BET Networks has announced it is ordering another Tyler Perry series. The new comedy, entitled “Sistas,” is the second series to come from Perry’s exclusive, multi-year content partnership deal with Viacom. “Sistas” follows a group of single black females from different walks of life who bond over their one common thread: why am I single? The
Television
“13 Reasons Why” has been renewed for Season 4 at Netflix, which will also be the show’s final season, Variety has learned. Season 4 is currently in production and will feature the core cast’s graduation from Liberty High. In addition, Season 3 of the controversial series will debut on Aug. 23 and will consist of 13
Given the chance to contrast their policies with President Trump’s or snipe at each other, Democratic candidates for the White House largely chose the latter. A phalanx of Democrats eager to continue on the road to the Oval Office sought to throw mud at two of the pack’s leaders, former Vice President Joe Biden and
July 31, 2019 7:55PM PT In retrospect, CNN made it clear from the start what it wanted from hosting the Democratic debates. For the first night, it pitted “The Progressives” against everyone else in such a way that denigrating Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren’s brand of liberalism became a requisite kickoff to any answer.
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Chapter One-Hundred,” the series finale of “Jane the Virgin.” Five years ago, the CW was dominated by surreal series centered on vampires and werewolves, demon hunters, a genetically altered soldier, and so-called homo superiors. But then came “Jane the Virgin.” In a sea of dark,
July 31, 2019 5:39PM PT Warner Bros. Television will “part ways” with “” host A.J. Calloway following the studio’s investigation into sexual assault allegations leveled against the him. “The company has investigated the claims made into Mr. Calloway’s conduct and he and the company have mutually agreed to part ways,” a Warners rep says in
CBS is bringing on board Claudia Lyon as executive vice president of talent and casting, where she will oversee the unit’s operations for CBS Entertainment’s primetime and daytime programming, limited series, alternative programs and specials. Lyon joins CBS from ABC Entertainment, where she was vice president of talent and casting since 2006, overseeing casting for
July 31, 2019 4:49PM PT “Baskets” is coming to an end. FX announced Wednesday that the series will end upon the conclusion of its current fourth season. The Season 4 finale on Aug. 22 will now serve as the series finale. “Over four seasons, ‘Baskets’ has taken its place among the great FX comedies as
July 31, 2019 3:36PM PT In today’s roundup, Jennifer Cheon Garcia will appear on “Supergirl” and the Paley Center for Media announces two new exhibits. CASTING Jennifer Cheon Garcia has been cast in a guest starring role in the fifth season premiere of the CW series “Supergirl,” Variety has learned exclusively. Described as the physical manifestation
July 31, 2019 2:55PM PT At first glance, “Sherman’s Showcase” requires unraveling several meta layers. The new IFC comedy from Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin (“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”) is a faux docuseries about a fictional Black variety show (the aforementioned “Sherman’s Showcase”) that spans generations like the ones that inspired it, including “Soul
In the wake of the Disney-Fox merger and Disney’s full assumption of control over Hulu in May, Walt Disney Television has taken oversight of the streamer’s original scripted drama and comedy development. Hulu’s senior vice president of scripted originals Craig Erwich will now report to Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment head Dana Walden, a
Craig Mazin, who was running for vice president of the Writers Guild of America West, has withdrawn from the contest due to a family issue. Mazin was running as part of the Writers for Negotiation slate, which opposes the current stalemate between the WGA and Hollywood agencies. He made the announcement Wednesday afternoon in an
Whether a television series deals overtly in the political times of the day, as in CBS All Access’ “The Good Fight,” or uses complicated subject matter such as race and identity in a more thematic or metaphorical way (as in the streamer’s “Star Trek: Discovery”), the key for writers and producers is to handle the
Sylvester Stallone is hitting Netflix in a big way this August. Five of the famous director’s “Rocky” movies will be available on the streamer Aug. 1, alongside other classics such as “Groundhog Day,” “Jackie Brown” and “Something’s Gotta Give.” While Netflix is bringing back the oldies for the summer month, new shows will also be
The planned “American Rust” series has found new life at Showtime, with the premium cabler giving the show a straight-to-series order, Variety has learned exclusively. In addition, Jeff Daniels has come onboard to star in and executive produce the show, which is based on the Philipp Meyer novel of the same name. Now simply titled “Rust,”
