Today’s Finales
HGTV: My Big Italian Adventure at 9p
ID: Chaos at 10p

Saturday’s Premieres
History: History’s Greatest Mysteries at 9p
ID: James Patterson’s Murder of Innocence at 9p
Ovation TV: The Fall
OWN: Lovely Bites at 12p, Tregaye’s Way at 12:30p, Food Fantasies at 1p, Tanya’s Kitchen Table at 1:30p

Saturday Finale
AMC: Eli Roth’s History of Horror at 10p

Sunday’s Premieres
AXS TV: Music’s Greatest Mysteries at 9p
Food Network: Candy Land at 9p
HBO: Murder on Middle Beach at 10p
Netflix: The Crown
PBS: Secrets of Royal Travel at 10p
Science Channel: Unearthed at 9p, Secrets of the Lost at 10p
Showtime: The Reagans at 8p
Smithsonian Channel: Ice Airport Alaska at 8p

Sunday’s Finales
Showtime: The Good Lord Bird at 9p
The Weather Channel: Storm Stories: The Next Chapter at 8p, Weather Gone Viral at 10p

IN THE NEWS

Disney reported over 73 million paid subscribers for its Disney+ streaming service, and exceeded expectations on revenue, with $14.71 billion (versus $14.20 billion) in its quarterly earnings report. Losses were less drastic than expected, given the pandemic’s impact on the company’s theme parks. “Even with the disruption caused by COVID-19, we’ve been able to effectively manage our businesses while also taking bold, deliberate steps to position our company for greater long-term growth,” said CEO Bob Chapek. “The real bright spot has been our direct-to-consumer business, which is key to the future of our company.” ESPN+ topped 10 million subscribers for the first time.

A lawsuit filed against CNN by President Trump’s presidential campaign has been dismissed by a federal judge. The campaign alleged libel in an op-ed published in June, 2019 that alleged “the Trump campaign assessed the potential risks and benefits of again seeking Russia’s help in 2020 and has decided to leave that option on the table.” While US District Court Judge Michael L. Brown said, “Most of the allegations in the complaint regarding actual malice are conclusory” and fail to show actual malice, Trump was given an opportunity to file an amended version.

President Trump is considering launching a digital news channel, reports Axios. While there in the past has been speculation about the president starting a cable channel, a streaming channel would be simpler and less expensive. Trump would have his database of contacts, notes Axios, and likely charge a monthly fee for a channel that would compete with Fox News for right wing viewers.

YouTube won’t be releasing its annual recap video, “Rewind,” this year. While the video has in the past recalled big moments and trends, 2020 was overshadowed by the pandemic, social unrest, wildfires, and a chaotic election. “’Rewind’ was always meant to be a celebration of you,” said a YouTube statement. “But 2020 has been different. And it doesn’t feel right to carry on as if it weren’t. So, we’re taking a break.”

Amazon will, however, look back 2020, with a series of eulogies from female comedians. In “Yearly Departed,” premiering Wednesday, December 30, Tiffany Haddish (“Girls Trip”), Sarah Silverman (“I Love You, America”), Natasha Rothwell (“Insecure”), Ziwe (“Book of Love”), Natasha Leggero (“Another Period”) and Patti Harrison (“Shrill”) join Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), who also executive produces, to say goodbye to a year that can’t end soon enough.

Productions from Broadway’s “Hamilton,” “Mean Girls,” “Jagged Little Pill,” and “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” will be featured in the reimagined Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, airing on NBC and Telemundo at 9a. Also joining the audience-free event, staged near Macy’s flagship store in NYC, are the Radio City Rockettes, Dolly Parton, The Big Apple Circus, Lauren Alaina, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Patti LaBelle, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Leslie Odom Jr., Keke Palmer, and Jordin Sparks, among others.

Sibling sampling: Select episodes from CBS’ upcoming Monday lineup will get an airing on ViacomCBS nets BET and BET Her tonight, November 13 at 8p. Programming includes encore episodes of The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola, and All Rise, beginning at 8p. The three series return with original episodes for their season premieres on Monday, November 16.

E! renewed a trio of reality series. “E! True Hollywood Story” and “The Bradshaw Bunch” will be back for second seasons, and plastic surgery show “Botched” will return for season seven.

With the holiday season on the horizon, Univision is re-launching its home shopping initiative, Gangas + Deals, as part of morning show “Despierta America” on Thursday, November 19. Gangas + Deals will feature culturally relevant brands and a platform that supports Hispanic-owned small businesses, with deals from Adidas, Chloe, LOL, Mandolorian, Oster, and Latina entrepreneur Christina Kelmon’s makeup line Belle en Argent.

