Today’s Premieres
Acorn TV: Jack Irish
AMC: The Beast Must Die at 10p
BabyFirst TV: Color Crew Magic at 9:30a
HBO: Catch and Kill: the Podcast Tapes
ID: Reasonable Doubt at 10p
Nat Geo: When Sharks Attack at 8p
PBS: Antiques Roadshow Recut at 9p
Spectrum: Eden

Today’s Finales:
A&E: Intervention at 10p
CNBC: American Greed at 10p

IN THE NEWS

President Joe Biden signed a broad-reaching executive order Friday that calls for a restoration of net neutrality rules and greater scrutiny of mergers, among other things. “Let me be clear: capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism, it’s exploitation,” Biden said. The order calls for stricter antitrust enforcement, including a review of mergers that already have gotten government approval. A significant portion of the order will focus on the tech sector. The order proposes the FCC restore net neutrality rules, which were rolled back during the Trump-era, Republican-dominated FCC. But the FCC is split 2-2, and any action is unlikely until Biden nominates a third Democrat to fill the slot.

The proposed $8.5 billion merger between Amazon and MGM could face a lengthier review before the Federal Trade Commission than previously anticipated. Citing unnamed sources, The Information initially reported the FTC review could take six months or more under its new chairwoman Lina Khan.

Lionsgate and MarVista Entertainment are bringing back ‘80s television staple the movie of the week with fresh perspectives. The two companies are looking at more than 100 classics from the Hearst library for possible reboots. In the mix are “The Babysitter’s Seduction,” which aired on NBC and starred Keri Russell and Phylicia Rashad; Lifetime’s psychological thriller “Sex and Mr. X,” which starred Linda Hamilton and Jacqueline Bisset; Dolly Parton’s “Blue Valley Songbird”’ and a host of holiday movies.

Call it a curse. Netflix is saying goodbye to fantasy series “Cursed” after one season… Also on the chopping block is long-running Hallmark series “Good Witch,” which won’t be back for an eighth season. The series’ July 25 finale will be its last.

A familiar View. As Meghan McCain prepares to take her leave from ABC’s “The View” at the end of July, the talker is considering bringing back former co-host Debbie Matenopoulos. A source from the network told DailyMail.com, “Next year is our 25th season, and we’re considering Debbie Matenopoulos making a triumphant return to ‘The View.’ ”

ESPN inked a new deal with the All England Lawn Tennis Club to be the exclusive US home of Wimbledon through 2035. Coverage will be presented across ESPN/Disney platforms.

Time is running out to enter in Esports #1 awards program: The Tempest Awards. This program salutes the industry’s most innovative companies and executives spanning production, talent, and technology. Entries are due this Thursday: start yours now.

The NFL approached Apple to gauge interest in the company acquiring rights for the league’s Sunday Ticket package. Rights to that parcel of games are currently held by DirecTV but would move to Apple TV+ if a deal is struck for after the current arrangement with the AT&T-owned satellite TV provider ends after the 2022 season.

Amazon Studios, Apple TV+ and Netflix are among the nominees for the 21st annual Golden Trailer Awards, which fete those behind the scenes who created the trailers and film marketing for new movies from the past two years. Winners will be announced during a hybrid ceremony Thursday, July 22 that will livestream at 7p.

CALLING ALL ENTRIES
* * *
The 9th Annual Cynopsis Digital Model D and It List Awards are accepting submissions now.
These awards recognize outstanding work in Video Content, Ad Tech, Creative Campaigns, Individuals and Teams – the influencers and those working behind the scenes.
Nominate yourself, your team and your work. Entries due 8/3.

GET STARTED TODAY!

PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT

The novel Homeland Elegies, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ayad Akhtar, is headed to the small screen as a limited series from FX. Exec-produced and starring Kumail Nanjiani (“The Big Sick”), penned by Akhtar and directed by Oren Moverman (“The Messenger”), the eight-ep series is produced by FX Productions and hails from Sight Unseen and Inimitable Pictures.

Days after HBO canceled “Lovecraft Country,” creator Misha Green inked an overall deal with Apple to create and develop TV projects for AppleTV+. Green said last week the anticipated second season of “Lovecraft Country” was already significantly mapped out.