Entertainment host Mario Lopez has walked back his recent controversial comments in which he implied that it’s dangerous for parents to definitively label their young children as transgender. “The comments I made were ignorant and insensitive, and I now have a deeper understanding of how hurtful they were,” Lopez said in a statement. “I have
SpectreVision, the production company co-founded by Elijah Wood, has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Legendary Television Studios. Under the multi-year pact, the shingle, which has worked almost exclusively in the feature space until this point, will develop scripted series content with a focus on genre concepts. Wood’s banner, which he runs with partners Daniel
Tuesday night’s Democratic debate, which turned into an everyone versus Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren scrap, drew around 8.7 million viewers for CNN, according to Nielsen preliminary figures. That represents a substantial 43% decrease on NBC’s first debate which aired to 15.3 million viewers on June 26. However, it’s worth noting the previous debate also
Epix drama “Perpetual Grace LTD” brings a modern noir take on lawlessness and duplicity to the Old West. To play up a sense of timelessness, the crew mixed ingenuity and modern technology in realizing creators Steve Conrad and Bruce Terris’ seemingly simple idea of using black and white for the series’ key flashback scenes. Set
Warner Horizon Scripted Television is fortifying its executive team, upping Leigh London Redman to the newly created position of executive vice president of scripted programming and promoting Kevin Fortson and Matt Matzkin to newly formed executive VP positions in production and business affairs for both scripted and unscripted TV, respectively. London Redman, in her new
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead, if you have not watched the Season 15 finale of “The Bachelorette,” which aired July 30, 2019 on ABC. “The Bachelorette” host Chris Harrison has made a famous tagline out of ominously telling Bachelor Nation every year to get ready for “the most dramatic season finale ever,” but this time,
“Deadwood” has been selected for the Heritage Award and its creator David Milch has been selected for the Career Achievement honor, both which will be presented at the 35th Annual TCA Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Saturday, Aug. 3. The HBO Western blended factual diary entries and newspaper articles with a dose of imagination,
Potential suitors Comcast and James Murdoch were left at the altar as Subhash Chandra’s Essel Group decided instead to sell an 11% share stake in his Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., India’s largest private broadcaster, to U.S. investment group Invesco’s Oppenheimer Developing Markets Fund. Invesco has funds under management reaching $1.2 trillion. Zee operates 66 linear
July 31, 2019 4:12AM PT AMC Networks said its second quarter net income rose 21% despite an 11% decline in U.S. ad sales, putting a spotlight on some of the company’s international operatoins, which showed more business growth during the period. The New York-based owner of the AMC, IFC and SundanceTV cable networks said net
July 31, 2019 2:29AM PT ITV Studios has bought Armoza Formats. The Israel-based formats creator and distributor’s shows include “The Four,” which is on Fox in the U.S. It roster of shows also includes “Still Standing” and “I Can Do That.” Founded by Avi Armoza, the Tel Aviv-based company specializes in unscripted formats. The deal
Anyone tuning into the Democratic primary debates on CNN expecting to see Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders take swings at each other was likely disappointed, but several less well-known candidates — Marianne Williamson in particular — garnered a perhaps unexpected amount of attention on the stage of 10 in Detroit on Tuesday night. Warren, Sanders
Tuning into the second round of Democrat debates on CNN, you’d be forgiven for briefly mistaking it for a boxing match. Bombastic highlight reels trumpeting a showdown between “The Progressives” (Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren), assorted moderates (chiefly Pete Buttigieg and Beto O’Rourke) and gauzy meme generator Marianne Williamson opened the night. Red, white and
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead, if you have not watched the Season 15 finale of “The Bachelorette,” which aired July 30, 2019 on ABC. Hannah Brown’s journey for love continued — and kept continuing — with the second half of her overly-emotional finale on Tuesday night. And turns out (spoiler alert!) she is essentially still
July 30, 2019 4:17PM PT Disney Channel actor Cameron Boyce’s death was tied to his epilepsy, a report from the Los Angeles Country Medical Examiner-Coroner revealed on Tuesday. Boyce died on July 6 at the age of 20. The coroner’s report called it a “sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.” The coroner’s findings are consistent with
July 30, 2019 4:10PM PT In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix announces a new comedy series starring WWE star The Big Show, and BET unveils the cast of its upcoming original show “Bigger.” CASTING BET Networks has set the cast for its original series “Bigger.” The forthcoming series will feature Tanisha Long, Angell Conwell, Rasheda Crockett,