Better do that ‘Arrested Development’ marathon soon …

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this


HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News

Well, this is a bummer: Netflix is dumping Arrested Development — all five seasons — on  March 15. The first three seasons will still be available on Hulu (for now) but the fourth and fifth seasons were exclusive to Netflix and as of next month will not be available anywhere else. Will Hulu pick them up? Maybe, but there hasn’t been any announcement so far. I find this decision somewhat surprising — Arrested Development is like The Office: a sitcom with a rabid fan base that holds up to multiple rewatches. But I suppose there is some complicated TV math involved: perhaps because the first three seasons aren’t exclusive to Netflix, there aren’t enough people viewing them to balance the residuals and licensing fees. I don’t know for sure, but as someone who does rewatch entire seasons occasionally, it’s a disappointing decision.

(And this is a decent piece about the trend of yanking series off of streamers and how it’s FREAKING CREATORS OUT.)

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are doing a live comedy tour this summer but only four shows. GIVE IT TO ME. MOMMA NEED.

MAKE MORE MINDHUNTER, YOU COWARDS.

Good on Quantum Leap for bringing a heartwarming trans story to primetime network TV.

Kevin Costner is reportedly being a dick and giving Yellowstone and Paramount a huge headache. This is shocking. I am shocked.

Bryan Cranston wants to be clear: he doesn’t need a Malcolm in the Middle movie, but he’d be game if a good idea came along.

Jeremy Strong continues being a weirdo. And stories about him being a weirdo keep coming out, so I guess it means the next season of Succession is upon us. (March 26, if you were wondering.)

I mean, on the one hand, we should probably leave Lea Michele alone. Glee was a long time ago, and we can hope that she has matured as a person since then. On the other hand, this shit is just funny.

This will surprise you but that Mandalorian mask with very little visibility? It’s hard to see out of.

Showtime just laid off a bunch of employees. And Paramount+ is going to increase its subscription price ahead of its merger with Showtime which just makes sense as you have to pay for all those fired employees somehow … wait …

Last week’s Super Bowl was the most-watched in six years.

#MeToo

After making a messy misogynistic comment about Nikki Haley, Don Lemon is returning to CNN This Morning tomorrow and will undergo “formal training.”

Not Tucker Carlson defending Don Lemon … (Although, when you think about it for half a second, it makes total sense.)

Penn Badgley recently revealed he asked for “zero” sex scenes in the fourth season of You, because he wanted to protect his marriage. The You team was apparently very responsive to this, though if you’ve seen the first half of the season, you know there aren’t “zero” intimacy scenes — something that would be practically impossible on a show like You. However, it is much more toned down from seasons two and three, and all of the intimate scenes are fully clothed.

The story sparked a whole debate about sex scenes, and whether we need them at all. Some found Badgley’s comments refreshing: an actor setting boundaries! an actor who respects his wife! people are sometimes made uncomfortable watching sex scenes with their parents in the room and no one should be subjected to that! But then some went even further, arguing that we should return to the days of the Hays Code.

Um … no. Absolutely not. And this is an excellent Twitter thread on why that is a TERRIBLE idea.

Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted with a 19-year-old model, Eden Polani, and Twitter roasted him. Look. There’s nothing illegal about a 48-year-old dating a 19-year-old adult, but it is pretty creepy when you put it in this context:

Anyway, after everyone was like, “EWWWWW,” he was out here trying to claim they aren’t dating. OK, JACK. I mean, we all know you’re not going to marry her, she’s got a 6-year expiration date with you at best, but we’re not dumb.

And Mischa Barton has come forward saying that when she was a teenager, her publicist suggested that she sleep with DiCaprio to boost her career. Gross.

Pamela Anderson, after seemingly defending Tim Allen after accusing him of flashing her on the set of Home Improvement, is now saying he’s denying the story because there are a lot more stories like it out there, that it’s just “the tip of the iceberg.”

Ellen Barkin has some stories, y’all.

Harvey Weinstein has been sued by another woman for sexual battery, false imprisonment, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

CNN executive producer Federico Quadrani has been fired after an investigation into sexual misconduct.

Michael Irvin was pulled from Super Bowl coverage after … something … happened with a woman in a hotel lobby. I find this story very confusing and suspect the NFL must have something more.

Go away, Chris Cuomo.

Andrew Tate is threatening his accusers, to no one’s surprise.

The feds are investigating the Los Angeles Police Department for potentially covering up the Les Moonves allegations. GOOD.

A number of court documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case will be unsealed in the coming months, and names will be named.

