Hello! I am back from a very long weekend playing on golf courses!
All Other TV News
Jeopardy! producer Mike Richards is, in fact, going to be your new host of the game show in a decision that feels like it had been made long before this new season even began. Mayim Bialik will host prime-time specials and a potential spinoff. I mean, did they even consider Will Ferrell doing his impersonation of Alex Trebek? I’d watch every damn day.
LOL, Dominion Voting Systems has now sued Newsmax, One America News Network, and former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, Herring Networks owners Robert Herring and Charles Herring, and on-air personalities Chanel Rion and Christina Bobb for defamation to the tune of $1.6 billion. GET THE LIARS.
Meanwhile, over at Fox News, Dan Bongino interviewed Former President Frontotemporal Dementia where he spewed a bunch of lies about the election being “fake,” and Fox News edited it out before posting the interview on YouTube. So now Bongino and a bunch of deluded MAGAites are SUPER PISSED at Fox.
Here’s your chance to rent Dorinda’s Berkshires home, Blue Stone Manor for $100 a night if I don’t beat you to it.
We are in the middle of Emmy voting season, which is why we have stories about a possible second season of Mare of Easttown and this conversation with the creator of the series.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer are not actually dating.
How long have the teens on Outer Banks gone without showering: an important investigation.
They’re trying to reboot Melrose Place again, this time with the original cast, which just seems like a terrible idea. YOU’RE IN YOUR 50s.
Does Disney’s new immersive Star Wars hotel look super cool? Yes. Does it look $6,000 for two nights for a family of four cool? No. No, it does not, that’s insane.
The Olympics were such a disappointment for NBC they offered some advertisers free ad space to make up for lackluster ratings. They also flubbed the Peacock side of things (which I can personally attest to, having tried, and failed to tune into the end of one women’s soccer match that went into overtime).
Here are your nominees for the MTV VMAs.
Back in 1997, an episode of Pokémon sent 685 children to the hospital.
AT&T is in talks to sell TMZ to Fox, where, admittedly, it seems more at home.
One of the things that happened while I was gone was that Meghan McCain FINALLY left The View after four seasons of spewing GOP talking points and her entitled nonsense, and not a single fight broke out. Is it crazy I’m going to kinda miss hate-watching her?
People had feelings:
I thought I felt a mending of a great rift in the time-space continuum, but it was just Meghan McCain leaving The View.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) August 6, 2021
Today is Meghan McCain’s LAST DAY on #TheView. The evil has been defeated! pic.twitter.com/E9VSQkn7PM
— Azula’s Therapist (@ohgodjohnwhy) August 6, 2021
Meghan McCain has OFFICIALLY departed #TheView. Now she can take on the full-time job for which she is most qualified: John McCain's daughter.
— Elgin Charles (@ElginCharles) August 6, 2021
Sending our best wishes and thoughts to Christina Applegate. 🧡
Hi friends. A few months ago I was diagnosed with MS. It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition. It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some asshole blocks it.
— christina applegate (@1capplegate) August 10, 2021
As one of my friends that has MS said “ we wake up and take the indicated action”. And that’s what I do. So now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing. Thank you xo
— christina applegate (@1capplegate) August 10, 2021
Going Viral
Last week:
This week:
Utterly heartbreaking and infuriating. The only good news that I have is that this Delta surge has encouraged more people to get vaccinated. Not many more, mind you, but those numbers are ticking upwards a bit.
I have just returned from New York City which has instituted a requirement on all restaurants and indoor entertainment venues to check vaccination status, and I am happy to report from the front lines that it did not, in fact, feel like Nazi Germany, despite what some of our dumber politicians would have you believe. If anything, it allowed me to relax in public spaces, and not feel like I had to keep my mask on to protect myself and others. Los Angeles is looking into implementing a similar requirement, and I am just sorry I live in a state run by a bunch of dumbfucks who don’t understand how viruses spread.
Because for those of you who somehow don’t know this, our shitty governor, in an attempt to score points with his mouth-breathing base, has banned vaccine and mask mandates for Texas businesses and government agencies, including our public schools. But that’s OK because the virus doesn’t affect kids, right?
On Thursday, the Texas Education Agency released new guidance for schools on how to handle positive COVID-19 cases.
More: https://t.co/SJose7KGHL pic.twitter.com/yo49G9VRHA
— WFAA (@wfaa) August 5, 2021
And with schools opening across our state, what could go wrong?
Predictably, our hospitals, like hospitals all over the south where the fewest people are vaccinated, are completely overwhelmed. We are running out of ICU beds, and having to set up overflow tents, and our governor is now asking for hospitals to postpone elective surgeries and for traveling nurses to come help the more than 10,000 Texans who are currently hospitalized with the virus WHICH THEY COULD HAVE AVOIDED HAD THEY JUST GOTTEN THE DAMN SHOT. But is Governor Dipshit reversing his ban on mask or vaccination mandates? LOL OF COURSE NOT.
