The Conners is inching closer to a second season pickup by ABC. The show’s three principal cast members, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, and Sara Gilbert (who also serves as an EP on the series), have come to terms on new deals to return next season. The sophomore season of the Roseanne spinoff is set to be 13 episodes, up from the first season’s 11.
Wil Arnett’s Electric Avenue and Rev and Friday Night Dinner producer Big Talk Productions partnered to produce an immigration comedy for Sky, reports Deadline. Detained, written by Zak Shaikh, is in the early stages of development.
BBC One and SundanceTV announced that production has begun in London on a second season of The Split from writer Abi Morgan (River, Suffragette, The Hour) and executive producer Jane Featherstone (Broadchurch, River, Humans).
Former Daredevil and The Defenders executive producer Drew Goddard inked a multi-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV. Under the terms of the agreement, Goddard will write create, direct and develop new television projects for the studio for all platforms.
Sam Strike (Nightflyers) has been cast as the lead, Roland Deschain, in Amazon’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower book series. The project, which co-stars Jasper Paakkonen (Vikings, BlacKkKlansman) and hails from EP/showrunner Glen Mazzara and MRC, is nearing a formal pilot offer from the streaming platform. It has been in development for almost a year.
Year after year, Cynopsis brings together the leaders of the industry at the Sports Media Awards breakfast. The 2019 event is set for Thursday, April 25 and will be better than ever! We’ll celebrate breakthrough content creators, campaigns and the executives behind them. Secure your team’s table here.
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
Nat Geo WILD tapped Mark Steines (Entertainment Tonight) to host Animal ER Live. The four-week, live event series features veterinary experts Dr. Justin Lee and Dr. Will Draper offering commentary as cameras bounce from animal hospitals and mobile vet emergency units around the country.
A&E ’s The Untold Story, with Elizabeth Vargas , launches Thursday, April 11 at 9p. Drawing on Vargas’ background in investigative reporting, the collection of nonfiction episodes will explore the stories of people and events that have had a profound impact on our modern culture and society. First up: “Hunting JonBenet’s Killer.”
Season 2 of Paramount Network’s Yellowstone, starring Kevin Costner, bows Wednesday, June 19 at 10p. The show’s first season averaged 5.1 million Total Viewers per episode, making it 2018’s most watched new cable series.
Hostile Planet premieres Monday, April 1 at 9p on National Geographic. The six-part series, hosted by Bear Grylls, explores the world’s most extreme environments.
Smithsonian Channel delves into innovations that changed the world with Inside Mighty Machines. Hosted by ex-NASA jet engineer Chad Zdenek, series debuts Sunday, April 28 at 9p.
PBS takes viewers on a science-led journey through human history with Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World. Series debuts Wednesday, April 17 at 10p on PBS (check local listings).
COMING UP
FOX Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo interviews President Donald Trump on Mornings with Maria on Friday, March 22. Topics to be discussed include the U.S. economy, the 2020 presidential election and more.
ABC unveiled Jimmy Kimmel’s guest list for Jimmy Kimmel Live’s first Las Vegas trip, featuring five original shows starting Monday, April 1. Slated to be on hand are Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Seth Rogen, Kim Kardashian West, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, The Killers, James Taylor, Marshmello featuring Chvrches, and more. The show is being taped in before a live audience from Caesars Entertainment’s Zappos Theater inside Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.
HBO Films set Friday, May 31 at 8p as the premiere date for Deadwood, the follow-up movie to the David Milch HBO series. The film reunites the show’s characters after a decade to celebrate South Dakota statehood.
NBC’s third annual Beverly Hills Dog Show Presented by Purina airs Easter Sunday, April 21 at 1pm. John O’Hurley and David Frei co-host the canine competition.
American Masters – Garry Winogrand: All Things Are Photographable premieres Friday, April 19 at 9p on PBS (check local listings).
DISTRIBUTION
Newsmax TV reached a carriage agreement with Wow! Internet, Cable & Phone to launch its 24/7 cable news channel across the network’s 19 markets.
