Showtime just unloaded a bunch of shows. Is Showtime itself next to go?

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

Kittehs that are high:

@furryfritz

You’ll end up with the silliest shots. Finally I found the time to have another photoshoot with my Cats on the glass table 📸 Which shot is your favorite? #furryfritz #catographer #cats #catnip #catphotography

♬ Because I Got High – Afroman

Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News

The big story today is that Showtime is being folded into Paramount+, becoming “Paramount+ with SHOWTIME.” From what I understand, Showtime will still be available on cable — for now — it’s just being rebranded in this clunky way. Some of Paramount+’s original programming will be available on the linear channel. And on streaming, Showtime will now only be available on Paramount+’s premiere tier instead of its own streaming platform. Showtime OTT and Showtime Anytime will no longer exist.

And as a result of this change, a couple of shows have been canceled, one that has completed filming is being shopped somewhere else, and a few shows have been pulled from the streaming library. (See below in Cancellations.)

I will just say, this has been a long time coming, but it’s still a bummer. Showtime had some truly great programming not that long ago: Homeland, Shameless, Twin Peaks, Dexter … but then they fired David Nevins, the guy who brought those prestige shows to Showtime, and the only show left that is worth watching is Yellowjackets. In fact, I won’t be surprised when the “Showtime” brand is completely gone in a few years.

As for this dirty business of writing off shows that have already been filmed, expect more of it in the future. Yay.

Roku and Tubi will be the new free streaming homes for Westworld, Raised by Wolves, The Nevers, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Finding Magic Mike, Head of the Class, Legendary and F-Boy Island, and “hundreds” of TV series and movies from the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio.

The one part of Warner Bros. Discovery that is safe? Turner Classic Movies. Everyone else? COUNT YOUR DAYS.

I don’t understand how numbers work. But apparently, Peacock reported a loss of $978 billion, but their revenue tripled to $2.1 billion and they gained 5 million subscribers in the fourth quarter. So, boo, but yay?

It’s no surprise that The Last of Us continues gaining viewers.

I know I covered The Last of Us‘ third episode comprehensively in yesterday’s post, but this is a good recap that argues that the episode was the last great pandemic love story, and they make a strong, and personal point.

Pedro Pascal did not just appear fully formed as the Red Viper in Game of Thrones. Here are a bunch of his early career roles before he became The Mandalorian and Joel. TV Insider is out here doing God’s work by cross-referencing IMDB and old promo databases. 

The creator of Cowboy Bebop, Shinichiro Watanabe, couldn’t watch Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop:

“It started with a scene in a casino, which made it very tough for me to continue,” Watanabe said. “I stopped there, and so only saw that opening scene. It was clearly not Cowboy Bebop, and I realized at that point that if I wasn’t involved, it would not be Cowboy Bebop. I felt that maybe I should have done this. Although the value of the original anime is somehow far higher now.”

Uh-oh, did Keke Palmer and her partners steal that Unfriendly Black Hotties project from someone else?

Anya Taylor-Joy’s Twitter was hacked, so don’t get too excited about Queen’s Gambit 2.

According to Page Six, the “Legacy” version of The Real Housewives of New York is “dead” or at least been put on pause as the cast members feel like they were being low-balled. Andy Cohen hints otherwise:

Stay tuned.

As for other Housewife shenanigans: Brandi Glanville and Caroline Manzo both dropped out of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip season four mid-filming after Brandi reportedly attempted to kiss Caroline.

It’s not going great over at CNN: they just had their worst ratings in nine years a couple of weeks ago. How are those changes working out for you, Chris Licht?

Even Marie Kondo couldn’t keep up Kondoing with kids in the house.

This purports to be a list of 10 “familiar” but “underrated” TV actors whose names people don’t know, but there are only 2 actors on this list that I couldn’t name. How many do you know?

But I do agree that this “I-know-his-face-but-not-his-name” actor deserves more leading roles.

#MeToo

It took them a minute, but Adult Swim has fired Justin Roiland, the co-creator of Rick & Morty, after he was charged with domestic abuse. He’s also been fired by 20th Century Television and Hulu. Squanch Games, the video game company he co-founded has also accepted his resignation.

