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Martin Smith wrote:

So weird that one of the PDD guys is now a featured player, given that’s kinda what they were as PDD anyway and they’ve already got films off the back of it.

John Higgins is leaving the show, so they won’t be doing any shorts anymore. There weren’t many of them last season, so not too surprising. Martin Herlihy is staying on as a writer.

Todd wrote:

Interesting choice. I would have never considered her for the role.

Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner Confirmed to Play Lara Croft in Amazon’s Tomb Raider Series

It’s official: Sophie Turner will be the next actress to don Lara Croft’s trademark braid. The Game of Thrones alum is set to play the protagonist in Prime Video‘s forthcoming Tomb Raider series, TVLine has learned, which will begin production Jan. 19, 2026.

“I’m so excited to announce the formidable Sophie Turner as our Lara alongside this phenomenal creative team,” creator, writer, executive producer and co-showrunner Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) said in a statement. “It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving. Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out… Croft is coming.”

Prime Video ordered Tomb Raider to series back in May 2024, but there was no word at the time on who might play Lara Croft. Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander previously played the iconic video game character on the big screen, and she was recently voiced by Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter) in Netflix’s animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.

“I am thrilled beyond measure to be playing Lara Croft,” said Turner. “She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many, and I am giving everything I’ve got. They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands. I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking.”

Since her eight-season run as Game of Thrones‘ Sansa Stark concluded in 2019, Turner’s TV credits have included Quibi’s Survive, Max’s The Staircase and, most recently, The CW’s limited series Joan.

Jonathan Van Tulleken is on board as director, with Chad Hodge joining as co-showrunner and executive producer.

I don’t think she’s a great actress and she looks nothing like Lara Croft. But otherwise, perfect choice!

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Todd, njerry

Dave wrote:

I don’t think she’s a great actress and she looks nothing like Lara Croft. But otherwise, perfect choice!

They obviously signed her up based on her stellar performance in X-Men: Dark Phoenix!!

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Todd, Dave

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njerry

Todd wrote:

Interesting choice. I would have never considered her for the role.

For good reason. I felt she wasn’t a particularly good Jean Grey, and I absolutely do not believe she has the charisma to carry the lead in a series like this.

But, you know, good luck to them. I didn’t even see the Vikander movie, I’m afraid. That franchise has run its course for me.

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Todd

Doug Naylor did a Reddit AMA today (to promote a non-Red-Dwarf-related book he has out soon). As part of it he spilled the plot for the new TV special they couldn’t get made, which sounds pretty cool.

Maybe it’ll make it into a novel one day.

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Martin Smith, Todd

‘SNL’ Cast Shake-Up Complete: Michael Che, Ego Nwodim, Chloe Fineman, Mikey Day, Kenan Thompson & Bowen Yang All Returning

Saturday Night Live is ready for Season 51.

Deadline understands that the cast shake-up, which saw four people including Heidi Gardner exit and five people including Please Don’t Destroy’s Ben Marshall join, is now complete, according to industry sources.

The news comes after a big night at the Creative Arts Emmy for the show, and its 50th anniversary special, which won 11 awards.

Che returning answers one of the biggest questions given that he is wont to suggest that he is leaving the show. However, after Colin Jost’s wife Scarlett Johansson confirmed that her husband would be returning for Season 51, Deadline has learned that Che will also be back behind the Weekend Update desk with him.

It means that the cast now consists of 18 people: Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Ego Nwodim, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang, existing featured players Ashley Padilla, Jane Wickline and newcomers Ben Marshall, Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska.

Gardner was the biggest name to depart after having been on the show for eight seasons. She was joined out the door by Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker and Emil Wakim.

There had been suggestions that there would be an exodus this year after the energy of Season 50. The last major exodus was three years ago at the end of Season 47, which saw the exit of eight people including Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, Kate McKinnon, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Chris Redd and Melissa Villasenor as well as featured player Aristotle Athari.

Obviously rumors always abound about long-tenured cast members so it was inevitable that questions were going to be asked about the likes of Che, Ego Nwodim, Chloe Fineman, Mikey Day, Bowen Yang Kenan Thompson, the longest serving cast member, ahead of such a momentous season.

