It’s Friday!
It’s hard to take a fight seriously when it is this cute.
I stopped up the lane on the way home today and caught the most magical moment with hares boxing right in front of the car!#hares #thebrecks pic.twitter.com/cZbrzow0Ve
— Paula Cooper (@iceniphoto) April 2, 2021
Going Viral
Yesterday, I was one of the 3,403,061 Americans who received a vaccine — my second Moderna dose. And while receiving the vaccine itself could not have been simpler and faster (the 10 minutes we had to wait for an adverse reaction was the longest part of the entire process), I will admit, the side effects from the second dose are no joke. My husband and I both woke up in the middle of the night with fevers, chills, and intense body aches, but now, some 24 hours later, I’m feeling a lot better. The Moderna shot is a ride, but it is well worth it.
And for those of you in the Houston area who have not been able to get a vaccine yet, the counties to the east of us have thousands of vaccines that aren’t being used, and they instructed us to tell everyone we could to come get them. It’s a worrisome trend in Texas’ whiter, poorer, and less-educated counties that vaccine skepticism has taken hold, which will delay our state’s ability to reach herd immunity, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and preventing dangerous mutations. And, of course, it’s not limited to Texas: over in Mississippi, they had some 73,000 unused shots as of yesterday, and only 25% of their population has been vaccinated (which isn’t far off of Texas’ own numbers, and similar to other southern states).
And I’m as shocked as you are that I’m about to say this, but Jerry Falwell Jr. is actually being a decent role model in trying to address this situation:
Jerry Falwell Jr. posts a vaccination selfie. "Please get vaccinated so our nutcase of a Governor will have less reasons for mindless restrictions!" pic.twitter.com/YoxrzUT0Ej
— Ruth Graham (@publicroad) April 8, 2021
Listen, if attacking Democrats helps get Republicans vaccinated, DO IT. WHATEVER IT TAKES. But the bottom line is we need more conservatives and religious leaders out there modeling this behavior if we’re going to beat this virus. Meghan McCain is an idiot here (what else is new), simultaneously arguing that the White House and Democrats are not “doing a good job to get Republicans on board with getting vaccinated,” while also making the point that “Conservatives and Republicans, part of our DNA is questioning big government, is questioning being told what to do, is questioning our privacy.” And that’s ultimately the point: Democrats will never convince hard-core right-wingers to get vaccinated, and the more we scream they should, the more reluctant they will be to do so. This is a mess the Republicans have to clean up.
STATES DIVIDED OVER VACCINE PASSPORTS: Although the White House rules out a possible federal ‘vaccine passport’ to show proof of vaccination in order to travel and go to events, states are split over support of a requirement — the co-hosts weigh in. https://t.co/DGAztkO8MJ pic.twitter.com/p2jWkfj3Xd
— The View (@TheView) April 7, 2021
Oh, and hey, let’s get our restaurant workers vaccinated, please.
A doctor who happens to co-own the Los Angeles Lakers is trying to make an oral vaccine.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival is going to be in person next January, so good for them!
All Other TV News
This week saw the launch of Gutfeld!, a late-night talk show hosted by “comedian” Greg Gutfeld, and Fox News’ attempt to enter the late-night talk show arena. It’s not good. It’s very bad. It’s literally painfully bad. Leaving aside the just sheer mean-spiritedness of Gutfeld’s material, he’s just not funny. His idea of a joke seems to be sneering and angrily yelling a bunch of imagined grievances.
Oh, and repeating the same “jokes” literally every night:
Gutfeld! has told the same terrible joke about CNN three nights in a row — a supercut pic.twitter.com/9RThg15AEM
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 8, 2021
Here he is making the same jokes about Brian Williams two nights in a row:
The right is starting to get better at comedy and it's making lefties nervous pic.twitter.com/viTJOV0H1r
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 6, 2021
they're spending actual money on this. pic.twitter.com/uAi1Uic171
— nikki mccann ramírez (@NikkiMcR) April 7, 2021
I mean, a Fox News show has the audacity to call other cable news networks “obsessed with Trump”:
the cow bit tries to have like eight different punchlines and not a single one of them is coherent, just phenomenal stuff https://t.co/JkXZ8fh3FS
— Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) April 7, 2021
He is literally hurting his audience:
these crowd responses are paaaaaainful pic.twitter.com/ztBr7rMmOE
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 7, 2021
Someone in the audience at the Gutfeld show watching him do his monologue pic.twitter.com/digSNVGOwr
— Carey O'Donnell (@ecareyo) April 6, 2021
Off to a terrific start, guys!
But say what you will about his “comedy,” at least Greg Gutfeld’s fake laugh isn’t as annoying as this (h/t Pajiba):
Oof.
