News and Quick Comments

News and Quick Comments

CBS sets details for reality shows and soaps

CBS has announced some reality-show and soap-opera details. They include:
— The 16 chefs — all of them award-winners or nominees — in “America’s Culinary Challenge,” which starts March 4.
— The 10 “classic episodes” that will rerun at 8 p.m. weekdays, leading into the Feb. 25 start of the 50th “Survivor.”
— And, jumping ahead to June, a multi-episode crossover between two soap operas — “Beyond the Gates” (shown here), which has its first anniversary Feb. 24, and “The Young and the Restless,” which began 53 years ago.
These came out during Zoom press conferences today with the Television Critics Association. Details include: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 27, 2026
News and Quick Comments

Wanna fight monsters? There’s a lot to learn

Sometimes you just have to learn by getting it wrong.
That’s especially true if you’re working the media and/or battling demi-gods. Just ask Walker Scobell (shown here), whose “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” airs its second-season finale today (Jan. 21).
Both seasons are on Disney+, where you can see Scobell evolve — from a 13-year-old novice to … well, a 17-year-old who’s still learning.
On Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show this week, he started talking into the microphone on the desk. Kimmel had to explain that it was a fake mic, just a decoration. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 21, 2026
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Indiana football? Yes, it’s changed a bit

Before settling into tonight’s college football championship game — 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 on ESPN — let’s flash back a bit.
It’s Oct. 5, 1991, and the Indiana Hoosiers are hosting Michigan State. Folks in Indiana are interested … somewhat.
With some tickets unsold, the crowd is listed at 46,882. That’s less than half the size of the crowd that will be in Ann Arbor two weeks later, when the Hoosiers visit Michigan.
And don’t expect to see all 46,000 in their seats. As the game starts, many students are still outside the stadium, tailgating. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 19, 2026
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New comedy gets a post-football boost, Jan. 18

Another TV network is adapting Fox’s idea: If you REALLY want someone to sample a new show, put it after a football game.
Now it’s NBC’s turn: In a late change, it will air “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” (shown here) at about 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) Sunday, Jan. 18, after the Rams-Bears playoff game.
That will be a week before Fox does the same thing: It will debut Patrick Dempsey’s “Memory of a Killer” at about 10 p.m. ET Jan. 25, after the game that decides which NFC team will be in the Super Bowl. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 17, 2026
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ABC sets a “Florida gothic” crime show

ABC will add a burst of Florida-quirkiness to its Tuesday line-up.
“RJ Decker” (shown here with Scott Speedman) — based on a Carl Hiasson novel — debuts at 10 p.m. March 3. It will follow “Will Trent” and “High Potential,” nudging “The Rookie” to Mondays behind “American Idol.:
The “Florida gothic” genre — mixing sunny settings, weird characters and the occasional alligator — has surged with the novels of Elmore Leonard, Dave Barry and more, including Hiasson. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 14, 2026
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Double-birthday looms: the U.S. and Route 66

An upcoming TV series has found a fresh way to link the birthdays of the United States and (shown here) its Route 66 highway system.
“The Great American Road Rally: Celebrity Edition” will start May 13 on the CW network. It will continue on Wednesdays and conclude on July 22 — two-and-a-half weeks after the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration on Independence.
This won’t be a race, with fast-and-furious cars smashing speed limits. Instead, the 10 cars — each aligned with a charitable cause — will pause in different towns, for fundraising and awareness events. Still pending are: Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 13, 2026
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Hulu loads up on Kardashians, new and old

Let’s say you feel there just aren’t enough ways to see the Kardashians.
Now you can quit worrying. Starting Feb. 17, all of the shows — that’s a lot — will be on Hulu and Disney+.
That’s the result of a deal that includes streaming rights to all 20 seasons of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” (shown here with Khloe, Kendall and Kylie), plus its spin-offs and specials. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 9, 2026
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Weekend (Jan. 9-11) adds true crime, contrived horror

This weekend has added a triple burst of real-life murder and contrived horror. Newly added to the schedule are:
— Friday (Jan. 9): A TMZ special (8 p.m., Fox) about the death of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. The tabloid-style show claims it has new information that will complicate prosecutors’ attempt to convict their son Nick.
— Saturday: A rerun (8 p.m., CBS) of the opener of “Harlan Coben’s Final Twist.” This looks at the small-town Tennessee murders of a husband and wife, both named Billy. It includes sudden surprises, involving some incredibly gullible people.
— Sunday: An advance premiere of Fox’s “Fear Factor: House of Fear” (shown here). That will be at about 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT), after the pro-football playoff game between the 49ers and Eagles. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 7, 2026
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Gates guides us through the past, bright and grim

As other shows bounce in and out of the PBS line-up, there’s one we can count on:
“Finding Your Roots” is usually there, With new episodes or reruns, it anchors most Tuesdays at 8 p.m., with Henry Louis Gages (shown here) finding deep insights into stars’ pasts.
The show has already done 11 seasons and 116 episodes, profiling about 232 people. Now a new season starts Jan. 6, adding 10 more hours.
It begin with a sometimes-cheery hour, focusing on actors America Ferrera and Darren Criss. Then things turn serious. Read more…

By Mike Hughes / January 2, 2026