FIRST LOOK
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ON TELEVISION (MONDAY 3/22/21)
APPLE TV+: Calls (Premiere)
DISCOVERY+: Seeking Sister Wife (Premiere)
FUSE: ShineTrue (Premiere) at 10pm
FX: Breeders (Premiere) at 10pm
ID: People Magazine Investigates (Premiere) at 10pm
TLC: Seeking Sister Wife (Premiere) at 8pm
TLC: Return To Amish (Premiere) at 9pm
HBO: Beartown (Finale) at 9pm
VH1: VH1 Family Reunion: Love & Hip Hop Edition (Finale) at 8pm
CBS’ “The Talk” will remain dark through this week, following a controversy that continues to spiral after a March 10 episode during which co-host Sharon Osbourne unleashed pointed comments on fellow co-host Sheryl Underwood while discussing Piers Morgan’s reaction to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s interview with Oprah. The show went on an initial two-day hiatus last week but that break has now been extended, as CBS investigates the situation.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Six time’s a charm: Veteran director Glenn Weiss will be back for the sixth straight year to helm the 93rd annual Oscars. While it’s still tbd whether the show will have a host, its producers are promising a program like no other before, noting: “Our plan is that this year’s Oscars will look like a movie, not a television show, and Glenn has embraced this approach and come up with ideas on how to achieve this.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Among early Producers Guild of America award winners, announced Saturday, are season 3 of Apple TV’s “Carpool Karaoke: The Series,” for outstanding short form program; “The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special for outstanding children’s program”; and BRCvr, an event that’s part of the Burning Man universe, which won the Innovation Award. The rest of the awards, in television, film and documentary categories, will be handed out March 24.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Christopher Nolan’s latest time-hopping thriller, “Tenet,” will get its HBO Max debut Saturday, May 1. The acclaimed director has been vocally opposed to the decision by the streamer’s parent WarnerMedia to release all Warner Bros. 2021 movies simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. “Tenet” has grossed nearly $58 million in North America, and $363 million worldwide.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Toyko Olympics and Paralympic Games will not have in-person foreign spectators. The decision by Olympic Organizing Committee and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko, made over the weekend, is a move to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ViacomCBS and MTV Entertainment Group inked a multiyear partnership with Raedio, through which the audio-everywhere company will provide library catalog access and original music for affiliated brands across its portfolio. Among initial activations, Raedio, whose bespoke library comprises an array of musical genres, will music-supervise installments across VH1’s “Love & Hip” Hop franchise.
(Source: Cynopsis)
A California lawmaker introduced a bill that would limit the length of exclusive options that bind series regulars to lengthy exclusive contract windows. Noting “The landscape of the entertainment industry has dramatically changed, yet companies still benefit from outdated laws that allow them to wield an overwhelming amount of control over artists,” Democratic State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez introduced the Free Artists from Industry Restrictions, or AB 1385. The bill also would enable recording artists to get out of contracts after seven years without the threat of being sued for damages by record labels.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Disney’s US employees can begin returning to their offices after July 4. According to Deadline, employees were notified via an internal company video that was emailed out.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ABC’s “The Connors” is dedicating its season 3 finale to the longtime member of the show’s crew who died last week on set. Terrel Richmond died after a “fatal medical event,” according to the show’s production company Werner Entertainment.
