It’s a Friday and I’m not crying, you’re crying, you big stupid sap.
Chimp has a reunion with the people that rescued him❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/vFaRYMW6P1
— Primates (@PrimatesDaily) April 16, 2021
One of my family’s dear friends has retired from working with the Houston Zoo’s great apes, specifically the orangutans, and has moved to the East Coast. However, she comes back to town a couple of times a year and pays a visit to her ape friends, and based on the beautiful Facebook photos she posted this week, they not only recognize and remember her, but they are also genuinely happy to see her. It’s just the sweetest.
All Other TV News
Netflix is hoping Shadow and Bone will be their next big epic fantasy hit, but it, like Game of Thrones, is its own complicated universe that can seem a little daunting to enter. Here’s a little primer Vanity Fair’s Joanna Robinson wrote up for what you can expect from the series based on the popular novels.
The Flight Attendant has had a showrunner shakeup, which is a shame as the first season was a perfect little romp.
ABC managed to sell all of its commercial spots for the Oscars, which seems optimistic.
Being the Ricardos dropped plans to film at the Chateau Marmont because the hotel has been accused of being just awful to its employees, with allegations of racial and sexual abuse and leaving their employees without adequate health care during the pandemic.
I May Destroy You and Unorthodox were the big TV winners at the Spirit Awards last night.
ATX has announced their first titles that will attend the festival, including Ziwe on Showtime, and Amazon’s Small Axe. Also on hand, the upcoming Fox series, HouseBroken, and a reunion of MTV’s Faking It. Additionally, they will have an Oz retrospective, and they will honor Michael J. Fox. You can buy passes and find out more information here.
Alright nerds: we’re going to start getting a bunch of filming updates for House of Dragon and I’m going to be posting them. Sorry not sorry. First up: looks like House Velaryon will be involved in the new series.
NO ONE WANTS THIS, CAITLYN. NO MORE CELEBRITY POLITICIANS.
Going Viral
What a difference a year and an election make.
April 23rd, 2020: A significant and powerful moment in U.S. history. The day a sitting president of the United States used a press briefing to discuss the possibility of injecting disinfectant(which no one should ever do) pic.twitter.com/75kGQkD0h7
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 23, 2021
How to medical pic.twitter.com/0EDqJcy38p
— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) April 24, 2020
A C.D.C. panel is set to vote today on the pause on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. I’m sure they’ll put it back online, at least I hope so. That said, the demand for vaccines seems to be falling and some mass vaccination sites across the country are closing.
The Smithsonian museums and National Portrait Gallery will reopen early next month.
New York Comic Con will be in person this October, with very limited attendance.
It looks like if you are from out of state, but can prove you are fully vaccinated, you might be able to go to California’s theme parks? Maybe? But the theme parks themselves seem to still be limiting visitors to state residents? It’s confusing. Bottom line: I wouldn’t be buying a ticket to Disneyland if you live in Texas for the next month or so.
The Bite, a satirical comedy about a strain of COVID that turns people into zombies, will premiere on Spectrum on May 21. Or as the trailer itself says, “too soon.”
Renewals
- Selena + Chef has been renewed for a third season on HBO Max.
- Secrets of Sulphur Springs has been renewed for a second season on Disney Channel.
In Development
- Tracey’s Life Matters, a comedy based on Tracey Ashley’s life and standup comedy, is being developed at Fox.
- A docuseries following Bubba Wallace is in the works at Netflix.
- Back on the Record With Bob Costas is coming back to HBO.
- 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything has been ordered at Apple TV+.
- Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba is being adapted for TV.
- The Boy Behind the Door has been acquired by Shudder.
- Pier Kids will come to PBS’s POV series.
- Chris Kula has signed an overall deal with CBS Studios.
Casting News
- Richard Lewis is going to be in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm after all.
Great news for me! Although I’m still recovering from three surgeries and missing Season 11 of Curb, LD called me and asked if there was any chance if I felt strong enough to do one episode!
I am and here I’m on the set to shoot it. I’m so grateful.🙏@HBO #curb
pic.twitter.com/L4eYv7nLWM— Richard Lewis (@TheRichardLewis) April 22, 2021
- Gloria Reuben will guest star on Blue Bloods on CBS.
- Emma Pasarow and Belmont Cameli will co-star in Along for the Ride on Netflix.
- Tracy Letts, Julianne Nicholson, Jimel Atkins, LisaGay Hamilton, and Andy Hirsch have been added to the cast of the HBO Lakers series.
