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Friday May 14, 2021

Today’s Finale
CBS: “Blue Bloods” at 10p

Saturday’s Premieres
BBC America: “China: Nature’s Ancient Kingdom” at 8p
discovery+: “The Undateables”
DIY: “Restoration Road” at 8p

Sunday’s Premieres
Bravo: “Shahs of Sunset” at 8p
Epix: “Fall River” at 10p
Facebook Watch: “Thick House”
Hallmark Channel: “Good Witch” at 9p
Starz: “Run the World” at 8:30p, “Death and Nightingales” at 10p
TV One: “Uncensored” at 8p

Sunday’s Finales
ABC: “The Rookie” at 10p
Fox: “The Great North” at 8:30p, “Family Guy” at 9:30p
NBC: “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” at 9p
Science: “If We Built It Today” at 10p

IN THE NEWS

NBCUniversal has launched new ad formats and products, among them augmented reality shopping experiences and “choose your own adventure” journeys, designed to drive interactive viewing experiences across the company’s global One Platform. “Our Content and Commercial Innovations are an ongoing opportunity for NBCUniversal to completely reimagine the viewer experience, while creating new ways for our marketing partners to propel their business forward,” said Josh Feldman, CMO, NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships. “These new ad formats are a glimpse into the future of video – bridging the gap for audiences and partners with new ways to engage and activate within powerful content that informs, entertains and shapes the world.” Offerings also include:
· Look Live, empowering advertisers to evolve their stories to match the day’s trending conversations.
· Stay in Show, tapping into the native canvasses within a show to create new advertising opportunities that spotlight a brand’s creative within the viewing experience itself.
· Interactive Scripted Commercial Launch, creating a smooth transition between showtime and commercial break with 2D and 3D technology integrating both the brand within the show, and the show within the brand to retain consumers’ focus.
· Take:15, offering brands an opening act led by NBCUniversal talent ahead of their commercial spot.

Numbers guy Steve Kornacki, breakout star of election coverage on NBC News and MSNBC, has a few new beats. After seven years of news reporting, Kornacki will now also bring his geek-tastic analysis to entertainment, sports and streaming networks at NBCU, including producing and hosting a game show, and contributing to Olympics, NBA, NHL, MLB and NFL coverage. “Steve brings so much passion and genuine enthusiasm to his work, on top of his encyclopedic knowledge base, that it’s just impossible as a viewer not to share his interest and excitement,” said NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conder.

ABC is getting real with unscripted renewals. “Shark Tank” scored a season 13 renewal, and “America’s Home Videos” will be back for season 32. Also returning to ABC are game shows “Wheel of Fortune” and “Supermarket Sweep” for second seasons, and singing competition “American Idol” for a fifth season (or 20th, counting its run on Fox).

Disney+ reached 103.6 million global subscribers its second fiscal quarter, up from 94 million the previous quarter, but lower than analysts’ expectations of 110 million. Disney’s media and entertainment distribution unit posted revenue of $12.44 billion, under estimates of $12.64 billion. Operating income of $2.87 billion beat expectations. “We’re pleased to see more encouraging signs of recovery across our businesses,” said Bob Chapek, CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “This is clearly reflected in the reopening of our theme parks and resorts, increased production at our studios, the continued success of our streaming services, and the expansion of our unrivaled portfolio of multiyear sports rights deals for ESPN and ESPN+.”

The number of addressable TV homes (not including CTV, smart TV or OTT platforms) will continue to decline in 2021, according to eMarketer, dipping 4.7%, to 57.6 million. However, linear addressable TV revenue, from targeted home-by-home TV ads, is expected to increase 33% this year, to $2.85 billion.

At long last, we have a premiere date for HBO Max’s “Friends” reunion special: Thursday, May 27. “Friends: The Reunion” will feature guests including David Beckham, Justin Bieber, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Lady Gaga, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin, Mindy Kaling, Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai. The pandemic-delayed special was supposed to launch with the introduction of streamer HBO Max last year, but will mark its first anniversary instead. Leading up to the reunion special, TBS is airing every episode of the show, weekdays from 10a-4p.

