Television

Jenny Hagel is “obsessed” with giving people advice – whether people ask or not. “I’m sure it’s everybody’s least favorite thing about me, but I can’t stop,” she admits. “It’s like a facial tic, except in my personality.” While this could be annoying in the hands of a lesser talent, Hagel happens to be a

Amazon Prime Video has acquired the family drama series “The Baxters” starring Roma Downey and Ted McGinley. The faith-infused series is based on the bestselling novels by author Karen Kingsbury. The series has been in the works since early 2018, when Downey announced plans to produce a series based on Kingsbury’s books for her LightWorkers

Dolly Parton has teamed up with CBS to present the “Dolly Parton’s Pet Gala” special which is slated to premiere on CBS Network and on Paramount+ on Feb. 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The special will air live and on demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day

TV promo firm Planet 365 has created a new service dubbed “Brandit247” and targeted at local TV stations with limited marketing departments and resources. The marketing content would be tailored for the station, which can then insert footage of its on-air team and other local elements. “The service simplifies the branding process,” said Planet 365

India’s Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) is not proceeding with a $1.4 billion cricket rights deal it had struck with Disney Star in 2022, according to a report from Reuters. Cricket is the most popular sport in India, the world’s most populous nation. In August 2022, Disney Star had won Indian TV and digital rights

In the mid-1980s, Molly Ringwald fielded an intriguing proposal from the estate of Truman Capote. “I had been offered to do a remake of ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s,’” she recalls over tea on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. “I was like, ‘No!,’ but it’s interesting. The movie was not at all what he had written.” Capote had

A former employee of WWE sued founder Vince McMahon, alleging he abused and sexually exploited her when he was CEO of the wrestling-entertainment company — and that McMahon allegedly trafficked her to other men “as a pawn to secure talent deals” with prospective wrestlers the company was recruiting. The former WWE employee, Janel Grant, filed

Ken Watanabe (“Inception,” “Tokyo Vice”), comedian George Lopez, actor Matt Bomer (“Maestro”) and “The Morning Show” producer Charlotte Stoudt are among the Savannah College of Art and Design’s TVFest honorees.  Other award recipients include Joel Kim Booster, Kelsey Grammer, Sonequa Martin-Green and Josie Totah.  The SCAD TVFest celebrates cinematic creativity from award-winning professionals and emerging

Tubi has acquired BBC coming-of-age series “Boarders” in a deal with All3Media International, Variety has learned. The series is expected to launch in North American on the streamer in the first quarter of 2024. Written by BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Daniel Lawrence Taylor, the series follows “five Black inner city school teenagers who find themselves on scholarships

Ukraine is calling out HBO’s “The White Lotus” for casting Serbian actor Miloš Biković in Season 3, claiming that he is the “Kremlin’s foreign mouthpiece.” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs took to X/Twitter, on Wednesday to express its disappointment over the casting. “Miloš Biković, Serbian actor who has been supporting Russia since the start of

The Civil Rights Movement and its leaders have often been presented as relics of the past: They’ve become untouchable figures reduced to photographs, videos and speeches. However, in National Geographic‘s outstanding “Genius: MLK/X,” icons and activists Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) are portrayed as more than historical

STREAMING Taiwanese streamer Catchplay has added its original series “Not a Murder Story” to its available lineup in Indonesia. The eight-part series combines a gripping criminal thriller narrative with an exploration of greed and deception.  The story revolves around Dong, an aspiring actor who finally gets an opportunity to become famous and successful, but wakes

Comcast saw fourth-quarter profit surge by 7.8% as the cable giant increased the number of businesses using its communications services, its Peacock streaming hub added 3 million subscribers and its theme parks saw robust activity. “Our unique and complementary capabilities will enable us to capitalize on the many opportunities ahead,” said Brian Roberts, the company’s

There’s no IP more innately suited for adaptation as a pure two-hander than the tale of Adam and Eve, a story in which, initially at least, there are no other characters, excepting the creator of the universe, who quickly gets relegated to a supporting role in the wake of more fleshed-out human leads. Legendary television

John Oliver was stunned to hear that Jon Stewart is returning as host of “The Daily Show.” The “Last Week Tonight” host and former “Daily Show” correspondent was on NBC’s “Today” when the news broke. “I mean, that’s, that is a surprise,” Oliver said of Stewart’s return. “That’s a show that needs a host. He

Sofia Vergara is taking on her most dramatic role yet in Netflix’s “Griselda,” in which she plays infamous Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco. The show marks a rare opportunity for Vergara to flex her dramatic acting muscles as her career has largely been defined by comedy projects, from playing Gloria Pritchett on ABC’s “Modern Family”

Ramy Youssef will return to HBO with the new comedy special “Ramy Youssef: More Feelings,” debuting on the network in March before it streams on Max. Youssef is set to tape the special on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, New Jersey, not far from his hometown of Rutherford,

Judge Judy Sheindlin is heading back to linear TV — again. Amazon MGM Studios and Sox Entertainment have scored a multi-year broadcast syndication deal with station groups in more than 100 U.S. broadcast markets, including Nexstar, Sunbeam, Cox Media, Weigel and Mission Broadcasting, to premiere repeats of Amazon Freevee’s “Judy Justice” in syndication. This marks

John Oliver, public-domain fan and self-appointed gadfly to powerful institutions, was back again poking a finger in the eye of the Mouse House in a new promo for his HBO show. In a teaser for the Feb. 18 return of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” for its 11th season, the host posed next to

Malin Åkerman has been cast in a leading role of the Starz series adaptation of the May Cobb novel “The Hunting Wives,” Variety has learned. Åkerman will appear in the role of Margo Banks. The series was ordered at the premium cabler back in October 2023. The first season will consist of eight episodes. Production

CBS is extending its Super Bowl Sunday into late night. The network announced Wednesday that its late night franchises “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “After Midnight,” hosted by Taylor Tomlinson, will air after the late local news on Sunday, Feb. 11, both on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ (on certain plans). As previously

Not everybody enjoys feeling the burn. But in the tight-knit world of chili heads who compete to see who can eat the most uber-spicy peppers, the endorphin rush that comes from capsaicin — the component in peppers that brings the heat — is a high worth pursuing. The contestants, the pepper growers trying to breed

ABC is teasing the return of its primetime fare post-Hollywood strikes with two waves of promos. This week, the Alphabet network is sharing a teaser showing the first look from its returning series “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bachelor,” “Not Dead Yet,” “The Conners,” “Will Trent,” “The Rookie,” “The Good Doctor,” “American Idol,” “9-1-1” (newly imported from

Sandy Kenyon, one of TV-news’ longest-serving entertainment reporters, will leave New York’s WABC, which has been his home since 2005, and move into a new role as a consultant ABC’s stations group. He will exit his current role on March 31. Kenyon is expected to serve as a resource for Debra O’Connell, president of networks

Wild Bunch TV has boarded the Norwegian drama series “Holmlia Love” from Fremantle-backed Monster (“Pørni”, “Exit”, “The Girl from Oslo”). The six-part series is one of the first projects coming out of the New8 Euro pubcasters’ pact. The Paris-based global distribution banner will cover rights outside the eight northern European territories, handled by the New8

Netflix and Amazon now produce over half of their content internationally, an inflection point from traditional U.S.-centric production to a more diversified and growing global approach.  In an essential presentation as part of the Future Content Trends Report at Content Americas on Tuesday, Guy Bisson from Ampere Analysis showed the undulating shifts in the global

MIAMI– Gaumont TV, producer of “Narcos,” “Lupin” and “Barbarians” is powering up new series from Oscar-winning “Birdman” co-writer Armando Bó and Spain’s Manuel Martin Cuenca, director of Toronto winner “The Motive,” as it readies it first movie slate. Gaumont TV already co-produced the Bó showrun Amazon Original “El Presidente,” with Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín’s Fabula and

Mexico City-based Endemol Shine Boomdog has seized the adaptation rights to “La Reina del Sur” author Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s novel, “Revolution” (“Revolución”) with Kate del Castillo’s Cholawood on board as executive producers. Del Castillo, who plays the titular role in the hit Spanish-language adaptation of “La Reina del Sur” will also star in the upcoming series

For more than 40 years, Aardman Animations has been producing classics like “Wallace & Gromit,” “Chicken Run” and “Shaun the Sheep.” Now, following in the footsteps of pioneers such as Peter Lord, David Sproxton and Nick Park, new recruits have come on board at the company’s headquarters on Spike Island in the port city of

Sony Group Corporation has initiated a Singapore arbitration case against Indian TV giant Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), alleging breaches of their failed merger agreement, Variety has confirmed. The $10 billion merger, which would have seen the two entities merge their TV and streaming businesses in India, was terminated on Monday by Sony after a two-year process. Sony