(Source: Cynopsis)
A treasure trove of artifacts belonging to the late Carl Reiner including scripts, notes, photos and film are being donated by Reiner’s family to the National Comedy Center, which will unveil a multimedia exhibit on the comedy legend in 2022. The collection includes items dating back to his work on “Your Show of Shows” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
Meghan Trainor inked an overall deal with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming Entertainment that includes a sitcom she will star in and help develop. Trainor’s cross-platform deal is the first of its kind under NBCU’s new TV and streaming structure, and it includes scripted and unscripted content across NBCU outlets including Bravo, E!, Oxygen, Peacock, Syfy, Universal Kids, and USA.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“The Crossover,” a drama pilot based on the Newberry Award-winning novel by Kwame Alexander, got the green light at Disney+. To be directed by George Tillman Jr. (“The Hate U Give”), story follows 14-year-old basketball rising stars, brothers Josh and JB Bell, as they come of age both on and off the court. Alexander, Damani Johnson and Dee Johnson exec-produce with Tillman, Bob Teitel and Jay Marcus via State Street Pictures.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Full-figured dancers and models are in the spotlight for Lizzo’s upcoming untitled reality series at Amazon Studios. The Grammy-winning singer and pop culture phenom will search for dynamic women to perform with her on stage during the series, which falls under her first-look deal with the studio and is currently in development. Lizzo will serve as exec producer.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Ryan Murphy pulled back the curtain on the title—“Double Feature”—for the next installment of “American Horror Story” via a video on his Instagram. The video also offered another teaser to the new season, the 10th in the franchise. With a backdrop of waves waves eerily crashing on shore a tag line reads: “Two horrifying stories…one season.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
A TV series adaptation of the 1994 James Cameron film “True Lies” is going on hold. CBS had ordered a pilot for the project last month but is now moving it to off-cycle, targeting a summer shoot. The pilot was written by Matt Nix and will be directed by McG.
(Source: Cynopsis)
FX ordered “The Bear,” a half-hour pilot from Christopher Storer. Pilot for the series, about a young chef who returns to Chicago to run the family restaurant, will be written, directed and exec-produced by Storer. Hiro Murai and Nate Matteson will exec- produce under their Super Frog banner.
(Source: Cynopsis)
HBO Max struck an overall deal with director Joseph Guidry, who directed eps of the streamer’s competitive florist series “Full Bloom.” The one-year agreement gives HBO Max exclusivity for Guidry’s directorial services.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“The Amber Ruffin Show” got a pick-up at Peacock through September, which gives the late-night show a full year on the air. Hosted by the “Late Night with Seth Meyers” writer, the show has added a number of new writers during its run so far, including Ian Morgan, Ashley Nicole Black and Michael Harriot.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Channel 5 and scripted company Clapperboard announced key roles for their upcoming psychological drama “Teacher.” Co-creator Creator Barunka O’Shaughnessy (“Motherland,”) will also serve as lead writer, and Dominic Leclerc (“From Darkness”) will direct with co-creator Mike Benson (“Cold Call”) as exec producer.
(Source: Cynopsis)
The Wendy Williams Show is joining the TV One lineup starting Monday, March 22, at midnight. The net will offer daily encore episodes of the talk show, now in its 12th season.
(Source: Cynopsis)
A new season of “How The Universe Works” kicks off Wednesday, March 24 at 9p on Science Channel and discovery+, with Mike Rowe as narrator. Series combines interviews with scientists from global organizations including NASA and CERN, with cutting edge CGI and visual effects.
(Source: Cynopsis)
ABC is going to the dogs. The network will unleash reality show “Pooch Perfect” Tuesday, March 30 at 9p. The Rebel Wilson-hosted competition series will showcase 10 of the best dog groomers in the country, along with their assistants, competing in a series of themed challenges voted on by a trio of judges—Lisa Vanderpump, Jorge Bendersky and Dr. Callie Harris.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Never mind April showers: Oxygen’s welcoming spring with Serial Killer Week. The true-crime network will unleash the programming promo April 10-18. Highlights include three specials, including “Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer,” a never-before-heard interview with NY murderer Joel Rifkin; “Catching a Serial Killer: Bruce McArthur” and the Dorothea Puente expose “Murders at the Boarding House.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Notorious Queens,” which follows four women labeled “notorious” due to their past romantic relationships and intense media coverage, debuts Thursday, April 10 on ALLBLK, AMC Networks’ rebranded streaming platform.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Season 9 of AXS TV’s “The Big Interview with Dan Rather” premieres Wednesday, April 14 at 8p. New season features musical families, including Lady A’s Hillary Scott & Chris Tyrrell, John Fogerty & his children, Adam ‘Ad-Rock’ Horovitz & Kathleen Hanna, and Lil Jon & his son Slade.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Showtime set May 23 as the premiere date for a new season of “The Chi” and “Black Monday,” and new comedy “Flatbush Misdemeanors.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
“American Cartel” debuts Tuesday, March 30 on discovery+. Special explores the devastating aftermath of the 2003 murder of Burbank police officer Matthew Pavelka after a routine traffic stop.
