Saturday’s Premiere
Nickelodeon: Group Chat With Annie and Jayden at 8:30p

Sunday’s Premieres
Discovery: Naked and Afraid XL at 8p
Netflix: Betaal
TLC: sMothered at 10p

Sunday’s Finales
HBO: Run at 10:30p
HGTV: Celebrity IOU: Behind the Surprise at 9p
NBC: Little Big Shots at 8p

Monday’s Premieres
Acorn TV: Mount Pleasant, Treasure Houses of Britain
Amazon: Gary Busey: Pet Judge
Discovery: Diesel Brothers: Diesel Nation at 10p
History: Grant at 9p
Nat Geo: Barkskins at 9p
NBC: The Titan Games at 8p
Quibi: Life-SizeToys
Travel Channel: Mysteries of the Unknown at 10p
VH1: To Catch a Beautician at 9p

Monday’s Finales
Bravo: Below Deck Sailing Yacht at 9p
TLC: 90 Fiance: What Now? at 10p

IN THE NEWS

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he anticipates releasing state guidelines on Monday for how TV and film production can get rolling again, at least in counties “that are in better condition than some of the others.” During an Economic Recovery and Reinvention Listening Tour, Newsom said the guidelines would allow some counties “to begin to move forward and allow modification, allow some work to be done.”

ABC announced its slate for the 2020-21 season, including straight to series orders for David E. Kelley thriller Big Sky and Kari Lizer (The New Adventures of Old Christine) comedy Call Your Mother. Nineteen series were renewed, with American Housewife, The Bachelor, black-ish, The Conners, Dancing With the Stars, The Goldberts, A Million Little Things, mixed-ish, The Rookie, Shark Tank, Stumptown, 20/20 and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire joining shows previously announced. The net also reported it was #1 in entertainment based on A18-49 viewers, averaging 1.452 million. “At a time when we are physically apart and shared experiences matter more than ever, these shows will build on the strategy that has made us No. 1 this season – bringing people together, creating cultural moments, and making content that entertains and inspires across generations and demographics,” said Karey Burke, President, ABC Entertainment. “Our top priority now is to work with our studio partners to ensure a safe return to production so that we can build on the strong momentum of a winning lineup with measured bets on new series that will invigorate our air and continue to deliver the quality programming that our viewers have come to expect and love.” For more on the new season and ratings highlights, go here.

Series that didn’t make the cut for another run on ABC were Schooled, Bless This Mess, Single Parents, Emergence and Kids Say the Darndest Things.

National Geographic also announced its lineup for next season. The upfront slate includes the next installment of Genius, focused on the life of Aretha Franklin; the reimagining of the longest-running documentary series in history, Explorer; the premiere of competition series Race to the Center of the Earth; 9/11, a six-part documentary special to mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks; and for Earth Day 2021, the natural history series Planet of the Whales. The brand will also launch its first annual National Geographic’s Best Pictures of the Year, a sponsorable multiplatform opportunity. “People’s understanding of the world around them has been shaken. And they are coming to National Geographic in record numbers, I believe, because particularly in times of uncertainty, people flock to brands that they trust,” said National Geographic Global Television Networks President Courteney Monroe. “When it comes to our television programming, we are doubling down on what we do best, which is to deliver premium, creatively ambitious programming that connects audiences to the world around them, satisfies their curiosity and transports them to places they may otherwise never go.” For details on programming, go to the Cynopsis Upfronts Navigator.

Over at Nat Geo WILD, celebrating its 10-year milestone, the net has been experiencing double-digit growth this quarter across all dayparts among P25-54 versus the prior year (Total Day +45%, Prime +38% YOY). Upcoming new series include Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan in Cesar’s Way, debuting in Spring 2021, and eight-part Secrets of the Zoo: North Caroling, arriving in Fall 2020. For details on newcomers, returning shows and specials and stunts, go here.

ViacomCBS is acquiring Some Good News, the feel-good digital series created and hosted by John Krasinski during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series format and short-form content will air on CBS All Access as well as other properties, with Krasinski as exec producer, but not host. Some Good News launched March 30 on YouTube, and ran for eight episodes. Episode seven, which featured Krasinski’s former The Office castmates, had 11 million views.

The National Association of Broadcasters reports about 40,000 people have accessed its online marketplace event, launched May 13 to replace the live show it was forced to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NAB says over 1.6 million minutes of video have been consumed so far. Registration remains open through the end of August.

ABC had viewers singing along, now CBS will have them snipping along. As networks continue to get creative with stay-at-home programming during the health crisis, CBS has slated Haircut Night in America for Friday, May 28. Hosted by Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijn, the special will feature stylists guiding locked down celebrities as the stars cut their own hair, offering tips and tricks for viewers’ trims as well.