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A sequel to “Enola Holmes,” centered on Sherlock’s rebellious teen sister, is on the way to Netflix, with Millie Bobbie Brown and Henry Cavill reprising their roles. Legendary’s Mary Parent, Alex Garcia and Ali Mendes will produce, along with Brown and Paige Brown through their PCMA Productions. Legendary’s Joshua Grode, Michael Dreyer, Bradbeer and Thorne are executive producing.

Netflix is back in business with “Emily in Paris” creator Darren Star. The streamer ordered eight episodes of MTV Studios-produced “Uncoupled,” from Star and Jeffrey Richman. The romantic comedy focuses on a gay man finding himself suddenly single in New York City. “We couldn’t hope for a more perfect home for ‘Uncoupled’ than Netflix,” said Star and Richman. “A romantic comedy with a gay leading man; it is a passion project for us that feels both personal and universal.”

NBCUniversal unveiled a programming slate for its cable portfolio which will add 33 new unscripted shows or specials, bring back over 30 shows with more pick-ups to come, launch five scripted series and air three original movies in addition to multiple live events. “A key driver of success at NBCUniversal’s cable networks is our ability to tap into the scope and scale of our collective portfolio while leveraging each brand’s distinct audience to build unrivaled fan destinations across our networks and on Peacock,” said Frances Berwick, Chairman, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Our cable networks represent a vital part of our business and we will continue to invest in our brands and IP in innovative ways, whether that be through mixing live sports and big event series on USA, introducing a new host to E!’s flagship Red Carpet, or bringing our addictive Bravo shows to life with fan experiences, our networks remain the home of culture-defining television.”

NBCU’s Peacock is expanding three linear franchises with orders for streaming spin-offs. Amy Poehler, executive producer/host of NBC’s “Making It,” will EP holiday event series “Baking It,” from Universal Television Alternative Studio, in association with Paper Kite Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment. In Bravo extensions, Grammy winner Meghan Trainor will host “Top Chef Family Style,” from Magical Elves, and 51 Minds will produce “Below Deck Down Under.” Additionally, “American Ninja Warrior Junior” will move from Universal Kids to Peacock for season three, and a third “Psych” movie, “Psych 3: This Is Gus,” is in the works.

“The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon has several projects in the works at NBCUniversal, through an overall deal with his Electric Hot Dog. A kids’ version of “The Tonight Show” is set at Universal Television Alternative Studios, as well as “Clash of the Cover Bands” for E!. DreamWorks Animation is producing a series based on Fallon’s pre-school books, Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Dada, and Everything Is Mama, while another children’s show based on Fallon’s writing, “5 More Sleeps ‘til Christmas,” is being produced for NBC by ShadowMachine. “We continue to be in awe of all things Jimmy,” said Susan Rovner, chairman entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “Who else could run “The Tonight Show,” executive produce and host brand new formats, and adapt his own bestselling books? Jimmy does them all with his signature style.”

“The Game” isn’t over yet. After running from 2006-09 on The CW, then moving to BET from 2011-15, the series landed a ten-episode reboot order from Paramount+, with Wendy Raquel Robinson (“Insecure”) and Hosea Chanchez (“Black Lightning”) reprising their roles. Devon Greggory (“American Soul”) will serve as showrunner and writer, and exec produce with series creator Mara Brock Akil, Salim Akil and original executive producer Kelsey Grammer and Tom Russo of Grammnet NH Productions. “From the moment it debuted, ‘The Game’ was a groundbreaking series that used humor, heart and memorable characters to explore real issues involving race, gender and, of course, football,” said Julie McNamara, EVP and Head of Programming, Paramount+. “What better time for Devon and the whole team to reunite for a fresh look at a world that has only become more at-the-center of the cultural conversation today.”

Dan Lindsay and T.J. Martin (“Tina”) have formed an exclusive one-year first look deal with Imagine Documentaries to develop and executive produce non-scripted content. Imagine Documentaries currently has a first look deal with Apple TV+ as well as a multi-picture deal with IMAX for large-format content.

Swedish-French Director Charlotte Brändström (“Outlander,” “The Witcher”) has joined the creative team of Amazon Studios forthcoming “The Lord of the Rings” TV series, currently filming in New Zealand, to direct two episodes.

