“Adolesence” was Netflix’s most-watched TV title for the first half of the year – by a lot. From its premiere in March through the end of June, the limited series had 145M views, according to Netflix’s What We Watched report. That bests season two (117M views) and season three (72M views) of runner-up “Squid Game.”

Showtime sequel “Dexter: Resurrection” drew 3.1M cross-platform viewers its first three days, up 45% from “Dexter: Original Sin,” and ranked as the most streamed premiere in Showtime history. “’Dexter: Resurrection’ delivered an electrifying performance that not only rekindled a fiercely devoted fanbase but also captivated a new generation of viewers,” said Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President of SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment.

NBC, Apple and ESPN are all bidding for Major League Baseball’s “Sunday Night Baseball” package – which ESPN opted out of earlier this year – and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told CNBC he plans to make his pick within the month. Manfred said the rights could be split between two bidders, and that he’s in talks to include five MLB teams’ local rights in the discussions.

Peacock is raising the prices of its Premium and Premium+ tiers by $3 per month, to $10.99 and $16.99, but budget-conscious viewers could have another option. The streamer is testing a Select tier for $7.99/month that includes current seasons of NBC and Bravo programming, along with library titles.

Amazon, sued in 2024 for its decision to serve ads in streaming videos unless subscribers paid an extra $2.99 a month, had a big win in court. A federal judge in Seattle tossed the lawsuit, ruling that the company’s agreement with subscribers specifically provided for a “benefit modification” such as ending ad-free videos.

HBO docuseries “The Yogurt Shop Murders” debuts Sunday, August 3 at 10p. The four-parter follows the case of the 1991 murder of four teenage girls in Austin.

Nationally syndicated “Café Mocha TV” heads to Fox Soul on Saturday, July 19 at 8p. “Fox Soul streaming platforms foster greater opportunities to engage with our audiences with culturally immersive experiences,” said Sheila Eldridge, President and CEO of Miles Ahead Entertainment and Broadcasting, the parent company of Café Mocha TV. “Our viewers will watch travel experiences and destinations through the lens of multi-cultural travelers and storytellers, obtain tips on the best places to eat, stay, shop, and explore, tailored for those seeking authentic and inclusive adventures, and join a vibrant community passionate about celebrating multi-cultural heritages.”

Chris Hemsworth explores challenges that promise to “sharpen minds and strengthen bodies” in three-part “Limitless: Live Better Now” (fka “Limitless with Chris Hemsworth”), streaming Friday, August 15 on Disney+ and Hulu before a linear airing Monday, August 25 on Nat Geo.

Season two of “Platonic,” starring and executive produced by Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, arrives Wednesday, August 6 on Apple TV+. The cast also includes Luke Macfarlane and Carla Gallo, and introduces Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett and Milo Manheim as guest stars.

“Monday Night Football” returns on most Mondays beginning September 8, while last season’s breakout hit, “High Potential,” returns for its second season Tuesday, September 16. “The Golden Bachelor” returns with a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, September 24, followed by a new season of “Shark Tank.” The sophomore season of “Shifting Gears” and a new run of “Abbott Elementary” join Wednesday nights beginning October 1. Ryan Murphy’s “9-1-1: Nashville” debuts Thursday, October 16, alongside “9-1-1” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Ryan Seacrest hosts his inaugural season of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” starting Friday, September 26, followed by “20/20.” And “America’s Funniest Home Videos” returns Sunday, September 28 before “The Wonderful World of Disney” broadcast premiere of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

Saturday’s Premieres
Nat Geo: Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller at 9p
OWN: Love & Marriage: Huntsville at 8p

Sunday’s Premiere
Nat Geo Wild: Wildlife ER at 10p

“It’s clear that creator content is becoming a meaningful channel for brands, both as a source of production and paid media,” said Anastasia Leng, Founder and CEO of CreativeX. “But it would be a mistake to treat it in isolation. Creator ads must be held to the same standards as every other piece of advertising, with the same level of visibility, objectivity, and creative measurement applied to make sure that all this growing investment is going towards making our brands famous.”

Which advertisers are diving into Shark Week? Warner Bros. Discovery reports that partners onboard for the multiplatform summer stunt’s 37th year include The Sherwin-Williams Company, Sport Clips Haircuts, Universal Pictures, Long John Silver’s, and the University of Phoenix. Sponsorships feature convergent opportunities like Custom Video Integrations, Pause Ads, Tagged Tune-Ins, Billboards, In-Program Messaging, and Curated Streaming Collections.

Vistar Media, provider of OOH solutions and part of T-Mobile Advertising Solutions, has launched Programmatic Guaranteed (PG), enabling advertisers to lock in delivery and pricing on select inventory, while giving media owners better visibility into demand. “The laws of supply and demand still rule in the US market, and when brands are planning around moments where visibility is critical and inventory is limited, they need certainty,” said Lucy Markowitz, SVP & GM, US Marketplace at Vistar Media. “Programmatic Guaranteed makes it possible to lock in placements and budgets ahead of time, so both buyers and media owners can move forward with confidence.”

