Happy (terrifying) first day of school to all the Houston kids out there and to this coyote:
Leave that coyote alone. That’s her classroom now.
All Other TV News
Ted Lasso took a gentle swipe at Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for buying a Welsh soccer team:
North Americans in British football. So hot right now. #TedLasso pic.twitter.com/BsnQOb3Hiw
— Apple TV (@AppleTV) August 21, 2021
So, Reynolds and McElhenney responded:
Enough is enough, @TedLasso & @AppleTV pic.twitter.com/P3jBb2WJld
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 21, 2021
But it sounds like the biscuits probably didn’t make it on time:
Thank you so much for your reasonable arbitration request, Rob. Our team of 2,000 lawyers are furiously baking as we speak… https://t.co/GMutZqLLFr
— Apple TV (@AppleTV) August 21, 2021
Yay, free publicity for all!
Speaking of, y’all need to back off of Ted Lasso. You especially, Daniel Radosh of The Daily Show:
A lot of people still aren't ready to admit it but it's clear that season 2 of Ted Lasso is not good, certainly not as good as S1. And I think the reason is everyone completely misunderstands why everyone loved S1.
— Daniel Radosh (@danielradosh) August 22, 2021
I know that it’s fun to be contrarian and be the first one to claim something that everyone else enjoys is actually not that great, but 1. So far the season actually has been entertaining and 2. We are only 5 episodes into a 12-episode season. Chill.
I feel like we’ve set up a lot. Maybe you’ll dig where it goes. Maybe not. And look, I watch tv the same way. This just stung more than usual. Not sure why, yet. I’m usually Teflon. Still, no biggie. I just now feel you’re obligated to watch and report back either way. TV!! 😀
— Bill Lawrence (@VDOOZER) August 22, 2021
Rachel Maddow renewed her contract with MSNBC beyond 2022. Whatever MSNBC gave her, she was worth it.
Fox News and CNN have both announced they have evacuated Afghans who worked for them:
Fox News Media evacuated 24 people from Kabul, Afghanistan. Three Afghan nationals who formerly served as freelance associates, as well as an Afghan colleague from a regional media company, along with their respective families Per CEO Suzanne Scott.
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) August 22, 2021
Some news on today's @ReliableSources: CNN quietly helped ten Afghan colleagues leave the country in the past few days. Another example of newsrooms getting local staffers to safety. pic.twitter.com/SRvegiUqjM
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 22, 2021
Meanwhile, on Fox News, former Real World star Rachel Campos-Duffy, is claiming that the collapse of Afghanistan is ~checks notes~ First Lady Jill Biden’s fault? Internalized misogyny is a beast.
Johnny Rotten has lost his lawsuit preventing the Danny Boyle FX series Pistol from using the Sex Pistols’ music. Good.
All NBC wants in the whole world is an Office reboot, but Greg Daniels is not ready yet.
The networks’ war on Nielsen continues.
Tamron Hall is being taken over by ABC News. Let’s hope it makes it a little less boring. (Alternatively: BRING BACK SOAP OPERAS.)
Today’s Jeopardy! update:
Mayim Bialik will be filling in until Jeopardy! names the permanent host.
According to CNN, Ken Jennings is the odds-on favorite to be the next host. And look, he makes sense — he’s part of the brand and no one can really be mad if he is chosen. But after the Mike Richards debacle, Sony might want to think hard about replacing two other white men with another white man.
A group of “Jeopardy!” loyalists had gathered for a ceremony to rename the show’s studio after Mr. Trebek, including Mr. Trebek’s widow, his children and Anthony Vinciquerra, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s chief executive. Mr. Richards and Ms. Bialik were there, along with two of the other contenders for the hosting job, the former contestants Buzzy Cohen and Ken Jennings, according to three people familiar with the incident, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Afterward, the people said, Mr. Cohen and Mr. Jennings had expected to attend Mr. Richards’s debut taping. Instead, they were escorted from the sound stage to a nearby green room, where they watched the taping over a closed feed. They were told that Mr. Richards was too nervous to have them in the studio, the people said.
One of the people likened it to inviting Joe DiMaggio back to Yankee Stadium and then not letting him in the dugout.
When LeVar Burton see Mike Richards at the Jeopardy office pic.twitter.com/dMUqqxXDu3
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) August 20, 2021
John Oliver is reveling in Mike “smirking golf bag” Richards’ fall from grace.