Fox picked up serial killer procedural Prodigal Son for a sophomore run. “From the moment Prodigal Son premiered, fans have been captivated by the astounding performances turned in by Tom Payne and Michael Sheen, as they go head-to-head in one of most unique family relationships on television,” said Fox President of Entertainment Michael Thorn.

After maintaining her innocence for 16 months, former Fuller House star Lori Loughlin and her husband, Mossimo Gianulli, will plead guilty in the college admissions scandal. Loughlin will cop to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and has agreed to serve two months in prison. She’ll also be fined $150,000, have two years of supervised release and perform 100 hours of community service. Giannulli, who will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud, has agreed to five months behind bars, a $250,000 fine, two years of supervised release and 250 hours of community service. The agreements are subject to the court’s approval; the couple are scheduled to stand before a US district court judge in Massachusetts today at 11:30a.

Facebook is going to allow many of its employees to work from home even after the health crisis abates. During a live-streamed staff meeting, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company has re-evaluated its requirement that employees work in a shared office, adding that within five to ten years as many as half of Facebook staffers would work from home. New hires who are senior engineers will be the first to be allowed to work remotely; current employees can apply for permission to forego their commute if they have positive performance reviews. Twitter employees are allowed to work from home indefinitely, while Google employees have that option until the end of the year.

The ad revenue forecast for local TV in 2020 has been lowered by about 5% due to COVID-19 issues, dipping from a projected $19.4 billion to $18.5 billion, according to BIA Advisory Services. While the categories of travel, leisure and retail will be hard hit, expectations for political advertising were steady at $7.1 billion.

The show to land the most nominations for the 47th annual Daytime Emmys Awards was ABC’s General Hospital, with 23, while the head of the network pack was CBS, with 57 nods. Jeopardy led game shows with six nominations, announced Thursday; the top talker was The View, which scored eight. Among streamers, Apple TV+ took the crown with 17 nominations, including at least one for each of its eligible series. A virtual Emmy ceremony will air on CBS on Friday, June 26 at 8p.

The Baronesses are calling it quits. Said co-creators of The Baroness von Sketch Show Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne and Jennifer Whalen, “After five fantastic years, we have decided that Season 5 of Baroness von Sketch Show will be our last. We are so grateful to have been given the opportunity to share our deepest embarrassments, existential angst and daily observations with you, our fans.” The final season the CBC original, which airs on IFC in the US, was filmed in Toronto last fall.

Media company Team Whistle has acquired Tiny Horse, a marketing services firm focused on helping streamers, networks, producers and advertisers create and engage fans. The company’s OTT advertising sales group, Palomino, will also become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Team Whistle.

Conservative journalist Michelle Malkin has joined Newsmax TV as a prime-time contributor. She’ll also host a weekend show offering her commentary and analysis of the news.

David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies) and Melissa James Gibson (House of Cards) are collaborating on Netflix anthology series, Anatomy of a Scandal, based on the 2017 bestseller by Sarah Vaughan. Kelley and Gibson will write, showrun and exec produce the series, a 3dot productions and Made Up Stories project. Filming in the UK was slated to begin this year, but the timing is up in the air due to coronavirus restrictions.

Jesse Collins Entertainment (The New Edition Story) inked an overall agreement with ViacomCBS Cable Networks to provide production services for the company’s cable nets. ViacomCBS will also have first look at the production company’s film development projects.

Production company Big Table Media (Crashers) has been acquired by Wendi Fontes and Geoff Davis, who assumed ownership from co-founder and managing partner Peter Holmes, who remains with the company, and co-founder Bill Swan, who is retiring. Fontes started at the company in 2008, while Davis joined in 2011.

Times they are a changin’. But rest assured that Cynopsis is here for you with the latest on the hottest virtual industry events, fresh job postings, trending entertainment news and more. In addition to your essential early morning newsletter, join us on: Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. From all of us at Cynopsis, we hope you have a healthy and safe holiday weekend!

On the heels of the success of Michael Jordan docu-series The Last Dance, ESPN ordered a nine-parter focused on fellow G.O.A.T. Tom Brady. Man in the Arena, showcasing the highlights of Brady’s career, will be produced by the NFLer’s new production company, 199 Productions, and Gotham Chopra for Religion of Sports.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Six-part Helter Skelter: An American Myth launches on Epix on Sunday, June 14. The docu-series telling the story of Charles Manson includes never-before-accessed interviews from former Manson family members and journalists on the scene and in the courtroom.

