Hulu had its turn at the TCAs yesterday:
Expect an older, more mature Veronica Mars because that’s how time works.
Hulu is totally open to a second season of Veronica Mars but insists that this season has a proper ending.
Catch-22 will be told chronologically instead of bouncing back and forth between 1944 and 1942 like the book and the 1970 film did.
Shrill will address abortion in the very first episode and it won’t focus on shame and regret. GOOD.
The Hulu guys explain that petty move with Fyre documentaries, where they released theirs days ahead of Netflix. In the end, I genuinely think it helped both films.
The First was canceled because it was too slow (read: boring) and I Love You, America was canceled because no one watched it. There you go.
The Handmaid’s Tale‘s premiere date was not pushed to summer to avoid Game of Thrones why would you even think that? Game of what?
Marvel’s Runaways will probably be renewed for a third season.
Personal note: I’m really looking forward to The Act (see the teaser trailer below). Again, if you haven’t read the Buzzfeed story about this insane story, you should.
ZOMG THEY ARE MAKING A DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY SERIES. YOU SHOULD ALSO GO READ THAT BOOK.
Hulu is taking a “what, me worry?” attitude about the Disney/Fox merger, but what they really need to worry about is Disney+.
In other TV news:
At Trump’s big stupid unnecessary rally yesterday in El Paso, a BBC cameraman was attacked by a MAGA-ite because this is exactly what happens when the media is demonized. Donald Trump is a dangerous monster who is going to get someone killed.
Meanwhile, Bloomingdale’s just pulled a “FAKE NEWS” t-shirt from its racks and apologized. Confession: for Christmas, my son gave me a bunch of pins made by a local artist, one of which reads “FAKE NEWS.” I love it and obviously wear it on my jacket ironically, but I sometimes do wonder if people who don’t know me think that I’m a Trump supporter. Thoughts?
“Cersei hated the name ‘Ser Pounce’ so much she could not allow him to survive,” Benioff said. “So she came up with her most diabolical [execution]. Ser Pounce’s death was so horrible we couldn’t even put it on the air.”
HOW DARE YOU, YOU MONSTERS.
Better binge Friends on Netflix while you can; the head of Turner Entertainment announced the anticipated WarnerMedia streaming service at the TCAs, and warned that the popular sitcom, along with their DC properties and other CW shows will be moved there once it launches. The streaming wars are going to be hella messy.
Epix launched their own streaming service yesterday. Epix Now will feature MGM’s original programming and movies for $5.99 a month. This is just our future.
Speaking of Epix, their new Batman-adjacent series, Pennyworth, will not feature a Gotham crossover, sorry.
Hasan Minhaj criticized Netflix for pulling that one episode of Patriot Act in Saudi Arabia:
“This isn’t about just censoring one episode of a TV show. It’s about the precedent,” Minhaj said. “Because as tech companies keep expanding, they’re going to keep running into more vague censorship laws — laws that can allow governments to pull any content at any time. Ultimately, [Saudi Arabia] doesn’t care about ‘immoral content’ that ‘impinges on religious values. They’re mad that a Muslim is airing out their dirty laundry.”
According to Jimmi Simpson, there could be more “U.S.S. Callister” sometime in the future. So that’s interesting!
One of the co-creators of Russian Doll doesn’t want to talk about that ending, because she doesn’t want to diminish it by suggesting that it only means one thing. I totally get it.
Meanwhile, the guy who played Alan has a great idea for a standalone episode of Russian Doll. FOR IT.
Wait, are they still talking about a Frasier reboot? But … why?
There was an All My Children reunion on Strahan and Sara WHEN WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IS STRAHAN AND SARA SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH ALL MY CHILDREN. IMMEDIATELY.
True fact: for a great no-brain-necessary trash watch, you can not do better than Instant Hotel on Netflix. The bitchiness, it is EVERYTHING.
Good lord. Pete Hegseth — a man President Senile Grandpa once considered to head the VA — admitted on Fox & Friends on Sunday that he doesn’t wash his hands because “Germs are not a real thing.” DARWINISM, PLEASE WORK FASTER.
Time’s Up
Production on Red Sonja has been put on hold, but Bryan Singer has not been fired. Curious if the production company is just trying to wait out the outrage.
So, Max Landis. Last year, Landis was on the verge of being exposed for having allegedly sexually assaulted several women, and a Hollywood Reporter story was in the works. However, THR declined to publish the story when the accusers refused to be identified. Pajiba has the story from one of his accusers, and it’s not great.
Chris Pratt has responded to Ellen Page’s accusations that his church is famously anti-LGBTQ with an unconvincing “nuh-uh.” Chris, sweetie, a church accepting a divorced straight man into its fold is not the same thing as being accepting of someone who is gay. These are not equivalent.
Patricia Adlon opens up about how the Louis C.K. scandal very nearly derailed the third season of Better Things. I’m can only imagine how emotionally devastating that had to have been for her, and am pleased that she didn’t let this asshole’s behavior destroy one more thing.