He may not play for a stadium full of fans, but The Weeknd scored the halftime slot for CBS’s broadcast of Super Bowl LV, scheduled for February 7 in Tampa. The halftime show will be produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins as executive producers, and Hamish Hamilton as director.

Revenue from SVOD services rose 38.7% in 3Q20 versus the same quarter last year, reports the Digital Entertainment Group, but the purchase of titles from platforms like Vudu and Amazon fell 14%, to $601 million. DVD and Blu-ray rentals slid 34.4%, to $225 million.

Brooklyn public defender Brian Buckmire is taking over as host of “Law&Crime Daily,” Law&Crime and Litton Entertainment’s nationally syndicated legal news program. His co-host is attorney Terri Austin. Aaron Keller is stepping down from hosting duties to pursue other projects, but will continue to offer legal analysis and reporting on LawandCrime.com.

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AMC Networks streamer Shudder has teamed with Shaftesbury to resurrect anthology series “Slasher,” to stream exclusively on the horror platform in the US, Australia and New Zealand in 2021. David Cronenberg has joined the cast for the eight-part season. Continuing the series’ trend of bringing back cast members in new roles, Paula Brancati, Jefferson Brown, Patrice Goodman, Sabrina Grdevich, and Christopher Jacot will return, along with new faces Rachael Crawford (“Heartland”), Jeananne Goosen (“The Walking Dead”), Sydney Meyer (“Departure”), and Alex Ozerov (“The Americans”).

The CW is developing a “Black Lightning” spin-off, “Painkiller,” with a backdoor pilot starring Jordan Calloway and written, executive produced and directed by “Black Lightning” showrunner Salim Akil. Berlanti Productions, Akil Productions and DC Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television are producing.

CBS has put in development a series from “Sherman’s Showcase” creators Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin. The comedy follows a group of Black students from blue collar backgrounds as they adjust to the culture shock of an Ivy League college by forming a doo-wop group.

Gunpowder & Sky sci-fi label Dust is developing “Moreau,” a sci-fi series that puts a modern spin on the 1896 H.G. Wells novel, “The Island of Dr. Moreau,” centered on a mad scientist who creates hybrid beings. Zack Stentz (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) is attached to write.

Emmy-winning story editor/writer Cord Jefferson (“Watchmen”, “Succession”) inked his first overall studio deal, with Warner Bros. Television Group. Jefferson will create, develop and produce original programming to be produced by the studio, including drama series, comedies, longform, and unscripted projects for all platforms. This includes projects for HBO Max, HBO and other WarnerMedia-affiliated outlets, as well as external streaming services, premium and basic cable channels, and broadcast networks. Jefferson, a former editor at Gawker, “plans to create thoughtful character dramas and comedies, as well as affecting unscripted projects, a callback to his roots as a journalist,” said the studio.

Kim Delaney (“NYPD Blue”) will star in Lifetime original movie, “The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice,” part of the net’s “Ripped from the Headlines” slate. Deborah Norville, who covered the true story that inspired the film as anchor for “Inside Edition,” will executive produce.

TECH TALK

Double Verify announced the launch of its Custom Contextual solution for programmatic advertisers. The offering aligns ads to relevant content, aiming to maximize user engagement and drive conversion. DV’s Custom Contextual solution will be available on leading DSPs that include MediaMath, Verizon Media and Xandr. “Increased privacy regulation and the decision by most web browsers to sunset the use of third-party cookies is ushering a shift away from third-party audience targeting,” said Jack Smith, Chief Product Officer of DoubleVerify. “Our Custom Contextual solution draws on DV’s 10+ years of experience in ontology, brand suitability and content classification and applies this to effectively match relevant ads to audiences at key points of interest or intent.”

It’s not about stocking up on mac ‘n’ cheese and hand sanitizer anymore, says Kantar’s “Creative Guardrails” report, which looks at how consumers react to ads in the face of uncertainty. So what’s working? “After two quarters of pulling back, brands are returning to TV advertising, but are seeing significantly different results when it comes to whether these ads are driving sales,” Stephen DiMarco, Chief Digital Officer, Kantar, tells Cynopsis. “Our Creative Guardrails Report, fueled by Link AI, finds that the highest performing ads now are the ones that are ‘short, sweet and to the point’. Consumers ultimately want simplicity and value for today’s challenges – and the brands that are communicating that are winning.”

