Television News

Topic

What’s the latest news on the small screen?

Replies

‘Law & Order: SVU’ Continues To Rewrite TV History With 3-Year Renewal To Get To 24 Seasons On NBC
‘Law & Order: SVU’ Continues To Rewrite TV History With 3-Year Renewal To Get To 24 Seasons On NBC

Law & Order: SVU is making television history this season with its record-setting 21st season, making it TV’s longest-running primetime live-action series. And Dick Wolf’s venerable crime drama starring Mariska Hargitay is nowhere near done. NBC has given Law & Order: SVU a new three-year renewal for Seasons 22, 23 and 24, expanding the gap over the previous record mark of 20 seasons set by mothership series Law & Order (1990-2010) and Gunsmoke (1955-75). The massive renewal is part of a mega new deal for Wolf has signed with Law & Order: SVU studio Universal Television, that also includes a three-year renewal for the three Chicago dramas.

This season also marks a milestone for Hargitay whose Lt. Benson became the longest-running character in a primetime live-action series, surpassing Gunsmoke‘s James Arness and Milburn Stone as well as Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier Crane.

Will she continue to extend her record portrayal of Benson, the character that has become the heart and soul of SVU? For the past number of years, Hargitay has been re-upping her SVU contract year by year. I hear she is yet to sign a deal for the newly ordered seasons but has she has publicly expressed her commitment to SVU, which has become more than a show and a personal cause for her.

Hargitay’s personal commitment to the issues tackled on SVU led her to create and oversee the Joyful Heart Foundation, dedicated to transforming society’s response to sexual violence, supporting survivors and ending the violence.

The massive renewal for SVU is far from just a nod to its legacy. Now in its 21st season, the series continues to be ratings stalwart and has emerged as one of NBCU’s strongest digital performers.

For the 2018-19 season Law & Order: SVU scored as television’s #1 most-watched series with more than 150 billion minutes viewed across NBC, USA and Ion. For the 2019-20 season to date, SVU is #1 in its Thursday 10-11 p.m. timeslot versus regular ABC and CBS competition in adults 18-49 and total viewers. In Live+ Nielsens, SVU is averaging a 1.5 rating in 18-49 and 6.5 million viewers overall and with the addition of digital and linear delayed viewing to date, the show’s season premiere episode has climbed to a 3.9 in 18-49 and 11.1 million viewers overall.

“Dick Wolf has proven time and time again that he makes shows audiences love,” said Paul Telegdy, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We are delighted, excited and proud that as part of this epic deal with Wolf Entertainment, NBC’s loyal audience will know that their favorite shows have a certain future for the next three years.”

I posted the trailer for ‘Tales from the Loop’ but it’s not showing up?

I see it fine.

Strange…

This season also marks a milestone for Hargitay whose Lt. Benson became the longest-running character in a primetime live-action series, surpassing Gunsmoke‘s James Arness and Milburn Stone as well as Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier Crane.

But Detective John Munch remains the character that has appeared in the most television series:

Munch has become the only fictional character, played by a single actor, to physically appear on 10 different television series. These shows were on five different networks: NBC (Homicide: Life on the Street, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, and 30 Rock); Fox (The X-Files and Arrested Development); UPN (The Beat); HBO (The Wire) and ABC (Jimmy Kimmel Live!). Munch has been one of the few television characters to cross genres, appearing not only in crime drama series, but sitcom (Arrested Development), late night comedy (Jimmy Kimmel Live!) and horror and science fiction (The X-Files).

2 users thanked author for this post.

Sean Robinson, Todd

Wasn’t he in an episode of the Lone Gunmen too?

SyFy has ordered a new zombie series, allegedly based on the Romero movie ‘Day of the Dead’, but;

Written by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, who also will showrun, Day of the Dead is the intense story of six strangers trying to survive the first 24 hours of an undead invasion.

‘Day Of The Dead’ & ‘The Surrealtor’ TV Series Ordered By Syfy

And that’s not the Romero film, which takes place a long time after the zombies have taken over the world.

A series set in the bunker that Romero featured, with characters based on the ones in his film, could be really interesting.

But that’s not what we’re getting.

rory wrote:

Wasn’t he in an episode of the Lone Gunmen too?

He doesn’t have an IMDB credit for The Lone Gunmen, but he does have a credit for appearing in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt!

He was in the X-Files episode that was a flashback origin story for the Gunmen.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

The Coopers from This Country are on The Last Leg this evening and were just asked how the show will translate into the American adaptation that’s in development.

Daisy May Cooper: don’t care, just want the money.