(Source: Cynopsis)
WrestleMania is headed back into the ring, with WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan and WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil set to host the two-night event on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11. Wrestlemania will stream live exclusively on Peacock at 8p in the US and on WWE Network everywhere else.
(Source: Cynopsis)
“Roll Up Your Sleeves,” a special to raise awareness about the Covid-19 vaccination and encourage people to get the shot, will air Sunday, April 18 at 7p on NBC. Presented by Walgreens and produced by ATTN: and Civic Nation, the special will feature public figures, comedians, artists and performers, as well as frontline and medical professionals.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Rebecca Wisocky (“Devious Maids”) and Meagen Fay (“Hightown”) scored recurring roles in “Dopesick,” Hulu’s limited series… Michael Chiklis is onboard to star as Celtics coach Red Auerbach in HBO’s LA Lakers drama series… Elizabeth Lail (“Once Upon a Time”) joined the ensemble cast for HBO Max’s upcoming “Gossip Girl” reboot… Showtime’s “The L Word: Generation Q” cast Vanessa Williams in a recurring role for season 2… Starz’s “Outlander” is bringing on Mark Lewis Jones, Alexander Vlahos and Jessica Reynolds as cast members for season 6… BAFTA-winner Sheridan Smith will headline “Teacher,” the drama series from ViacomCBS’s UK network Channel 5.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Margaret Colin (“Veep,” “Gossip Girl”) is joining NBC’s “Chicago Med” in a recurring role, and Hanako Greensmith will return to “Chicago Fire” in a recurring role. Also joining in guest roles on the franchise are Jack Coleman (“Dynasty”) on “Chicago P.D.,” and Charlie Farrell (“American Horror Story”) and Benny Mora (“S.H.A.R.P.”) on “Chicago Med”… Shane Paul McGhie (“Deputy”), Aimee Carrero (“Young & Hungry”) and Maddie Phillips (“Teenage Bounty Hunter”) are set to star in Amazon’s spinoff of “The Boys.”
(Source: Cynopsis)
February 2021 marked the third straight month of year-over-year growth for Vice TV in prime. The network saw growth and rank improvements in three key demos vs. a year ago, driven in part by investigative docuseries “QAnon: The Search for Q,” Vice TV’s best performing original series since “Dark Side of the Ring” season 2, averaging 247,000 total viewers and 121,000 in A25-54.
(Source: Cynopsis)
WE tv’s “Life After Lockup”capped its third season as the No. 1 show on cable Friday nights in W18-49 and W25-54. The second half of the “Love After Lockup: Life After Lockup” season, which delivered more than 1 million viewers in Nielsen L3 ratings per episode, ended its 16-ep run March 12.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Food Network continued to rank as the No. 4 cable net in A25-54 on Sunday nights. Week two of “Tournament of Champions” posted a 0.9 A25-54 and 1.0 W25-54 L3 rating, double-digit increases from the prior six weeks and up 5 percent from the season premiere. “The Great Food Truck Race Alaska” also saw growth, posting 0.7 A25-54 and 0.8 W25-54 L3 rating, up 21 percent from the season premiere.
(Source: Cynopsis)
Overall, the Discovery portfolio last week had three top 10 cable nets among P2+ (HGTV No. 4, DSC No. 7, TLC No. 9), four of the top 10 excluding news/sports (HGTV No. 1, DSC No. 3, TLC No. 5, Food No. 7), and the top cable network (no exclusions) among W25-54/18-49/18-34 (TLC).
(Source: Cynopsis)
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE
Raya and the Last Dragon $5.2 million
Tom and Jerry – $3.8 million
The Courier – $2 million
Chaos Walking – $1.9 million
The Croods: A New Age – $620K million
(Source: Box Office Mojo)
