Television News

The trouble is, there have been people saying “bring back Spitting Image” any time a politician does something dodgy for as long as I can remember, so it’s got a real mountain to climb in living up to what people remember the original being. And Spitting Image has become a bit like Monty Python in that most people have glossed over how much of it was crap and only remember it being endlessly brilliant, which for topical sketch comedy is impossible.

And it’s not like ITV hasn’t done similar shows since. There was 2DTV, which was hugely popular (at my school at least) for the short period of time it survived.

Headcases

Newzoids

And none of them have really stuck, partly, I think, because they get measured up against the memory of Spitting Image, when they’re not really that far off it.

Damon Lindelof Intends for Watchmen to Be One Season (For Now)

“We designed these nine episodes to be as self-contained as the original 12 issues. We wanted to feel like there was a sense of completeness, to resolve the essential mystery at hand,” he explained. “Obviously, there is a potential promise for the further exploration of the world but like the seasons of Leftovers that I did as opposed to Lost, which was designed to have cliffhanger finales and a promise of future storytelling.”

The Expanse looks fantastic. So glad Amazon picked this up.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Ian Smith.

Disney to Netflix: Drop Dead

As its own streaming service nears launch, Disney-owned ABC, Freeform, and FX are refusing commercials from Netflix.

@Jim
Vikings Final Season Gets Premiere Date and Trailer — Creator Promises a ‘Proper and Definitive Ending’

History has announced that the sixth and final season of its first scripted series will have a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 9/8c. Eight more episodes will follow, airing Wednesdays at 10 pm. The remaining 10 episodes of Season 6 will then air later in 2020.

South Park offers mock apology after insulting China and being scrubbed from their internet.

Band In China was a great episode (not just for the China stuff – loved Stan introducing his band at the festival and then playing their first song) and it’s good to see Stone and Parker make these points.

The Original ANIMANIACS Voice Cast Is Returning for the Series Revival

A similar controversy is raging in video games with Activision-Blizzard banning a pro Hearthstone player for expressing support for Hong Kong in an interview. The punishment is as extreme as possibe involving confiscation of prize money and a one year ban.

Will Smith Developing a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Spin-Off Series

Can’t help feeling it won’t be Fresh Prince without Uncle Phil.

Apple Launches In-House Studio With ‘Band of Brothers’/’The Pacific’ Follow-Up
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The tech giant has handed out a nine-episode order for Masters of the Air, the follow-up drama to HBO’s limited series Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Additionally, Apple is officially launching its own internal studio, making the series the first that it will own in-house. Apple’s Worldwide Video heads Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht will also oversee the unnamed studio in a move that brings them back to their roots as head of Sony Pictures TV.
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Sources say HBO released the series — focused on historian Donald L. Miller’s nonfiction book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany — ages ago and before WarnerMedia became its new corporate parent. The decision, sources say, was based on the price tag for the series, which is said to clock in at an estimated $250 million. Also a factor was the fact that DVD sales were largely responsible for turning pricey awards winners The Pacific and Brothers into financial hits. With the DVD market imploding amid the explosion of streaming, sources say HBO opted to dedicate those resources elsewhere. (The cabler has continued to be an aggressive buyer amid the arms race for top talent, stars and packages.)
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Masters focuses the aerial wars through the eyes of enlisted men of the Eighth Air Force — known as the men of the Mighty Eighth — who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep. The drama arrives two decades after HBO won six Emmys (out of a whopping 19 nominations) for Band of Brothers and its 2010 sequel, The Pacific, which scored 24 noms and a leading eight wins.
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–SNIP–
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This is Apple’s second show with Spielberg and joins episodic anthology Amazing Stories at the tech company, which will officially enter the scripted originals market with its first four shows available Nov. 1 when its TV+ launches. All told, Masters is the third international drama series, joining Pachinko and Shantaram.
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–SNIP–
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The industry has continued to make ownership a top priority amid the talent wars and rising costs for prolific showrunners and top TV packages. All the broadcast networks, for example, largely buy from their affiliated studios. Forthcoming streamers, too — like Disney+, Peacock and HBO Max — are also buying predominantly from their in-house studios in a bid to own and better monetize their content amid an era of fierce competition and dwindling linear ratings.

