A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM SCRIPPS NETWORKS

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Today’s Premieres
BYUtv: Studio C at 9p
Food: The Julia Child Challenge at 9p
ID: Caught in the Net at 10p
NBC: America’s Got Talent: Extreme at 8p
TLC: 90 Day: The Single Life at 8p

Today’s Finales
Fox: The Cleaning Lady at 9p
TV One: Sins of the City at 10p

IN THE NEWS

March 29 is the official launch date for CNN’s new subscription streaming service. CNN+ has been lining up talent for the platform, including Chris Wallace, Anderson Cooper, Kasie Hunt, Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper, Don Lemon and Kate Bolduan. The service will be available for $5.99/month; subscribers who sign on in the first four weeks receive a 50 percent lifetime discount.

Also chez Discovery, final stockholder approval came Friday for the company’s merger with AT&T’s WarnerMedia to create the new Warner Bros. Discovery. Discovery CEO Davis Zaslav will lead the combined company. Expect management and organizational news to be coming soon.

AT&T for some time has been lowering the curtain on its entertainment pursuits and CEO John Stankey, who played a key role in the company’s push into Hollywood, affirmed its retreat during AT&T investor day. “Today, we’re focused on looking forward,” he said. “After retrenching from entertainment, we have more work to do to differentiate our connectivity,” he said. “We’re not talking about transformative M&A here. Instead, we’re focused on developing software and capabilities that lay on top of our network and optimize our connectivity value proposition.”

Rooster Teeth and WarnerMedia Access are launching Rooster Teeth Digital Creators Program this fall. The talent development program aims to foster digital content creators with a focus on diverse, equitable, and inclusive representation. Program participants will be mentored by Rooster Teeth and WarnerMedia Access executives.

Netflix is backing off “The Baby-Sitters Club.” The streamer won’t be reupping the family series, based on the novels by Ann M. Martin, for a third season. Despite garnering critical praise, the series failed to attract broad audience support.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek was in the throes of major damage control over the weekend as the company faces continued fallout for its response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.“You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down,” Chapek said to Disney staffers Friday. “I am sorry.” Chapek failed in two previous attempts—the first time via a March 7 letter and at Disney’s March 9 shareholder meeting—to generate much good will while addressing the Florida legislation that bans discussion or teaching about the LGBTQ+ community, sexual orientation or gender identity.

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Molly Solomon, Executive Producer & President, NBC Olympics Production; Executive Producer, Golf Channel

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PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

“The Gentlemen,” a TV series adaptationof the 2019 Guy Ritchie movie, is nearing a green light at Netflix with Ritchie, who co-wrote the pilot script, on board to direct the first two eps and serve as an exec-producer. Miramax TV is behind the project, alongside Moonage in the UK. The film followed American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey), who after building a profitable marijuana empire in London becomes embroiled in a tangle of bribery, blackmail and other mayhem when word gets out he’s looking to exit the business.

Oscar-winner Geena Davis will topline an untitled mother-son legal drama pilot for CBS. From Scott Prendergast, who wrote the script and exec produces, the series follows the spectacle that ensues when a directionless private investigator, who’s the black sheep of his family, begrudgingly goes to work with his overbearing mother, a successful attorney reeling from the recent dissolution of her marriage.

Gillian Robespierre (“Obvious Child”) and Mathilde Dratwa (“Milk”) will exec produce and write “Separation Anxiety,” a limited series based on the Laura Zigman novel about a wife and mother who’s examining her relationships, her career and her self-worth. Robespierre will direct the pilot, from indie studio Wiip and starring Julianne Nicholson.

BET Her and MegaMind Media’s Tressa Smallwood are teaming on four original short films set to premiere on BET Her in July for Minority Mental Health Month and October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The films will be helmed by directors including Meagan Good, Naturi Naughton, Tichina Arnold and LisaRaye McCoy, with Smallwood serving as exec producer. All are written, directed and produced by Black women and aim to bring awareness to issues affecting the Black community.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Mike Myers is headed to Netflix in “The Pentaverate,” a comedy series that posits the scenario that a secret society of men has been working to influence world events for good since the Black Plague of 1347. Myers created and stars in the series, which debuts Wednesday, March 16.

“Pig Royalty” is headed to discovery+, bringing back the competition and drama beginning Wednesday, March 16 as the Rihn and the Balero family rivalry continues to boil.