Renewals
- The Other Two has been renewed at Comedy Central.
Cancellations
- Wrecked has been canceled at TBS.
In Development
- Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K, Marvel’s Hit-Monkey, Marvel’s Tigra & Dazzler Show and Marvel’s Howard The Duck have been ordered at Hulu.
- David Spade is your new late night show host over on Comedy Central. The show which will air after The Daily Show does not have a title yet.
- Chad, a comedy starring Nasim Pedrad, has been given a pilot order at TBS.
- Crank Yankers is returning to Comedy Central.
- Faun from Joe Hill has been bought by Netflix.
- Reprisal and The Great have been ordered by Hulu.
- The Ones We Choose is being developed at HBO.
- Zombies 2 has been greenlit at Disney.
- Unorthodox is being developed at Netflix.
- Stephen vs. the Game is coming to Facebook Watch.
- Less Than Zero and Search & Destroy are not going forward at Hulu.
Casting News
- Terry Crews is the new host of America’s Got Talent, and Julianne Hough and Gabrielle Union are replacing Mel B. and Heidi Klum.
- Jane Levy will star in NBC’s musical comedy pilot Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.
- Ken Marino will be back for Veronica Mars on Hulu.
- Lucy Liu will star in CBS All Access’ comedy Why Women Kill.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda will guest star on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
- Tahar Rahim will star in The Eddy on Netflix.
- Alana de la Garza is joining the cast of FBI: Most Wanted, the CBS pilot.
- Melissa Leo, Ray McKinnon, Jessica Collins, Camryn Manheim, Timothy Busfield, and Patricia Wettig are joining the cast of Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings on Netflix.
- Reba McEntire will host the “54th Academy of Country Music Awards” on CBS.
- Michael Rooker will be in True Detective at the end of the season.
Mark Your Calendars
- The Handmaid’s Tale will return for season three on Hulu on June 5.
- The Act will debut on Hulu on March 20 and buckle up for this one.
- Catch-22 will debut on Hulu on May 17.
- Shrill will debut on Hulu on March 15.
- Ask Dr. Ruth will premiere on Hulu on May 10.
- Juanita will debut on Netflix on March 8.
- South Side will premiere on Comedy Central this summer.
- Full Frontal with Samantha Bee‘s “Not the White House Correspondents Dinner” will air on TBS on April 27.
- Impractical Jokers and Tacoma FD will return on TruTV on March 28.
- Alaskan Bush People will return on Discovery on March 3.
- Restored by the Fords will return on HGTV on March 19.
R.I.P.
Joseph Sirola, “King of Voice-Overs,” who narrated countless commercials and an actor in many TV shows including Man from U.N.C.L.E., Perry Mason, Hawaii Five-0, Spin City, NYPD Blue
Larry Brand, Writer
WATCH THIS
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: OH NO, HOW IS THIS HAPPENING ALREADY, I’M NOT READY, NO. GO AWAY. Season premiere. 8 p.m., Bravo
Miracle Workers: Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi star in this series about a bunch of angels trying to convince God not to destroy the world. Series premiere.9:30 p.m., TBS
Boomerang: The Eddie Murphy movie is now a TV series produced by Halle Berry and Lena Waithe. So there you go. Series premiere. 9 p.m., BET
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Will Forte, Gigi Hadid, Gashi featuring G-Eazy
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Don Cheadle, Jake Johnson, Kurt Vile
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Regina King, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Jena Friedman
- The Late Late Show with James Corden: Liam Hemsworth, Rebel Wilson, Priyanka Chopra Jonas
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Ray Romano, Charles Barkley
- The Daily Show: Spike Lee
- Conan: Daniel Radcliffe
- Busy Tonight: Eliza Coupe
- Watch What Happens Live: Best of Funny Ladies
| TUES. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | American Housewife (new) |
The Kids Are Alright (new) |
black-ish (new) |
Splitting Up Together (new) |
The Rookie (new) |
| CBS | NCIS (new) |
FBI (new) |
NCIS: New Orleans (new) |
| CW | The Flash (repeat) |
Roswell, New Mexico (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Lethal Weapon (new) |
The Gifted (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Ellen’s Game of Games (new) |
This is Us (new) |
New Amsterdam (new) |
Pretty soon all these streaming options pulling their own shows is going to cost more than just having cable.
That is exactly correct, and I wonder how many of them can possibly be successful in the long run. I mean, I don’t blame them for launching these services — I think they all are looking down the road and wondering how long the cable model can possibly last, and they don’t want to be left dependent on Netflix or Hulu for distribution purposes. But I also don’t see myself subscribing to 20 different streaming services at $5.99-$9.99 a month, and I just don’t think a WarnerMedia or Epix Now is ever going to replicate the success of Netflix, no matter how tightly they cling to “Friends.” In the long run, I think they’re better off continuing to license their properties to other established streamers, but I also understand why they would want their own cut of all that sweet streaming money.
-T