Extra! Extra! Top TV News — Critics Choice Noms, Michelle Williams’ Next TV Role, Charlize Theron & Daniel Craig Team Up As Thieves, Norman Lear Tribute
This Edition is Super-Sized! 🍟
There’s so much TV news to share this week! So many renewals of your favorite shows and eek, do I dare post the cancellations? When will And Just Like That Return? Where can you watch the new Priscilla Presley movie, Priscilla? What is Michelle Williams next role? All this and OMG so much more…keep scrolling!
If you’re not a subscriber…what the heck?
Top 5 TV News Stories of the Week
Ray Romano Slated To Star In Netflix’s ‘No Good Deed’ Dark Comedy Series
Ray Romano returns to TV, this time on Netflix in a dark comedy from showrunner Liz Feldman, the creator of Netflix’s other popular dark comedy Dead to Me. No Good Deed follows Paul (Romano), a contractor who is broke, stressed and trying to retire so he can move out of Los Angeles. He decides to sell his Los Feliz home. Three different families are vying for the same house thinking that this home will solve all their problems, "but sometimes the home of your dreams can be a total nightmare” as says the official logline. The eight-episode series is inspired by Feldman’s many late nights doom scrolling Zillow listings for a way out of her own house. Will Ferrell will co-produce the series.
‘And Just Like That’ Season 3 Not Returning Until 2025 + New Candace Bushnell Project
Can you believe that the season finale of And Just Like That was on August 24 and you’ll have to wait until 2025 to see the upcoming season 3? MAX just released a teaser video of all its upcoming 2024 series and films and left a little space for 2025 that features And Just Like That. However, this long wait could be good for Carrie as she navigates through Aidan’s “wait for me” goodbye as he leaves her to put his children first. Good! Now Carrie can focus on being semi-single again, raise her cute little kitten, and experience the energy of New York City without wasting it domesticating at Williams-Sonoma.
In parallel news, “Sex and the City” author, Candace Bushnell is creating a new unscripted (aka reality) dating show, Is There Still Sex in the City? that will follow four friends in their fifties. Per the official description, “They’ll live together in a cozy country chateau where they’ll have their pick of a different group of men in each episode. They’ll try the boy toys, the senior aged player, be romanced by the rich guys and even get to flirt with their fantasy man. But in the end, who will really steal their hearts, and will our ladies be able to bring sex back to the city?”
M*A*S*H Reunion Special With Original Cast To Air On FOX
If you’re a fan of the classic TV show M*A*S*H, you can spend the first day of 2024 watching a special two-hour broadcast on FOX airing January 1. This upcoming reunion will feature the original surviving cast and air never-before-seen behind the scenes content. The original series aired forty years ago and aired for eleven seasons! Alan Alda will be joined by cast members alongside executive producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe. M*A*S*H, based on the book “MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors” is known among critics and fans as one of the best TV shows of all time. It is the winner of 14 Emmys with a whopping 100 nominations.
Michelle Williams Will Star and Produce FX’s Limited Series ‘Dying For Sex’
Since her Oscar-nominated role in The Fabelmans, Michelle Williams took a little break from acting, but has now secured her next project. Dying For Sex is an adaptation of Wondery’s hit podcast of the same name about a woman “diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who leaves her husband of 15 years to explore her sexuality. She gets the courage and support to go on this adventure from her best friend, who stays by her side all the way to the very end,” per the official synopsis. The limited series for FX has some pretty big talent behind the scenes including its showrunners Liz Meriweather (The Dropout) and Kim Rosenstock (Only Murders in the Building). Leslye Headland (Russian Doll) will direct the episode and produce alongside Williams.
