IT’S FRIDAY TREAT YOURSELF TO A MASSAGE.
A massage from a friend pic.twitter.com/DXVcWuBw72
— CAPYBARA MAN (@CAPYBARA_MAN) May 14, 2021
All Other TV News
This is interesting news: here in Texas, a state House bill named after Javier Ambler passed the Senate, and now goes to Governor Abbott’s desk for his signature. Javier Ambler is the man who was killed by Williamson County deputies during a traffic stop while they were recording for A&E’s show Live P.D. The Javier Ambler law would ban law enforcement departments from participating in or contracting with reality TV shows. GOOD. PASS IT.
So, someone forgot to look at the calendar, and WHOOPS, apparently we’re in the middle of Upfronts. News has been breaking all day, and maybe I’ll post something this weekend with a better look at schedules, new shows, etc.
In the meantime, some interesting points:
The Voice will only air once a year from here on out.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine will air its final season on NBC during the Olympics in August.
The CW is going to expand into Saturday nights, which considering they have a roster of approximately 76 different superhero shows now, it just makes sense.
Disney is shortening its exclusive theatrical window to 45 days.
Martin Bashir is leaving the BBC on “health grounds” and not because of the ongoing investigation into how he landed that famous interview with Princess Diana.
Elon Musk’s appearance on Saturday Night Live has cost him $20 billion in one week.
Oh no, heal up quickly, Robert De Niro!
It just came out on Monday that John Mulaney is getting divorced from his wife Anna Marie Tendler and now we know he is dating Olivia Munn. Between this and the MTV news, I need to go lie down for a little while.
Going Viral
It’s clear the CDC is using this guidance to encourage people to GO GET THE DAMN VACCINE, but the irony, of course, is that the people who are reluctant to get the vaccine (putting aside the people who are medically incapable of getting the vaccine) are the same folks who have defied mask orders the entire time, so, I’m not sure how much this is going to actually do to push the needle on the herd immunity issue.
I am of mixed feelings about this guidance: on the one hand, we had to get to this moment at some point, and telling vaccinated people that they still have to mask up is not much incentive to those who have not yet received the shot to get it. On the other hand, there is still a large group of people who are ineligible for the vaccine — namely anyone 12 and younger — and we haven’t reached herd immunity so as to protect those who can not receive the vaccine at all. We’ve only vaccinated about 58% of the population with the first dose so far, so these groups are still in danger. This also puts businesses and state and local governments in a weird place, making it more difficult to enforce mask mandates. And since we don’t have any kind of vaccine passport, this is all being done on the honor code, and if this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that people are selfish and inconsiderate assholes who do not give one whit about the common good.
I don’t know what the answer is. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the CDC should have told the states that their vaccinated population could demask once they had reached some percentage of the population vaccinated? Kinda like how some states aren’t planning to reopen until they’ve reached some magic number, 70% vaccinated or whathaveyou?
Don’t get me wrong: this is good news and I do hope that it will convince some hesitant people out there to go ahead and get vaccinated now that they can see there is a tangible benefit. But I, for once, will continue wearing my mask to the grocery store until my state and city improve their vaccination rates.
Also, get ready for this new fun stage in our never-ending culture war:
I had a mask on as I stepped off the Floor. An aide with @mtgreenee yelled at me to take my mask off. No one should be bullied for wearing a mask. So I told the bully what I thought of his order. Predictably, he went speechless. I regret I wasn’t more explicit. https://t.co/o8j0DXWOBm
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) May 14, 2021
“WHAT’S THE POINT OF GETTING THE FREAKING VACCINE, THEN?!” a fully grown woman just yelled at me when I explained our store policy has not changed.
What.
Is.
The.
POINT?!I’m sure you can speak to a manager and get your vaccine money back, ma’am.
— 6 Loose Bags Of Gasoline (@kelliebob) May 14, 2021
Remember, it’s none of your business if someone else is wearing a mask, and please continue wearing a mask if the business you are patronizing asks you to. In short: don’t be a dick.
ALSO: it is worth noting that while the CDC insists that if you’re vaccinated, the chances of contracting the virus are slim, and becoming actually sick from it is virtually zero … but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Cases in point: Bill Maher, who had to cancel the taping of Real Time this week; and the Yankees, who have had EIGHT (8) breakthrough cases. So, you know, you might want to keep those masks on for a little bit longer, even if you are vaccinated, and especially if you live with someone who isn’t vaccinated.