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https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apple-launches-house-studio-band-brothers-pacific-follow-up-1246746?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%20Today%20in%20Entertainment_2019-10-12%2007:01:00_aweprin&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie

Fresher Prince?

Disney+’s Twitter feed has been tweeting today, one per tweet, every item that will be in its catalogue at launch, in chronological order. Perhaps not the easiest way to explore it, but it’s interesting to scroll through and see their teen stars age and get replaced (or de-age and get dereplaced if you’re going down their feed, I guess).

There’s loads in there: animated classics, films they’ve picked up from Fox, Marvel cartoons, forgotten Disney Channel TV movies, Star Wars stuff, that late 80s/early 90s golden era of Disney TV cartoons, The Simpsons… and yet no sign of The Weekenders, which is one thing I was really hope watch again.

Craig Ferguson Game Show ‘The Hustler’ Gets Picked Up by ABC

I doubt there will be an Uncle Will. My bet would be on Uncle Carlton.

Is the new show definitely a sequel. Supposedly, Smith really liked this fan trailer with a more serious tone. I wonder if a new show wouldn’t play of it.

paul f wrote:

Starts Sunday night, simulcast on HBO and Sky Atlantic. I’m guessing we should have a thread for it?

I went ahead and started a thread.

Filming update!
The aftermath of today’s #TheBoys filming behind RoyThomson Hall!

*****First look at a new member of #TheSeven and a fallen member.@TOFilming_EM @WhatsFilmingON @CBR @Newsarama @yvrshoots pic.twitter.com/o4aJq9KRy3

— Toronto Filming (@TOFilming_EM) October 15, 2019

More monument photos from today’s #TheBoys filming pic.twitter.com/1tQPcoetLX

— Toronto Filming (@TOFilming_EM) October 15, 2019

MaxMaxmarvel123 wrote:

Netflix developing Jeff Smith’s Bone animated series

Can’t help but think, “FINALLY!!!”

Mike Mignola launches Forever House live-action anthology series

Hellboy creator Mike Mignola has teamed with Starburns Industries to create The Forever House, a live action anthology series based on tales from folklore around the world, as announced via Deadline.

The series is aimed to echo the feeling of classic horror and sci-fi anthologies such as The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror, but with a unique aesthetic designed by Industrial Light & Magic designed to “re-capture the aura of classic Hollywood-style filmmaking through an updated modern lens.”

The show will incorporate some of the same actors playing different roles in different stories across multiple episodes, though no cast members were announced. No projected release date or outlet for The Forever House was announced.
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Here’s the official synopsis for the series:
“Existing somewhere between reality and nightmares, The Forever House will encapsulate the feeling of an ancient tale told by the fire as we explore the disturbing and the macabre from the mind and sketchbook of Mike Mignola.”
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Yup Was just digging thru the invisible grey text to find the thread to post:

John Cho Injury Delays “Cowboy Bebop”

He needs Mahomes lessons.

Verizon Customers to Get Year of Disney+ for Free
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All unlimited wireless data and new Internet subscribers will get access to the new streaming service, launching Nov. 12, to reward their loyalty.
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Disney and Verizon on Tuesday unveiled a deal to give the phone giant’s wireless and Internet customers a year of Disney+ for free from Nov. 12.
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The offer of 12 months of Disney+ on Verizon will apply to the phone giant’s wireless unlimited customers and new Fios Internet and 5G home Internet customers. Set to launch Nov. 12, the Disney+ streamer will provide movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and more.
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The free-year offer, besides rewarding Verizon wireless and Internet customers for loyalty, also promises Disney potentially millions in new customers for Disney+ after the first year of viewing.
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–SNIP–
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Disney is challenging rival SVOD players by bankrolling new original series for Disney+ and by pricing the service below Netflix. Shares in Netflix fell by 2.4 percent to $271.50 in early morning trading on news of Verizon bundling Disney+ with its wireless and Internet hardware.
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Verizon competitor AT&T owns WarnerMedia, which is set to launch its own streaming service HBO Max. And Apple is offering customers who buy a new device a year of Apple TV+ for free after that streaming service launches Nov. 1.