5. A24 Movies To Stream Exclusively On HBO and MAX Under New Deal
If you’re interested in streaming the Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla or the wrestling drama Iron Claw, soon you’ll be able to stream these titles and more on MAX, HBO, and Cinemax as Warner Bros. Discovery has just inked a multi-year deal with A24 productions. Other titles will include Nicholas Cage in Dream Scenario, Dicks: The Musical, and The Zone of Interest which is already getting Oscar buzz. There will be 100 titles coming from A24 to MAX including past Oscar winners and contenders like Everything Everywhere All At Once, Uncut Gems, and The Whale. The new titles will hit after their respective theatrical runs. This new deal comes shortly after the expiration of A24’s deal with Paramount+.
Critics Choice Awards Announces Nominees! The Awards Show Airs Sunday, January 14 on The CW.
Let’s Vote For Fun! 🗳️
Loki (Disney+)
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO - MAX)
Ramon Rodriguez - Will Trent (ABC)
Aunjanue Ellis - Justified: City Primeval (FX)
Reservation Dogs (FX)
Shrinking (Apple TV+)
What We Do In the Shadows (FX)
Love & Death (HBO - MAX)
A Murder at the End of the World (FX)
A Small Light (National Geographic)
December 15 - Barbie: The Movie will begin streaming on MAX
December 21 - Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon will premiere on Netflix
January 24 - Sexy Beast prequel premieres on Paramount+
January 31 - Feud: Season 2 premieres on FX
February 4 - Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 12 premieres on MAX
February 8 - Halo: Season 2 premieres on Paramount+
February 27 - Shogun premiers on FX
March 10 - The Oscars will air live on ABC and stream next day on Hulu
Lucky Hank canceled after one season at AMC+
Cruel Summer canceled at Freeform after two seasons
Good Trouble canceled after two seasons at Freeform
Found renewed for Season 2 at NBC
Irrational renewed for Season 2 at NBC
Jersey Shore Family Vacation renewed for Season 7 at MTV
Twisted Metal renewed for Season 2 at Peacock
Harlem renewed for Season 3 at Prime Video
Godfather of Harlem renewed for Season 4 at MGM+
Squid Game: The Challenge renewed for Season 2 at Netflix
So You Think You Can Dance renewed for Season 18 at FOX
Leverage: Redemption renewed for Season 3, moving to Prime Video
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver renewed for three more seasons at HBO
Foundation renewed for Season 3 at Apple TV+
Boulet Brothers’ Dragula renewed for Season 6 at AMC+/Shudder
My Life is Murder renewed for Season 4 at AcornTV
Central Park canceled at Apple TV+ after three seasons
The Upshaws renewed for Season 4 at Netflix
Reacher renewed for Season 3 on Prime Video
Riches canceled after one season at Prime Video
Harry Wild renewed for Season 3 at AcornTV
The Grand Tour canceled after five seasons at Prime Video
Swagger canceled after two seasons at Apple TV+
Bob Hearts Abishola will end with Season 5 at CBS
Kids Baking Championship renewed for school-themed Season 12 at Food Network
The Mehdi Hasan Show on MSNBC cancelled after three years
Streaming News 📺 🗞️
Disney+ adds Hulu Hub To Streaming Platform
Disney+ Considers Adding Gaming and Shopping Experiences
Prime Video Partners With Premier Boxing Champions To Air Live Boxing Matches
Verizon offering Netflix & MAX with ads bundle for just $10
Are You A Paramount+ Subscriber? There’s so much to stream on this mega-platform that includes: Showtime, CBS, The Smithsonian Channel, MTV, Nickelodeon, and live news and sports.
Stream all episodes of Frasier now exclusively on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
Paramount TV acquires rights to upcoming novel Dead Money - ‘Billions’ Beth Schacter Attached as Showrunner - The rights were snatched up in a seven-figure bidding war. The novel will be published in Summer 2024 by Ballantine, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Schacter, who was the co-showrunner for Showtime’s Billions and showrunner for Super Pumped.
Buy “Dead Money” on Amazon!
Yellowstone Adjacent? Netflix Orders ‘Ransom Canyon’ A Romantic Drama Set On A Ranch
Listen, I know there’s a whole sub-genre of people out there that love ranch shows. I honestly am not one of them. I watched three episodes of Yellowstone and was like, damn — this is too much country for me! Not that I can watch ten episodes of finance bros bumping fists and talking trades, but I need a little concrete on my tele. So listen up ranchers, Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly are slated to star in ten episodes that’s described as a “contemporary western saga” that tracks the lives of three ranching families. Duhamel will play stoic and steadfast Staten Kirklan who is the owner of Double K Ranch and lives life solo resisting the influence of outside forces threatening his Texas way of life. The series is written, created and produced by April Blair who is also a driving force behind such hits as Wednesday and All-American. The series is currently in development with premiere date yet to be set. Netflix hopes fans of Virgin River will lasso this show into their watchlist.
Hot Off The Press 🔥 : Charlize Theron and Daniel Craig To Star In ‘Two For The Money’ at For Apple Original Films
Theron and Craig will star as career thieves whose relationship spans the course of three big heists. Justin Lin (Fast & Furious) will direct and produce the film.
First Look: MAX’s The Penguin Releases First Footage
First Look: Welcome to Derry (aka ‘IT’ prequel series) on MAX
First Look: The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey, Jr. (MAX)
House of the Dragon: Season 2
More Trailers
Masters of the Air (Apple TV+)
Griselda (Netflix)
Good Grief (Netflix)
True Detective: Night Country - New Trailer (MAX)
Criminal Record (Apple TV+)
Berlin (Netflix)
Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Prime Video)
Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (MAX)
The Brothers Son (Netflix)
Fallout (Prime Video)
Ted (Peacock)
The Boys: Season 4 Teaser
In Memoriam - Norman Lear (1922-2023)
A television legend has passed. Norman Lear had an extraordinary career in TV that spanned decades. His iconic sitcoms shaped television including One Day at A Time, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Maude. His shows collectively reached 120 million viewers a week. He passed at the age of 101 on Tuesday.
Lear was born in New Haven, Connecticut. Before his career in TV, he flew over 52 combat missions over Europe in World War II. His career in television was essentially unmatched by any other, transforming the American cultural landscape by bringing social and political issues of the time into audience’s living rooms. Topics of race, war, socio-economic and class issues were all delivered with memorable laughs.
Where Can I Stream Norman Lear Shows?
The Jeffersons (Pluto TV)
One Day at a Time (Pluto TV)
Good Time (Freevee, Peacock)
All in the Family (Freevee, Pluto TV)
Maude (Pluto TV)
Sanford & Son (Peacock, Pluto TV)
CBS To Air Tribute To Norman Lear On December 9 and streaming on Paramount+
In Memoriam: Ryan O’Neal (1941-2023)
Today, actor Ryan O’Neal passed at the age of 82. He is known for his many film roles, but first he was training as an amateur boxer before beginning his acting career. His first claim-to-fame role was as Rodney Harrington on the prime-time soap opera Peyton Place. The soap was an instant hit and catapulted his career. He went onto star in films like Love Story (1970) in which he earned an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. In 2005, he starred in a recurring role in the series Bones. He was married twice, divorced with three children and had a long-term love affair with actress Farrah Fawcett.
Where Can I Stream Ryan O’Neal?