4 users thanked author for this post.

Uncle Retrospective, garjones, Dave, Todd

SteveUK wrote:

A series set in the bunker that Romero featured, with characters based on the ones in his film, could be really interesting.

Yeah, that’s a pretty daft decision. Instead of using a pretty good setting for a zombie show that was established in the movie that it’s supposedly based on, they go with a generic outbreak story that we’ve seen quite a few times in recent years.

‘Judge Judy’ Will End After 25 Seasons, As Judy Sheindlin Preps New Show
By Michael Schneider

‘Judge Judy’ Will End After 25 Seasons, As Judy Sheindlin Preps New Show

Case closed: Judge Judy Sheindlin is ending her blockbuster first-run syndicated series “Judge Judy” after 25 seasons, Variety has confirmed. Sheindlin is set to make the announcement on “Ellen” this Monday.

The final full season of “Judge Judy” is yet to air, which means it will remain in originals through the 2020-2021 TV season. After that, CBS Television Distribution will continue to offer “Judge Judy” repeats to stations, while Sheindlin told “Ellen” host Ellen DeGeneres that she plans to launch a new show, “Judy Justice.”

Sheindlin wouldn’t reveal details about “Judy Justice,” including where might end up, if it is another syndicated strip show, or even if the format will be the same as “Judge Judy.” But as one of the highest-paid stars on television, clocking $47 million a year for “Judge Judy,” the end of the show represents a major cost savings for ViacomCBS. But it’s also perhaps the most seismic shift to happen in the syndication business since Oprah Winfrey announced her departure.

“I’ve had a 25-year-long marriage with CBS, and it’s been successful,” Sheindlin told DeGeneres. “Next year will be our 25th season, silver anniversary, and CBS, I think, sort of felt, they wanted to optimally utilize the repeats of my program, because now they have 25 years of reruns. So what they decided to do was to sell a couple of years’ worth of reruns.”

But, Sheindlin added, “I’m not tired. So ‘Judy Justice’ will be coming out a year later… ‘Judge Judy’ you’ll be able to see next year, full year, all new shows. The following couple of years, you should be able to catch all the reruns that are currently carrying Judy, and ‘Judy Justice’ will be going elsewhere. Isn’t that fun?”

Sheindlin has presided over the Emmy Award-winning “Judge Judy” since its debut in 1996. In addition to “Judge Judy” being the No. 1 first-run syndicated program, averaging 10 million total viewers daily, it is also the highest-rated court program for every season it has been on the air. The broadcast was recognized with Daytime Emmy Awards for legal/courtroom program in 2013, 2016 and 2017. Last year, Sheindlin was given the lifetime achievement award at the Daytime Emmys.

The announcement also comes a year after Sheindlin brought on former Twentieth Television president Greg Meidel to head her Queen Bee Prods.

Sheindlin sold her show’s library to CBS in August 2017 for a reported $95 million to $100 million. As part of that deal, for more than 5,200 hours of the show, Sheindlin’s contract was extended to a 25th season. She was later sued for allegedly withholding a portion of the proceeds — $4.75 million — from two producers who helped launch the program more than two decades ago.

Given how much CBS spent on the “Judge Judy” library, the show wasn’t expected to continue beyond Season 25 — but Sheindlin had kept mum on her plans and the fate of “Judge Judy” until now.

Variety has reached out to CBS Television Distribution for comment.

Fall TV 2020: Every Broadcast Show Canceled, Renewed and Ordered – So Far (Updating)

I remember when TV Guide would release its Fall Preview issue every August with schedules of each night of programming for the major networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX) and little blurbs about each new series. It was exciting to discover all these new programs for the first time, and fun to share that excitement with my friends. That sense of excitement is diluted now for many reasons, including the reality that (outside of those original four) most cable and streaming networks don’t wait until the Fall to debut new shows.

2 users thanked author for this post.

DavidM, Todd

njerry wrote:

I remember when TV Guide would release its Fall Preview issue every August with schedules of each night of programming for the major networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX) and little blurbs about each new series. It was exciting to discover all these new programs for the first time, and fun to share that excitement with my friends. That sense of excitement is diluted now for many reasons, including the reality that (outside of those original four) most cable and streaming networks don’t wait until the Fall to debut new shows.

Remember when some networks work have a primetime special previewing the upcoming Saturday morning cartoons?

There is still a big Fall push for the networks but I do wonder how much longer that will last as cable and streaming release series all year long. Networks release series year-round, too, but they still emphasize the Fall.