AMC Networks greenlit “Dark Winds,” a western noir series for AMC+ and AMC. From AMC Studios and created and executive produced by Graham Roland (“Fringe”), the series stars Zahn McClarnon (“Fargo”), who is also an executive producer, and Kiowa Gordon (“Roswell, New Mexico”). Vince Calandra (“Sharp Objects”) is showrunner and also an executive producer. Chris Eyre will direct the pilot and executive produce. Executive producers include George R.R. Martin, Robert Redford, Tina Elmo and Vince Gerardis.

Justin Chambers (“Grey’s Anatomy”) will play Marlon Brando on Paramount+ limited series “The Offer,” about the making of the 1972 classic, “The Godfather.”

That Big TV Virtual Conference takes place September 21-23 and will bring together hundreds of senior agency, programming, tech, and brand executives for fresh thinking and new strategies to meet the challenges of today’s ever-changing media ecosystem. All powered by an elite speaker roster featuring AMC Networks, Crown Media Family Networks, Dentsu, Discovery, WarnerMedia, Viacom CBS, and more. Register today!

Sequel and the city. Production of 10-ep series “And Just Like That…” is under way in NY, and HBO Max released a first image of Sarah Jessica Parker reprising the role of Carrie Bradshaw, Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes and Kristin Davis as Charlotte York. The three also serve among the pool of exec producers.

Damon Dash, co-founder with Jay Z of Roc-A-Fella Records, is launching his own reality series, “In Love for a Living.” Dash, who exited his role as exec producer of “Growing Up Hip Hop,” will focus in the new show on his life with fiancee Raquel Horn and their 8-month-old son Dusko. Series will look at his work as well as the subject of IVF, a process he and Horn support.

The next installment of Amazon Prime Video’s sports doc franchise “All Or Nothing” will hail from London-based soccer club Arsenal covering the 2021-22 season.

“Silverhawks,” a space-themed animated series from the ‘80s, is returning to the small screen. The Nacelle Co. is reviving the series, originally developed by Rankin/Bass Productions and released in 1986 with a storyline that centered on a team of 29th Century heroes with metal bodies and wings.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Freeform dropped the season 3B trailer for “Good Trouble” ahead of its Wednesday, July 14 return. “The Fosters” spinoff follows the residents of LA’s The Coterie as they learn the importance of standing up for their beliefs.

Joining the July 15 launch slate of Magnolia Network is docu-series “Hi I’m,” telling the stories of people overcoming extraordinary challenges, using their experience to inspire others to reach their goals.

Discovery is journeying back to the vast plains of Tanzania in “Serengeti II,” which premieres Sunday, July 18 on the network and Discovery+. Created by Simon Fuller (“American Idol”), the series highlights the animals who call the Serengeti their home and details their day-to-day lives living together.

HBO Max is bringing the “summer of unscripted” with a slate of reality and competition series including “FBoy Island,” a reality dating show with a twist, premiering Thursday, July 29; streetwear competition series “The Hype,” premiering Thursday, August 12; and “Sweet Life: Los Angeles,” which follows a group of Black friends on the hunt for success and premieres Thursday, August 19.

COMING UP

CuriosityStream is celebrating World Chimpanzee Day with the Wednesday, July 14 premiere of “Rescued Chimpanzees of the Congo with Jane Goodall.” The new series features never before seen footage spanning three decades of the Jane Goodall Institute’s efforts to rehabilitate chimpanzees rescued from illegal wildlife trafficking.

“The Happy Face Killer: Mind of a Monster,” about a series of events in 1995 that led to the apprehension of serial killer Keith Jesperson, debuts on ID and Discovery+ on Monday, July 19.

The Jonas Brothers train with current and former Olympic athletes like Laurie Hernandez, Nastia Lukin and Sanya Richards-Ross in NBC special “Olympic Dreams Featuring Jonas Brothers,” premiering Wednesday, July 21 at 8p.

Netflix revealed its anime movie “The Witcher: Nightmare of The Wolf,” will premiere Monday August 23, during Friday’s WitcherCon event. The streamer also shared key art for season 2 of the Henry Cavill-starring series and shared it will bow December 17 and follow Geralt of Rivia’s bid to bring Princess Cirilla to his childhood home of Kaer Morhen.

