This weekend, NBC and CBS went to the TCA press tour to break some news.
First up, NBC:
TINA FEY AND AMY POEHLER ARE GOING TO HOST THE GOLDEN GLOBES NEXT YEAR. This is literally the only news that could make me give a single shit about those dumb awards.
NBC renewed a pair of shows: Making It will return for a third season, thank goodness. And New Amsterdam has been given a somewhat staggering renewal for THREE more seasons. And while Days of Our Lives hasn’t been officially renewed yet, the NBC bosses insisted that it is coming back.
Meanwhile, The Kenan Show is being pushed to the 2020-2021 season. While the big talk was about how NBC is trying to go “off-cycle” meaning leaving the traditional pilot development schedule in favor of more flexibility, there was also some talk about how Kenan needed time to work on the series, time he doesn’t have while he’s working on Saturday Night Live. And what I’m saying is, don’t be surprised if it is later announced that he’s leaving SNL after this season. I DON’T WANT IT ANY MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE, but it’s likely to happen. (And speaking of SNL, the head of NBC addressed the whole Shane Gillis hiring and firing controversy, and SURPRISE! he thinks everything was handled just fine, thanks.)
In other development news:
- That’s My Jam, a comedy-variety series from and hosted by Jimmy Fallon, is set to debut after the Summer Olympics.
- Young Rock, a series based on Dwayne Johnson’s childhood, and in which he will appear, has been ordered.
- A comedy based on Night School, the Tiffany Haddish/Kevin Hart comedy, has been given a pilot order.
- Debris, a sci-fi series from the Almost Human team, has been given a pilot order.
- The New World, a natural history series from the producers of Planet Earth, is coming to NBC.
- Fran Drescher’s work on upcoming series Indebted has pushed off a The Nanny revival.
- Seth MacFarlane has signed a NINE-FIGURE deal with NBCUniversal and is ending his two-decade-long relationship with Fox.
In interesting This Is Us news, Pamela Adlon and Sophia Bush are both set to recur. We will also explore Randall’s mental health issues and receive answers about Kevin’s kid. Also, did I mention that John Legend is going to guest star?
Council of Dads is going to premiere on NBC on March 10. The emotional drama will follow This Is Us.
NBC intends to wrap up its America’s Got Talent investigation by the end of January.
This isn’t NBC-related, but rather for its upcoming streamer, Peacock, but Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley teased the upcoming Saved by the Bell reboot:
And this is from USA (which is part of the NBCUniversal family), but The Biggest Loser reboot that will premiere on USA soon has stirred up some recent controversy. First, Jillian Michaels kicked a hornet’s nest when she suggested that Lizzo’s body shouldn’t be celebrated, and worried about the singer getting diabetes. People were not amused. Bob Harper was asked about Michaels’ comments at the TCAs, and he was all, “Someone else’s weight ain’t my business … ” even though he’s on a show about making people’s weight his literal business. There were also a bunch of pointed questions about the show not encouraging unhealthy weight loss as they have done in the past, and the panel was basically like, “just trust us.”
As for CBS’s appearance at the TCAs:
Clarice, a series set one year after the events of Silence of the Lambs, is being developed at CBS. It is being produced by Alex Kurtzman, a writer and producer on Fringe, and the Star Trek series.
Which is great, but give me Bryan Fuller. And I’m not the only one who was reminded of the late, great Hannibal: the Clarice announcement sparked a new hashtag: #SaveHannibal. Fuller himself responded:
https://twitter.com/BryanFuller/status/1216458750237663232br
Wait, had y’all noticed that all of Evil‘s episode titles had numbers in them? Will this eventually have something to do with the Book of Numbers? WELL, THAT’S MY THEORY AND I’M STICKING TO IT. (Also, could everyone please LEAVE LOST ALONE?)
There will be an FBI/FBI: Most Wanted crossover this spring.
Tommy released a new trailer:
More projects in development:
- Arranged, a romantic comedy from the Man With a Plan producer, has been bought.
- There will be more primetime celebrity Price is Rights.
- Survivor will have a 40th season retrospective.
At CBS All Access:
Former Hannibal star Hugh Dancy will be joining the cast of The Good Fight, and Michael J. Fox and Zach Grenier will also return. Producer Robert King promised that this season would focus on the business world and the political one, with the impeachment in the background. Also, the door is not closed on Julianna Margulies appearing.
- The Untitled Richard Linklater Project, a docuseries about animal rescue in Austin, has been ordered.
- Tooning Out the News, an animated comedy series from Stephen Colbert, has been set.
- The Harper House, an animated series about an Arkansas family has also been ordered.
- Star Trek: Picard has been renewed for a second season.
- Lassie, George of the Jungle and Mr. Magoo will all debut on January 17.
- Morena Baccarin, Colman Domingo, Ethan Embry, Jenna Elfman, Tavi Gevinson, Tony Hale, Abbie Hern, Gillian Jacobs, Sophia Macy, Joel McHale, Chris Meloni, Billy Porter, Jimmi Simpson, and Daniel Sunjata will appear in the second season of The Twilight Zone.
- Interrogation will premiere on February 6. It’s a ten-episode series based on an actual murder, and the first nine episodes will be released all at once and can be viewed in any order. The 10th and final episode which reveals the killer will be released at a later date. So that’s fun:
In Other TV News:
Oscar nominations came out this morning, and I’m not going to dwell on them because this is a TV blog, not a movie blog, but it is worth noting that Netflix took the most nominations with 24. Brace yourselves for some sort of rule overhaul to try to prevent this in the future.