Weirdly, I anticipate the fall[sic] new season more now than I ever have in the past. British TV never had an annual season cycle the way American networks do. But now I watch a lot of Sky channels which import American shows and mostly shadow the network cycles.

Todd wrote:

Remember when some networks work have a primetime special previewing the upcoming Saturday morning cartoons?

As I recall, the primetime show was on the Friday night before the “new” Saturday morning season began.

My kids (now 31 and 29) had the chance to experience Saturday morning cartoons while such a thing still existed. Fond memories of watching X-Men and Batman Adventures and WildCATs with them, along with other shows, before Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon took control on their young minds.

2 users thanked author for this post.

RonnieM, Todd

Taika Waititi is going to write and direct not one but two animated series based on Dahl’s Wonka world.

I thought that was the best thing I’d seen tonight, but now, tangentially,  I’ve watched Sam Rockwell wake up Taika on set somewhere with a wee ickle labradorable pupster.

Best thing ever. Almost.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

The Last Of Us video game is coming to television as an HBO series:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/last-us-series-works-at-hbo-chernobyl-creator-1282707

 

1 user thanked author for this post.

From the Chernobyl creators. That’s brilliant news and a perfect fit. One of the best games deserves the best telly people behind it.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Dave

That sounds like a very good move. Could be that next big thing that HBO always needs to have.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Dave

I’ve never been so narratively engaged by a video game so I think there’s real potential there.

1 user thanked author for this post.

I don’t know if this has already been linked to in the Star Wars thread (cause I don’t read that) but here’s an in-depth article about The Mandalorian’s LED wall greenscreen replacement, the Volume.

https://ascmag.com/articles/the-mandalorian

Goran Visnjic Cast as Dracula in ABC’s ‘The Brides’ Drama Pilot

I’m intrigued.

I think he’s a fine actor, but I’m an even bigger fan of Gina Torres. She’s compelling.

And I don’t really know anything about Katherine Reis but her CV is strong.

Designing ‘Avenue 5’: HBO’s epic space cruise ship comedy’s look explained

‘Lost In Space’ Renewed For Third & Final Season By Netflix; Showrunner Zack Estrin Inks Overall Deal With Streamer

I enjoyed the first two seasons so I’m glad its getting the chance to have a proper conclusion. It’s fun but not essential sci-if telly.

Inside No 9 has been renewed for two further series.

https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/news/5701/more_inside_no_9

Great news.

Great news indeed.

In other great news, I forgot to watch the last episode so I still have one to watch

2 users thanked author for this post.

DavidM, Todd

AMC Gives 2-Season Series Order To Animated Drama ‘Pantheon’

In its first season, Pantheon focuses on Maddie, a bullied teen who receives mysterious help from someone online. The stranger is soon revealed to be her recently deceased father, David, whose consciousness has been uploaded to the Cloud following an experimental destructive brain scan. David is the first of a new kind of being: an “Uploaded Intelligence” or “UI”, but he will not be the last, as a global conspiracy unfolds that threatens to trigger a new kind of world war.

“Pantheon is an entertaining and provocative series about personal relationships and what happens to them when the boundary of life is removed from the human condition. And we’re looking to push other boundaries here too, in making an animated drama that aims to be every bit as moving, immersive and visceral as any premium, live-action scripted series,” said Barnett. “We are fortunate to have incredible source material from Ken Liu, one of the most celebrated science fiction writers at work today, and we are delighted to once again be working with Craig Silverstein. Both of these writers know how to weave the intimate and the epic into a powerful tale.”

I love that they’ve gone full Drew Struzan on this.

Edit – and a nice clean version:

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

And now a proper trailer.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

Sorry for turning this into the Red Dwarf thread by the way, I’m sure other television news is available.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Ben, Todd

Don’t be sorry for being excited about something.

I somehow missed the news that Amazon have made a series based on Simon Stalenhag’s paintings.

Tales From The Loop; released on 3rd April. I’ve just been watching a behind the scenes promo. Looks cool.

Oh, and cool. You’re a moderator now. You can modify every thread into Red Dwarf.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Ben, Dave, Uncle Retrospective

Dave wrote:

Sorry for turning this into the Red Dwarf thread by the way, I’m sure other television news is available.

NEVER apologize for Red Dwarf.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Dave

Apart from Series VIII.

To be fair, TV is this close to just being cancelled overall.  Red Dwarf might be the last new content we get!

2 users thanked author for this post.

Todd, Dave

Pro wrestling is hanging on until the bitter end.

lorcan_nagle wrote:

To be fair, TV is this close to just being cancelled overall.  Red Dwarf might be the last new content we get!