HBO made a new trailer for season 8 of Game of Thrones even though it premiered ~checks notes~ TWO YEARS AGO, but sure. Maybe it’ll convince those few innocent babes out there who haven’t watched it that it is worth it:
Ryan Murphy is reducing our choices:
It's down to FOUR stories. Let me know which ONE is your favorite by using a hashtag from the below list:
1) #AHSALIENS
2) #AHSBLOODYMARY
3) #AHSSIRENS
4) #AHSPLAGUEThe #AMERICANHORRORSTORY universe is expanding…#AHS #AHSFX pic.twitter.com/o0oySBMwZA
— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) April 7, 2021
The newest NCIS spinoff, NCIS: Hawaii will be the first NCIS franchise to have a female lead. I mean, it only took them almost 20 years, but good for them, I guess?
Sharon Osbourne is still fighting with her former The Talk co-hosts. Go home, Sharon, you lost.
Chris Meloni knows you like his butt and he’s good with it.
SVU is filming in park slope this week and someone in the neighborhood facebook group posted this photo of chris meloni
— peter hess (@PeterNHess) April 7, 2021
Sure- big birthday(60), big boy(200 lbs), big cake https://t.co/lmkZ5JKFWe
— Chris Meloni (@Chris_Meloni) April 8, 2021
Mystery Science Theater 3000 started a Kickstarter to make new episodes, and have already exceeded their fundraising goal.
Netflix has signed a deal with Sony to be the exclusive home for their theatrical releases for 18 months. This is not great news for Starz.
Discovery+ is now on Xfinity Flex and will be on X1 soon enough.
The Seinfeld apartment is an architectural impossibility and it is causing an existential crisis.
NO. MORE. CELEBRITY. PRESIDENTS.
Oh no, Jungle Jack Hanna! Our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones.
Renewals
- Love It or List it, Vacation House Rules, and Selling the Big Easy have been given additional episodes at HGTV.
- McDonald & Dodds has been renewed for a third season at ITV.
In Development
- Magic Mike is being turned into a competition series at HBO Max.
- Queer as Folk is being rebooted at Peacock.
- Sugar, a comedy set in the sugar baby world, is in the works at HBO.
- The Downstairs Girl is being developed into a TV series.
Casting News
- Nick Offerman is going to join the cast of Pam & Tommy on Hulu.
- Renée Elise Goldsberry will co-star in She-Hulk on Disney+.
- Tom Holland will star in The Crowded Room on Apple TV+.
- Chi McBride is going to co-star in CBS’s bowling comedy pilot.
- Natalie Morales, Amy Landecker, and Alice Lee have been cast in the CBS comedy pilot inspired by Sarah Cooper’s book How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings.
- Eugenio Mastrandrea, Danielle Deadwyler, Keith David, Kellita Smith, Judith Scott, Lucia Sardo, Paride Benassai, and Roberta Rigano have been cast in From Scratch on Netflix.
- Eli Goree, Charlotte Riley, JJ Feild, Adelind Horan, T’Nia Miller, and Alex Hernandez will star in The Peripheral on Amazon.
- Emeril Lagasse, Roy Choi, Nancy Silverton, Morimoto, and Paula Deen will appear on MasterChef Legends on Fox.
- Annie Gonzalez and Sofia Capanna are joining the cast of Bucktown, a comedy pilot at ABC.
- Adepero Oduye has joined Five Days at Memorial on Apple TV+.
- Kareem Green is joining Flatbush Misdemeanors on Showtime.
- Max Osinski is joining the cast of The Walking Dead: World Beyond on AMC.
- Brittany Adebumola, Jaye Ladymore, and Amarr Wooten have been added to the cast of The 4400 on The CW.
- Ebonee Noel, Rance Nix, Karen LeBlanc, and Yaani King Mondschein will star in The Kings of Napa on OWN.
- Aml Ameen, Ronnie Rowe Jr., and Mouna Traore will co-star in The Porter on BET+ and CBC.
- Patricia Hodge is joining All Creatures Great and Small on PBS and Channel 5.
- Mike Pompeo is joining Fox News, because of course he is.
- Karlie Kloss will not be the full-time host of Project Runway this season, but will make appearances.
- Jodie Turner-Smith is no longer going to be in The Witcher this season.
Mark Your Calendar
Fox has announced their summer premiere dates:
Sunday, May 23
- Duncanville
Tuesday, May 25
- Mental Samurai
Wednesday, May 26
- The Masked Singer
- Crime Scene Kitchen
Monday, May 31
- Hell’s Kitchen: Young Guns
- Housebroken
Tuesday, June 1
- LEGO Masters
- Mental Samurai
Wednesday, June 2
- MasterChef: Legends
Thursday, June 3
- Beat Shazam
August 2021
- Fantasy Island
Oh, and the Last Man Standing series finale (for real this time) will air on Fox on May 20.
- The Woman in the Window will premiere on Netflix on May 14.
- The Chi will return on Showtime on May 23.
- High School Musical: The Musical: The Series will stream on Disney+ on May 14.