Scrubs writer and producer Eric Weinberg has had 12 more lawsuits for sexual assault filed against him.

Marilyn Manson and Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco have reached an out-of-court settlement after she accused him of rape and battery. However, he was just sued by a new Jane Doe in New York State court for grooming and sexually abusing her when she was 16.

Former Fox News employee Laurie Luhn has sued Fox News, 21st Century Fox, and Bill Shine for negligence and employment discrimination for the sexual harassment and abuse she endured from Roger Ailes for more than two decades.

Elisabeth Harnois is the most recent One Tree Hill actress to come forward with stories about the show’s “boss,” Mark Schwahn, behaving inappropriately with her. 

Sharon Stone reveals she’s worked with a lot of “misogynists” but that Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are not amongst them. This checks out.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is disappointed in misogynistic Marvel fans. Word.

Pamela Anderson told Variety that Paramount demanded that she make a cameo in the Baywatch movie for free. After harassing her, she made a brief, lineless appearance, and did not get paid for it.

Anderson also defended Tim Allen flashing her: “Tim is a comedian; it’s his job to cross the line. I’m sure he had no bad intentions. Times have changed, though. I doubt anyone would try that post #MeToo. It’s a new world.” 

Allen is doubling down on his denial, however, this time dragging ABC/Disney into it: “She was a great co-worker, I’ll tell you that. She’s a fun girl. Everybody loved her, but everybody at ABC is a little disappointed in her memory, put it that way. All of us at Disney/ABC, really.”

And I mean, maybe. But then again, this exists:

Renewals

  • Acapulco has been renewed at Apple TV+ for a third season.

Cancellations

  • Reboot has been canceled at Hulu after one season. It’s being shopped.

In Development

Casting News

Mark Your Calendars

  • The Company You Keep will debut on ABC on February 19.
  • Spoiler Alert will premiere on Peacock on February 3.
  • For the Love of DILFs premieres today on OUTtv.
  • Viking Wolf debuts on Netflix on February 3.

R.I.P.

Cindy Williams, Actress best known for her role as Shirley on Laverne & Shirley. She also appeared in The Conversation and American Graffiti.

Kevin O’Neal, Actor who appeared in No Time For Sergeants, The Danny Thomas Show, The Donna Reed Show, The Twilight Zone, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Mod Squad, My Tree Sons, and Wagon Train among many others, and the brother of actor Ryan O’Neal

Bobby Hull, NHL Hall of Famer

WATCH THIS

La Brea: The Harrises return to 10,000 B.C. in the two-hour (God help me) winter premiere. 8 p.m., NBC

Pamela, A Love Story: Pamela Anderson takes charge of her story in this new documentary. Premiere. Netflix

Cunk on Earth: Philomena Cunk (comedian Diane Morgan) is the moronic host of this mockumentary exploring the history of civilization. Series premiere. Netflix

@fish.uno

I love her. #philomenacunk #edit #comedy

♬ original sound – FISHY 🐟🐟🐟

Fight the Power: How Hip-Hop Changed the World: A history of hip-hop, beginning with it’s first big hit in 1982. Series premiere. 8 p.m., PBS

Late Night:

  • Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Austin Butler, Rob Gronkowski, Tyler Hubbard
  • Late Night with Seth Meyers: Terry Crews, Rupert Grint, Rian Johnson, Keio Stroud
  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Jessica Chastain; Jay Shetty
  • The Late Late Show with James Corden: Sally Field, Scott Caan, Måneskin
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Pamela Anderson; Mike Lindell; Fall Out Boy
  • The Daily Show: Guest host D.L. Hughley
  • Watch What Happens Live: Tracy Tutor, Josh Flagg

TUES. 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC The Rookie
(new)		 The Rookie: Feds
(new)		 Will Trent
(new)
CBS FBI
(repeat)		 FBI: International
(repeat)		 FBI: Most Wanted
(repeat)
CW The Winchesters
(repeat)		 The Winchesters
(new)		 Local
FOX 9-1-1: Lone Star
(new)		 Accused
(new)		 News/Local
NBC Night Court
(new)		 American Auto
(new)		 La Brea
(new)		 La Brea
(new)

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