On the bright side, I’ll finally find the time to watch the Wire!

3 users thanked author for this post.

Uncle Retrospective, Todd, lorcan_nagle

lorcan_nagle wrote:

To be fair, TV is this close to just being cancelled overall.  Red Dwarf might be the last new content we get!

Which would be quite apt.

1 user thanked author for this post.

lorcan_nagle

Just noticed Disney doing something pretty clever to promote the launch of Disney+. The first episode of The World According To Jeff Goldblum is going to be airing on National Geographic Channel this week as a “sneak peek”. A good way to lure people from their traditional channels onto the new streaming service.

Martin Smith wrote:

Just noticed Disney doing something pretty clever to promote the launch of Disney+. The first episode of The World According To Jeff Goldblum is going to be airing on National Geographic Channel this week as a “sneak peek”. A good way to lure people from their traditional channels onto the new streaming service.

Yeah, “ooooh, ahhhh,” that’s how it always starts, and then later there’s paying and streaming.

1 user thanked author for this post.

DavidM

saga wrote:

Pro wrestling is hanging on until the bitter end.

AEW is less awkward than WWE. At least AEW has wrestlers sitting in the audience.

AEW did a great job with that episode of Dynamite.  WWE has become so regimented in their production style that they are really struggling to adapt to their new setting.

Christopher Meloni As ‘SVU’ Character Elliot Stabler To Headline New Dick Wolf Drama Series For NBC

A beloved TV character is coming back. NBC has given a 13-episode series order to a new Dick Wolf crime drama series starring Christopher Meloni reprising his Law & Order: SVU role as Elliot Stabler.

The SVU spinoff drama, which marks the actor’s return to Wolf World, revolves around the NYPD organized crime unit led by Stabler. It is the first show to come out of the massive new five-year, nine-figure, multi-platform deal Wolf signed with Universal Television last month, which includes multiple series commitments.

The new series, which could be branded as part of the Law & Order franchise, is executive produced by Wolf, Arthur W. Forney and Peter Jankowski for Wolf Entertainment and Universal TV, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios. I hear former Chicago P.D. showrunner Matt Olmstead is being eyed as writer-showrunner.

Like Law & Order: SVU, headlined by Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson, the new drama is set in New York, allowing for potential seamless crossovers with SVU and for Benson-Stabler reunions.

With their undeniable onscreen chemistry and great rapport on and off the set, Hargitay and Meloni were one of television’s most popular duos for more than a decade.

Meloni was the male lead opposite Hargitay for SVU‘s first 12 seasons, with their characters both partners and best friends. Stabler is an Irish American who, during the time he was featured on SVU, was married (his wife Kathy was played by Isabel Gillies) with five children. The role earned Meloni a lead actor in a drama series Emmy nomination in 2006.

Following Meloni’s exit after Season 12, his character was written off, with Stabler abruptly retiring from the police force.

Since departing SVU in 2011, Meloni headlined the Syfy series Happy! and Fox comedy series Surviving Jack, starred on the praised WGN America series Underground and did memorable arcs on True Blood and The Handmaid’s Tale.

2020 NBC Pilots & Series Orders

During his almost nine years away from SVU, Meloni remained close with Hargitay and the Wolf family. In January, the former co-stars appeared together, alongside Wolf, in The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU special on NBC. It was around that time that I first heard chatter of a potential new Wolf series with Meloni. Formal conversations started soon thereafter.

Meloni is repped by Gersh and Industry Entertainment.

On NBC, the new series will join the four existing Dick Wolf series, SVU and the three Chicago dramas, all of which received massive three-year renewals last month as part of Wolf’s new pact. The network also has been developing a Law & Order: Hate Crimes offshoot series.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

[JRCarter]

‘General Hospital’ Shifts to Four Days a Week Amid Coronavirus Shuffle

• This reply was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by JRCarter.

Sean Robinson wrote:

Christopher Meloni As ‘SVU’ Character Elliot Stabler To Headline New Dick Wolf Drama Series For NBC

A beloved TV character is coming back. NBC has given a 13-episode series order to a new Dick Wolf crime drama series starring Christopher Meloni reprising his Law & Order: SVU role as Elliot Stabler.

The SVU spinoff drama, which marks the actor’s return to Wolf World, revolves around the NYPD organized crime unit led by Stabler. It is the first show to come out of the massive new five-year, nine-figure, multi-platform deal Wolf signed with Universal Television last month, which includes multiple series commitments.

