It’s a big day in Eldest Boy world

by Therese Odell, posted in watch this

Mood:

Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News

Today’s huge news is that 92-year-old Rupert Murdoch has announced he will be stepping down as the Chairman of Fox and News Corp. in November before he drops dead in the bathroom of a private plane. His son Lachlan will replace him as Chairman, while Rupert steps into an “emeritus” role. Rupert threatened in a statement that he “will be involved every day in the contest of ideas,” adding, “Our companies are communities, and I will be an active member of our community. I will be watching our broadcasts with a critical eye, reading our newspapers and websites and books with much interest, and reaching out to you with thoughts, ideas, and advice. When I visit your countries and companies, you can expect to see me in the office late on a Friday afternoon.” 

Interestingly, and somewhat fortuitously for book sales, author Michael Wolff, who is promoting a new book about Fox News, the Murdochs and Tucker Calrson, titled The Fall: The End of Fox News, was just saying yesterday in an interview that Fox News will soon “cease to exist in its present form.”

I think it will go into a radical transition in which, either James Murdoch will take over and change it into something else, or they will sell it. Fox has existed in its present state just for one reason: It’s controlled by Rupert Murdoch, who is the one man who can stand up, or has been able to stand up, to the political and social opprobrium at a fierce, fierce level, and to do this for the sake of making enormous amounts of money. But when he departs, that changes very clearly and very quickly.

As a Pajiba writer wryly notes, Rupert stepping down now is clever: “He can still call the shots (as long as he is healthy enough to do so), but he doesn’t have to take any of the blame for the network’s slow journey toward irrelevance.”

Speaking of Succession (and when aren’t I, right?), they considered breaking up the last season into two parts, because creator Jesse Armstrong was “wary of saying good-bye too fast to all the relationships and opportunities, of leaving creative money on the table, regretting all the subplots that would go unwritten, the jokes left untold.” But ultimately, the writers agreed that one final 10-episode season was “the muscular way to go out.”

In the days other big news: The WGA and AMPTP’s talks are reportedly going well, with both sides issuing statements that they had made “encouraging” progress. Could we be nearing the end of this mess, and could mid-season TV be saved? There’s still a minefield ahead: the entire WGA body would have to vote on whatever deal is negotiated, and then there’s the SAG-AFTRA strike to negotiate, but the very fact that the two sides are issuing joint statements saying that things are looking good is very hopeful.

Meanwhile, Dancing with the Stars, which is scheduled to return next week, might be delayed after one competitor, Matt Walsh, has announced that he will be taking a pause from the show as long as the strikes are ongoing.

COVID is back, y’all.

ABC is promoting The Golden Bachelor at pickleball tournaments across the country this fall which seems a little on the nose.

How many of y’all already knew that two of the three Please Don’t Destroy guys are the sons of former Saturday Night Live producers?

Bob Ross’ first TV painting can be all yours for nearly $10 million. Or, and hear me out, you could go to one of those “art sales” they used to advertise on daytime TV and buy a sofa-sized version of essentially the same painting for $29.95.

According to Angelica Ross, Emma Roberts reached out and apologized to her for how she treated her on the set of American Horror Story: 1984. Considering this story broke on the same day that Roberts’ new season of AHS was premiering, you just know Roberts’ PR agent dragged her to that phone by her ear.

The Full House – Growing Pains – The Wonder Years love triangle has me gasping, y’all.

In Development

Casting News

  • The Traitors on Peacock has announced their season two cast: Carsten “Bergie” Bergersen (Love Island USA); Chris ‘C.T.’ Tamburello (The Challenge); Dan Gheesling (Big Brother); Deontay Wilder (Boxer); Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu (Love Island UK); Janelle Pierzina (Big Brother); Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio (The Challenge); John Bercow (UK Parliament); Kevin Kreider (Bling Empire); Larsa Pippen (The Real Housewives of Miami); Marcus Jordan (Basketball Player); Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Dancing with the Stars); Mercedes “MJ” Javid (Shahs of Sunset); Parvati Shallow (Survivor); Peppermint (RuPaul’s Drag Race); Peter Weber (The Bachelor); Phaedra Parks (The Real Housewives of Atlanta); Sandra Diaz-Twine (Survivor); Shereé Whitfield (The Real Housewives of Atlanta); Tamra Judge (The Real Housewives of Orange Country); Trishelle Cannatella (Real World: Las Vegas) 

Mark Your Calendars

  • The Fall of the House of Usher premieres on Netflix on October 12.
  • Upload will return on Prime Video on October 20.
  • Fear the Walking Dead returns on AMC on October 22.
  • Griselda debuts on Netflix on January 25.
  • Last Stop Larrimah: Murder Down Under will premiere on HBO and Max on October 8.
  • JFK: One Day in America will premiere on National Geographic on November 5.
  • Love in Fairhope premieres on Hulu on September 27.
  • Chappelle’s Home Team – Luenell: Town Business will debut on Netflix on September 26.
  • Surviving Paradise premieres on Netflix on October 20.
  • Legends of the Fork and Buddy Valastro’s Cake Dynasty will premiere on A&E on November 11.
  • Awareness will debut on Prime Video on October 11.
  • Serenata de las Estrellas will debut on Roku on October 13.
  • Pantheon will debut on Prime Video on October 15.
  • Kengan Ashura premieres today.
  • Ballerina will debut on Netflix on October 6.
  • Unicorn Academy will debut on Netflix on November 2.

R.I.P.

Stan Harris, Three-time Emmy-nominee and DGA winner who directed TV specials for Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and John Wayne among others

Rose Gregorio, Tony-nominated actress who appeared in a number of series, including ER, Another World, Murder, She Wrote, The Bob Newhart Show, Charlie’s Angels and many many others

WATCH THIS

Sex Education: Fourth and final season. Netflix

Young Love: This new animated series is a continuation of the story of the Young family from the Academy Award-winning Hair Love. Series premiere. Max

Generation Gap: Season finale. 7 p.m., ABC

The Prank Panel: Season finale. 8 p.m., ABC

THUR 7:00 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30
ABC Generation Gap
(new)		 The Prank Panel
(new)		 Shark Tank
(repeat)
CBS Big Brother
(new)		 Buddy Games
(new)		 The Challenge: USA
(new)
CW Fight to Survive
(new)		 FBoy Island
(new)		 News/Local
FOX MLB Baseball
(live)		 News/Local
NBC Password
(repeat)		 American Ninja Warrior
(repeat)

Leave a Reply