Sketch comedy series “Tallboyz” makes it way to Fuse on Wednesday, March 23 at 10p, exec produced and directed by Bruce McCulloch (“Saturday Night Live”). The series, which will see subsequent seasons launching this summer and fall on the network, tackles uncomfortable truths including cultural appropriation, office politics, toxic masculinity and racism through relatable and absurd sketches. Accent Entertainment is the producer.

Couple of upcoming new seasons on Nat Geo. Season 3 of “Critter Fixers: Country Vets” debuts Saturday, March 26 at 9p, while a new season of “Heartland Docs” premieres Saturday, April 23 at 10p.

“Building Roots,” which spotlights innovative home renos inspired by natural surroundings, debuts Sunday, April 10, at 9p on HGTV. Starring husband and wife duo Ben and Cristi Dozier, the series features the couple as they build, design and renovate properties in their hometown of Pagosa Springs, CO.

Apple TV+ released the trailer for “They Call Me Magic,” the four-part docuseries that takes a holistic look into the life and career of Earvin “Magic” Johnson. The series, which debuted at SXSW over the weekend, premieres on the streamer on Friday, April 22 and promises a rare glimpse into the man who left his mark on and off the court via interviews with with Johnson, his family, and peers including Larry Bird, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neil and President Obama.

“Girls5Eva” will return to hit high notes on Peacock on Thursday, May 5. From Tina Fey, the series follows a one-hit-wonder girl group from the ‘90s that was churned through the pop music machine and reunites to give their dreams another shot on their own terms.

Symone Sanders, former chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, will debut her show on MSNBC on Saturday, May 7 at 4p. “Symone,” which will explore issues at the nexus of politics, culture and race, will air Saturdays and Sundays, and will stream on Mondays and Tuesdays on Peacock. Catherine Snyder serves as exec producer.

A trailer for season 3 of “The Boys,” set to the Imagine Dragons tune “Bones,” dropped at SX and reveals lasers, blood, guts and a bizarre musical number as Butcher struggles with a stint of light-beam-shooting eyeballs, Homelander fails at quelling his rage and Hughie undergoes a mental breakdown in his new government job. The eight-ep new season of the Amazon Prime Video series returns Friday, June 3.

COMING UP

Xumo is celebrating Women’s History Month by streaming “RBG”, the documentary about the life and impact of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, as an AVOD exclusive through April 15.

No Vegas? No problem. In the wake of her postponed residency, Adele is staging a concert special Sunday, March 20 at 9p on NBC. Filmed at the London Palladium, “An Audience with Adele,” will feature the artist performing her hits.

The next wave of presenters for the 94th Oscars includes Daniel Kaluuya, Mila Kunis, Lupita Nyong’o, Naomi Scott, Wesley Snipes and John Travolta. The Oscars will air live on ABC on Sunday, March 27 at 8p.

HBO’s “How To Survive A Pandemic,” directed by journalist and filmmaker David France (“Welcome to Chechnya”) debuts Tuesday, March 29 at 9p. The doc takes an inside look at the historic, multinational race to research, develop, regulate and roll out Covid-19 vaccines in the war against the coronavirus pandemic.

Sheryl Crow doc “Sheryl” will debut Friday, May 6 at 9p on Showtime, after the film got its world premiere at SXSW this past weekend. Directed by Amy Scott, Crow’s story is told via present-day interviews, archival footage spanning 20 years from the road and in the studio, and commentary from allies including Keith Richards, Laura Dern, Joe Walsh, Emmylou Harris and Brandi Carlile.

A trio of Searchlight films are headed to Hulu this summer. “Fire Island,” a modern-day, rom-com take on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” set in the iconic Fire Island Pines and starring Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho, bows June 3. “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande,” starring Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack, debuts June 17 and follows a retired schoolteacher who hires a young sex worker to spice up her life. “Not Okay,” slated to debut August 5, stars Zoey Deutch and Dylan O’Brien, and follows an aimless writer who gets entangled in a mess when she takes a trip to Paris in hopes of boosting her social media cred.

STREAMING

Beginning April 13, Hulu will offer live TV bundle subscribers unlimited DVR capacity at no extra fee. The move aligns Hulu + Live TV with YouTube TV, which made unlimited DVR via the platform a key selling point since its 2017 launch.

Major League Baseball and NBCU reportedly are close to sealing a deal for the league’s Sunday games to air on Peacock. A total of 18 games would head to the streamer; The Wall Street Journal valued the deal at $30 million.

AMC Networks’ Shudder acquired rights to ?“Sissy,” from Arcadia, DEMS Entertainment and Freedom Films. From writer/directors Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes, the film follows two formerly fast friends who reconnect for a weekend of living hell in a remote mountain cabin.