The new series, which could be branded as part of the Law & Order franchise, is executive produced by Wolf, Arthur W. Forney and Peter Jankowski for Wolf Entertainment and Universal TV, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios. I hear former Chicago P.D. showrunner Matt Olmstead is being eyed as writer-showrunner.

Like Law & Order: SVU, headlined by Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson, the new drama is set in New York, allowing for potential seamless crossovers with SVU and for Benson-Stabler reunions.

With their undeniable onscreen chemistry and great rapport on and off the set, Hargitay and Meloni were one of television’s most popular duos for more than a decade.

Meloni was the male lead opposite Hargitay for SVU‘s first 12 seasons, with their characters both partners and best friends. Stabler is an Irish American who, during the time he was featured on SVU, was married (his wife Kathy was played by Isabel Gillies) with five children. The role earned Meloni a lead actor in a drama series Emmy nomination in 2006.

Following Meloni’s exit after Season 12, his character was written off, with Stabler abruptly retiring from the police force.

Since departing SVU in 2011, Meloni headlined the Syfy series Happy! and Fox comedy series Surviving Jack, starred on the praised WGN America series Underground and did memorable arcs on True Blood and The Handmaid’s Tale.

2020 NBC Pilots & Series Orders

During his almost nine years away from SVU, Meloni remained close with Hargitay and the Wolf family. In January, the former co-stars appeared together, alongside Wolf, in The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU special on NBC. It was around that time that I first heard chatter of a potential new Wolf series with Meloni. Formal conversations started soon thereafter.

Meloni is repped by Gersh and Industry Entertainment.

On NBC, the new series will join the four existing Dick Wolf series, SVU and the three Chicago dramas, all of which received massive three-year renewals last month as part of Wolf’s new pact. The network also has been developing a Law & Order: Hate Crimes offshoot series.

can you rejoin the police force after retiring?

Isn’t it the plot of several schlocky action movies starring ageing stars?

It wouldn’t be the weirdest career move on L&), even if it isn’t really possible. Criminal Intent had Jeff Goldblum’s character return to being a detective after seven years AWOL while L&O LA had Alfred Molina’s character go from DA to detective.

Regarding the new series, I’m going to say what I always say, which is just bring back the original L&O! Its format can stretch to all these different things (organised crime, hate crimes etc) and other stuff too.

Comics aren’t the only ones with retcons. TV shows that go on long enough can fudge the past, or just say one person lied to another (“I said I was going to retire, but was really on a deep undercover mission…”).

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

Rick and Morty Season 4: Remaining Episodes to Air in May

2 users thanked author for this post.

Uncle Retrospective, Christian

I didn’t love the first half of season 4 but that looks really good.

Fire up the Quattro!

I’m ‘aving ‘oops.

I shall now spend the rest of the day leaping over tables in slo-mo.

Disney’s “Artemis Fowl” will forgo a theatrical release and will instead launch on Disney Plus. The sci-fi fantasy was scheduled to open on May 29, but the coronavirus pandemic has led to the closure of most movie theaters.

Disney has overhauled the release dates for most of its upcoming films — shifting everything from “Captain Marvel 2” to “Indiana Jones 5” while it tries to game out how long the public health crisis will last.

“Artemis Fowl” had looked like a dicey commercial proposition. It was originally slated to open on Aug. 9, 2019, but its release was pushed back by a year even before the pandemic swept across the globe. However, its digital debut will likely draw attention to Disney Plus at a time when streaming services are surging in popularity. It gives Disney Plus a big-budget original offering.

–SNIP–

So far, only Universal’s “Trolls World Tour” and Paramount’s “The Lovebirds” have opted to entirely skip a theatrical release and debut those movies on demand.

–SNIP–

‘Artemis Fowl’ Will Skip Theatrical Release and Debut on Disney Plus

I’m making the assumption that this is Disney finding a silver lining to the current situation?

They’ve opted to delay the release of everything else, including ‘New Mutants’, so I suspect that this film’s problems remain unsolved.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

Box office is still more lucrative than other channels (of course reliant on the film doing well) so I suspect they’ll want to defer as much as possible but this is building a hefty backlog. I think at very best case scenario cinemas could open in June. As stuff is held back then certain films are going to slip under the radar in a glut of bigger releases, some may not even find screen available. The longer it goes on the more they’ll revise what shifts to streaming.

Artemis Fowl is probably not a bad choice, I’d see it unlikely to be a massive earner in cinemas, outside Harry Potter this material doesn’t seem able to threaten the $500m+ area, but it does have a loyal audience from the books who could be tempted by it on Disney+.

