Today’s Finales
ABC: What Would You Do? at 9p
HBO: Hard Knocks: Los Angeles at 10p

IN THE NEWS

The E. W. Scripps Company reached an agreement with Dish Network that has brought all Scripps stations, blacked out since July, back on the air for Dish subscribers. “We apologize for the disruption in service and thank you for your loyalty and patience through this period,” tweeted Scripps on Sunday.

Allison Janney will be flying solo in season eight of Mom – Anna Faris is not returning to the CBS comedy, despite the renewal of her contract for the season. “The past seven years on Mom have been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding of my career,” said Faris. “While my journey as Christy has come to an end, allowing me to pursue new opportunities, I’ll be watching next season and rooting for my TV family.” Warner Bros. TV, CBS and Chuck Lorre Prods. wished Faris well, saying, “We thank her for her beautiful portrayal.”

Thirty percent of Americans who pay for live TV do so mainly for news programming, according to new data from CivicScience. Watching other programming as it airs live was named by 23% of respondents, while sporting events came in close behind with 22%. For insights on what it takes for the news industry to be positioned for success in 2021, hear from experts at ABC News, CBS News and Fox News at the September 22-24 Cynopsis Virtual Big TV Conference. For a limited time, registration is free.

Nickeloden has pulled Made by Maddie, slated for a September 13 premiere on Nick Jr., from its schedule. Controversy about similarities between the preschool show and Oscar-winning short Hair Love prompted the move. “Made by Maddie is a show we acquired several years ago from Silvergate Media, a renowned production company we have previously worked with on other series,” said the net. “Since announcing the show’s premiere date…we have been listening closely to the commentary, criticism and concern coming from both viewers and members of the creative community. In response, and out of respect to all voices in the conversation, we are removing the show from our schedule as we garner further insight into the creative journey of the show.”

Cartoon Network has launched “In This Together,” a global initiative offering support and resources to kids and families. On-air spots feature kids sharing their new school experiences.

Amazon is throwing in the towel on big budget limited series Cortes y Moctezuma, due to production restraints created by COVID-19. “In the current climate, there is unfortunately no way to remount the production in the near future to achieve the scale and scope that was intended and that the series deserves,” said Amazon Studios and Amblin Partners. Production was underway in Mexico when the coronavirus hit.

Two comedies produced by Chelsea Handler landed series orders. HBO Max picked up Blair, based on the Mo Welch comic strip about a twentysormething who burns down her apartment and must move home with her mom. Wiped Out, focused on a narcissistic woman who is erased from the world’s memory by a passing black hole, found a home at Peacock. Both projects will be executive produced by Handler alongside Molly Burke.

Insight TV has partnered with G2 Esports to co-produce the first televised version of their online esports talent search series, Making the Squad: FIFA Edition. The eight-part series, based on the new FIFA 21 game from Electronic Arts, is currently in pre-production.

Casting notes: Alan Ritchson (Titans) landed the title role in Amazon’s Jack Reacher, based on the Lee Child bestsellers…Upped to series regulars on NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist for season two are Andrew Leeds, Alice Lee, Michael Thomas Grant and Kapil Talwalkar.

A two-month marathon shoot of four Tyler Perry series at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, using a quarantine bubble model, has ended with the successful wrap of seasons of BET’s Sisters and The Oval, and BET+’s Ruthless and Bruh. During 32 shoot days out of 51 quarantine days, there were no positive COVID-19 cases once production started.

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

New ID series Chaos in Court examines clips of dramatic courtroom moments, starting Wednesday, September 16 at 10p. The following night brings the season three premiere of The Killer Beside Me, exposing murderous workplaces, at 10p.

ABC’s The View returns for season 24 on Tuesday, September 8 at 11a, with Sara Haines returning to co-host. Haines was on the panel from 2016-18, and left to co-host now-canceled GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke. “Sara never stopped being a part of The View family and we’re so excited to once again have her warmth, humor and thoughtful viewpoint join the rest of our talented co-hosts on the panel,” said executive producer Brian Teta.

STREAMING SCOOP

Disney’s remake of Mulan is available for purchase within the Disney+ app on Amazon Fire TV and Fire Tablet devices, in addition to previously announced Apple, Google and Roku devices, for $30. On December 4, the film will be available for free to Disney+ subscribers. The film’s planned March 27 theatrical release was canceled due to the pandemic.