- Tracy Ifeachor and Sharon D. Clarke will star in Showtrial on BBC.
- Riz Ahmed and Viola Davis are joining the Oscars “cast.” 🙄
Mark Your Calendar
- Fathom will premiere on Apple TV+ on June 25.
- 90 Day: Foody Call will debut on Discovery+ on May 29.
- Stuck with You will return on ALLBLK on May 6.
- The Pursuit of Love will debut on BBC soon.
- Summer House returns on Bravo on April 29.
- Halston will premiere on Netflix on May 14.
- Chasing Ocean Giants debuts on Discovery+ on April 29.
- Super Sema premieres on YouTube today.
R.I.P.
Shock G, Rapper for Digital Underground and Tupac producer
Man …. Shock G what a tough loss at such a precarious time. Brilliant beyond …such a beautiful free mind Brother. #RestinBeats my man . #Doowhatchalike #DUforever
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) April 23, 2021
Damn. Fiona Apple just hit & told me this cool story about her pushing a cart in the Home Depot parking lot, & saw Shock G (97) & both were mutual fans (DU was her 1st rap purchase/He would spin “Never Is A Promise”at gigs) they would email/exchange lyrics to each other. 😥
— B.R.O.theR. ?uestion (@questlove) April 23, 2021
This comment on ILX re Shock G is about much more, and the man had it correct. pic.twitter.com/420qxn3E2d
— Ned Raggett (@NedRaggett) April 23, 2021
Les McKeown, Singer for the Bay City Rollers
Arthur T. Birsh, Publisher of Playbill
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
Shadow and Bone: A young woman with extraordinary powers could change the fate of her world in this new fantasy series. Premiere. Netflix
RuPaul’s Drag Race: The 13th season winner is chosen. Season finale. 7 p.m., VH1
Mortal Kombat: The video game comes to life in this feature film about an MMA fighter who seeks out the Earth’s greatest fighters to take on a dangerous threat. Premiere. HBO Max
Black Lady Sketch Show: Season premiere. 10 p.m., HBO
SATURDAY
No Country for Old Men: I’d make an argument that this is the Cohen Brothers’ greatest drama. Their greatest comedy is obviously Raising Arizona. SORRY, BIG LEBOWSKI, BUT WE ALL KNOW IT’S TRUE. 5:55 p.m., The Movie Channel
My Husband’s Killer Girlfriend: Something about a nanny and an ex-husband’s new girlfriend and mental patients and being framed for a crime and this just seems messy. 7 p.m., Lifetime
SUNDAY
The Oscars: I have never been less interested in an Academy Awards Ceremony in my life. Seriously though, does anyone care this year? 7 p.m., ABC; Red carpet coverage begins at noon on ABC
Murderous History: This new true-crime series looks at historical murders and how they were solved long before DNA, profiling, and even fingerprinting. Series premiere. 8 p.m., Smithsonian Channel
Biography: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper: Honestly, if they just spent the entire hour talking about his performance in They Live, I would be thrilled. 7 p.m., A&E
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Friday): Anna Kendrick, Wayne Federman, Masked Wolf
FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
ABC | Shark Tank (new) |
20/20 |
CBS | MacGyver (repeat) |
Magnum P.I. (repeat) |
Blue Bloods (repeat) |
CW | Whose Line Is It Anyway? (new) |
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (new) |
Penn & Teller: Fool Us (repeat) |
Local |
FOX | Friday Night Smackdown | Local |
NBC | The Blacklist (new) |
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 | FBI (repeat) |
S.W.A.T. (repeat) |
48 Hours | News/Local |
FOX | The Masked Singer (repeat) |
Game of Talents (repeat) |
News/Local |
NBC | Ellen’s Game of Games (repeat) |
Law and Order: SVU (repeat) |
Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
News/ Local |
Saturday Night Live (repeat) |
—
SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
ABC | The Oscars (live) |
CBS | 60 Minutes | NCIS: Los Angeles (new) |
NCIS: New Orleans (new) |
The CW | Local | World’s Funniest Animals (repeat) |
World’s Funniest Animals (repeat) |
Masters of Illusion (repeat) |
Masters of Illusion (repeat) |
Local |
FOX | The Simp-sons (repeat) |
Bless the Harts (repeat) |
The Simp-sons (repeat) |
The Great North (repeat) |
Bob’s Burgers (repeat) |
Family Guy (repeat) |
Local/News |
NBC | Ellen’s Game of Games (repeat) |
The Fate of the Furious |