It makes a lot of sense for Disney in the current phase; releasing a movie or two while theatres are closed may bring in some subscribers. That logic doesn’t go for any studio that doesn’t have their own TV streaming channel, though.

Christian wrote:

That logic doesn’t go for any studio that doesn’t have their own TV streaming channel, though.

Not in any way to the same level. As I said though there will be limited screens when films come back and of course the longer that takes the more films are queued up to be released. Other studios may have to cut their losses and flog one or two to Netflix or Amazon as exclusives. These won’t ever be the hot ticket stuff like Wonder Woman or Bond but I can see some comedies and horrors being sacrificed.

Technically since most films have also stopped production at the same time then you could just timeshift everything by the same amount but with the long lead time of a couple of years from filming to release and the desperate need for cashflow for studios and exhibitors I don’t see it working like that.

I return to my original contention; the film hasn’t turned out very well. Putting it straight to Disney+ avoids the huge advertising costs associated with a theatrical release.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

SteveUK wrote:

I return to my original contention; the film hasn’t turned out very well. Putting it straight to Disney+ avoids the huge advertising costs associated with a theatrical release.

And it may be more positively received as people are currently looking for entertainment options right now. People tend to be more forgiving when something is “free” than when they have to travel to a theater and pay for it.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Ben

That’s true.  There’s loads of stuff I watch on streaming that I wouldn’t pay to see at the movies.

Some of it I even enjoy!

2 users thanked author for this post.

Ben, Todd

SteveUK wrote:

I return to my original contention; the film hasn’t turned out very well. Putting it straight to Disney+ avoids the huge advertising costs associated with a theatrical release.

I don’t disagree but like I said the logistics mean they will have to drop some of these films that are unlikely to be big hits (maybe because of their quality). There are a limited number of screens and they may end up even more limited if some cinemas go out of business or seat segregation is put in for a time when they reopen.

If the dead certs like Bond, Wonder Woman, Top Gun etc are all pushed back to the end of the year others are going to be pushed off the list altogether.

Anonymous wrote:

Fire up the Quattro!

I’m ‘aving ‘oops.

I shall now spend the rest of the day leaping over tables in slo-mo.

I have to confess, I didn’t like Ashes to Ashes. I felt it weakened Life on Mars if you took it to be part of the same canon.

Heh. I got all excited at the news and forgot to include a link.

They’re making a third series set in the 70s, 80s and mostly in an alternate present.

Life on Mars was the best of the two. Little puppet John Simm!

I didn’t bother with Ashes to Ashes. It seemed a bit conceptually bankrupt doing a sequel series in the 80s immediately after the 70s original. Like they’d been mandated to do it the same as those I Love the 70s/80s/90s shows.

CBS Sets Sunday Movie Night in Coronavirus Programming Shift

Martin Smith wrote:

I didn’t bother with Ashes to Ashes. It seemed a bit conceptually bankrupt doing a sequel series in the 80s immediately after the 70s original. Like they’d been mandated to do it the same as those I Love the 70s/80s/90s shows.

Nah, I think it was because everyone except John Simm wanted to keep doing it, but he quit.

The crime of the week stuff on Ashes to Ashes wasn’t as strong (it got better after S1), but the arc stuff was much better.

I need to do a rewatch of both series.

‘God Friended Me’ Canceled After Two Seasons On CBS, Sets Series Finale

Guess god unfriended then too.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Bruce, Todd

At least they got a proper finale. So he wasn’t just holy ghosting them.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

DavidM wrote:

a proper finale

It’s three episodes all baked into one.

Tom Hardy To Read Six ‘Bedtime Stories’ For BBC Children’s Channel CBeebies

BBC pre-school channel CBeebies has enlisted Tom Hardy to read six Bedtime Stories after the actor proved to be the most popular celebrity storyteller for the long-running strand when he appeared in 2016.

The Peaky Blinders and Inception star will read one story a night over the course of a week later this month, while a sixth story will air later in the year. Starting from April 27, Hardy will read:

– Hug Me by Simone Ciraolo
– Under The Same Sky by Robert Vescio and Nicky Johnston
– There’s A Tiger In The Garden by Lizzy Stewart
– Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton
– The Problem With Problems by Rachel Rooney and Zehra Hicks

He will be joined by his French bulldog, Blue, and will introduce the first book (Hug Me) with a personal message. “Hello. I’m Tom. Sometimes, on a day like this, I feel strong and happy. But on other days, I just need somebody to give me a hug. Tonight’s bedtime story is all about a little cactus called Felipe, who just wants a hug too,” he will say.

