James Gandolfini was paid $3 million to do literally nothing, and he was worth every penny.

Therese Odell

5 years ago

All Other TV News

To protect the legacy of The Sopranos, HBO paid James Gandolfini $3 million to turn down the role of the new Dunder Mifflin boss on The Office after Steve Carrell left the show. Any network is more than welcome to pay me $3 million to do nothing, too. My DMs are open.

ABC’s series Rebel has moved over onto IMDb TV, and could, possibly, get a new life on the streamer.

Joe Exotic is about to be re-sentenced for his murder-for-hire plot against Carole Baskin. He could get up to 52 months (4.5 years) shaved from his 22-year sentence. Fun fact: he was asking for a new trial because he didn’t think that Baskin should have been allowed to attend the original one. You know, his victim.

Joshua Jackson is not interested in visiting what happened to Pacey and Joey in their 40s (dammit).

Will LeFou be gay in the upcoming live-action Beauty and the Beast series on Disney+? Probably! But Josh Gad isn’t saying! But probably!

NBC has sold 85% of the Super Bowl ad time already, which I guess suggests that people expect things to be pretty much back to normal by February?

Rob Zombie’s concept art for The Munsters is here:

A website called Government Attic just published 360 pages of complaints to the FCC about Saturday Night Live, extending back to 2019, and y’all, the supporters of Former President Can’t Take a Joke were really mad about how the show depicted him. One gentleman who does not understand how the First Amendment works wanted the Secret Service to start vetting scripts, and another called Dave Chappelle’s monologue a “hate crime.”

Renewals

iCarly has been renewed for season two on Paramount+.
Go-Big Show has been renewed at TBS for a second season.
Bridge and Tunnel has been renewed for a second season on Epix.

In Development

The Sympathizer has been ordered at HBO. It will co-star Robert Downey Jr.
The Real Housewives Of the North Pole has been ordered at Peacock. It will star Kyle Richards and Betsy Brandt.
Citizen Ashe, a documentary about Arthur Ashe, has been ordered at CNN and HBO Max.
Battu, an animated series from Matthew A. Cherry and Chaz Bottoms, is being developed at Cartoon Network.
IX, a miniseries about Title IX, is being developed.
Lotería, a family film based on the game, is in development at Netflix.
Peacock has just announced a number of new series from MSNBC talent, including: MSNBC Perspectives; The Washington Post’s First Look with Jonathan Capehart; Morning Mika; Fireside History with Michael Beschloss; and a series from Nicolle Wallace.
Hyperobject Industries has signed a multi-year, first-look deal for scripted feature films with Apple.
Joey King has signed a first-look deal with Netflix.
Estuary Films has signed a first-look deal with Entertainment One.

Casting News

Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, and Karen Pittman have joined the cast of Sex & the City: … And Just Like That on HBO Max.
Gigi Hadid will narrate Never Have I Ever this season, replacing Chrissy Teigen.
Jerry O’Connell has joined the table at The Talk on CBS.
Lilly Singh has joined the cast of Dollface on Hulu.
Mia Challis will star in Evil Dead Rise on HBO Max.
Cristela Alonzo will host The CW’s Legends of the Hidden Temple.
Here’s the cast of The Challenge on MTV.

Mark Your Calendars

ABC has announced their fall premiere dates:

Dancing with the Stars: September 20
The Goldbergs: September 22
The Wonder Years: September 22
The Conners: September 22
Home Economics: September 22
A Million Little Things: September 22
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune: September 26
Supermarket Sweep: September 26
The Rookie: September 26
The Good Doctor: September 27
Station 19: September 30
Grey’s Anatomy: September 30
Big Sky: September 30
America’s Funniest Home Videos: October 3
Shark Tank: October 8
20/20: October 8
The Bachelorette: October 19
Queens: October 19

Y: The Last Man will premiere on FX on Hulu on September 13.

What We Do in the Shadows will return on FX on September 2.

Madame X will debut on Paramount+ on October 8.

Modern Love will return on Amazon on August 13.

Hart to Heart will premiere on Peacock on August 5.

Titans will return on HBO Max on August 26.

Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog will debut on National Geographic on July 30.

Hostel Daze will return on Amazon on July 23.

Cribs returns on MTV on August 11.

Cousins will premiere on Netflix on July 22.

The Other Two will return for a second season on Peacock (moving from Comedy Central).
Wakefield will debut on Showtime on October 18.
Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami will premiere on Netflix on August 4.
Alien Invasion: Hudson Valley will debut on Discovery+ on August 15.

R.I.P.

Jeff LaBar, Guitarist for Cinderella

Renée Dorléac, French actress and mother of Catherine Deneuve

WATCH THIS

Dr. Death: The very simple fact is I will watch anything Joshua Jackson is in, and the fact that this limited series is based on a great true-crime podcast is just icing on the cake. Series premiere. Peacock

Never Have I Ever: Season two finds Devi trying to date two boys at once. Season premiere. Netflix

The Outpost: A mysterious assassin seeks revenge in the season premiere. 8 p.m., The CW

Making the Cut: Season premiere. Amazon

Schmiggadon!: Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key star in this star-studded comedy about a couple who find themselves trapped in a musical. Apple TV+

Late Night: