In today’s roundup, Netflix releases a new trailer for Hasan Minhaj’s upcoming weekly comedy show, while BBC America comes out with a first look video for its ‘Dynasties’ series.
FIRST LOOKS
Netflix has released a new trailer for the upcoming weekly comedy show, “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj.” It premieres on Sunday, Oct. 28, and will run for 32 episodes. Each week, Minhaj will explore the modern cultural and political landscape and search for larger trends shaping the world today. Last year, Minhaj won rave reviews and a Peabody Award for his Netflix comedy special “Homecoming King.” The weekly show is executive produced by Minhaj, Prashanth Venkataramanujam, Art & Industry’s Michelle Caputo and Shannon Hartman, Jennie Church-Cooper, and Jim Margolis, who is also the showrunner. Watch the trailer below:
The English crime drama “Peaky Blinders” has released a first look still from the set of Season 5, which began filming in Manchester in September. Cillian Murphy reprises his role as gangster Tommy Shelby, and other returning stars include Helen McCrory, Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Finn Cole, Kate Phillips, and Natasha O’Keefe. In the new season, the world is thrown into turmoil by the 1929 financial crash, and Shelby realizes that his actions will affect not just his family’s future but that of the entire nation. The drama is written by Steven Knight and is produced by Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Drama. It moved to BBC One earlier this year, and will also air on Netflix.
Related
BBC America has released a first look at its five-part co-production “Dynasties,” an AMC Networks simulcast that will air on BBC America, AMC, IFC, and SundanceTV. Presented by naturalist and host David Attenborough (“Planet Earth II”) and executive produced by Mike Gunton (“Planet Earth II”), the series follows five of the world’s most celebrated but endangered animals, including chimpanzees from Senegal, emperor penguins in Antarctica, and tigers from the jungles of India. “Dynasties” is a BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced with BBC America, Tencent Penguin Pictures, CCTV9, and France Télévisions. Take a look at the video below:
CASTING
Perrey Reeves will be guest starring on ABC’s “American Housewife” as Holly, new housewife and enemy of Katie who will run in the Tara and Nancy crowd. Reeves previously starred on HBO’s “Entourage” and was a series regular on Freeform’s “Famous in Love.” She is represented by APA and Link Entertainment.
Erika Alexander (“Living Single”) has been cast in a recurring role in the upcoming second season of the CW drama, “Black Lightning.” She will play Perenna, a therapist with telepathic abilities who is trying to help Jennifer adjust to her manifesting powers and the emotions that go along with them. Alexander is currently slated to appear in three episodes. Alexander is most known for her roles on “The Cosby Show” and “Living Single,” and she recently appeared as Detective LaToya in “Get Out.” The second season of “Black Lightning” will premiere Tuesday, Oct. 9.
INITIATIVES
WEtv and the NAACP have teamed up for a new campaign encouraging people to vote in the midterm elections on Nov. 6 WEtv stars like Romeo Miller, Egypt Criss, and Towanda Braxton tell viewers that they can make a difference if they choose to exercise their voice. Watch the video below.
NBC’s Writers on the Verge has named comedy writers Bernard Badion, Edward Excaliber, Joanne Lee and Sara White, and drama writers Pamela García Rooney, Marissa Lee, Tiffany Shaw Ho and Margot Ye as its 2018-19 class. They were chosen from an applicant pool of more than 2,200 submissions to be part of the program for emerging diverse writers. Now in its thirteenth year, the annual program is part of the network’s talent infusion programs (NBC TIPS) that discover, develop and advocate for onscreen and behind the scenes talent of diverse backgrounds.
RATINGS
The season debut of “SEAL Team” on CBS was down significantly from its series debut in the Wednesday overnight ratings. The military drama averaged a 0.8 and 5.1 million viewers, down nearly 50% in both measures from the Season 1 premiere. “A Million Little Things” also saw steep declines in its second week on ABC. The series clocked a 0.8 rating in adults 18-49 and 3.8 million viewers. That is down approximately 27% in the demo and 25% in total viewers from its series premiere last week.