Crunchyroll is partnering with Adult Swim on the production of Shenmue, an original anime series based on the SEGA game franchise. The show will stream worldwide outside of Japan and mainland China on Crunchyroll and air on Adult Swim’s Toonami in the US. News of the deal broke at Virtual Crunchyroll Expo, the digital edition of Crunchyroll’s yearly anime convention.

Coinciding with the launch of a new Penthera white paper, the company offers insights – including the three most important things to consider – surrounding the build-or-buy download conversation, in Cynsiders.

COMING UP

Tiger King’s Joe Exotic is put under the microscope in two ID specials. Joe Exotic: Tigers, Lies and Cover-Up airs Sunday, September 27 and Monday, September 28 at 9p, centered on the mysterious disappearance of Carole Baskin’s husband, Don, and the criminal case against Joe Exotic. Joe Exotic: Before He Was King puts the sordid story of Joe Exotic in context with a look at dark secrets from the zookeeper’s past, on Monday, September 28 at 10p.

Axios co-founder sits down for a candid interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that airs tonight, September 8 at 11p on HBO and HBO Max.

The season finale of ABC’s What Would You Do? tonight is followed by a new hour that confronts the moral dilemma of lying. Inspired by the classic WWYD? scenario involving a woman asking a stranger to pretend to be her boyfriend to please her nosy mother, the new hour asks the question, when is it okay to lie?

GOING GLOBAL

UK drama Doc Martin will end with upcoming season ten. The ITV series airs on Acorn TV in the US.

ViacomCBS Networks UK announced a new partnership between MTV Play and O2. As part of the deal, O2 customers will be offered the SVOD D2C streaming app free of charge for three months, as part of their existing mobile network subscriptions.

BBC Two has commissioned Saved and Remade (w/t) from Red Sky Productions, presented by Sabrina Grant. The series has a team of expert craftspeople help viewers figure out what to do with treasured but purposeless items.

ODMedia Group, the Dutch content services company, has signed a deal with German content distributor SchröderMedia. Under the deal, ODMedia will represent SchröderMedia as an aggregator for all global OTT platforms.

In addition to celebrating individual Top Women in Media, Cynopsis is recognizing two distinguished companies who champion women in media the week of October 13.
We can’t wait to highlight:

Ampersand + Starz

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The debuts of sitcoms Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living grossed 6.6 million viewers P2+ during premiere night across premieres and encores (simulcast across BET and BET Her on September 2). Tyler Perry’s House of Payne grew across every quarter-hour, peaking in the final quarter-hour (.59 P18-49 rating).

ABC’s NBA Playoff game on Sunday delivered a winning 1.3 rating among A18-49 and 3.8 million viewers in early Nielsens.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Thursday, September 3
Show, P2+ 0000s, (A18-49)
ABC: Holey Moley 3.15 (0.5), To Tell the Truth 3.00 (0.4), To Tell the Truth 2.94 (0.4)
CBS: Big Brother 4.22 (1.1), Love Island 1.56 (0.4)
CW: Mysteries Decoded 0.76 (0.1), Penn & Teller: Fool Us 0.57 (0.1)
FOX: Beat Shazam 1.38 (0.4), Beat Shazam 1.34 (0.4)
NBC: The Wall 2.57 (0.4), Transplant 2.06 (0.3), Law & Order: SVU 2.01 (0.3)
Univision: Rosa de Guadelupe 1.30 (0.4), Medicos Linea de Vida 1.34 (0.4), Dulce Ambicion 1.19 (0.4)
Source: Nielsen live + same day time period averages

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
For which series did Matthew Perry receive two Emmy nominations? The West Wing (1999-2006). Kudos to: Joe Leydon-Cowboys & Indians Magazine/Houston, Marni C. Gold/Hawthorne, NJ, Heather Allen-WWE Corporation/Stamford, CT, Paul Blutter-Walk and Talk Production Rentals/ Burbank, Allison Weiner-MMSI/Warwick, Lorrie Shilling/El Segundo, CA, Jon Krongard-Wonderama/NYC, David Garber-Loyola Marymount University/Playa Vista, CA, Synda Kollman-Charter Marketing Group/Boca Raton, FL, Matt Sautter-WideOrbit/York, PA, Aaron Paquette-Screen Engine/ASI/Fort Worth, TX

Today’s Trivia Question
Seasons one and two of which series were nine years apart? (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.)