Criteo, a platform connecting the commerce ecosystem, and retail media solution Miraki Ads announced an integration to serve a hard-to-reach segment of retail media: third-party sellers and mid-to-long-tail advertisers who sit outside the usual sales and media management channels. By combining Mirakl’s ecosystem of brands and third-party sellers with Criteo’s retail media supply and ad-serving technology, the collaboration aims to empower retailers to unlock new revenue streams at scale through AI-automated and efficient campaign execution. “As retail media evolves, retailers are seeking streamlined solutions to grow demand and connect with diverse brand partners,” said Melanie Zimmermann, General Manager of Global Retail Media at Criteo. “Together we enable third-party advertisers to easily launch campaigns, boosting product variety without adding operational complexity to retailers.”

AdGood, a nonprofit CTV media platform, struck a new partnership with Viant Technology to empower mission-driven organizations by leveraging AdGood’s donated CTV inventory alongside Viant’s advanced audience targeting capabilities. The partnership will enable nonprofits to deliver and measure impactful campaigns to relevant households efficiently, significantly reducing traditional media expenditures.

Since this panel is “The Great Rebundling,” and you went through the first round of bundling, can you provide a topline on how/why the industry has evolved to this point?
“The original bundle was created to rapidly scale content distribution, deliver consumer value and meet demand during the rise of cable. Today, evolving consumer behavior is reshaping expectations. Viewers want more flexibility and value across both linear and digital. As a result, distributors and programmers are rebundling around broadband and direct-to-consumer platforms to build more sustainable models. This next chapter is about reimagining the bundle by using data, credentials and evolved packaging to meet consumers where they are and better serve both the viewer and the business.”

How have you shifted your approach to dealmaking in this “next act” of Pay TV?
“Dealmaking has evolved from a transactional, one-size-fits-all model to a more strategic and collaborative approach. It’s about working closely with each partner to understand their priorities – whether that’s retention, growth or tech innovation – and crafting flexible, tailored solutions across both linear and streaming. Our focus is on total economics and shared value, while continuing to modernize and deepen our relationships with distributors to create meaningful, mutual opportunity.”

What’s ahead for the business?
“The bundle is evolving, not disappearing. Companies like ours are leaning into this complexity to find new opportunities. At the end of the day, it’s about making sense of the disruption and showing how strategic collaboration can drive the next phase of growth across the ecosystem.”

To register for ScreenShift, a conference that brings together visionaries from brands, agencies, platforms, and tech on October 14 in NYC, go here.

ID documentary “The Serial Killer’s Apprentice,” which will revisit the sinister story of Dean Corll, and feature an in-depth interview with his accomplice, Elmer Wayne Henley Jr., premieres Sunday, August 17 at 9p.

FOX Sports and Barstool Sports are teaming to bolster coverage around college football, college basketball and other FOX Sports properties, including creating unique content with a new daily studio show on FS1. “We’re excited to welcome Dave Portnoy and Barstool Sports to the FOX Sports family,” said Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer, FOX Sports. “Dave has built a one-of-a-kind brand that connects with a new generation of sports fans – authentic, bold, and original. Their unique voice and loyal fanbase makes them a natural fit for our evolving multiplatform content strategy.”

Vizio streaming service WatchFree+ will be the exclusive home in the US for the Women’s Cup 2025. The event will feature two different tournaments, with the first taking place in São Paulo, Brazil, July 19-24, and the second in Milan, Italy, August 14-17.

David Cho is joining NBC on August 11 as Editor-in-Chief of CNBC, where he will be responsible for all editorial coverage across the network’s linear, digital and direct-to-consumer platforms. Previously, Cho was Editor-in-Chief of Barron’s and head of editorial content for Dow Jones Wealth and Investing.

Fyllo has named Shane Norris as VP, Head of Sales. Prior to joining Fyllo, Norris held senior sales roles at Roku, Funny or Die, Yieldbot, and The Onion.

ModOp has promoted Miles Dinsmoor (current COO) to the newly created Chief Production Officer role, and hired Stuart Goldstein to fill the COO position. Goldstein previously helped build and consolidate healthcare agencies at McCann (Interpublic Group) and served as COO at Group Vested.

Craig Ziegler has been named Chief Product Officer of iSpot. Ziegler joins iSpot from Integral Ad Science (IAS), where he served as SVP of Product.

Friday Fun Fact
A lightning bolt is five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.

Answer to Our Last Trivia Question
Which 1980s TV-movie focused on a womanizing pool cleaner? “Prince of Bel Air” (1986). Kudos to: Justin Pierce-JP Consulting Group/LA; Phyllis McQuillan-MSG Networks/NYC; Susan Nessanbaum-Goldberg-M and S Entertainment/LA; Mark Wajda/Clermont, FL; Gerry Bixenspan-TV Marketing Inc./NYC; Tom Moore-Kalt Productions/LA; David Garber-Loyola Marymount University/Playa Vista, CA

Today’s Trivia Question
What was Hollywood A-lister Chris Pratt’s first series regular TV role? (Email your answer to trivia@cynopsis.com and be sure to include your name, company, city and time zone. Unofficial rules: a limit of four answers per time zone.)