The BBC said his 2016 outing on Bedtime Stories has generated more than 1M requests on streamer BBC iPlayer, putting him ahead of others who have contributed. The strand has a reputation for attracting big names, with previous readers including David Schwimmer, Rosamund Pike and Stephen Graham.

I need a hug

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

In this pandemic? We all do.

Todd wrote:

BBC pre-school channel CBeebies has enlisted Tom Hardy to read six Bedtime Stories after the actor proved to be the most popular celebrity storyteller for the long-running strand when he appeared in 2016. The Peaky Blinders and Inception star will read one story a night over the course of a week later this month, while a sixth story will air later in the year. Starting from April 27, Hardy will read: – Hug Me by Simone Ciraolo – Under The Same Sky by Robert Vescio and Nicky Johnston – There’s A Tiger In The Garden by Lizzy Stewart – Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton – The Problem With Problems by Rachel Rooney and Zehra Hicks He will be joined by his French bulldog, Blue, and will introduce the first book (Hug Me) with a personal message. “Hello. I’m Tom. Sometimes, on a day like this, I feel strong and happy. But on other days, I just need somebody to give me a hug. Tonight’s bedtime story is all about a little cactus called Felipe, who just wants a hug too,” he will say.

Here’s something he will not say:

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

Are you sure? It’s the BBC, not CBS…

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

3 users thanked author for this post.

njerry, Todd

Anonymous wrote:

Are you sure? It’s the BBC, not CBS…

The BBC will allow a lot of strong content after the watershed.

Not so far on their CBeebies channel from my memory.

Why does Duggee look like a dick?

Anonymous wrote:

Why does Duggee look like a dick?

Don’t you mean racist caricature dick?

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd wrote:

Don’t you mean racist caricature dick?

Holy oversized erection, Toddman! I didn’t even see that but you’re absolutely right. It’s exactly what I meant.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

Anonymous wrote:

Why does Duggee look like a dick?

Dicky dicky dick dick

1 user thanked author for this post.

Bruce

#PunkyBrewster's all grown up and bringing #PunkyPower to #PeacockTV! pic.twitter.com/Rzl9uRax4I

— Peacock (@peacockTV) April 16, 2020

Anonymous wrote:

Why does Duggee look like a dick?

Also, each episode ends with the children giving him a quick hug before their parents arrive.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

[Martin Smith]

The unhelpfully named “Looney Tunes Cartoons”, which is coming to HBO Max this year (on launch in May), got a trailer this week.

 

It actually looks pretty good. I don’t know how this has happened. Outside of the Looney Tunes Show (which went for a very different style and tone) there hasn’t been a good Looney Tunes revival in decades, if ever. But this seems to actually have some directorial flair and style.

No word on a UK broadcaster, but presumably it falls under Sky’s reupped HBO deal, though Sky itself doesn’t have a kids channel anymore. So I guess it’ll end up on Cartoon Network here, or Sky Comedy at a push.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 7 months ago by Martin Smith.

Seeing HBO’s logo side by side with the name Looney Tunes makes me think it will be an adult furry nightmare series. Thanks for posting the trailer, I feel a lot better after seeing it.

HBO Makes ‘Hellraiser’ Series Development Deal; ‘Halloween’s David Gordon Green To Direct Early Eps

EXCLUSIVE: HBO has made a deal to develop a series from the classic horror franchise Hellraiser, with Halloween helmer David Gordon Green set to direct the pilot and several more initial episodes that brings to the small screen for the first time the iconic pincushion-headed villain who heads a group of pasty-faced villains sent from hell, known as the Cenobites.

The series will be written by genre and action vets Mark Verheiden (Battlestar Gallactica, Daredevil, Heroes), and Michael Dougherty (X-Men United, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Trick r’ Treat). All of them will be executive producers alongside Farah Films’ Dan Farah, Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee, along with Lawrence Kuppin and David Salzman and Panacea Entertainment’s Eric Gardner. Rough House Pictures partners Green, Danny McBride Jody Hill and Brandon James round out the EP team. Farah Films exec Andrew Farah, and Adam Salzman will also serve as co-exec producers.

Lee (It) and Farah (Ready Player One) put together the rights package last June, based on the Hellraiser film franchise hatched from Clive Barker’s novella The Hellbound Heart. The idea is to create an elevated continuation and expansion of the well-established Hellraiser mythology. It is by no means a remake, but rather assumes the past mythology to be a given. The centerpiece remains Pinhead, the pin cushion-headed merciless leader of the Cenobites, the formerly humans-turned-demons that live in an extra-dimensional realm and are activated through a puzzle box called the Lament Configuration. The Cenobites come from hell to harvest human souls and keep balance between good and evil.