- Run The World will debut on Starz on May 16.
- Saints & Sinners will premiere on Bounce on April 11.
- Into the Beat will debut on Netflix on April 16.
- Dark Side of the Ring will return on Vice on May 6.
- Dark Side of Football will premiere on Vice on May 13.
- Murderous History will debut on Smithsonian Channel on April 25.
- Cher & The Loneliest Elephant will debut on Paramount+ on April 22.
- The Innocent debut s on Netflix on April 30.
- The 2021 EE British Academy Film Awards will air on BBC America on April 11.
- Piano Y Mujer will debut on HBO Max and HBO Latino on April 16.
- Milestone will premiere on Netflix on May 6.
- Law School premieres on Netflix on April 14.
- The Bold Type will return on Freeform on May 26.
- American Skin will stream on BET+ on April 15.
- 2040 will air on The CW on April 22.
- When Philip Met Missy will premiere on Discovery+ on April 27.
- Lifetime Presents Variety’s Power of Women: The Comedians Special will air on Lifetime on May 10.
- Fried Barry will now debut on Shudder on May 7.
R.I.P.
Anne Beatts, Original Saturday Night Live writer and creator of Square Pegs, and female comedy pioneer
Quindon Tarver, American Idol contestant and child singer in Romeo + Juliet
James Hampton, Veteran character actor who appeared in F Troop, The China Syndrome, and Teen Wolf, and wrote and directed sitcoms, including Evening Shade
DMX, Hip-hop icon and legendary rapper
Howard Weitzman, Lawyer who represented celebrities the likes of O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson, and Marlon Brando
Prince Philip, Husband of Queen Elizabeth
It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. pic.twitter.com/XOIDQqlFPn
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 9, 2021
Here is how BBC One announced the death of the Duke of Edinburgh pic.twitter.com/21Kdnj72sr
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) April 9, 2021
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
Thunder Force: Melissa McCarthy and Olivia Spencer are two childhood best friends who become accidental superheroes in this new comedy. Premiere. Netflix
Wynonna Earp: Series finale for the cult favorite. 9 p.m., Syfy
Doing the Most with Phoebe Robinson: In her new celebrity interview series, comedian Phoebe Robinson explores new career paths, like winetasting with Gabrielle Union or magic with The Property Brothers. Series premiere. 10 p.m., Comedy Central
SATURDAY
Saturday Night Live: Carey Mulligan & Kid Cudi 10:30 p.m., NBC
The New Mutants: A group of young mutants fights to escape from a secret facility where they are being held in this, the final X-Men film. (Give it five years, and they’ll be rebooting the X-Men movies.) 7 p.m., HBO
The Goonies: Goonies never say die! 6:30 p.m., CMT
SUNDAY
The Nevers: A supernatural event gives women superpowers in Victorian London, putting them in grave danger in this new series. Series premiere. 8 p.m., HBO
Fear the Walking Dead: Strand sends Alicia and Charlie on a mission in the season premiere. 8 p.m., AMC (premieres on AMC+ on Thursday)
Shameless: R.I.P. Shameless and good luck and God speed Gallaghers. Series finale. 8 p.m., Showtime
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Friday): Demi Lovato, Alan Kim
- Watch What Happens Live (Sunday): Kandi Burruss, Anila Sajja
FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
ABC | Shark Tank (new) |
20/20 |
CBS | MacGyver (new) |
Magnum P.I. (new) |
Blue Bloods (new) |
CW | Whose Line Is It Anyway? (repeat) |
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (repeat) |
Penn & Teller: Fool Us (new) |
Local |
FOX | Friday Night Smackdown | Local |
NBC | The Blacklist (repeat) |
Dateline |
—
SAT. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:00 | 10:30 | 11:00 | 11:30 |
ABC | NBA Basketball (live) |
News/Local |
CBS | Bull (repeat) |
48 Hours | 48 Hours | News/Local |
FOX | The Masked Singer (repeat) |
Game of Talents (repeat) |
News/Local |
NBC | Law and Order: Organized Crime (repeat) |
Law and Order: SVU (repeat) |
Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
News/ Local |
Saturday Night Live (Carey Mulligan & Kid Cudi) |
—
SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
ABC | America’s Funniest Home Videos (repeat) |
American Idol (new) |
The Rookie (new) |
CBS | 60 Minutes | NCIS: Los Angeles (repeat) |
NCIS: New Orleans (repeat) |
The CW | Local | Batwoman (new) |
Charmed (new) |
Local |
FOX | The Simp-sons (repeat) |
Bless the Harts (repeat) |
The Simp-sons (new) |
The Great North (new) |
Bob’s Burgers (new) |
Family Guy (new) |
Local/News |
NBC | Ellen’s Game of Games (repeat) |
Ellen’s Game of Games (repeat) |
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (new) |
Good Girls (new) |