However, that has not materialized and Lorne Michaels now goes into Season 51 with a cast that’s bigger than Season 50.

Season 51 kicks off on October 4.

Criminal that Jane Wickline survived the cast changes. That’s nepotism for ya.

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Todd

Charlie Brooker Announces New Crime Thriller Series

The untitled series is set between the fictional northern city of Bleakford and the streets of London, following a tormented detective on a relentless mission to catch a ritualistic serial killer before they run out of victims. The show’s described as a “profoundly serious” crime thriller, which is the first clue that he’s up to something wickedly funny.

Leading the series is a powerhouse trio of British actors: Paddy Considine (House of the Dragon, MobLand), Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, The Watchers), and Lena Headey (Game of Thrones, The Abandons).

Sounds like something in the A Touch of Cloth vein.

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Dave

paul f wrote:

The show’s described as a “profoundly serious” crime thriller, which is the first clue that he’s up to something wickedly funny.

I’d have though the first clue was that it’s set in “Bleakford”, but maybe that went over Netflix’s heads.

I’d forgotten about A Touch Of Cloth. I don’t think I ever did see the second (third?) series of that (the one with Karen Gillan).

Martin Smith wrote:

paul f wrote:

The show’s described as a “profoundly serious” crime thriller, which is the first clue that he’s up to something wickedly funny.

I’d have though the first clue was that it’s set in “Bleakford”, but maybe that went over Netflix’s heads.

I’d forgotten about A Touch Of Cloth. I don’t think I ever did see the second (third?) series of that (the one with Karen Gillan).

Yeah, that was the third. I remember very little about the show, other than quite liking it and that it had cameos from several The Bill cast members.

She was one of my favorite performers on the show.

‘SNL’: Ego Nwodim To Leave After Seven Seasons

It turns out the cast shake-up at Saturday Night Live isn’t over. Ego Nwodim has decided to leave the NBC show after seven seasons.

Deadline understands that Nwodim made the decision after Lorne Michaels informed everyone that the cast for Season 51 was set and ready to go ahead of its October 4 return.

“The hardest part of a great party is knowing when to say goodnight. But after seven unforgettable seasons, I have decided to leave SNL. I am immensely grateful to Lorne for the opportunity, to my castmates, the writers, and the crew for their brilliance, support, and friendship. Week after week on that stage taught me more than I could have ever imagined, and I will carry those memories, and that laughter, with me always,” she said.

Nwodim will likely be in demand following her exit; she has increasingly been starring in series such as Peaock’s Poker Face and Mr. Throwback and Netflix film Little Brother, alongside John Cena, Eric André and Michelle Monaghan, in recent years. “Dream come true. I want my other dreams to come true. I want to be in films and I want to do more TV as well,” she told Deadline in 2023.

Nwodim was one of the most senior female cast members on the show and her departure comes after the news that Heidi Gardner, Emil Wakim, Michael Longfellow and Devon Walker were also not returning for Season 51.

Nwodim, a pre-med student who was part of UCB, joined the show in 2018, ahead of Season 44, the sole new face joining that year. She was promoted to repertory player ahead of Season 46.

It’s somewhat of a surprise given that Nwodim has broken out in recent years with a memorable performance as Miss Eggy earlier this year, which saw the audience yell expletives live on television after a call and response segment.

She also went viral with Lisa from Temecula, a lawyer whose predilection for overcooked meat has implications for the stability of her dining environment.

Nwodim, who has also played Dionne Warwick and Edith Puthie on the show, was non-committal when asked earlier this year whether she would return for Season 51.

“We like to keep things mysterious around here. That’s part of the allure of SNL, we don’t know what’s going to happen week to week, let alone in the fall, so who knows,” she told Deadline.

On the other hand, the timing for her departure makes sense, coming off the back of the 50th anniversary of SNL, a major milestone, which she admitted was a “surreal experience”, given the number of SNL legends and A-list guest stars that appeared. Nwodim, who was part of the Domingo vow renewal sketch, said it was a “special honor” to be part of that club.

“At one point, there was an event honoring Lorne [Michaels] between the concert on February 14 and the special and Heidi [Gardner] said to me ‘I thought there were 500 people in this cast and I’m realizing there’s only a hundred-and-something of us ever to be in the cast’. What a special honor to get to be part of that club or family. The 50th felt really nostalgic and beautiful,” she said at a recent FYC event.