CASTING
Drea Kelly (R. Kelly’s ex-wife), T-Boz, Waka Flocka and Tammy Rivera join the new season of WE tv’s Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta, returning this summer… John Charles (The Good Wife) landed a recurring role on upcoming Showtime limited series The Loudest Voice…British musician Stormzy joined the cast of BBC One drama Noughts + Crosses… Hulu’s upcoming limited series Looking For Alaska added Denny Love, Jay Lee, Landry Bender, Sofia Vassilieva, Uriah Shelton and Jordan Connor to its cast… Pepe Rapazote (Narcos) and Alimi Ballard (Numb3rs) will recur in the fourth season of USA Network’s Queen of the South.
TECH TALK
Facebook confirmed in a blog post that as part of a security review in January, it was discovered that some user passwords were stored in a readable format, despite a login system designed to mask them. The passwords were never visible to anyone outside Facebook, said Pedro Canahuati, VP Engineering, Security and Privacy, and no evidence was found indicating anyone improperly accessed them. “We estimate that we will notify hundreds of millions of Facebook Lite users, tens of millions of other Facebook users, and tens of thousands of Instagram users,” said Canahuati” Facebook Lite is a version of Facebook predominantly used by people in regions with lower connectivity.
DoubleVerify announced it identified a video fraud scheme targeting mobile app advertising, in which banner ad slots are re-sold as premium video advertising inventory. “Through this scheme, bad actors are seeking to maximize revenue and profits by stuffing multiple players into the ad slot, intentionally using incorrectly-sized players and using hidden players,” said the company. The DV Fraud Lab, created more than 10 years ago, performs ongoing detection and analysis of new types of digital ad fraud.
Google’s app retargeting business has been soaring. During the second half of 2018, it jumped by about 190%, according to mobile attribution firm AppsFlyer. Facebook, however, remains the biggest app re-targeter and the top network for mobile apps overall. Compared to Facebook, Google did experience higher growth in non-gaming apps during the period, which AppsFlyer attributed to its search intent model. While still behind of Facebook and Google, AppLovin landed third place in gaming rankings.
DIGITAL DATA
A new report by UK-based research firm Ampere Analysis reveals that, for the first time, most new releases coming to Netflix are originals, pointing to a wider gap between the company and its rivals. Among all releases available in the U.S. that went live during the year leading to December 2018, 51% were originals versus programs or films that had been acquired. That share is more than double the 25% recorded in December 2016.
Starlite Digital joined DPAA, the global organization for everything digital out-of-home. Starlite Digital has begun rolling out what will be a national network of intelligent digital video screens strategically located at high traffic outdoor shopping centers, anchored with supermarkets, big box retailers and drug stores. The launch was in New York, where the channel is generating over 40 million verified monthly impressions.
Shudder, AMC network’s streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, unveiled its spring lineup of exclusive movies. Lizzie, exploring the many layers of the axe-wielding Lizzie Borden, is available Thursday, April 11; Crooks v. killers thriller Monster Party bows Thursday, April 25; SXSW and London FrightFest favorite The Ranger debuts Thursday, May 9; Fantasia International Film Festival special prize winner The Night Shifter premieres Thursday, May 23, and creature comedy Boar bows Thursday, June 6.
Comcast is launching new streaming platform Infinity Flex in an effort to meet the growing demand for video content by its internet-only customers. The offering, which will combine VOD, free, ad-supported live streams and access to subscription apps, will be available March 26.
PODCAST POSTS
The Daily Beast and Himalaya Media teamed to launch The Last Laugh. The weekly podcast, featuring host Matt Wilstein, debuts Tuesday, March 26 with special guest Sarah Silverman.
GOING GLOBAL
Cineflix acquired The Minister, from Icelandic producer Sagafilm. Eight-part political drama stars Olafur Darri Olafsson (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grinedelwald, Trapped, True Detective).
Endemol Shine Group secured its first international branded content format deal with Pantene. Cabelo Pantene, O Sonho, a reality series created by Endemol Shine Brazil, was sold to Portuguese broadcaster TVI. Meanwhile, Endemol Shine Group’s Israeli drama Harem was sold to SBS in Australia. Inspired by cults in Israel and the world, the fictional tale centers on a charismatic mystic healer who lives in Tel Aviv with 20 wives, who birthed him more than 40 children.