And then there’s this asshole:
US Sens. Ted Cruz, Kevin Cramer introduce bills to ban mask, vaccine mandates https://t.co/MeO8whRFn2 pic.twitter.com/7RXuFLzKuj
— KPRC 2 Houston (@KPRC2) August 11, 2021
For those of you not in Houston, Ted’s kids go to an elite private school here in town that most definitely has a mask mandate. So why is it a mask mandate acceptable for his kids but not yours?
And let’s not forget Florida, and Governor DeathSantis, who is actively trying to out dumb Texas. We’ve already discussed how he has also banned mask and vaccine mandates, including for cruise ships which are just literal COVID nurseries (though Norwegian Cruises won one round recently). Now he’s threatening to withhold the pay of superintendents and school board members who violate his ban on mask mandates in schools — WHILE AT THE SAME EXACT TIME! Florida has asked the federal government for 300 more ventilators. I would ascribe this to cognitive dissonance, but I think that’s giving him too much credit. This is political cynicism at its purest.
For once, I don’t disagree with Meghan McCain when she said last week that this is only playing into DeSantis’ popularity because we live in a hellscape now.
Oh. My. God. It’s a movie. I made that up. It’s. Not. Real.
— Akiva Goldsman (@AkivaGoldsman) August 9, 2021
Fortunately, there are more businesses, organizations, and productions who are being responsible and requiring vaccinations:
- The Pentagon will require all enlisted military to receive the vaccine by September 15
- California will require all school staff and teachers to be vaccinated or be tested weekly
- Amazon Studios is in talks for mandatory vaccinations for cast and crew in close contact
- Chicago Med will have a vaccine mandate
- Live Nation has said they will allow artists to require vaccine proof or negative tests for concert attendance, and Jason Isbell took them up on it, canceling a show here in Houston when the venue couldn’t comply because of Governor HeadUpHisAss
- CNN fired three employees who came into the office without being vaccinated
- The National Association of Theater Owners is open to require vaccine proof for attending movies (DO IT)
- United Airlines will require their employees to be vaccinated by October — unfortunately, Southwest, Delta, and American Airlines have said they will not require it. And I am not required to fly with them ever again.
Meanwhile, the return to normal life is delayed: Amazon, Lionsgate, and ViacomCBS have all postponed the return to the office that was set for this fall. The Emmys have moved to an indoor/outdoor venue and the Red Carpet will be limited; BravoCon 2021 has been canceled; The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has been canceled; and the Beijing International Film Festival has been postponed.
NBCUniversal has been hit particularly hard with new cases.
Anti-vaxxer right-wing radio host Marc Bernier has been hospitalized with COVID, and Dick Farrel, a former Newsmax anchor and conservative talk show host has died from it.
Renewals
- The White Lotus has been renewed for a second season at HBO, thank goodness. Didn’t love it at first; now obsessed.
- High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America has been renewed for a second season on Netflix.
- It looks like Betty has been renewed for a third season on HBO.
- Kid Cosmic has been renewed for seasons two and three on Netflix.
In Development
- An untitled medical comedy from Roy Wood and Carolyn Pierre-Outlar is being developed at NBC.
- Dying to Belong, a remake of the Lifetime movie starring Shannen Doherty, Jenika Rose, and Favour Onwuka is being made at the network.
- The Great American Recipe is in the works at PBS.
- Relationship Goals is being turned into a film at Amazon.
- Argylle is (probably) going to be made at Apple TV+.
- Overlook is not moving forward at HBO Max, however, it might find a home at Netflix.
Casting News
- Catherine Zeta-Jones is your new Morticia, and Luis Guzmán your new Gomez Addams in the Wednesday series at Netflix. STRONGLY APPROVE.
- Nate Burleson has joined CBS This Morning.
- Leslie Jones and Nat Faxon have joined Our Flag Means Death on Netflix.
- John Lithgow is joining Killers of the Flower Moon at Apple TV+.
- Melissa Reeves is returning to Days of Our Lives on NBC.
- Ramón Rodríguez will co-star in Olga Dies Dreaming on Hulu.
- Daniel Sunjata has joined the cast of Echoes on Netflix.
- Babak Tafti and Mousa Hussein Kraish will co-star in Super Pumped on Hulu.
- Jearnest Corchado, Kyle Selig, Tetona Jackson, Carlos Ponce, Alec Mapa, and Damon Dayoub have joined The Real Housewives of the North Pole on Peacock.
- Christopher Jackson and LeRoy McClain will join the cast of And Just Like That … on HBO Max.
- Karla-Simone Spence, Sophie Cookson, Patrick Martins, Stephen Campbell Moore, Steven MacIntosh, and Henry Pettigrew have been cast in The Confessions of Frannie Langton on ITV.