Bones (Freevee, Hulu)
A Bridge Too Far (MGM+, The Roku Channel)
Barry Lyndon (buy or rent on demand)
Paper Moon (MAX)
What’s Up, Doc? (MAX)
Love Story (Showtime)
Happy Birthday 🥳
December 8
Teri Hatcher, 59 - Desperate Housewives (Freevee, Hulu)
Anna Sophia Robb, 30 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (MAX)
Kim Basinger, 70 - L.A. Confidential (Netflix, Plex)
Ian Somerhalder, 45 - The Vampire Diaries (MAX, Peacock)
Nancy Meyers, 74 - It’s Complicated (Prime Video)
Wendell Pierce, 60 - The Wire (MAX)
The Nancy Meyers Essentials
The Holiday (buy or rent on demand)
Something’s Got To Give (buy or rent on demand)
Private Benjamin (buy or rent on demand)
Father of the Bride (Disney+)
The Parent Trap (Disney+)
Baby Boom (Paramount+)
Irreconcilable Differences (not available)
Born on this Day: Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925-1990)
Sammy Davis, Jr Interesting Facts;
He and the other members of the Rat Pack were banned from attending Marilyn Monroe’s funeral by her ex-husband Joe DiMaggio
He lost his left eye in a car crash on his way to record the theme song for the Tony Curtis movie, Six Bridges to Cross.
Shortly after his death on May 16, 1990, the Las Vegas Strip turned off their exterior lights for ten minutes in tribute
A contract was allegedly put out on Sammy’s life because of his interracial affair with actress Kim Novak. Allegedly Frank Sinatra was able to intervene to save his life.
He never attended school of any kind, was self-taught, performing since the age of five
Filmed a cameo for the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. The scene was cut, but you can stream it on the DVD version.
Converted to Judaism in the 1950s
December 9 🥳
Felicity Huffman, 60 - Transamerica (Peacock, The Roku Channel, Tubi)
Judi Dench, 88 - Skyfall (MAX)
John Malkovich, 69 - In the Line of Fire (Netflix)
Beau Bridges, 81 - The Fabulous Baker Boys (STARZ)
Jesse Metcalfe, 44 - Desperate Housewives (Hulu)
Michael Nouri, 77 - The Watcher (Netflix)
Born on this Day: Kirk Douglas (1916-2020)
Kirk Douglas Interesting Facts:
Appeared in the stage production of “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” and later bought the film rights. He turned the rights over to his son, Michael Douglas who produced the Oscar-winning film starring Jack Nicholson.
He wrote his own autobiography without the help of a ghostwriter
Met his wife Anne Douglas when she applied for a job as his assistant on the French location shoot for the 1953 film Act of Love.
He survived a helicopter crash in 1991. The two fellow occupants were killed. It left his with a debilitating back injury.
Douglas hired blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo to write the screenplay for Spartacus (1960), for which he faced industry-wide criticism
In 2006, he had a fall out with his good friend former President Jimmy Carter after Carter published his book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid”
Stream Kirk Douglas in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on MGM+
Born on this Day: Margaret Hamilton (1902-1985)
Margaret Hamilton Interesting Facts
Wore the same dress for two different productions — as Miss Gulch in The Wizard of Oz and as Grandma Frump in The Addams Family series (1964)
Before becoming an actress, she was a kindergarten teacher. And despite her role as The Wicked Witch of the West, she loved children and dedicated her life to them.
She was an animal rights activist who often appeared on TV with her cat, pleading with audiences to spay and neuter their pets. She also had a dachshund named Otto.
Throughout her life she had children come up to her and ask her why she was so mean to Dorothy. She worried about the effects her role played on children so she did a guest spot on Mister Rogers Neighborhood, explaining that the Wicked Witch was just a character and not herself.
She was burned on the set of The Wizard of Oz on the Munchkinland set. Her costume caught on fire and it took her a month to recover before returning to set.
On February 10, 1976 Hamilton appeared as the Wicked Witch on Sesame Street. The episode scared so many kids that parents wrote into the show complaining they would never watch it again. The episode never aired again.
Under her married name of Margaret Meserve, she served on the Beverly Hills Board of Education from 1948-1951
Stream Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of OZ on MAX
Born on this Day: John Cassavetes (1929-1989)
Born on this Day: Redd Foxx (1922-1991)
Born on this Day: Douglas Fairbanks, Jr (1909-2000)
December 10 🥳
Kenneth Branagh, 62 - Much Ado About Nothing (Freevee)
Susan Dey, 70 - The Partridge Family (The Roku Channel, Tubi)