Perfection.
@whitepaperlabs
Here’s A BUNCH OF TV News
When The Last of Us returns later this year, don’t expect it to faithfully follow the timeline of the game: “We certainly are going to mess around with time the way it was in the source material, but as Neil said, we messed around in ways that we felt were appropriate for the show,” Mazin says. “When I say ‘messed around,’ I mean scientifically determined in a narrative way what we thought would be most impactful.”
Fox is planning on launching its own streaming service by the end of the year. I assume this won’t change its relationship with Hulu, but who knows.
Amber Ruffin will be your host at the 2025 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. And I know that Ruffin is a big sweetheart but I hope she makes some dumb MAGAite cry like Michelle Wolf did in 2018.
Roy Wood Jr. went on Celebrity Jeopardy! and was so traumatized by the experience that he made a public apology to a teacher’s assistant he mocked in middle school who lost College Jeopardy! by a dollar. And she saw it and responded! Everything about this is wonderful and sweet.
Apparently, Kelsey Grammer and Ted Danson didn’t speak for 30 years, though I feel like this is the first I’ve heard of it. Anyway, they’re talking now, it’s cool.
I need to know who came up with the idea to cross-promote Zip Recruiter with Severance because HAVE YOU WATCHED THE SHOW?
“How Lost’s Worst Episode Helped Save the Show”: And you know what? This is correct. (And no, the episode wasn’t the hated Nikki and Paolo episode, “Exposé.” Although it also makes the same argument.)
Hey, Floridians: HBO would like to talk to you.
Don’t insult soap operas in front of Guy Pearce.
Michael Jordan’s son and Traitors star Marcus Jordan needs to get his life together.
#MeToo
Meanwhile, Netflix has canceled The Sandman after the upcoming second season; a U.K. stage production of Coraline has been canceled; and he’s been fired by his U.K. agent.
Jason Baldoni put up a website that claims to be “fully transparent” about what happened on the set of It Ends With Us, but is just the “first amended complaint Baldoni’s team filed Friday in the January 16 $400 million defamation and extortion suit against Lively and Ryan Reynolds, and a text message-rich timeline of events in the IEWU saga.”
As Deadline writes: “To say it is underwhelming and blatantly one-sided is an understatement of the obvious.”
Meanwhile, Blake Lively’s Instagram profile is being flooded with porn via a massive troll campaign against her, which, again, doesn’t exactly disprove her complaints against Baldoni.
The feds have added two more victims to their case against Sean Combs.
The BBC is really sorry for continuing to employ Russell Brand and totally ignoring multiple complaints about his behavior. Oopsie! Meanwhile Brand is out here whinging that he had to move away from the U.K. because he was being “attacked.” I’ll give you one guess as to where he moved: did you say Florida? Because it was obviously Florida.
Prince Andrew continued being buddies with Jeffrey Epstein after he said he broke off contact with him. I am shocked.
Former Days of Our Lives Casey Deidrick has been arrested for domestic assault.
As many as nine massage therapists have accused Baltimore Ravens player Justin Tucker of inappropriate behavior. He denies all of the claims.
Lili Reinhart reveals that she developed an eating disorder while filming Riverdale.
Hey, Jacqueline Bisset? If you can’t be supportive, maybe shut the fuck up. Victim blaming is gross and harmful.
Hey, Channel 4? How about NOT using A.I.-generated sexualized deepfakes of anyone, including celebrities, thanks.
Cancellations
- How to Die Alone has been canceled at Hulu after one season. Creator and star Natasha Rothwell will shop the series elsewhere.
- Wipeout has been canceled at TBS after two seasons.
- The Cube has been canceled at TBS after two seasons.
In Development
- A sequel series to Buffy the Vampire Slayer starring Sarah Michelle Gellar is nearing a pilot order at Hulu, you guys. Joss Whedon is NOT involved in any way. “It’s funny, I always used to say no, because it’s in its bubble and it’s so perfect,” [Gellar] said. “But watching Sex and the City and seeing Dexter, and realizing there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe.’”
- Downforce, a racing comedy, is not moving forward at Hulu.
- For the Win: NWSL, a docuseries tracking the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League playoffs and championship, has been greenlit at Prime Video.
Casting News
- Mel B is returning to America’s Got Talent on NBC and Heidi Klum is leaving the series.
- Rhys Ifans will star in Star City on Apple TV+.
- Constance Zimmerman is joining The Lincoln Lawyer at Netflix.
- Mark Strong has joined Neuromancer at Apple TV+.
- Chris L. McKenna is replacing Charles Mesure on General Hospital on ABC.
- Luke Bracey, Jeremy Sims, and Zac Burgess have joined the cast of The Artful Dodger on Hulu.
- Olivia Culpo will guest star on Rescue: HI-Surf on Fox.
- Corey Stoll is joining Matchbox at Apple.
- Zac Efron is joining a Will Ferrell comedy at Amazon MGM.
Mark Your Calendars
- 9-1-1 returns on ABC on March 16.
- Plankton: The Movie debuts on Paramount+ on March 7.
- Counterstrike premieres on Netflix on February 28.
- America’s Got Talent returns on NBC on May 27.
- The Last of Us returns on HBO in April.
- House of Knives will debut on Food Network on March 18.
R.I.P.
Brian Murphy, English actor and comedian known for Man About the House and George and Mildred
Olga James, Actress and singer
Sal Maida, Bassist who played with Roxy Music, Sparks and Milk ’N’ Cookies
This video from US Figure Skating memorializing the 28 skaters, coaches and family members who died on American Airlines Flight 5342 is absolutely devastating. May they all rest in peace, and may their memories be a blessing.
WATCH THIS
Burden of Guilt: In this true crime documentary, a woman seeking the truth about the accidental death of her four-month-old brother, discovers that she was blamed for it when she was two years old. Her investigation leads to his body being exhumed 25 years later, and for his death to be ruled a homicide. Paramount+
Wicked Game: Devil in the Desert: The story of Hossein Nayeri, the mastermind of a plot to kidnap, torture, and mutilate a marijuana dispensary owner whose story didn’t end even after his conviction. Hulu
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Bill Gates, Lauren Graham, Japanese Breakfast
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Nicole Scherzinger, Roy Wood Jr., Michael Solomonov
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Miles Teller, W. Kamau Bell
- After Midnight: Melissa Rauch, Jessica St. Clair, Nico Santos
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Demi Moore, Gavin Rossdale, Abraham Alexander & Adrian Quesada
- The Daily Show: Nicole Avant, host Desi Lydic
- Watch What Happens Live: Harry Hamlin, Kyle Richards
| TUES. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Will Trent (new) |
High Potential (new) |
The Rookie (new) |
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FBI: International (new) |
FBI: Most Wanted (new) |
| CW | WWE NXT (new) |
Local |
| FOX | Kitchen Nightmares (new) |
Doc (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | St. Denis Medical (new) |
Night Court (new) |
Deal or No Deal Island (new) |
The Irrational (new) |