- Kasie Hunt has moved over to CNN.
Mark Your Calendars
- Stranger Things will return in 2022.
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn ǝɥʇ uᴉ llɐ,ʎ ǝǝs
Stranger Things returns in 2022. pic.twitter.com/RHwQng4QZh— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) August 6, 2021
- The Great will return for season two on November 19.
- Annette will premiere on Amazon on August 20.
- Yellowjackets will premiere on Showtime sometime this fall.
- Bachelor in Paradise returns on ABC on August 16.
- Come From Away will premiere on Apple TV+ on September 10.
- The Big Leap will debut on Fox on September 20.
- House Calls with Dr. Phil will debut on CBS on August 18.
- La Fortuna will debut on AMC+ this winter.
- How to Be a Cowboy will premiere on Netflix on September 1.
- Sweet Life: Los Angeles will premiere on HBO Max on August 19.
- Robot Chicken returns on Adult Swim on September 23.
- Gossip will debut on Showtime on August 22.
- Pretty Hard Cases will premiere on IMDb TV on September 10.
- Squid Game will debut on Netflix on September 17.
- Roku has announced 23 new series. You can view all of the individual trailers here.
- Sex & Murder returns on HLN on August 29.
- Nature returns on PBS on October 20.
- Food Network and Discovery+ have announced their Halloween programming.
- Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has announced six new films beginning September 12.
- FBN Prime will premiere on Fox Business News on September 20.
- American Masters: Ailey will debut on PBS on January 11.
- Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns on PBS in January.
- Finding Alice will debut on Acorn TV on September 13.
- The Green Knight will be available to stream on August 18, but it’s one night only.
R.I.P.
Markie Post, Actress best-known for her roles on Night Court and The Fall Guy among others.
Her grace, her warmth, her intelligence, her compassion, her optimism, her empathy, her humility, her love and devotion to her family. And her flawless comic timing, her beauty, her laugh and more.. pic.twitter.com/EeB6eQJI4e
— John B. Larroquette (@johnlarroquette) August 8, 2021
This breaks my heart. Markie was just the best. An incredible scene partner and friend. I feel so lucky to have had our time together. I will miss her very much. https://t.co/jGVlJ7qAQ9
— Mary McCormack (@marycmccormack) August 8, 2021
It was an honor and blessing to work with Markie Post in 'Mary.' Only she could've played Cameron Diaz's mother believably and we were lucky to get her. Her performance was kind and loving and it made all the madness fun and acceptable. We love you, Markie Post. #RIPMarkiePost
— Farrelly Brothers (@farrellybros) August 8, 2021
Sunni Welles, Actress who got her start as a child in Leave it to Beaver and later Quincy, M.E., Trapper John, M.D., and I Spy, and one of Bill Cosby’s accusers
Peter A. Lees, Producer of the live-action The Little Mermaid, among other projects
Patricia Hitchcock, Actress and daughter of Alfred Hitchcock
Jack Couffer, Oscar-nominated cinematographer
Jonathan Rinzler, Author of “making of” books about Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Alien and The Shining
Tony Esposito, NHL Hall of Famer
Cameron Burrell, Houston track star, son of Olympic gold-medalist Leroy Burrell, and godson of Carl Lewis
WATCH THIS
What If?: This new animated series reimagines famous Marvel moments, with different heroes involved or something. Series premiere. Disney+
Riverdale: Archie leads the charge to round up the escaped prisoners in the season premiere. 7 p.m., The CW
Superstar: This new docuseries takes an intimate look into the lives of some of our most beloved superstars, including Whitney Houston, Kobe Bryant, Robin Williams and others. Series premiere. 9 p.m., ABC
Cribs: This is where the magic happens. Series reboot premiere. 8:30 p.m., MTV
Homeroom: This documentary looks at a group of high schoolers at Oakland High School as they navigate what would already be a treacherous year of college applications and testing which was only compounded by the pandemic and social justice issues. Premiere. Hulu
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Billy Crystal, Katie Ledecky, Jackie Fabulous
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Andy Samberg, Hannah Waddingham, Tom Odell
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Alan Alda, Gabriel Iglesias
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: James McAvoy, Taika Waititi, Max with Ali Gatie, guest host Sarah Silverman
- Watch What Happens Live: Lisa Rinna, Gary Janetti
WEDS. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
ABC | Press Your Luck (new) |
The $100,000 Pyramid (new) |
Superstar (new) |
CBS | Big Brother (new) |
Love Island (new) |
S.W.A.T. (repeat) |
CW | Riverdale (new) |
In the Dark (new) |
Local |
FOX | MasterChef (new) |
Housebroken (repeat) |
Duncanville (repeat) |
News/Local |
NBC | America’s Got Talent (repeat) |
Family Game Fight! (new) |
Chicago P.D. (repeat) |