The antagonist has remained a pop culture icon for 35 years and 10 films and all the attendant merchandising.

Landing Green is a coup. The filmmaker pivoted from Stronger, an inspiring drama chronicling Jeff Bauman’s inspiring fight back from losing his legs in the Boston Marathon explosion, and revamped the John Carpenter horror classic Halloween, making a $10 million budget film that grossed $255 million worldwide. He signed on to shoot the sequels Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends. He’s in post on the first one.

There is a separate Hellraiser film project in development at Spyglass that is unrelated to the series.
CAA reps Green; Verheiden is Untitled and Dougherty Circle of Confusion, and Lee by CAA.

Anonymous wrote:

Seeing HBO’s logo side by side with the name Looney Tunes makes me think it will be an adult furry nightmare series. Thanks for posting the trailer, I feel a lot better after seeing it.

Tell me you wouldn’t watch a Meet the Feebles or Avenue Q TV show.

3 users thanked author for this post.

Ben, Uncle Retrospective

Anonymous wrote:

Seeing HBO’s logo side by side with the name Looney Tunes makes me think it will be an adult furry nightmare series. Thanks for posting the trailer, I feel a lot better after seeing it.

The original Looney Tunes cartoons weren’t exactly strictly kids’ stuff.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Todd

JRCarter wrote:

The original Looney Tunes cartoons weren’t exactly strictly kids’ stuff.

Which is why they are classics and will never be replaced as the greatest collection of cartoons ever.

6 users thanked author for this post.

Ben, DavidM, JRCarter, Todd

The score of a recent Westworld episode reminded me of Bugs Bunny. I doubt that was their intention. Added extra pathos.

(HBO Animaniacs please and ta very muchly).

lorcan_nagle wrote:

Tell me you wouldn’t watch a Meet the Feebles

There is no way I would watch a show like that. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to get changed, my pants seem to be on fire.

2 users thanked author for this post.

lorcan_nagle, Uncle Retrospective

‘Discworld’: Narrativia, Endeavor Content & Motive Pictures Strike Deal For New Adaptations Of Terry Pratchett’s Fantasy Novels

Narrativia, Endeavor Content and Motive Pictures, which is backed by the WME-content division and run by Channel 4’s head of international drama Simon Maxwell, have made it clear that they will have an “exclusive” relationship going forward to create “truly authentic” Discworld screen adaptations.

The trio noted that they will bring the books to screens in a series of adaptation that “remain absolutely faithful” to Pratchett’s original vision.

“Absolutely faithful” may be swinging too far in the other direction from the “The Watch” series, but sure.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Todd, Martin Smith

paul f wrote:

The trio noted that they will bring the books to screens in a series of adaptation that “remain absolutely faithful” to Pratchett’s original vision.

Imagine if someone vowed to make an “absolutely faithful” adaptation of Alan Moore’s work, and then actually proceeded to severe their ties to everyone involved with it and then literaly burned all the money that was invested in the project.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd

Anonymous wrote:

Imagine if someone vowed to make an “absolutely faithful” adaptation of Alan Moore’s work, and then actually proceeded to severe their ties to everyone involved with it and then literaly burned all the money that was invested in the project.

The scripts would include multiple A4 pages of detailed description for every single frame of footage.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Todd

Anonymous wrote:

(HBO Animaniacs please and ta very muchly).

For Halloween one year in the 1990s, Liz made costumes for my nephew, son, and daughter to trick-or-treat as Yakko, Wakko and Dot. Gotta look for a photo of that.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Dave

If you find it, I’d like to see the photo.

And yay! Animaniacs is coming back with the original voice actors this autumn. Pinky and the Brain will try to take over the world (again).

You could’ve told me. Why am I the last to know these things?

Oh I loved Animaniacs. That was a good era for cartoons. Freakazoid was lots of fun too.

1 user thanked author for this post.

paul f wrote:

The trio noted that they will bring the books to screens in a series of adaptation that “remain absolutely faithful” to Pratchett’s original vision.

Well, okay.

I don’t think not being faithful enough was amongst the weaknesses of the Sky adaptations, mind you.

The only way they could pull off a faithful version is if they just put the text from the books up on the screen for people to read at their leisure.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Christian

I recognize some scenes from the book. I’m hopeful they adapt the characters and ideas well,

1 user thanked author for this post.

Todd