November sweep in both Total Viewers (8.945 million) and A25-54 (1.754 million) for the first time in 23 years, according to Nielsen. NBC Nightly News was first among A18-49.
(Source: Cynopsis)

Hallmark Channel’s “7 Night Thanksgiving Movie Event” propelled the network to rank #1 in Total Day among W25-54 and W18-49. The event featured seven consecutive nights of original holiday movie premieres, three of which represented the highest-rated non-news, non-sports cable programs of the week. The premieres averaged a 2.7 Household rating, 2.8 million Total Viewers, 469,000 W25-54, and reached 15.5 million Unduplicated Total Viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

A&E special Biography – Garth Brooks: The Road I’m On grew +3% in the second night, to1.243 million Total Viewers for Part 2 versus Part 1’s 1.201 million. Part one had been the net’s biggest Biography audience in 15 years.
(Source: Cynopsis)

November marks seven consecutive months of YoY Prime growth among W25-54 for TLC, and the net saw its best November Prime performance in 16 years among P/W25-54. In 2019 to-date, TLC is the #1 cable network among W18-49 and #2 among W25-54, boosted by the launch of freshman series including sMothered.
(Source: Cynopsis)

The premiere of Bounce original movie Every Day But Christmas reached over 1 million Total Viewers on Sunday, December. 1. The premiere telecast at 9p delivered 311,000 Households, 106,000 P18-49 and 113,000 P25-54.
(Source: Cynopsis)

NBC won the primetime ratings week of November 25 with the network’s highest weekly A18-49 and A25-54 ratings of the season and best Total Viewer average in the year since Nov.19-25, 2018, according to Live+SD figures from Nielsen. NBC won the week in 10 of 10 key measures – adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, plus Total Viewers.
(Source: Cynopsis)

BROADWAY
Jagged Little Pill is opening on Thursday December 5, 2019.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/jagged-little-pill/

Harry Connick Jr. – A Celebration of Cole Porter is starting previews Saturday December 7, 2019.
https://ppc.broadway.com/shows/harry-connick-jr-celebration-cole-porter/