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https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/verizon-customers-get-year-disney-free-1249214

The only surprise here is that anyone ever thought it was a good idea:

UK’s Channel 4 Postpones Smuggling Format After 39 People Found Dead In Container Truck

I was at MCM ComicCon today, it was good fun and I attended a couple of panels, one of which was on the new version of Dracula by Moffat and Gatis.
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The TV show: they only played a short trailer, no scenes or extended trailer. It looks fine, quite stylised in places, and going for wince-inducing things involving eyes and fingernails. Whether that reflects the true nature of the show remains to be seen?
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Gatis said that the show uses a lot of the book, including bits other people have ignored, but plays with the order of their presentation.
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Moffat said that if you liked the section about the Demeter, get ready for a lot more of Dracula on that ship on his way to England. There’s actually been a horror movie in development for years about voyage, so this may kill that off finally?
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The panel: I get the impression that Gatis enjoys these things more than Moffat? I’ve seen Gatis do several panels, including ones on things he wasn’t even working on. He likes engaging with an audience about subjects that interest him. My impression is that Moffat was there because he had to be and he knows it helps sell the show.
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At one point someone asked about LGBT representation in Dracula and Moffat wasn’t really good at answering that, until Gatis stepped in and talked about watching vampire movies and seeing images that can be read in multiple ways?
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Both of them denied any political intentions in the show; no commentary of representation, immigration or any of the other things scholars talk about in regard to the book and many of the films.
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Right now they see it as a fun, horror and adventure story. That’s their stated intention.

Looks like Apple+’s shows are not getting great reviews, especially The Morning Show:
https://www.tvguide.com/news/apple-tv-plus-shows-reviews-morning-show-see-for-all-mankind-dickinson/
https://www.tvguide.com/news/the-morning-show-review-apple-tv-plus-jennifer-aniston-reese-witherspoon/
Apple TV+ Quick Bites: Mini Reviews of <i>For All Mankind, See</i> and <i>Dickinson</i>
<i>The Morning Show</i> Review: Apple's Big Swing Is Preachy, Jumbled Sorkin Lite

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/28/netflix-backlash-playback-speed-test-feature

The move has caused anger from film-makers including Judd Apatow and Brad Bird. Trainwreck and Knocked Up director Apatow, who co-created the Netflix series Love, tweeted his concerns earlier on Monday.

“Don’t make me have to call every director and show creator on Earth to fight you on this,” he wrote. “Save me the time. I will win but it will take a ton of time. Don’t fuck with our timing. We give you nice things. Leave them as they were intended to be seen.”

Bird, whose films include The Incredibles and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, tweeted that it was “another spectacularly bad idea” as well as “another cut to the already bleeding-out cinema experience”. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse co-director Peter Ramsey also tweeted: “Does everything have to be designed for the laziest and most tasteless?”

I’d be quite happy to watch certain things at faster speeds – talking head shows or mini-documentaries, but also even the Marvel shows where I was more interested in knowing what happened than actually watching them.

Andrew wrote:

even the Marvel shows where I was more interested in knowing what happened than actually watching them.

If you’re not interested in watching them, why do you care what happened?

Quite surprising.

Was GOT also filmed in Northern Island?

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/game-thrones-naomi-watts-led-prequel-dead-at-hbo-1250795

The news comes shortly after word of HBO nearing a deal to produce a second pilot based in the world of Game of Thrones, from the minds of author George R.R. Martin and Ryan J. Condal. The series is said to focus on the reign of Targaryen kings in the lead-up to the events of Game of Thrones, aligning the vision of the project much more closely to the days of Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) than the now-scrapped Naomi Watts-starring prequel — though still quite a bit earlier than the events of the Emmy-winning HBO series, which wrapped its final season in May.

While the Watts series sounded more interesting to me, the fact that it was supposed to tie into the origins of the White Walkers was a huge strike against it considering how the Night King went down like a little bitch. The Targaryens don’t sound the interesting to me. For me personally, the ending to GoT left a really bad taste in my mouth. While I would give a prequel a try, knowing how it all ends really dampens my enthusiasm for it.

Fire & Blood

#HouseOfTheDragon, a #GameofThrones prequel is coming to @HBO.

The series is co-created by @GRRMSpeaking and Ryan Condal. Miguel Sapochnik will partner with Condal as showrunner and will direct the pilot and additional episodes. Condal will be writing the series. pic.twitter.com/9ttMzElgXm

— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) October 29, 2019

Matter-Eater Lad should have his own show goshdagbit!

WEVE FOUND OUR SHOWRUNNER!

So what you’re saying is that Sapochnik should direct Star Wars?