Disney is excited about the mask guidance in relation to the parks, which is great, except are they going to ask for proof of vaccination from their guests? A thing they legally can’t do in Florida?
Sundance Film Festival will go hybrid in 2022.
Renewals
- ABC announced a bunch of renewals: The Rookie; Home Economics; The Conners; The Goldbergs; and A Million Little Things have all been renewed.
- Law & Order: Organized Crime has been renewed for a second season at NBC.
- Serengeti has been renewed at Discovery and will return sometime this summer.
- In Their Own Words has been renewed at PBS.
- The Bradshaw Bunch has been renewed for a second season on E!
Cancellations
- black-ish has also been renewed at ABC, but this 8th season will be its last.
- Call Your Mother has been cancelled at ABC after one season.
- Also canceled at ABC: mixed-ish; American Housewife; For Life; and Rebel.
In Development
- ABC has ordered music-themed drama Queens and comedies The Wonder Years; Maggie; and Abbott Elementary to series.
- American Song Contest, an American version of Eurovision; LA Fire and Rescue, a docuseries from Dick Wolff; and AGT: Extreme have been ordered to series at NBC.
- Accused, a crime anthology, has been ordered to series at Fox.
- Miley Cyrus has signed a deal with NBC, and her first project will be a Pride concert.
- Steve Kornacki is developing a game show for NBCUniversal and is joining NBC Sports for the Olympics and the Super Bowl. Yay, Kornacki!
- Jimmy Fallon’s books, Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada and Everything is Mama, are being turned into animated TV shows and his book 5 More Sleeps ’til Christmas is being turned into a Christmas special at NBC. Fallon is also producing Battle of the Cover Bands on E!, That’s My Jam on NBC, and a kids version of The Tonight Show for Peacock.
- A spinoff of Bridgerton is being made at Netflix.
- Two sequels to 365 Days are in the works at Netflix.
- So You Think You Can Fight, a boxing competition reality series from Nigel Lythgoe, is in the works.
- Psych 3: This Is Gus is coming to Peacock.
- Bring It On: Halloween; Astrid & Lilly Save the World; Day of the Dead; and Slumber Party Massacre have been ordered at Syfy.
- We Got Love Iman & Teyana; Relatively Famous: Ranch Rules; Showbiz Moms & Dads; and Jason Biggs Cash at Your Door have been ordered at E!
- Below Deck Adventure; Kandi OLG Project; Life is a Ballroom; Love Match Atlanta; Love Without Borders; and Summer House Winter Charm are coming to Bravo.
- America’s Big Deal; Mud, Sweat & Beards; and Nash Bridges have been ordered at USA.
- And Oxygen has ordered one million new shows.
- Buy It or Build It has been ordered at HGTV.
- Ultraman is being turned into a CG film at Netflix.
- Devon Greggory has signed a deal with CBS Studios.
- Adopted is not moving forward at ABC.
Casting News
- Jason Schwartzman, Eric Roberts, and Eric Andre have joined The Righteous Gemstones on HBO.
- Cherry Jones is joining Five Days at Memorial on Apple TV.
- Jackée Harry and George Wallace have been added to the cast of Everything is Trash at Freeform and I am FOR IT.
- Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, and Darby Camp are joining Gaslit at Starz.
- Tom Blyth has been cast in the title role of Billy the Kid at Epix.
- Rolando Chusan will co-star in the ABC drama pilot Promised Land.
- Brian Van Holt is joining the cast of Joe Exotic on Peacock.
- Chris Webber has left TNT as an NBA analyst.
- Ronnie Ortiz-Magro is leaving Jersey Shore Family Vacation to address mental health issues.
Mark Your Calendar
- Home Before Dark will return on Apple TV+ on June 11.
- Nail Bomber: Manhunt will premiere on Netflix on May 26.
- Kevin Garnett: Anything Is Possible will premiere on Showtime on July 30.
- Baggio: The Divine Ponytail will premiere on Netflix on May 26.
- Juan Luis Guerra: Entre Mar Y Palmeras will premiere on HBO Max, HBO Latino and HBO Latin America on June 3.
- Skater Girl will premiere on Netflix on June 11.
