Some new– or almost-new — titles are up for the top prize in the Television Critics Association awards.
“Baby Reindeer,” “Ripley” and “Shogun” – each in its first (or only) year – are nominated for program of the year. They’re jpined by three returning shows – “Hacks,” “The Bear” and “Reservations Dogs” (shown here) … which is seeking some belated awards glory, after its third and final season. Read more…
Many of us like writers a lot and lawyers a lot less.
But lawyers who become writers? That can be John Grisham or Erle Stanley Gardner or Scott Turow or David E. Kelley; it can sometimes be wonderful.
And now two of the best have combined: Kelley has adapted Turow’s novel, “Presumed Innocent” (shown here), into an eight-part mini-series that starts Wednesday (June 12) on Apple TV+. Read more…
TV’s summer doldrums will be broken up by country singers, sharks and (at the end of summer) Jesus and his disciples.
That last one has “The Chosen” returning to the CW network for two-hour slots on September Sundays. The mini-network has also announced the renewal of two shows – “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” and (in a surprise) “All American.” Details include:
— “CMA Fest” is culled from concerts during the Country Music Association’s fan days in Nashville. This year it will be June 25, hosted by Ashley McBryde (shown here). That’s on ABC, which is stuffing June with special events – basketball and hockey finals, plus this concert – before returning its summer game shows in July. Read more…
“The Chosen” (shown here) – the Biblical series that has gradually thrived on streaming and cable – is starts its fourth season.
For this one, it has an ongoing tie to BYUtv.. Episodes will stream on BYU on Mondays and Fridays (starting June 3), then appear on its cable channel on Sundays (starting June 9) and Wednesdays. Read more…
Morgan Spurlock, who died Thursday at 53, did much to expand the noble world of documentaries.
Like Michael Moore, he showed that “look at me” can be a legitimate technique … and that a light approach can fit a serious subject.
And unlike most people, he showed that everyday subjects can be documentary-worthy. That began two decades ago, with “Super Size Me” (shown here).
Spurlock died of complications from cancer, a spokesman said. He left a rich body of work that fit neatly into the prime of cable-TV. Read more…
After a prolonged pause, the CW network has decided the obvious: “Wild Cards” (shown here) will be back for a second season.
That won’t be until 2025, but it will be for 13 episodes, compared to 10 for the first year.
The light-hearted crime show did relatively well in the ratings, but the network was noncommittal about its future. The news finally came two months after the show’s first season ended and a week after the network set its fall schedule. Read more…
This fall, the CW network will continue its multiple personality.
Twice a week, it will seem like a traditional broadcast network, with back-to-back dramas. (including “Sullivan’s Crossing,s’ shown here. On other days, it will be more like a cable network, with wrestling, sports, movies and game shows.
That’s part of the transition for the network once known for sleek superheroes. The new owners canceled most of the previous slate and went for cost-efficiency, including dramas co-produced in other countries.
For this fall, that means Read more…
The Pac-12 conference now has its own football deal with a broadcast network.
It’s not a big network, but then again, it’s not a big conference. It only has two teams, Oregon State (shown here) and Washington State.
We’ll pause here, for the benefit of idealists who assumed the Pac-12 has 12 teams. These are the same people who think the Big Ten has 10.
(It has 14 now, but in August will have 18, none of them specializing in math.) Read more…
Roger Corman – who died recently at 98 – will probably be remembered most for all the great careers he launched.
This was the guy who gave many people their directing debuts. That included James Cameron, Ron Howard, Jonathan Demme. Joe Dante, Peter Bogdanovich and more.
But something else made him stand out: He was the master of getting something for (almost) nothing.
Corman (shown here) had an engineering degree and a sophisticated manner, but his specialty was making entertaining schlock on tiny budgets. In a world now stuffed with people dreaming of making movies on their smartphones, he was someone to sort of emulate. Later, I’ll have a longer commentary on his life and work. Read more…
After helping NBC survive the strikes, two dramas will be rewarded with cushy timeslots this fall.
“The Irrational” (shown here) will be at 10 p.m. Tuesdays, after the second “Voice” night. “Found” will be at 10 p.m. Thursdays, after two “Law & Order” shows.
They’ll be joined by just one new drama – “Brilliant Minds,” with Zachery Quinto – and two new comedies. One, from the “Superstore” producer, is set in a hospital and will be paired with “Night Court”; the other, starring Reba McEntire, will be paired with “Lopez vs. Lopex.”
To make room, the network is moving “Law & Order: Organized Crime” to the Peacock streamer and dropping several others. They includes “Magnum P.I.,” the sci-fi shows “Quantum Leap” and “La Brea” and the Jon Cryer comedy “Extended Family.” Read more…