The most iconic moments in Bachelor history will be remembered on ABC’s The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons – Ever!, starting Monday, June 8 at 8p. The weekly Chris Harrison-hosted retrospectives will include virtual catch-ups with Bachelors and Bachelorettes.

Grammy winner Ricky Martin will be on hand for the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars, airing Friday, June 5 at 8p on VH1. Martin will guest judge the queens.

MTV is gathering (virtually) the cast of Teen Wolf on Friday, June 5, for the launch of digital series MTV Reunions. MTV Newscaster Josh Horowitz with host the show, on MTV’s YouTube channel. Teen Wolf premiered June 5, 2011 and ran for six years.

Newsy is launching a nightly news show for its audience on OTT platforms. In the Loop with Christian Bryant will cover top stories, as well as feature reporter interviews in the form of game shows, and breakdowns of bizarre trends, weeknights at 7p.

Amazon Prime Original series Cómo Sobrevivir Soltero (How to Survive Being Single), the latest series for Prime Video for Mexico, premieres on Friday, June 26. The series follows a fictionalized version of Mexican actor Sebastián Zurita, who discovers in an embarrassingly public fashion that his girlfriend of ten years has cheated on him.

Animal Planet’s barnyard rescue series Saved by the Barn moves to a new time beginning Saturday, May 23 at 9p. The show follows Dan McKernan, who left behind his six-figure tech job in Austin to take over his family’s 140-year-old farm in Michigan and transform it into a sanctuary for farm animals. The show had aired at 10p.

Discovery’s Diesel Brothers kick back in their garage to interview stars from the Discovery portfolio in new series Diesel Brothers: Diesel Nation, kicking off Monday, May 25 at 10p. New episodes of Diesel Brothers return Monday, June 22 at 10p.

TNT’s The Alienist is back for a new season titled The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, starting Sunday, July 26 at 9p. Daniel Bruhl (Rush), Luke Evans (Midway) and Dakota Fanning (Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood) will star in the turn-of-the-century murder mystery.

Oxygen’s Killer Couples returns for season 14 with 10 new true crime episodes on Thursday, June 18 at 10p.

COMING UP

Chelsea Handler will star in her first stand-up comedy special in six years, for HBO Max. “I didn’t want to return to stand-up until I had something important to say. I do now,” said Handler. “I’m absolutely delighted to be doing this with HBO Max and always excited to be reunited with Bob Greenblatt. One of the only executives I can never have sex with.”

A three-part virtual reunion for season eight of Vanderpump Rules begins Tuesday, June 2 at 9p on Bravo. Never-before-seen moments from the season are shared the week before, on May 26 at 9p.

OWN Spotlight is offering a special presentation of Dark Girls 2, premiering Tuesday, June 30 at 10p. The documentary is a follow-up to the film Dark Girls, exploring the prejudices darker-skinned women face around the world.

FETV is running a Perry Mason “Before They Were Stars” marathon on Sunday, June 14 from 2-8p with an encore presentation at 8p. Episodes will feature Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Barbara Eden, Angie Dickinson, Adam West, and Leonard Nimoy.

The CW will air music collaboration special Iconic: TLC on Monday, June 1 at 8p. Based on a Korean format, the show features four artists – country music duo Locash, R&B/hip-hop duo Ceraadi, pop singer MAX and singer-songwriter Ally Brooke – covering TLC hits. TLC will select one of the artists to collaborate with on the show’s final performance, and the songs will be available on iHeartRadio stations the following day.

Television festival SeriesFest is reimagining the season six experience with “Fest / Differently,” a virtual celebration taking place Thursday, June 18 through Wednesday, June 24. The lineup includes competition screenings, panel discussions, workshops, and sneak peeks and television premieres

AccuWeather Network will air its first special and hurricane Town Hall, “AccuWeatherReady: 2020 Hurricane Season during COVID-19,” on Thursday, May 28. Featured segments will be available on the net’s web site after the broadcast.

Jaime Camil (Jane the Virgin) is appearing in new PSAs for Stand Up To Cancer, to help raise awareness with the Hispanic community about cancer clinical trials.

Original action horror film The Clearing premieres on Crackle on Thursday, June 4. The movie focuses on a father who takes his daughter on a weekend camping during a mysterious disease outbreak.

YouTube personality David Dobrik goes under the sea to host The Stars of SpongeBob Fan Favorites Special, a virtual table read uniting the voices behind the animated characters, premiering Friday, June 5, at 7p on Nickelodeon.

ID’s 9 at 9 stunt kicks off on Monday, May 25 at 9p, the first of nine nights focused a killer stories. First up: Jeffrey Dahmer: Mind of a Monster, followed on Tuesday by Brittany Murphy: An ID Mystery, which looks at the death of the rising star from a whole new angle.

