Guess how many scripted TV shows came out last year

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

Here’s a blissed-out toucan in a shower.

@chester_the_toucan

Reply to @honeybunbun0901 the shower is his happy place 🥰🚿 #toucan #petbird #showertok #birdtok #toucantok #aracari #toucansoftiktok #heaven #vibing

♬ Cheek To Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News

It’s time again for one of my favorite annual TV traditions: when FX head John Landgraf reveals how many scripted TV shows there are, and then declares that this year will be the beginning of the end of Peak TV because this many shows is unsustainable. In 2023, there were 599 scripted TV shows, up from 560 the year before.

Despite the number moving upwards, Landgraf might actually be right this time about this being the peak of Peak TV. New scripted shows have dipped, to 242 from 251 last year, and with streamers suddenly becoming more cost-aware and canceling series at an unprecedented rate, it certainly feels like something could change this year.

Landgraf points out that one of the effects of producing fewer shows is that it will have a negative impact on diversity:

“In the country which we live in, about 60 percent of the population identifies as white, and you take Latinx people who identify as Caucasian, it’s maybe closer to 70 percent if you’re going for the biggest meat of the audience … you tend to program for white men, because women watch a lot more drama and comedy than men, so if you get a scripted program that appeals to men, that’s automatically a boom,” Landgraf said during the Q&A. “You worry, when there’s narrowing prospects, who’s losing opportunity.”

SO, one of the interesting things that we learned during the battle for Speaker of the House was that during Congressional sessions, C-SPAN can only use a feed from a House-controlled camera that is usually pointed at the chamber’s dais, giving it that boring static shot. However, in the interim between two sessions being sworn in — in that period when the Congress is electing a Speaker and establishing rules — C-SPAN is able to control their own cameras in the chamber and shoot the action on the floor. That’s why we got this INCREDIBLE footage:

And the shot of Marjorie Taylor Greene trying to force someone to talk to Former President Dingdong (and him refusing):

ANYWAY, THE POINT IS, C-SPAN wrote a letter asking Kevin McCarthy to allow them to have control of their own cameras on the floor during this session. It’s never going to happen, but you don’t get anything if you don’t ask, right?

Brett Goldstein fucking killed it over on Sesame Street.

The Boys is threatening us again:

Here’s a production job I had never thought about before, but makes total sense: culinary producer. This person makes sure food looks right in TV and movie productions, but they also make sure the actors look like they know what they are doing in the kitchen — holding the knife right, moving around in the kitchen properly, making sure the kitchen equipment is correct. For a show like The Bear, this is critical.

Wednesday is already driving tourism to Romania.

CORRECTION: So yesterday I mocked Gina Carano for her new movie Terror on the Prairie only making $804 in the box office. This was wrong and I unwittingly was spreading misinformation. Actually, it made $13,000 in international box office, entirely in Russia and the UAE. The $804 number came from one screening where no admission was charged. I mean, it’s still not great, but whatever.

What IS funny are the reviews of this movie on The Daily Wire, because apparently, it’s too feminist for its intended audience. Chef’s kiss.

I take back everything I said about the Golden Globes the other day — THIS is the best moment of the awards ceremony:

The mother of one of Jeffrey Dahmer’s victims is not happy with Evan Peter’s Golden Globe win.

T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach are lawyering up.

Michael Bay is wanted for bird murder.

The Miss Universe Pageant is apparently happening — it streams on Roku tomorrow night — but the costume contest (arguably the only reason to have this dumb pageant) happened last night, and YOU GUYS. I have never been more embarrassed to be a Houstonian in my life. AND THAT IS REALLY SAYING SOMETHING.

Cancellations

In Development

  • American Sports Story, an anthology series from Ryan Murphy, is in the works at FX.
  • Zoey 102, a movie follow-up to Zoey 101 starring Jamie Lynn Spears, is in the works at Nickelodeon.
  • Underdogs, a nature series produced and hosted by Ryan Reynolds, is in development at National Geographic.
  • The Scream is being adapted into a TV series.
  • An Honest Man is being adapted into a TV series.