NEW & RETURNING SERIES

Season two of “Top Elf” premieres on Nickelodeon on Thursday, November 19 at 7:30. The reality competition invites seven “Elf-testants” to compete in a series of holiday-themed challenges.

Robots are at it again when “Battlebots” returns for combat – and a shot at the Giant Nut – on Thursday, December 3 at 8p on Discovery. Sportscaster Chris Rose and UFC fighter Kenny Florian are back to provide play-by-play commentary, while Jenny Taft reports from the builder pits and Faruq Tauheed is the ring announcer.

After “The Challenge: Total Madness” scored the highest-rated season in eight years, MTV’s “The Challenge: Double Agents” returns to a partner format with 19 episodes filmed entirely in Iceland. Thirty reality titans from around the globe work to outsmart each other in a game of secrets, spies and lies.

A&E has premiere dates for three series. “Court Cam” is back for season three on December 2 at 9p, followed by newcomer “Rescue Cam,” looking at life-and-death rescues, at 10p. Another freshman, “I Survived a Crime,” delving into the harrowing experiences of victims, debuts Wednesday, January 27 at 10p.

Limited drama series Forgiven premieres on Fox-owned Tubi on Monday, November 16. The drama centers on the pitfalls of extreme ambition in the workplace.

Travel Channel’s “Dark Tales with Don Wildman” premieres Monday, November 30 at 10p, and Saturday, December 5 at 9p brings new series “Most Terrifying with Jason Hawes.”

Starz has set a midseason return date of Sunday, December 6 at 8p for the remainder of season one of spin-off “Power Book II: Ghost.” Fans who need to catch up can find the first five episodes starting at 2:45p on December 6.

COMING UP

Discovery and Science Channel will simulcast the launch of SpaceX/NASA launch tomorrow, November 14 at 6p ET/3p PT. This will be the first official mission launching astronauts to the International Space Station on board SpaceX’s reusable spacecraft and rocket.

PBS will have a little HGTV next week. On Monday, November 16, PBS’ “Independent Lens” will feature “Jonathan Scott’s Power Trip,” a documentary directed by the “Property Brothers” star that shines a light on the importance of access to renewable energy. Among those interviewed will be Bernie Sanders, Al Gore, coal miners and solar panel installers.

History’s “History’s Greatest Mysteries,” hosted and narrated by Laurence Fishburne, kicks off tonight with “The Final Hunt for D.B. Cooper,” exploring the case of an unidentified man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft, then parachuted to an uncertain fate. “This case has fascinated the public for almost half a century. D.B. Cooper’s crime was high-risk, high-reward, and he appears to have made away with a hefty ransom, all without physically harming anyone,” exec producer Grant Cross, Founder/President of Lost Arts Pictures (part of 3BMG), tells Cynopsis. “The longer questions go unanswered, the deeper folks’ obsession becomes. This is especially true with Eric Ulis, the subject of our documentary. Eric’s a producer’s dream. He’s overwhelmingly passionate, clever, bold, and he’s actually done his homework. With his enthusiasm and years of research leading the way, ‘The Final Hunt’ aims to crack the ultimate cold case, using modern technology and practices to finally discover what happened in the sky that night in 1971.”

MTV announced a 90-minute end of year special, “MTV Movie & TV Awards: Greatest of All Time,” premiering Sunday, December 6 at 8p. Vanessa Hudgens (“High School Musical”) will host the show, honoring the biggest moments in film and television from the 80s until now.

THEMA América announced that Telemicro Internacional will exclusively broadcast matches of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League in the US, with adjusted dates and format. Since 2017, Telemicro has held the rights for exclusive broadcast in the US of all local matches between the Tigres del Licey and the Águilas Cibaeñas.

STREAMING SCOOP

Online Video Platform SendtoNews has entered an agreement to add Future plc’s digital video content from their brands, including TechRadar, GamesRadar, Space.com and Tom’s Guide. “This agreement with SendtoNews extends the reach of our most popular video content to entirely new audiences,” said Claire MacLellan, COO, Future plc. “By teaming with STN, we’re excited to bring an even more powerful experience to our audience, and in turn, grow our brand through contextually relevant editorial placements on their platform.”

FOX Entertainment’s Tubi is now available on the just-launched Xbox Series X|S. In addition to its library of shows, Tubi will soon offer Xbox users more than 25 live streaming channels including NewsNOW from FOX, FOX SOUL and news from 17 local FOX Television Stations. “Tubi and Microsoft have had a longstanding partnership on Xbox One and we are excited to continue our collaboration,” said Andrea Clarke-Hall, Head of Business Development at Tubi.