Season 51 of SNL will now consist of 17 people after Michaels added Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska to the cast as well as Please Don’t Destroy’s Ben Marshall.

They join Michael Che, Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes, Chloe Fineman, Marcello Hernandez, James Austin Johnson, Colin Jost, Sarah Sherman, Kenan Thompson, and Bowen Yang as well as featured players Ashley Padilla and Jane Wickline.

A Surprising Update About An ‘Alien: Earth’ Season 2 – Forbes

I am a bit surprised to be writing this at all, as I figured with Alien: Earth already being the longest Alien project ever, by nature of being a TV show, it was probably just going to exist as a miniseries, no matter what critic and audience reception was (and it’s extremely good, of course). That does not appear to be the case.

It doesn’t seem like the plan was ever for this to be a miniseries, where the idea would be that it now may break out of that because of performance. Creator Noah Hawley is direct in talking about season 2 and if he knows where it might go. Here he is in an interview with Evolution of Horror:

“I do. I do. I mean, I think that I have a destination in mind story-wise, which allows me to know what the story is I’m telling, what it means. And I don’t know how long it takes to get there, but I do have a sense of where we go in success. And you know, the question becomes: how streamlined can we make the process so that you’re not waiting for three, or four, or five years for more?”

This extends back to FX boss John Landgraf who was already talking about this back in 2024, saying that they want Hawley to prioritize the show:

“We’re pretty bullish on Alien: Earth and we’ve told him that assuming, as we hope, Alien: Earth is a returning television series, we want him to focus on at least writing two seasons of it before returning to a possible sixth season of Fargo.”

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Todd

Sky today announces Force & Majeure, a sharply funny and stylishly escapist new Sky Original series starring Emmy-nominated actor, writer, director and producer Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face, Russian Doll) and Emmy-nominated, BAFTA-winning actor and writer Matt Berry (Toast of London, What We Do in the Shadows). Created by acclaimed comedy writer Tom Scharpling(Monk, What We Do in the Shadows) alongside Berry and Lyonne, the sharply comedic series is written by Scharpling, Iain Morris (The Inbetweeners, Time Bandits) and Cirocco Dunlap (Russian Doll, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy) and is a retro-infused, playfully irreverent take on the classic TV action-adventure detective genre from Objective Fiction and Animal Pictures.

When British art expert (cum art thief) Thomas Force (Berry) and American mercenary Jennifer Majeure(Lyonne) are recruited by an eccentric, justice-obsessed billionaire Amanda Daventry, they find themselves tasked with defeating the evil plans of international villains operating in the most fabulous locations across Europe.

But as Force & Majeure team up to defeat the forces of evil, they must also work together to escape the clutches of Amanda, who may not be telling them the whole story.

This looks a promisingly daft 80s TV show concept. NBC Universal have the international distribution.

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Todd, Martin Smith, Uncle Retrospective

Two incredibly likeable leads should make for a fun show.

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Todd

Sean Robinson wrote:

“We’re pretty bullish on Alien: Earth and we’ve told him that assuming, as we hope, Alien: Earth is a returning television series, we want him to focus on at least writing two seasons of it before returning to a possible sixth season of Fargo.”

Oh God, season 2 of Alien:Earth or a sixth season of Fargo. Fuck, I really don’t know what to root for here.
Either way, I hope Hawley has some good performance-enhancing drugs at hand because I need him to be working 24/7 here.

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Todd

Christian wrote:

hope Hawley has some good performance-enhancing drugs at hand because I need him to be working 24/7

Huh? In the film industry?

I jest, just finished True Romance.
Felt bad when the suitcase got shot…

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Christian, Todd

The Great North Cancelled at Fox After 5 Seasons

Sad to see it go. It was a sweet and funny show with a lot of heart. I figured it wasn’t coming back after the fifth season had been burned off during the summer. I think the producers knew they weren’t coming back because the last episode of Season 5 really felt like a series finale. It had a satisfying conclusion but still left the door open for more tales in the future. Goodbye, The Great North, you will be missed.

 

That is some fantastic character animation on Eve

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Todd, Christian