Casting News

Mark Your Calendar

  • Yellowjackets returns on Showtime on March 24.
  • History of the World Part II will premiere on Hulu on March 6.
  • Somebody I Used to Know will premiere on Prime Video on February 10.
  • The Flash returns on The CW on February 8.
  • Luther returns on BBC soon.
  • Impractical Jokers returns on truTV and TBS on February 9.
  • Children Ruin Everything will return on Roku on February 3.
  • Saint X will premiere on Hulu on April 26.

  • My Dad The Bounty Hunter premieres on Netflix on February 9.
  • Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre will premiere on Netflix on January 19.
  • Found has been moved from a February premiere on NBC to the fall. Grand Crew will return on March 3.
  • Summer House returns on Bravo on February 13.
  • Jane will premiere on Apple TV+ on April 14.
  • The Bear will return on FX this summer.

R.I.P.

Lisa Marie Presley, Singer and daughter of Elvis Presley

“It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” her mother, Priscilla, said in a statement. “She was the most passionate strong and loving woman I have ever known. We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers. At this time there will be no further comment.”

In a statement, [Nicholas] Cage said, “This is devastating news. Lisa had the greatest laugh of anyone I ever met. She lit up every room, and I am heartbroken. I find some solace believing she is reunited with her son Benjamin.”

WATCH THIS

FRIDAY

Hunters: Season two. Prime Video

Servant: Fourth and final season. Apple TV+

Scream marathon: Ghostface Killah. 3:30 p.m., VH1

SATURDAY

The 71st Miss Universe Pageant: We’re still doing this, I guess. 7 p.m., Roku

World’s Funniest Animals: Winter premiere. 8 p.m., The CW

How to Murder Your Husband: A romance-thriller novelist who wrote a book called “How to Murder Your Husband” is charged with … killing her husband. Based, unsurprisingly, on a true story. 7 p.m., Lifetime

SUNDAY

The Last of Us: Survivors of an apocalyptic event embark on a dangerous trek across the country in this new sci-fi drama from Craig Mazin, creator of Chernobyl. Series premiere. 8 p.m., HBO

Mayor of Kingstown: Season two premiere. Paramount+

The 28th Critics Choice Awards: Here’s what the know-it-alls liked last year.  6 p.m., The CW

Godfather of Harlem: Season three premiere. 7 p.m., Epix/MGM+

Your Honor: Season two premiere. 7 p.m., Showtime

Milf Manor: We are becoming stupider as a people. Series premiere. 9 p.m., TLC

Late Night:

  • Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Friday): Lea Michele, Sadie Sink, Dayglow
  • Watch What Happens Live (Sunday): Wendy Osefo, Reza Farahan

FRI. 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC Shark Tank
(new)		 20/20
CBS S.W.A.T.
(new)		 Fire Country
(new)		 Blue Bloods
(new)
CW Penn & Teller: Fool Us
(new)		 Whose Line Is It Anyway?
(repeat)		 Whose Line Is It Anyway?
(repeat)		 Local
FOX Friday Night Smackdown Local
NBC Lopez vs. Lopez
(new)		 Young Rock
(new)		 Dateline

—

SAT. 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30
ABC Will Trent
(repeat)		 Will Trent
(repeat)		 Shark Tank
(repeat)		 News/Local
CBS FBI
(repeat)		 48 Hours 48 Hours News/Local
CW Criss Angel’s Magic With The Stars
(repeat)		 World’s Funniest Animals
(new)		 World’s Funniest Animals
(repeat)		 Local
FOX TBA News/Local
NBC America’s Got Talent: All-Stars
(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 America’s Funniest Home Videos
(repeat)		 Finding Nemo The Parent Test
(repeat)
CBS 60 Minutes East New York
(new)		 NCIS: Los Angeles
(new)		 East New York
(repeat)
The CW 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards Local
FOX The Simp-sons
(repeat)		 Bob’s Burgers
(repeat)		 The Simp-sons
(new)		 The Great North
(new)		 Bob’s Burgers
(new)		 Family Guy
(new)		 Local/News
NBC Sunday Night Football
(live)

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