Anonymous wrote:

WEVE FOUND OUR SHOWRUNNER!

With all due respect to Tobias, “Tenzil Kem Takes a Bite Out of Crime” was the title of issue 11 of Legion of Super-Heroes (volume 4).
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But you might be happy to hear it featured Matter-Eater Lad in his new role as a criminal defence attorney. It should be required reading for any modern lawyer who wants to pick up some tips.

Kurt Sutter has done an interview clarifying the circumstances around him getting fired.
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This is his version of course, but reading it carefully, and taking his willingness to admit some of his mistakes and take responsibility I can only conclude he’s his own worst enemy.
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Let this be a cautionary tale;
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Kurt Sutter Eyes End Of His Fox/Disney Deal & Dishes The Walt Disney Joke He Believes Got Him Fired From ‘Mayans MC:’ Q&A

Tobias Radesäter wrote:

DavidM wrote:

Tim wrote:

WEVE FOUND OUR SHOWRUNNER!

With all due respect to Tobias, “Tenzil Kem Takes a Bite Out of Crime” was the title of issue 11 of Legion of Super-Heroes (volume 4).

I assumed everyone knew this. :)

I usually assume *certain people* on this forum know nothing about good comics

SteveUK wrote:

Kurt Sutter has done an interview clarifying the circumstances around him getting fired.
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This is his version of course, but reading it carefully, and taking his willingness to admit some of his mistakes and take responsibility I can only conclude he’s his own worst enemy.
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Let this be a cautionary tale;
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Kurt Sutter Eyes End Of His Fox/Disney Deal & Dishes The Walt Disney Joke He Believes Got Him Fired From ‘Mayans MC:’ Q&A

Reading interviews with him over the years, Sutter IS a bit of an asshole but he does admit it and take responsibility for his actions.

It’s sort of thw Better Call Saul approach, which I’m fine with.

We know where thwaw guys end up, bit how they get there is still intriguing

I, for one, will be there for the banging.

SteveUK wrote:

I genuinely don’t think it matters a damn that we know “the ending”.

It’s a personal thing maybe. I had no interest in ever watching Smallville.
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A lot of people like comfort in their entertainment I agree, you see all those novelists that write the same story 15 times and sell like hotcakes. It’s not for me though, if there’s no element of surprise I most likely won’t be watching/reading it.
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The next bit depends on how many GoT fans think like me and how many think like Smallville viewers.

Dave wrote:

Also, I seem to remember James Cameron’s Titanic doing pretty well.

Always a bit of a false equivalency though, because we know the ship is going to sink but not what happens to the characters we’re following.
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The blurb on this suggests we are following the Targaryen’s specifically and the fate of them all is well documented.
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Also how much does the Game of Thrones audience overlap with other popular prequels? Last of the Summer Wine was popular for 30 years running the same plot every episode but they may not have had the same audience as The Expanse.
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I never said shows that are prequels or with known endings can’t be popular, I know they have been. It’s whether that works for an audience for a show known for it’s unpredictability. If they stick to the main royal families then there are no Ned Stark or Red Wedding moments coming. If they focus more on supporting characters it could do but may feel ‘smaller’.

Dave wrote:

I presume it’ll be just as easy for this show to tell the story of people we’re not familiar with against a backdrop that we are.

It would surprise me if they took very well-known existing characters and simply told a story based on facts about them that are already known.

Which I did mention but I think the risk there is of taking it ‘smaller’. It goes to ‘will Johnny survive?’ from ‘who will rule the world, will it be destroyed?’.
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I don’t actually mind that myself, if Johnny is a compelling character then it works but I tend to think I’m often out of step with fandom on that aspect. I like the talky bits they all moan about.

Not much, but Paul Abbott is trying to make more State of Play again:

‘Shameless’ Creator Paul Abbott Is Rebooting His BAFTA-Winning Series ‘State of Play’ For The BBC

I love the original.

Enjoyed the original, and enjoyed the US movie – it seemed to have been received well critically, but that’s one of those odd films that just disappears.

Still looking great.

Series 9 of Taskmaster ended tonight but there’s been no announcement of a cast for series 10 or even a confirmation of one, as it turns out Channel 4 might be trying to poach it from Dave.

https://www.comedyfeed.co.uk/taskmaster-to-move-to-channel-4/