Meanwhile, Fandango’s transactional VOD streaming service, Vudu, will available on Sony Interactive Entertainment’s game console, PlayStation5, at launch. “Vudu is focused on delivering fans the latest new release and premium event titles, as well as our comprehensive catalog of movies and TV shows,” said Kevin Shepela, EVP, Chief Commercial Officer, Fandango. “It’s a great time for fans to find their favorites to stream on their consoles, as we head toward the holidays and our Thanksgiving week sales.”

SOCIAL GOOD

Philo is donating $1 million of ad impressions to support Black-owned businesses and social justice organizations in 2020. Philo’s team has also been working with some of the organizations and businesses to create ads utilizing the streaming service’s in-house design team. “In light of the recent events, we decided to use our platform as a place for good,” said Reed Barker, Head of Advertising. “We opened up our ad inventory space to provide space for discussions about systemic injustice, raise awareness for social good organizations, and provide Black business owners with an opportunity to promote their businesses free-of-charge. Philo is truly TV for everyone, and we want our ad presence on the platform to be uplifting and include diverse representation.”

Spectrum introduced a new initiative, “Rebuild My Town,” to help small businesses in local communities across its footprint rebuild. The initiative will feature a monthly speaker series with celebrity entrepreneurs Bethenny Frankel, Daymond John and Marcus Lemonis, hyperlocalized commercials featuring Spectrum Reach clients, and interactive events connecting businesses in local communities. “In local communities across the country, business owners are looking for ways to navigate a constantly shifting environment,” said Michael Guth, SVP, Marketing, Spectrum Reach. “With local experts who live and work in our communities, we are best positioned to serve the individual needs of local businesses.”

GOING GLOBAL

Drive announced acquisitions of documentary series “Greek Island Odyssey with Bettany Hughes” to broadcasters Smithsonian Channel in the US, Spanish broadcasters Movistar and TVE, Canadian channels Knowledge Network and TVO, HRT in Croatia, COSMOTE History in Greece and Sky Italia.

ViacomCBS International Studios Distribution today announced a second European adaptation for its dating reality format, “Finding Prince Charming.” Following a deal struck with ITV Studios Netherlands, a local Dutch version has been commissioned by RTL as an exclusive series for its online platform Videoland.

Orange Smarty reports that it has sold more than 500 hours of factual content, with demand particularly strong for property-search format “A Place in the Sun,” now in its 13th season on Channel 4 in the UK. Deals are in place with TV4 Sweden and Foxtel Australia, and HRT Croatia has taken series eight of sister show “A Place in the Sun: Home or Away.”

CYNOPSIS DIGITAL AWARDS
Tuesday, December 1st at 1pm / Register for Free

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ABC’s broadcast of the CMA Awards on Wednesday dropped to all-time lows of 7.1 million total viewers and 1.1 among A18-49.

Broadcast Nielsen Ratings for Wednesday, November 11
Show, P2+ 000s, (A18-49)
ABC: CMA Awards 7.08 (1.1)
CBS Amazing Race 3.72 (0.7), S.W.A.T. 2.75 (0.4), S.W.A.T. 2.56 (0.4)
CW: Devils 0.42 (0.1), Coroner 0.55 (0.1)
FOX: The Masked Singer 6.06 (1.6), I Can See Your Voice 3.45 (0.9)
NBC: Chicago Med 7.83 (1.2), Chicago Fire 7.23 (1.0), Chicago PD 6.43 (1.0)
Telemundo: Domo del Dinero 0.66 (0.2), Todo Por Mi Hija 1.40 (0.4), Falsa Identidad 0.80 (0.2)
Univision: Vencer el Desamor 1.79 (0.6), Imperio de Mentiras 1.30 (0.4), Dulce Ambicion 1.05 (0.3)
Source: Nielsen, live + same day time period averages

Friday Fun Fact
“Q” is the only letter in the alphabet not to appear in any US state name.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
What is the middle name of Michael Scott on “The Office” (2005-2013)? Gary. Kudos to: Laura DiPippa-The Centsables/NYC, Marc Mondry-MSG Networks/NYC, David Koppelman-Billups/NYC, Joe Isabella-WCBS-TV/NYC, Dan Whitford-WTTW/Chicago, Paul Blutter-Walk and Talk Production Rentals/Burbank, Steve Rogan-E-Poll Market Research/Encino, CA, Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA, David Westberg-SAG-AFTRA Credit Union/Burbank

Today’s Trivia Question
What was Christopher Moltisanti’s relationship to Tony Soprano on “The Sopranos” (1999-2007)? (Email [email protected] with your answer and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four.)