- Anne Boleyn will debut on Channel 5 sometime later this month.
- Big Brother and Love Island will return on CBS on July 7.
- Soul of a Nation will return on ABC on May 25 and June 18.
- Wolfgang will premiere on Disney+ on June 25.
- 90 Day: Caribbean Love is coming to Discovery+ on July 18.
- You, Me & My Ex will debut on TLC on June 21 and So Freakin Cheap will debut on June 20.
- Married at First Sight: Couples Cam returns on TLC on June 2.
- The Pioneer Woman: Ranch Wedding will premiere on Food Network on June 26.
WATCH THIS
FRIDAY
Halston: Ewan McGregor stars in Ryan Murphy’s portrait of the fashion icon. Premiere. Netflix
Those Who Want Me Dead: Angelina Jolie is a fire jumper who finds herself protecting a 12-year-old boy fleeing from assassins in this new action film. HBO Max
The Woman in the Window: An agoraphobe witnesses a brutal crime from her apartment window … or did she? Amy Adams stars. Netflix
Love, Death & Robots: The David Fincher-produced animated anthology series is back for season two. Netflix
Pride: This six-part documentary series explores the LGBTQ+’s community’s decades-long fight for equality. Premiere. 7 p.m., FX
Blue Bloods: Danny discovers a shocking fact about his newest family member. Season finale. 8 p.m., CBS
Haunted: Netflix’s ghost story series is back for its third season. Netflix
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The East High Wildcats, who are preparing to perform “Beauty and the Beast” for their spring musical. Premiere. Disney+
SATURDAY
The Personal History of David Copperfield: Dev Patel stars in Armando Iannucci‘s take on the classic Dickens novel. 7 p.m., HBO
Saturday Night Live: Keegan-Michael Key & Olivia Rodrigo 10:30 p.m., NBC
SUNDAY
2021 MTV TV & Movie Awards: Leslie Jones hosts. 8 p.m., MTV
Shahs of Sunset: Reza and MJ plan a trip to Palm Springs to celebrate Mike’s birthday in the season premiere. 7 p.m., Bravo
Death and Nightingales: Matthew Rhys stars in this drama set in Northern Ireland in the mid-1850s. Series premiere. 9 p.m., Starz
Fall River: This docuseries explores the 1979 murders of two young women in the town made notorious for the Lizzie Borden killings. Premiere. 9 p.m., Epix
Run the World: This new comedy follows a group of young women from Harlem as they try to make their way in the world. Premiere. 7:30 p.m., Starz
The Great North: An unexpected guest RSVPs to Wolf and Honeybee’s wedding. Season finale. 7:30 p.m., Fox
The Nevers: Season finale. 8 p.m., HBO
Zooey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season finale. 8 p.m., NBC
Family Guy: Season finale. 8:30 p.m., Fox
The Rookie: Nolan injures himself during a chase in the season finale. 9 p.m., ABC
Miss Universe 2021: Apparently, this is still a thing that still happens. 7 p.m., FYI
Late Night:
- The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon:(Friday): Chance the Rapper, Fred Armisen, Alan Jackson
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: (Friday): Billy Crystal, Tiffany Haddish, the Black Keys
- Watch What Happens Live (Sunday): Kim Fields, Reza Farahan
| FRI. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Shark Tank (new) |
20/20 |
| CBS | The Queen Carries On (new) |
Blue Bloods (new) |
Blue Bloods (new) |
| CW | Charmed (new) |
Dynasty (new) |
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 | Shark Tank (new) |
American Idol | News/Local |
| CBS | Magnum P.I. (repeat) |
S.W.A.T. | 48 Hours | News/Local |
| FOX | The Masked Singer (live) |
Game of Talents (live) |
News/Local |
Stanely Cup Playoff
| NBC | News/ Local |
Saturday Night Live (Keegan-Michael Key & Olivia Rodrigo) |
—
| SUN. | 6:00 | 6:30 | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | America’s Funniest Home Videos (new) |
American Idol (new) |
The Rookie (new) |
| CBS | 60 Minutes | NCIS: Los Angeles (new) |
NCIS: New Orleans (new) |
| The CW | Local | DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (new) |
Batwoman (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 (new) |
Ellen’s Game of Games (new) |
Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (new) |
Good Girls (new) |
Thanks for tip on Rebel cancelation. Dang, I love that show!