PBS is going green with the Saturday, August 29, 9p premiere of “Wicked in Concert,” a musical celebration of the iconic Broadway score. From Nouveau Productions, the original event marks Broadway’s return with performances by celebrity artists of reimagined, never-before-heard musical arrangements.

KIDS NEWS

“Color Crew Magic,” the series that teaches kids life lessons featuring unique crayon characters, returns to BabyFirst TV today (July 12). The show, which airs at 9:30a, 4:30p and 8:30p, explores how everyday items like food, toys and more are created.

Sinking Ship Entertainment is releasing the first two seasons of “Dino Dana” on iTunes and Google Play. The series stars Michela Luci as 10-year-old “paleontologist in training” Dana, who eats, sleeps and breathes dinosaurs.

CASTING

Devon Terrell (“Cursed”) will topline opposite Aida Osman and Kamillion in “Rap Sh*t,” HBO Max’s comedy from Issa Rae… HBO/BBC’s investment banking drama “Industry” added Alex Alomar Akpobome (“Twenties”) and Adam Levy (“The Witcher”) to the season 2 cast, and promoted Indy Lewis to series regular… Vincent Vermignon joined the cast of HBO limited series “The Staircase.”

GOING GLOBAL

Fremantle signed an exclusive first-look distribution deal with UK-based Astronaut Films, producers of premium non-scripted content.

Big Bad Boo Studios’ spin-off series “ABC With Kenny G” is debuting across North America in English and French this fall. Created by Shabnam Rezaei, the musical preschool series features Marcus Mosely.

BBC Studios and Directors UK are offering upcoming directors from under-represented backgrounds the chance to join a mentoring program that will enable them to work on existing series such as “EastEnders.”

CYNOPSIS 2021 RESOURCE CENTER
An online asset for media execs looking for the latest in tech, streaming, network offerings, and tools to support their business initiatives.

www.cynopsis.com/resource-center

RATINGS

Last week the Discovery portfolio had the top two networks in Total Day among W25-54, with HGTV at No. 1 and Food Network at No. 2, based on L+3 data. In addition, Food Network was the top cable network in Prime on Sunday, July 4 among W25-54, led by “The Great Food Truck Race” (1.1 million P2+). Thanks to unscripted series “Ready to Love” and “Put A Ring On It,” OWN was Friday night’s top cable net among African-American W18+ and the night’s No. 1 non-news cable network among African-American HHs and P2+.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Friday, July 9
Show, P2+ 0000s, (A18-49)
ABC: Shark Tank 2.48 (0.2), 20/20 2.63 (0.3)
CBS: Secret Celebrity Renovation 2.84 (0.3), Love Island 1.45 (0.3), Blue Bloods 2.22 (0.2)
CW: Gossip Girl 0.29 (0.1), Whose Line Is It Anyway? 0.27 (0.1)
FOX: WWE Friday Night Smackdown 1.96 (0.5)
NBC: American Ninja Warrior 1.82 (0.3), Dateline NBC 2.34 (0.4)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

EXECUTIVE MOVES

Netflix hired N’Jeri Eaton, former head of content for Apple Podcasts, to lead podcasting for its marketing division.

The BBC hired Jon Petrie as director of comedy. Petrie previously had a short stint at Netflix-backed production company Broke & Bones.

Blackstone Publishing hired former Miramax and Macmillan executive Brendan Deneen as director of media, TV & film. Deneen most recently was president of literary and IP development at Assemble Media.

This Day in History
1804 – Alexander Hamilton died after being shot in a duel with Aaron Burr.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which series premiered as the most-watched drama ever on A&E among A25-54 and A18-49 in 2011, but was canceled after two seasons? “Breakout Kings” Kudos to: Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NY; Marni C. Gold/Hawthorne, NJ; Louis Lewow-FITE/Atlanta; Marie Takam-Ghost Note Agency/Washington, DC; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA; David Westberg-SAG•AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank

Today’s Trivia Question
The main characters in which ‘70s sitcom worked at the Bedford Advertising Agency in NYC? 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