Casting notes: Dan Stevens (“Legion”) and Betty Gilpin (“Glow”) have joined the cast of Starz “Gaslit,” as Watergate figures John and Maureen Dean…Eric Roberts (“Runaway Train”), Eric Andre (“The Eric Andre Show”) and Jason Schwartzman (“Mozart in the Jungle”) will recur on season two of HBO’s “The Righteous Gemstones.”…Apple TV+ limited series “Five Days at Memorial” has added Cherry Jones (“24”) in a starring role alongside Vera Farmiga.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

The seventh and final season of Amazon detective series “Bosch” kicks off Friday, June 25. Amazon’s IMDbTV has a spin-off set to go into production later this year.

HGTV’s “Hot Mess House” returns for a new season on Thursday, June 17 at 8p. Organization expert Cassandra Aarssen helps clients declutter, and update rooms with customized renovations to keep things clean.

Three-part “Inside the Met” launches Friday, May 21 at 9p on PBS. The docu-series takes viewers behind the scenes at NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

PBS has also acquired US domestic broadcast and digital rights to FilmRise’s six-episode original series “Icon: Music Through The Lens,” produced in partnership with Universal Music Group’s Mercury Studios. PBS will present each of the six episodes weekly as part of its summer prime-time lineup.

Discovery goes wild again with “Serengeti II,” returning to the plains of Tanzania to witness the animals who live there. Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave”) narrates.

What happens when the reality show experiment is over? Self-shot footage tells the story when Lifetime’s “Married at First Sight: Couples Cam” returns for a new season Wednesday, June 2 at 8p.

Kevin Smith’s new CG-animated series, “Masters of the Universe: Revelation,” arrives on Netflix Friday, July 23. Voice cast includes Mark Hamill as the evil Skeletor, Sarah Michelle Gellar (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) as Teela, Chris Wood (“The Vampire Diaries”) as Prince Adam / He-Man, and Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”) as Evil-Lyn.

COMING UP

Food Network serves up a frontier wedding when Ree Drummond’s daughter Alex marries her college sweetheart. The love story is told in a Food Network special on Saturday, June 26 at 11a, and on discovery+.

STREAMING

Video streaming consumption has shot up since the pandemic began, with 70% of respondents in a study from Tubi and OnePoll reporting they watch more TV now than they did in March 2020. Among that group, the average person is streaming three additional hours each day. Tubi’s “The Stream” report also finds that nearly 49% of people are searching for ways to pay less for their streaming services in 2021 than they did in 2020, with 32%of people saying they plan on canceling an SVOD they currently use, with one in three citing cost as their reason for canceling.

AVOD VUit announced the addition of new hyperlocal events in tandem with broadcast partners including Lilly Broadcasting, Heritage Broadcasting, and Gray Television. “Viewers have a real appetite to have a better understanding of the news, events, and culture of their hometowns and the hometowns of friends and family,” said Jack Perry, CEO of VUit parent Syncbak. “We’ve seen viewers tune in from all across the country, and even internationally, to local happenings through our platform.”

A crowning achievement for True Royalty TV: The SVOD dedicated to all things royal is now available on Prime Video Channels in the US. “Being available on Prime Video Channels is an important step in our overall distribution strategy,” said Gregor Angus, CEO, True Royalty TV. “With the launch in the US, we will now be available on nearly all the major distributors in the country. And the timing couldn’t be better as Royalmania has truly reached its tipping point in America.”

Fox News streaming platform Fox Nation is offering one year of free access to active US military members and veterans as part of its “Grateful Nation” initiative in honor of Memorial Day. Opt-in is May 24-31.