Also, the Critics’ Choice Awards were last night. Winners in the TV categories:
BEST DRAMA SERIES: Succession (HBO)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES: Jeremy Strong – Succession (HBO)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES: WINNER: Regina King – Watchmen (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES: Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES: Jean Smart – Watchmen (HBO)
BEST COMEDY SERIES: Fleabag (Amazon)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES: Bill Hader – Barry (HBO)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES: Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Fleabag (Amazon)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES: Andrew Scott – Fleabag (Amazon)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES: Alex Borstein – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
BEST LIMITED SERIES: When They See Us (Netflix)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION: El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (Netflix)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION: Jharrel Jerome – When They See Us (Netflix)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION: Michelle Williams – Fosse/Verdon (FX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION: Stellan Skarsgård – Chernobyl (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION: Toni Collette – Unbelievable (Netflix)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES: BoJack Horseman (Netflix)
BEST TALK SHOW (TIE): The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS) & Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL: Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons (ABC)
There have been some The View DRAMAS, you guys. First of all, Abby Huntsman announced this morning that she’s leaving the show after two years to help her father John Huntsman’s gubernatorial campaign. This comes on the heels of last week’s gossip that Meghan McCain was being snubbed by the entire cast, including her former best friend on the show, Abby. Meghan’s team even confirmed on Fox News that she and Abby weren’t close anymore, so you know shit got real.
Uh-oh, Bachelor early favorite, Madison, has been accused of some Instagram shenanigans.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly considering doing a tell-all TV interview. That or TV reporters are fantasizing so feverishly about a possible interview that they’ve willed it into existence.
BE CAREFUL WITH THE $5 MILLION BABY YODA.
Oh, Jeopardy! You have to be careful with those Holy Land questions, guys.
Cancellations
- Almost Family and Flirty Dancing are both on the verge of being canceled at Fox. Both have been moved from their regular time slot to Saturday nights, never a good sign.
In Development
- Chucky, the star of the Child’s Play movie, is getting his own series at Syfy from the creator of Channel Zero.
- Space Camp is being remade at Disney+.
- Nobody’s Princess, a musical comedy, is being produced at Amazon.
- The League of Pan, a Peter Pan-based series, is in the works at Syfy.
- Steve Coogan and Sarah Solemani are working on Chivalry, a #MeToo comedy, for Channel 4.
- A documentary about German soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger is being developed at Amazon.
Casting News
- Meghan Markle signed a voiceover deal with Disney in exchange for a sizable donation to a charity that benefits elephants.
- Tony Danza is going to guest star on Outmatched on Fox.
- Kurt Fuller will be in the upcoming Psych movie.
Mark Your Calendar
- Westworld will return on HBO on March 15.
- The Ranch returns on Netflix on January 24.
- Supernatural returns on The CW for its final episodes this Thursday.
— Jensen Ackles (@JensenAckles) January 10, 2020
- Ragnarok debuts on Netflix on January 31.
- Elite returns on Netflix in March.
#Elite Season 3 premieres March 2020 pic.twitter.com/SFZ1IA8OWe
— See What's Next (@seewhatsnext) January 10, 2020
- Seven Worlds, One Planet debuts on BBC America on January 18 with a special Australia episode.
- SHOOK will premiere on Disney Channel on January 20.
- Bar Rescue returns on Paramount on March 1.
- Fatal Attraction returns on TV One today.
R.I.P.
Lan O’Kun, Collaborator with Shari Lewis and Emmy winner
Tony Garnett, British TV producer
Cathy Crawford LaLonde, Daughter of Joan Crawford (but not the one who wrote Mommy Dearest)
Ivan Passer, Czech director
Neal Peart, Drummer for Rush
Paul Rosenfeld, Theater executive
WATCH THIS
The Bachelor: Pilot Peter invites Hannah to join the season. Cue the hysterics. 7 p.m., ABC
The New Pope: With the Young Pope in a coma, a New Pope comes to town. It looks looney-tunes, folks. Season premiere. 8 p.m. HBO
The Good Doctor: Shaun opens up about his feelings for Lea in the winter premiere. 9 p.m., ABC
Frontline: “America’s Great Divide: From Obama to Trump, Part 1”: A hard look at America’s divisive and toxic politics and how we got here. 8 p.m., PBS
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Selena Gomez, Charlie Hunnam, Stormzy
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Bobby Cannavale, Amber Tamblyn, Christian Siriano
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, a performance by the Broadway cast of “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”
- The Late Late Show with James Corden: Rachel Brosnahan, RuPaul Charles
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Tim Allen, Zach Woods, Saint Motel
- The Daily Show: David Alan Grier
- Conan: Walton Goggins, Fahim Anwar
- Lights Out with David Spade: Jeremiah Watkins, Kevin Nealon, Lara Beitz
- Watch What Happens Live: Jennifer Coolidge, Suzanne Somers
- A Little Late with Lily Singh: Madelaine Petsch, Mena Massoud
| MON. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | The Bachelor (new) |
The Good Doctor (new) |
| CBS | The Neighbor-hood (repeat) |
Bob Hearts Abishola (repeat) |
All Rise (repeat) |
Bull (repeat) |
| CW | All American (repeat) |
Penn & Teller: Fool Us (repeat) |
Local |
| FOX | 9-1-1 (repeat) |
Prodigal Son (repeat) |
News/Local |
| NBC | America’s Got Talent: The Champions (new) |
Manifest (new) |
Apropos of nothing, I’d like to say that any scenes in Bad Janet’s Void are VERY pause-worthy.