Congratulations to Vanessa Grimaldi.
Get better soon, William Petersen!
Renewals
- RuPaul’s Drag Race, Untucked, and Secret Celebrity Drag Race have all been renewed by VH1.
- Most Dangerous Game has been renewed for a second season on Roku.
- All Rise might be saved by OWN. Stay tuned.
Cancellations
- It looks like Search Party might be ending with season 5.
In Development
- Black Canary starring Jurnee Smollett is in development at HBO Max.
- To Be Real, a queer teen comedy produced by Gabrielle Union, is in the works at Amazon.
- Kingdom Business, a drama series, has been greenlit at BET+.
- Irreverent, an Australian-set crime drama, and Last Light, a drama have been ordered at Peacock.
- The Capital Crimes series of books is being adapted for television.
- Joe and Anthony Russo have left Magic: The Gathering at Netflix.
- Simon Cowell has extended his deal with NBCUniversal, which will include a reality series for Peacock.
Casting News
- Fred Armisen and Samba Schutte have joined the cast of Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max.
- Jennifer Lewis is replacing Cybil Shepherd in Showtime’s I Love This For You.
- Chloë Sevigny will co-star in The Girl from Plainville on Hulu.
- Kate Mulgrew has joined the cast of the Showtime remake of The Man Who Fell to Earth.
- Josh Duhamel has joined the cast of The Thing About Pam on NBC.
- Timothy Hutton is joining The Women of the Movement on ABC.
- Michael McIntyre will host the NBC remake of The Wheel.
- Carrie Ann Inaba is leaving the cast of The Talk on CBS.
- Bo Burnham is leaving the HBO L.A. Lakers series. He has been replaced with Sean Patrick Small.
- Renée Victor and Pepe Serna have joined the cast of With Love on Amazon.
Mark Your Calendar
- Succession will return sometime in October, apparently. HBO has released a list of titles that are going to debut in the fall, but there are very few hard dates.
October. pic.twitter.com/1kNnfr13Wa
— Succession (@succession) August 23, 2021
- The Morning Show will return on Apple TV+ on September 17.
- Impeachment: American Crime Story will debut on FX on September 7.
- Maid will debut on Netflix on October 1.
- Behind the Attraction will return on Disney+ on August 25 with five new episodes.
- Blood & Water will return on Netflix on September 24.
- Cowboy Bebop will premiere on Netflix on November 19.
R.I.P.
Nickolas “Nick” Davatzes, Founder of A+E Networks and channels A&E and History
Tony Mendez, Head of cue cards at Late Show With David Letterman
Marilyn Eastman, Actress in Night of the Living Dead
Lisa Lee, Academy of Country Music executive and broadcaster
Tom T. Hall, Country Music Hall of Fame singer-songwriter
Don Everly, Singer and member of the Everly Brothers
WATCH THIS
The Ultimate Surfer: Fourteen world-class surfers live together and compete for a $100,000 prize in this new series. Premiere. 9 p.m., ABC
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf: This is a special one-off anime film set in the world of The Witcher, which will just have to tide you over until December when The Witcher finally returns. Netflix
Born for Business: This new docuseries follows four entrepreneurs with disabilities, showcasing the challenges they face and what it takes to launch and maintain a successful business. Premiere. Peacock
Restoring Galveston: Michael and Ashley are back to save more architectural gems on Galveston Island. Season premiere. 8 p.m., DIY
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Kelly Clarkson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Bakar
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Sean Penn, Sharon Horgan, Jerome Flood II
- The Late Late Show with James Corden: Jason Momoa, Lorde
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Snoop Dogg, Allyson Felix, Nelly featuring Breland & Blanco Brown, guest host Stephen A. Smith
| MON. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Bachelor in Paradise (new) |
The Ultimate Surfer (new) |
| CBS | The Neighborhood (repeat) |
Bob ♥ Abishola (repeat) |
Young Sheldon (repeat) |
United States of Al (repeat) |
NCIS: Los Angeles (repeat) |
| CW | Roswell, New Mexico (new) |
The Republic of Sarah (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Hell’s Kitchen (new) |
Housebroken (new) |
Duncanville (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | American Ninja Warrior (new) |
The Wall (new) |