Chris Brown is out here whinging about people who still don’t like him just because he was an abusive fuckhead. My heart bleeds for this poor “canceled” man who continues to work in the music business and get nominated for Grammys.

Chelsea Handler made this silly video about being a “childless woman on Valentine’s Day”:

AND IT MADE THE MEN SO MAD YOU GUYS:

See, Tiger, when you hand another man a tampon, you are attempting to emasculate him. That’s the entire “joke,” you’re saying that your opponent “plays like a girl.” Do you, the father of a daughter, really think that’s a particularly empowering message to young women, particularly female athletes? Or is it just the dumbest, most simplistic misogyny at play? Anyway, neither you nor Justin Thomas would be able to handle the pain of the average period, much less be able to play golf during it. I guarantee it.

J.K. Rowling claims that her transphobic stance is “misunderstood.” OK.

Meanwhile, on BBC, a transgender woman criticized Rowling’s “nasty views” and claimed that Rowling was active in campaigning against trans people. When the BBC presenter didn’t immediately push back — they did say a few moments later that Rowling would not describe herself as transphobic — the network received hundreds of complaints for not challenging the comments forcefully enough. BBC has apologized TWICE now.

A number of trans and gay activists, journalists, celebrities, and New York Times contributors have written a letter criticizing the Times‘ coverage of trans, gay, and non-binary issues. If you read one thing on this story, make it this Onion piece. It’s on fire.

Y’all need to quit body-shaming Selena Gomez, my God.

Marc Maron out here calling “anti-woke” comedians the real hacks is giving me everything.

All that said, this censoring of Roald Dahl’s books is impossibly stupid, and I suspect this decision will be reversed by the publisher.

Renewals

  • Velma has been renewed at HBO Max for a second season. You did this to yourselves.
  • Uncoupled, which had been canceled at Netflix, has been saved by Showtime for a second season.
  • Paris in Love has been renewed for a second season on Peacock.
  • Call The Midwife has been renewed for seasons 14 & 15 on BBC and PBS.

In Development

  • A new animated Barney series is in the works.
  • My Tropical Romance (working title), a non-monogamous dating show, is in the works at Peacock.
  • Seismic, an apocalyptic thriller, has been bought by Netflix.
  • Rise and Fall of the Mayas is in the works at National Geographic.
  • Grenfell, a three-part drama about the London fire, is in the works at BBC.

Casting News

Mark Your Calendars

  • Love is Blind returns on Netflix on March 24. NOT SOON ENOUGH.
  • Boston Strangler will premiere on Hulu on March 17.
  • The Reluctant Traveler will debut on Apple TV+ on February 24.
  • Moonshine will premiere on Freevee on March 10.
  • Through My Window: Across the Sea debuts on Netflix on June 23.
  • Ariyoshi Assists will premiere on Netflix on March 14.

R.I.P.

Barbara Bosson, Emmy-nominated actress for Hill Street Blues

Jansen Panettiere, Nickelodeon star and younger brother of Hayden Panettiere

Austin Majors, Former child star on NYPD Blues

“I was so shocked and saddened to hear of Austin’s passing. Austin was always such a joy to have on the set. He brought smiles and happiness to everyone,” Dennis Franz said in a statement via Deadline. “Some of my favorite scenes during the 12 years of NYPD Blue are with Sipowicz and Theo. Every day that Austin worked, I would greet him with a special song, ‘It’s Austin Major’s Day,’ sung to the tune of Howdy Doody Time. Although we haven’t stayed in touch since the show ended in 2005, I will always remember him fondly. My love and condolences to his family.”

Scott Satin, TV producer

Leiji Matsumoto, Japanese manga and anime creator whose world was adapted into several sci-fi series

Huey “Piano” Smith, New Orleans R&B pianist and composer

WATCH THIS

La Brea: TWO HOURS? Ugh. Two hours. 8 p.m., NBC

Don’t Leave Me Behind: Stories of Young Ukrainian Survival: A group of teenage Ukranian refugees reveals their fears and their strength as they live through a brutal war on their country. 9 p.m., MTV

Kathleen Madigan: Hunting Bigfoot: Kathleen Madigan is one of those comedians you’ve seen a thousand times on a thousand things, but you have no idea what her name is. No disrespect! She’s very funny! But I never remember her name. Prime Video

Late Night:

  • The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: P!nk, Jonathan Majors
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live: Wanda Sykes, RZA, Bailey Zimmerman
  • Watch What Happens Live: Melissa Gorga, Matt Rogers

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
(new)		 FBI: International
(new)		 FBI: Most Wanted
(new)
CW The Winchesters
(new)		 The Flash
(repeat)		 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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