ViacomCBS took to the (virtual) IAB Podcast Upfront stage to announce an expansion of its podcast footprint, featuring new and returning series that build on franchises and IP from Awesomeness, BET, CBS News, CBS Studios, CBS Sports, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Noggin, MTV Entertainment Group, Paramount Network and SHOWTIME Sports. “Honoring the quality and value of the company’s world-renowned content, this enhanced podcast slate will offer an organic pipeline for advertising partners to reach diverse audiences in a premium environment at scale,” said Steve Raizes, SVP, ViacomCBS Podcasts. The company also introduced a new and expanded partnership with iHeartMedia, where Nickelodeon will exclusively create podcasts from the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra” and “SpongeBob SquarePants” franchises. BET’s podcasting initiatives emphasized the demand for content from leading Black creators, reflecting the relevance, influence, and popularity of Black culture across the general entertainment ecosystem.

Music platform Music.com announced four new storytelling-driven series designed to showcase emerging artists. “We’ve learned that our role is to create strong, provocative relationships between brave artists willing to share their insights, intellect and perspective on their craft and the world-at-large with fans who appreciate and reward that openness,” said Music.com’s Robby Wells. “This new wave of shows is designed to get artists to tell stories that will connect.”

TECH TALK

Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings are now available for purchasing inventory on Samsung TV Plus, Samsung’s FAST service. “Nielsen’s advanced TV measurement is a critical currency, and we believe this integration will support the continued growth of Samsung TV Plus, providing consistent ways for advertisers to measure and plan campaigns for the service,” said Tom Fochetta, SVP, Samsung Ads. “As a pioneer in advanced and connected TV products and inventory, we know it’s essential to remove barriers to entry and simplify the ad buying and campaign management process.” Nielsen DAR will be available to advertisers that purchase media via Direct I/O or through Samsung’s Private Marketplace.

TiVo Corporation came out the winner at the auction to acquire the assets of MobiTV, the application-based Pay TV video delivery solutions company going through Chapter 11. “The acquisition of the MobiTV assets immediately expands our capabilities and the addressable market for our IPTV solutions, helping to secure TiVo’s position as a leading provider of Pay-TV solutions,” said Jon Kirchner, CEO of TiVo owner Xperi.

GOING GLOBAL

Channel 5 is expanding its true crime slate with docu-film “The Ripper Speaks,” produced by Content Kings and Green Rock. The show will draw on exclusive audio recordings of Peter Sutcliffe, the so-called “Yorkshire Ripper.”

Keshet International has picked up Pie Films’ drama “The Women’s Balcony,” based on the 2016 hit Israeli film of the same name.

Orange TV has launched in Spain as part of its on demand offering Acorn TV. Subscribers have access to series and miniseries from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Canada, in both their Castilian dubbed and subtitled versions.

Enter the

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EXECUTIVE MOVES

Jeff Blackburn is returning to Amazon, as SVP of Global Media & Entertainment. Blackburn oversaw Amazon’s video-streaming service before going on sabbatical in 2019.

Endeavor Content announced several new appointments: Jennifer Ebell has been named the new SVP, EMEA Sales; Fabio Etienne-Tinchant as Executive Director and will handle sales in CEE, MENA, France & Turkey; Liz Tang as Director, Content; Tracy Davis as Associate Director Rights; Sunil Gupta as SVP Business & Legal Affairs; and Hetal Limbachia as Content Manager.

Stephen DiMarco has been named Chief Strategy Officer at Tubular Labs. DiMarco was most recently Chief Digital Officer at Kantar.

Wurl is adding to its team. Joining the company are former Comedy Central General Manager Dave Bernath as Director of Business Development and Content Strategy; former Vubiquity VP of Sales Richard Cross as Director of Business Development; former Mediagenix Business Development Director Jose Maria (“Joe”) Fregoso as Director of Business Development, Latin America; former Vewd VP of Sales and Business Development Michael Winneker Director of Business Development; and former Warner Bros. VP of Sales and Strategic Partnerships Deanne Lewis as Director of Business Development.

Friday Fun Fact
The fuller your refrigerator, the more energy-efficient it is.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
In 1999, Mattel paid homage to which police procedural with a police car based on the series? “Adam-12” (1968-75). Kudos to: Matt Deprey-C-Span/Washington, DC; Douglas Hochstadt-Disney/NYC; Louis Lewow-FITE/Atlanta; Dan Woo-JPL Productions/NYC; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank

Today’s Trivia Question
Which actor from “Eight Is Enough” (1977-81) sang the show’s theme song? (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.)