STREAMING SCOOP

Netflix announced it is checking in with customers who haven’t watched anything in a year or more to see if they want to keep their membership. If the streamer doesn’t hear back, they’ll cancel the subscription. “You know that sinking feeling when you realize you signed up for something but haven’t used it in ages? At Netflix, the last thing we want is people paying for something they’re not using,” the company said. Inactive accounts represent less than half of 1% of Netflix’s overall member base, so the move shouldn’t affect the streamer’s bottom line – just help distracted customers. “We hope this new approach saves people some hard earned cash,” said Eddy Wu, Director, Product Innovation.

BritBox will launch the full BBC Television Shakespeare Collection on Tuesday, May 26, exclusively on the platform. This is the first time all 37 adaptations will be available to stream in one place.

AVOD Glewed TV content is now available on the Roku Channel. “Content distribution deals with partners like Roku are an important part of Glewed TV’s business today,” said Melody Wolff, CMO, Glewed TV. “The Roku Channel’s massive user base allows us to accelerate our content distribution efforts while helping us to monetize our content even more effectively.”

CASTING

Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time) will star in Fox comedy pilot Pivoting as Jodie, one of three women shocked by a childhood friend’s death. Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings) is also onboard.

TECH TALK

Facebook added a new feature to Messenger aimed at making it more difficult for malicious parties to pose as other people, and protect minors. Accounts will be scanned for suspicious activity (like accounts sending an unusually large number of requests in a short time). If suspicious activity is found, a chat window will give options for blocking or ignoring the user. The new feature also educates people under 18 to be cautious when interacting with an adult they may not know, and empowers them to take action before responding to a message.

Apple and Google offered the first public version of its exposure notification API, created to help warn people of potential exposure to others who have been diagnosed with coronavirus. “What we’ve built is not an app — rather public health agencies will incorporate the API into their own apps that people install,” said the companies. “Our technology is designed to make these apps work better. Each user gets to decide whether or not to opt-in to Exposure Notifications; the system does not collect or use location from the device; and if a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, it is up to them whether or not to report that in the public health app. User adoption is key to success and we believe that these strong privacy protections are also the best way to encourage use of these apps.”

TVSquared and Hudson MX have partnered to enable automated, performance-based media for local TV advertising. Agencies that make buys through the Hudson MX platform will be able to access TVSquared to measure campaign performance, impressions and business outcomes in real time. “Our partnership is creating a new currency for local TV. Hudson MX advertisers can now buy based on performance, GRPs or impressions, which offers more flexibility than ever before. This is the future of TV media buying,” said Jo Kinsella, President of TVSquared. “Hudson MX has overhauled old, inefficient buying processes that have defined this space for decades. At TVSquared, we’ve brought the need for real-time proof of performance to the forefront. As two disrupters, we are hyper-focused on moving the industry forward for the benefit of advertisers, and this partnership is doing just that.”

GOING GLOBAL

BAFTA has set June 4 as the date it will announce nominations for its Television Awards and Television Craft Awards. Nominations were originally scheduled to be revealed in March, followed by a ceremony on May 17, but the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled those plans. New dates for the events have not been announced.

RTÉ Programme Sales has closed a string of deals with broadcasters across Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia for its premium factual programming, including for Tyrone Productions and Create One’s documentary series The Irish Revolution, which has been acquired by Finland’s state broadcaster YLE and France’s TF1 Histoire.

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Friday Fun Fact
A cloud can weigh over a million pounds.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which show focused on a law officer from New Mexico on loan to the NYPD? McCloud (1970-1977). Kudos to: David Rubisohn-American Public Television/Boston, Alan Dorfman-Super Impulse USA/Bristol, PA, Kevin Noonan-A+E Networks/NYC, Christopher Kull-The Nielsen Company/Oldsmar, FL, Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago, John Kukla-KDFW/Fox 4/Dallas, Kyle Krebs-Intersection/Dallas, Keith Paxton-KDFW/Fox 4/Dallas, Gary Moglovkin-CBS TV Studios/Studio City, CA, Paul Blutter-Walk and Talk Production Rentals/Burbank, Randall Bosley-Studio Talent Group/Santa Monica, CA, Greg Moloznik-GLM Media/Scottsdale, Sally J. Maisel-Wienermania/Van Nuys, CA, Wendy Holmes-KCNC-TV/Denver, Tom Boyd-WGN/Chicago

Today’s Trivia Question
On which 1980s procedural did the wife of one lead actor and the father of the other have recurring roles? (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.)