TECH TALK

Government regulators in Russia have banned Instagram. The move came over the weekend as a response to parent Meta temporarily easing rules in Ukraine banning violent content on the social network, enabling Ukrainians to post violent threats against Russian military. Russia’s primary media regulator had already blocked sister social network Facebook; access to Twitter currently exists but in limited form.

YouTube suspended all monetization programs for users in Russia. The platform, which previously halted ads in the country, will also begin blocking access to YouTube channels associated with Russian state-funded media, including RT and Sputnik.

CASTING

Anna Wood (“The Code”), Olunike Adeliyi (“The Porter”), Amanda Payton (“United States of Al”) and Delon de Metz (“Zoo”) are set for NBC’s “Unbroken” (working title) drama pilot… Jill Eikenberry will guest in ABC drama pilot “L.A. Law,” a revival of the Steven Bochco legal drama, reprising her role as Ann Kelsey… Arlyn Broche is set for a recurring role in the new season of NBC’s “Young Rock”… La La Anthony (“The Chi”) has been upped to series regular for the second season of “BMF” on Starz… Lawrence Kao (“Wu Assassins”) will lead opposite Matt Barr in CBS Studios’ CW pilot “Walker: Independence.”

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RATINGS

Week 2 of Food Network’s “Tournament of Champions III” posted a 1.0 A25-54/1.3 W25-54 L3 rating, up 12 percent week to week as well as vs. last season’s week 2. “Tournament of Champions III” now stands as the network’s highest-rated telecast of the year to date, propelling Food Network to rank as the No. 1 non-news/non-sports network among A25-54 in Total Day for the week.

In other Discovery ratings, HGTV’s “Rock the Block” season 3 premiere was the series’ best season launch for P2+ delivery and it reached 3.58 million Total Viewers.

Hallmark Channel’s longest-running original series “When Calls the Heart” debuted its ninth season March 6 and took the No. 1 spot in Weekend Primetime among HH, W18-plus, and Total Viewers. The premiere ep was the most-watched entertainment cable program of the week among W18-plus. On a Live+3 basis, the program averaged 3 million Total Viewers and 311,000 W25-54.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Thursday, March 10
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: “Station 19” 4.25 (0.6), “Grey’s Anatomy” 3.87 (0.6), “Big Sky” 3.45 (0.3)
CBS: “Young Sheldon” 6.79 (0.6), “United States of AI” 5.14 (0.5), “B Positive” 4.73 (0.4), “Ghosts” 3.68 (0.3), “Bull” 4.18 (0.4)
CW: “Walker” 0.84 (0.1), “Legacies” 0.26 (0.0)
FOX: “Joe Millionaire” 1.76 (0.4) “Call Me Kat” 1.40 (0.3), “Pivoting” 0.96 (0.3)
NBC: “Law & Order” 4.21 (0.5), “Law & Order: SVU” 4.51 (0.6), “Law & Order: Organized Crime” 3.11 (0.5)
Telemundo: “Exatlon” 0.99 (0.3), “Hercai: Amor” 1.24 (0.3), “Pasion Gavilanes 0.79 (0.3)
Univision: “Soltero Con Hijas” 1.50 (0.5), “Mi Fortuna es Amarte” 1.57 (0.5), “Madre” 1.68 (0.4)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

BBC head of creative diversity Miranda Wayland is headed to Amazon Prime to oversee the streamer’s diversity strategy in Europe as head of Europe DEI for Amazon Studios and Prime Video.

Byron Allen’s Freestyle Digital Media promoted Bill Vergos to head of digital film distribution. He had been VP, operations & sales since 2015.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group hired former MGM TV exec Charles Farmer to serve in the newly created CEO role.

BritBox UK managing director Will Harrison is departing the streamer’s UK operation. Word is he won’t be replaced.

IN MEMORIAM

Traci Braxton, a fan favorite on WE tv reality series “Braxton Family Values,” died Friday, March 11 of esophageal cancer. She was 50. Braxton also had roles in roles in films including “Sinners Wanted” and “Chaaw,” and the stage show “There’s a Stranger in My House.”

This Day in History
1943 – Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first US President to fly in an airplane while in office.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which Miami-set sitcom followed the relationship of two musicians? Austin & Ally. Kudos to: Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NY; Tawnya Davis-The Weather Channel/Atlanta; David Garber-Loyola Marymount University/Playa Vista, CA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; David Westberg-SAG*AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank

Today’s Trivia Question
On “The Office” (2009-13), when Kevin got himself for Secret Santa, what did he buy himself? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.)

Cynopsis Team