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PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Cold Shoulder, a police drama from producers Nina Tassler and Gail Berman , Little Women producer Denise Di Novi, Prime Suspect creator Lynda La Plante and former CSI: New York showrunner Pam Veasey is in development at CBS. The series, based on the same-titled novel by La Plante about an officer who seeks help from a former detective after she’s unable to stop the death of her partner, is written by Veasey.
NBC is developing forensic crime drama No Stone Unturned, from former Bones co-showrunner Jon Collier. The project, which is rooted at Universal TV and Todd Milliner and Sean Hayes’ Hazy Mills Productions, draws inspiration from a real necrosearch investigation team.
Syfy vampire drama Van Helsing got a fifth and final season renewal days before its season 4 finale this Friday, December 20.
Will Ferrell is in to topline and produce a Netflix feature film based on the streamer’s doc The Legend of Cocaine Island, about a small-business owner who comes across the legend of a buried stash of cocaine worth $2 million hidden in the Caribbean. Peter Steinfeld will pen the script; Ferrell will produce with Gloria Sanchez Productions’ Jessica Elbaum, and David Permut (Hacksaw Ridge) through his Permut Presentations.
Amazon Studios snagged worldwide rights to Ninian Doff’s feature Boyz In The Wood, a satirical look at generational politics, hip-hop loving farmers and other local culture in the Scottish highlands. Written and directed by Doff and produced by Tobey Maguire and Matthew Plouffe’s Material Pictures, film features a rap-heavy soundtrack.
Village Roadshow Entertainment Group acquired rights to Shamim Sarif’s young adult thriller novel The Athena Protocol and will develop it as a series. Plot follows a young woman who is part of a secret, all-female international vigilante group who goes rogue after she breaks protocol and assassinates one of their targets.
Quibi, Lionsgate and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson are in tune for short-form animated series Trill League, adapted from Anthony Piper’s graphic novel featuring a hip-hop-infused, black superhero universe. Jameel Saleem (South Park) and Piper are co-creators and writers of the series. They exec produce with Jackson (Power) and 3 Arts Entertainment’s Jermaine Johnson.
MGM Television inked a first-look deal with British management and production company 42, to co-develop scripted series for the US market. 42 is the production house behind the new adaptation of Watership Down and Netflix drama Traitors.
NEW & RETURNING SERIES
Successful homesteading is no easy feat, a fact that again will be proven out in a new season of Homestead Rescue, dropping Thursday, January 2 at 8p on Discovery Channel. Viewers also can catch up on all things homesteading as part of Discovery’s new Off the Grid Thursdays, featuring new series Reclaimed at 9p and a new season of Building Off the Grid at 10p beginning January 9.
MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show will return Wednesday, January 8 at 8p. In the new season, host Nev Schulman and Kamie Crawford will be tipped off by friends, family and anonymous sources, unbeknownst to the hooked “Hopeful.”
Investigation Discovery and victims’ rights advocate John Walsh are teaming again to hunt down persons of interest and find missing children with a second season of In Pursuit With John Walsh. The 12-ep season debuts Wednesday, January 15 at 10p.
History drama series Project Blue Book will return for season 2 on January 21.
Diego Luna returns as Felix Gallardo in season 2 of Narcos: Mexico, premiering February 13 on Netflix. Second season continues chronicling the missteps, ill-conceived agendas and corruption on both sides of the border.
FYI’s 10-ep series From Scratch , from David Moscow (Big), will follow the actor, producer and adventurer on a worldwide expedition making meals from, you guessed it, scratch. Series premieres Sunday, February 16 at 6p.
From made in heaven to majorly mismatched , 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days returns for season 4 on TLC on Sunday, February 23 at 8p. Additionally, 90 Day Fiance: Just Landed is available to stream as of yesterday on TLC.com and the TLC GO app.
COMING UP
Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County three-part reunion kicks off tonight, December 18 at 10p with host Andy Cohen sitting down with Tamra Judge, Shannon Beador, Kelly Dodd, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and newcomer Braunwyn Windham-Burke. Parts 2 and 3 will air Monday, December 23 at 10p and Thursday, December 26 at 10p.
Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Sting, Chris Martin and more will perform at London’s Royal Albert Hall as part of NBC’s Global Citizen Prize special airing Friday, December 20 at 8p. Inaugural awards celebrate individuals taking action to end extreme poverty.
CBS’ The Talk is going for a high note with its first-ever musical holiday ep on Friday, December 20. Show will feature Eve, Sharon Osbourne, Marie Osmond, Vanessa Williams, Carnie and Wendy Wilson among guests.
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade airs Wednesday, December 25 at 10a on ABC and features the annual Christmas celebration, this year hosted by Matthew Morrison, singer/songwriter and TV host Emma Bunton, and TV host Jesse Palmer.
CBS News delves inside the challenges facing migrant families split apart by the Trump administration’s “Zero Tolerance” policy in the primetime broadcast net premiere of the CBSN Originals’ The Faces of Family Separation on Saturday, December 28 at 10p.
Post Malone will headline Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2020, airing live from NY’s Times Square on Tuesday, December 31, beginning at 8p on ABC.
Seven men in and around Marion County, FL, fell victim to elusive serial killer Aileen Wournos in 1989-90. The second installment if ID’s Mind of a Monster, debuting Wednesday, January 1 at 10p, puts the lens on the investigation.
TECH TALK
DailyMotion launched VerticalVue , a vertical ad format that can coincide with publishers’ video content simultaneously within Dailymotion’s video player, creating a nondisruptive viewing experience for users. Format aims to help brands increase ad effectiveness by maximizing viewability and completion rates.
The Weather Channel is expanding its reach with the Local Now Plus free streaming app. Beginning Friday, December 20, the app will feature local news, weather and more, plus a slate of 150 movie titles and curated playlists with movie recommendations.
STREAMING SNIPPETS
More than 100 PBS member stations yesterday began streaming live on YouTube TV. The move makes local public television content available to more than 75 percent of US households, with additional stations launching next year. Dedicated live channels for PBS and PBS Kids, and on-demand programming including American Experience, Antiques Roadshow and Masterpiece are now available to YouTube TV subscribers.
CBS All Access is now available on smart TVs from LG Electronics for $5.99/month with limited commercials and $9.99/month for commercial free.
KIDS NEWS
PBS Kids launched Scribbles and Ink , a character-driven interactive series that allows kids to become part of the story by adding their own drawings and creations the characters can interact with. Produced by WGBH and based on the books by author and illustrator Ethan Long, the series touts a drawing tool, four storytelling options and printable activities to promote offline art-making.
Kosher.com has a new snack for kids. Cooking show Nosh & Nibble, debuting this week, was co-created with PJ Library, a program that offers free Jewish-themed books to young readers. Series was inspired by the appearance of Rachel Goldzal (Food Network’s Chopped Junior champ) on Kosher.com’s Sunny Side Up with Naomi Nachman.
PODCAST POSTS
Complex, in partnership with Spotify, will debut Infamous: The Tekashi 6ix9ine Story on Spotify beginning Tuesday, January 28. Eight-part docuseries, narrated by Angie Martinez, dives into the rise and fall of the rapper, otherwise known to the prosecutors in the Southern District of New York as Daniel Hernandez.
Westwood One is pressing play on Esports 30 with Kevin Knocke, the newest addition to Westwood One Podcast Network. Series features esports news and interviews with industry personalities, athletes and influencers.
CASTING
Zackary Momoh (Harriet) will co-star opposite Lupita Nyong’o in HBO Max’s limited series Americanah… Keena Ferguson (Atlanta) will recur on BET’s new drama series Sistas… Joining Kevin James in his upcoming Netflix NASCAR comedy series The Crew are regulars Gary Anthony Williams (Bless the Harts), Dan Ahdoot (Bajillion Dollar Propertie$), Freddie Stroma (UnReal), Sarah Stiles (Billions) and Jillian Mueller (The Last O.G.).
GOING GLOBAL
Discovery Inc. is expanding its golf empire. The company acquired Latin American Golf, SL, parent of pay TV net Golf Channel Latin America, from Simple Networks and Fornaluz Productions. Golf Channel Latin America reaches more than 10 million subscribers across 17 regional markets.
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